South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1834-11-22

was moh "uo Souiu Sd VIII more
reason and propriety than General
Jackson-"Save me from my friends ,
| can take care ofmy enemies myself.''
/ Recurring TO the remark he had
made, that the nomination of him for
the presidency had excited the jealous
| ly of the partizans of MIR. Van Buren,
DIR. L. said, the design Of making such
a nomination had originated while he
was in South Carolina, where his mind
and his heart we're occupied with far
| different thoughts from any schemes Of
personal ambition-and strange as it
might seem, it was yet true, that when
the design was first mentioned to him,
he had not the least idea that il was Sc.
riously entertained. The FIRST public
annunciation of it was made at the
Chesterfield election, in April 1888, by
a gentleman now present civilian r.
Johnson,) and it was repeated not long
afterwards, by two other gentlemen, who
had since, to the irreparabIe loss Of their
friends, and of their country, gone to
the grave John Randolph and Thomas
T. Bouldin.) All Of them had known
him long and intimately, and UNDER
stood perfectly his character, his tenn
per, his feelings, his situation--yet
neither ofthem bad ever limited his pur-
pose TO him ; and he always believed
that they refrained from doing so, be-
cause they thought they had right to
act, in such case, without consulting
his wishes, and because they apprehen-
ded they would find in bis remonstran-
ces an obstacle to the execution OF their
design. Thencefor,h, Immediately and
ever since, --wheneyer any opportuni-
ty had been presented to him to speak
upon the subject, without incurring the
ridicule Of affecting to disclaim an hon.
or which he had not the least reason 10
hope,-in his correspondence with
those who were intent on making the
nomination, lin conversation With ev-
cry person who alluded to ii, whether
common acquaintance or confidential
friend ,--he had, uniformly and unequi-
vocally, renounced all professions, and
stated, in the strongest terms, the utter
hopelessness Of the proposed nomina-
ton. 1t was, however, formally made
in a few counties in Virginia. He was
not deceived by those appearances Of
public favor-no, not for moment.-
tie had long been close observer Of
the hayward workings Of party spirit
and he knew well, that so soon as the
popularity of Gen. Jackson should be
understood to be arrayed against him,
many Of those who had been among the
most earnest in advocating his preten->
sioos, would make merit of abandon-,
ing him. He had not, indeed, antici-
pated, that any Of them would also de-
nounce him-that any of those who had
united in the proposal to elevate him 30
far above his deserts, and thereby made
him an object of jealousy, suspicion and
malevoleDce, would join the partiaans
of Mr.. Van Buren, ia their hue and cry
that any of them would be found 10
take a chance in the shooting match
themselves, where he was the target to
be shot at, and share of Jacksonite
favour the prize to be shot for. Aud
never-never surely, till these times,
could such thing have taken place in
Virginia HE said, he thought he I'M
derstood Ills own situation and feelings,
perfectly. He was we'll aware of his
long continued obscurity--services in
the national councils, he could boast
literally none-he understood the ma
TUE of the presidential Office, the ardu-
Gus duties that belonged to it, the cruel
and continually increasing difficulties
tnat beset the incumbent--he knew,
that the habits, the pursuits, and the
studies OF his life, had not instituted his
mind in the duties of statesman at the
head Of affairs--he knew, far better
than any other man could know, his
unlitness for such station,-and this
was the language he had constantly
heId,--let his most intimate confidential
friends be put to the question, and tore
lure could not extort from them word
to contradict him. He should take
this opportunity to say publicIy--not
for the purpose of deprecating the en-
nifty OF Jackson-Van Burenism (as the
company would presently see) nor for
his own sake, but for the sake of the
public--that he did not now entertain,
and never had entertained, the least
hopes Of the presidency, or the least de-
sire ofthat high dignity. Whether il
he could be inspired with such hope,
tina, hope would kindle his ambition,
he really did NOT ncefend To knnw him