Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-07-06
POLITICAL.
From The National MfeHigcncer.
TIE PROSPECT BEFORE uS.-No. VI

country, and our convection oi the duty III all
Vines, who understand what is implied by that de-
signaton, To oppose the nomination ii the Bati-
more Convention, because of the principles on
which that nomination is based and supported.
They are bound to do so, in opinion, by then
affection To the institutions of our common eoun-
try by their attachment and loyalty 10 the prin
ciplcs, for the love ofwhich our ancestors fled from
oppression in the old world and achieved a elorl-
Gus revolution in the new.
Thus far, our appeal has been directed MANI,
To those who have acted together under the demons
inaton OF Wines But, now demand, what is
there in the circumstances or effect OF this nominal
ton to recommend il to the disin,crcscd and pat
rlot'e men OF any party, except the purity OF the
Spoilers !
We have passed in his,y review the leading
principles which the Baltimore nomination is IN
tended to carry out and confirm. But there is one
feature OF that nomination, not Yet ad,cred 10 in
the course of these papers, which, OF itself, II the
candidate and the principles of this nomination
were otherwise uncNccptionabc, OUGHT 10 cNclte
and rouse up against it Nll those 10 whom every
vcstige OF doSpotical government is an object OF
aversion. We refer to the fact, that the candidate
presented by the Convention has, in effect, been
nominated b, the President HIMSELF his success
10 the office which he holds. Considering all
the circumstances of the case, man can for Il
nation for the Presidency was made under the di-
rect influence of the Executive. The persons by
whom the Delegates to the Convention were ap-
pointed, as we'll as anumbcr olthc Delegates them
selves, were ollicc-holdcrs, confidential organs
and instruments Of those who hold the patronage of
the General Government and some of tn State
Governments. The prccncc, that this conven-
ton represented pnbiic opinioa is only fitted To
excite dcrision. Public opinion Mr.. Edward
Rucker, concentrating within his single sell all the
wisdom and all the will of the People of Tcnncs-
see, sc-clcctcd Delegate, without authority and
without qualification, diSpoScS of a political power
OF million of People, in favor of nomination To
which, il is notorious, at least iour-lilths oil the
People of that State opposed: Is this an
expression of public sentiment In Illinois, thir-
teen individuals, got together one knows how,
nominated the Delegates by whom the five votes
/ of that State were cast From other States some
of the Delegates were nominated by even less nu-
merouS meetings, and other, (bcsidcs MIR. Rucl cr)
were never nominated at all. Can this be called
an expression of public opinion Or is il not ra-
er miserable burlcsquc-a piece of oolcry, such
as grown men ought to have been ashamed of be
/ ING concerned in
The President, having no prctcncc of authority
TO appoint his succcssor--tlc terms OF the Consi-
tuition beiHg rather too explicit in this to allow
/
powers derived by anaiogV-has not attempted an
impo,>ibily. But he has ncrposcd in the cleo
ton as far as he could do So 1t cannot be denied
that candidate has been nominated for the SUE
| ccssion, WHOM hc has been long known IN have
preferred. That gentleman had been n member
OF his Cabinet, and subsequently appointed by the
President to high foreign mission on retiring
from which, he publicly declared il TO be glory g
noueh to him for have served under such a Chief
Such incense ordinarily men bring only To the
foot ofthc altar of the living Cod comma from
source SO distinguished could not be otherwise than
grateful to the Presidential nostlils. Every man
is said to be accessible to naitcry, but most Of all
he who is placed in the position which Gen. J,cN-
son occupies, in which onl, the trusted Of the par
" can approach him. II was not in nature, that
having the most easy and familiar access 10 the
President, MIR. Van BrEEN, with his winning ways
for Inc has them at willard his practised skill
in moulding the minds of men to a conformity with
his own views should not have led captive the az
cctions Of the conGding old Chicitain, whom he
had thus gorilcd. So far, moreover, from seeing
any thing extraordinary in the relations between
Mr.. VAN buren, and the PRESIDENT, they appear
to to have been notonly natural, bnl necessary.
on the principle of mutual dependence and recip-
rocal services. Without the aid Of the New York
phalanx in the Electoral College, Gen. JACKSON
would probably not have been elected for his Sc
cond term of service without its aid in Congress-
the Administration could not have been sustained
in those measures which the General had most at
heart.
Had the President confined his preference OF
Mr.. VAN buren, to his BOSOM or impaired
it only to his personal friends, one could have
much blamed him for his choice however they
might have differed from him. Nor do we look
upon the moral agency Of the President in this
matter, in his celebrated Nashville letter, in any
other light than that of overflow of zeal in ia
vor OF one whom he had been led to consider as
his protcgc. With him. doubtless, il has been IA
mere matter OF personal feeling. But when we
to consider this Interference of the President
as a political act cannot but think it one of the
most hgh-handcd cncroachmcnts upon the freedom
of election lat has occurred in any elective
Government. 1t is altogether without precedent in
this. No President has ever before vcntrcd--wc
had almost said darcd-to say to his fcow-citi-
zcns, in an address intended to be made public
that he should consider resistance to the seler-
ton TO be made by any proposed Convention
assault upon the virtue Of the People, and
in effect, AN opposition to their right to governs
Far different was the conduct of Mr.. JEfFERsoN
whom particularzc because he is the only one
of our illustrios Presidents who Ila, been held up
opinions Of the duty of the President in such "A
case are upon record. In conjuncturc rcscm-
bling in many circumstances the present, when two
citizens, both friends ofhis, had been spoken of as
candidates for the Presidency, he writes to one of