Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-09-01
I'OH.lTIaAl..
ADDRESS OF rnE WING CENTRAL COMMITTEES
TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA..

held in the city Of Richmond, Tor the purpose OF
recommending candidates for the offices of Prc>i-
dent and \ ice President of the United States BY
one OF these Conventions Hugh Lawson " htr,
aud John lylcr, We're recommended, and the I'M
drr>@ned appointed a committee Ia address In the
people OF irginla far expose OF the reasons
which led To their selection. BY the other Martin
Van Buren, and William Smith were nominated,
and Il commtc" appointed To recommend that tic
kct We address YOU, then, icllo" cltlacnS, aS the
organ oi a Convention, assembled IN obedience To
the public wish, and according IL approved usage,
upon the most interesting of all elections aud we
solicit, what the relation IN which stand 10 on
authorizes us To expect. Your candid and unbiased
/ attention. The fact of there bcine two tickets
presented 10 the public choice, and that the popular
preference is claimed for each respectively, should
lead ever, independent voter to CONSIDER attentive
" the claims OF the INal candidates, and 10 re-cN-
anime the grounds OF any haStS mconslderatc
opnon. 1t cannot be matter OF indifference
which o the two, JUDGE White or Mr.. Van Buren,
IS elected. They are in many important respects,
far too much cnntrased, To admit the sGppnsliion
that there would be essential Diversity IN the
administration OF the Governments whether the
one or the other be President And the manner in
which they have been brought IL the public view,
and upheld before it, is So diverse and IN respect 10
canvass involves The question whether IN respect 10
elections, there is another party besides the peo-
pie. We shall appeal 10 facts 10 show thai de-
liberae and undiseulscd attempt has been made,
and Is YET IN progress, to control and direct the
popular vote, by means Of nominations, proscrip-
lioh, and rewards ON the part OF the Government !;
and that the issue Is distinctly presented, whether
the government may minelc IN elections, and
ploN us vast power aud patronage in the elevation
of IA t,vorilc, and the overthrow Of an obnoxious,
because an independent and popular citizen. II
such be indeed the character OF the contest and it
shall 81 appear To You, entertain no fears To
what will be your course. \ sirtuous and hph-
minded people will not tolerate any interference,
much less dictation IN the exercise of their SUI
iraee and the last quarter from " hch they Will
consent 10 receive instruction or directions Is their
own government OF It's iunctonarc>
The an Buren, Core spending Committee be-
gin Their address will reference 10 The evils oi
election by the lower House of Congress- and de-
vote IA LARGE portion OF II most elaborate appeal to
the discussion OF that subject The use which II "
make Of II is truly extraordinary. " nh them, and
according to their argument, rather than submit
the election to tine House. the people should prefer
Mr. an Buren, Ia every competitor. II seems
not 10 have occurred 10 the Committee that the ar
gumcnl bad precisely much force when direct
f
ter appealed to such grounds Ia surrender his
well considered n,lclions, would return the pro-
position ON It's author and PAT hl> sincerity 10 ilial
by demanding to know il he would abandon h,
choice 10 avoid the evils which be deprecated. The
argument IS not original, but II Is the first time it
/ has found ITS away INTO u paper addressed by u
grave Committee 10 the public under appearances
! of unusual dcbcraton and solcmnV. What
should WE think OF d cause, which neither the IN
vention o its chosen advocates, nor their nniirn"
industry III collecting and asserting materials, can
rescue from the opprobium of an obvious iallacv 7
What do YOU think oi an appeal which seeks 10
drive You from Your own independent position,
and commit you 10 the support ol an unwclcomc
candidate, upon pain of the evils of an election
by Congress 1t would seem that the memo
ny OF the Committee IN this particulars, was
as much at fault as their Ioeic, that they gave
You credit for neither recollection discern
ment.
\ few years ago, il was the lot Of the Gentle
men (the greater part if not the whole ol lhem)
who compose 1t, 10 advocate the claims of canjl
date tor the Presidency, wha, though popular in
this State, was IN small minority IN con-
plrIson with the aggregate votes Of the States On
III IT occasion, even after it was aSCcrtained lhat
hi, vote would be smaller than the vote OF either
Mr. Adams or Gen. Jackson, they continued to
advocate me election OF Nf. Crawford down 10 the
latest period OF the canvass What voter did they
counsel 10 abandon his predictions, and sacrifice
his convictions, to attain the BLESSING of unanni-
~ Where, then, was this zeal for an election
by the people, and terror of the House OF Repre-
scniaiiscS At that tmr, they acted upon the
principle that there was at least merit in adhering
to the Objects of our own selection, and that it
would be folly 10 renounCc the chance of success IN
the House, by premature and ignoblc surrender
they urge upon YOU the advantages of concord
and would Tighten YOU from Your positions by a
pompous descr pilon OF their strength, they pre-
sent notable instance Of diversity between their
practice and prccepts. The candidate of the par
" To which these gentlemen are attached for the
Vice Presidency, is Richard NJ. johnson. As for
Mr.. Smith, none expect his election, and lew if
any, desire it-and yet in laborcd appeal, in
which, with great apparent gravity, the people are
admonlsiied to desert hopeless contest, that at
the most can only be attended by the consequence
OF transferring the election from themselves, Mr..
Smith iskommendrd to their cho,ce, with the alb
unavallins if it be conferred upon him. Richard NJ
Johnson happily, has none to advocate his prcen-
Slons, nor even openly to apologize for his irregu-
larilies in thi, community. The virginia portion
OF the Van Burcf party being The witness, he is
wholly unfit for the high station To which he as
pres, as politician and "A man and vet those
who renOuncc him as their candid ate and venture
10 arrai9n the opposition upon tie charge al seek
ing to defeat an election by the people, by distract
ing the canvass with multitude of COmpetitors