Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-09-12


reto u hill having for its Inject the abolition OF Sla-
very in the District of Columbia. Is my belief
wcll-ionndc,l aud If 81, cied to the Presidency and
the emergency shall arise will you, in view Of your
expressed or Other" objections 10 tho exercise of
this power, against hr nishe, NJ the slacc-h0id
ins STATES, rs imperative in their nature and OBJ
! legations rs the most palpabc want Of constitutions
al power would be, be so inflesiblc opponent
Of any attempt on the part of Congress to abolish
slavery in the District of Columbia asto exert the
constitutional power of the reto in resistance to
the success Of such aiienp,sl
am native Of Vruina. have ever been an
advocate of the measures and doctrines Of the de-
mocraic republican party, and shall never be otli-
! orwsc !; and am, with profound respect,
Truly. Yrs,
PnrERsnuRG, May 1886.
Sir On the 9th Of April, | conceived il to be-
my duty, ns il Nas my privilege, to address you, as
did ON HAT day, the PLAIN ticrrogaiorv, whether,
II elected To the presidency of the United States,
and the occasion should come up during the term
ri your service You would exert the vcto-powcr
in resistance Of any attempt on the part Of Con-
sress 10 abolish Slavery in the Disric, of Column
hia have no, as yet had the honor 10 receive
from You any to that intcrrogaiory las plain
~, IN the opinion OF most people, II Is important.
now wish to know, and do most respectfully ask
10 he informed whether my letter of that date has
hccn received by YOU and II il has, whether you
have declined answering II ; andi so, whether your
assent will he extended To me 10 give that letter
and tbs io the public.
| pray YOU be assured that do not disrusi the
sincerity of a snelc declaration you have made in
relation Ia this interesting subject. have carefully
scanned your letter in reply 10 Col. Mallory.
feel satisfied thai | rightly understand its e1pres-
sions, and have not msapprchendcd its spirit.
have moi been able 10 find in either, IN both, that
which has led others to infer that in the con junctnrc
which my nlcrrogatory anticipates, YOU would veto
a},ll toahosh slavery n,hc District. do not doubt
would cxcithll Your influence 10 prevent the pas
sagc of such Bill, through Congress; because you
say, clearly enough, that such interference by
Congress, would be improper and lmpoitIc, and
the peril of the l'n.on of the States j: but do
still doubt, il such B should pass both branches
OF Congress, despite your influence fully and fair
" cNeried To prevent il, and should be OF the
opinion that such legislation agreed with the wish
of Your constituents m the man, do still doubi)
that Your objections In the exercise OF the pow
er' are 50 L" imperative" as TO ovcrmasler the first
article OF the republican creed, and 10 induce YOU
10 veto II, while You confess that IN Your opinion
there would be no WdHf ~ constitutional poWer TO
srn it, There is nothing in Your letter TO Col.
NJ. \ in full, or sub rosa, diss pate tins doubt
whilst hnk YOU have lett it to be inferred from
your repeated aud emphatic ot the phrase, "a
saiHst hr miShfs 81 The STARE hoiding States"
that small detection from the representation from
the South, acquired 10 the advocates OF Abolition
in the District, aud having voted together for the
paS>aee OF the Bill enrolled for the Presidents sly
nature, would leave yon iIcc To say that you could
longer regard " the exercise OF the power" aibe-
ine AGAINST WISHES OF TIE sLAyEuoLpINo
STATES Now, permit mo To repeat that ! do moi dis
the perfect sincerity of sine declaration You
have made 4 10 add while indulge the cntangled
belief, without any positive assurance from you,
that YOU would veto Bill having for its object the
abolition OF Slavery IN the District, can only do
so al the generous expense OF the belief had h-
efto cherished that YOU would act, in the future,
YOU have done in the past, on the princ pile that
becomes the representative OF the people TO
r, into effect their asceriained will, wherever in
his opinion the Constitution does not forbid him
10 do so. Your obi scrv't.
While leave you 10 be the intelligent Judge
why MIR. Van Buren, has refused TO respond to my
inquiry must ask that it be noted that my tight to
incrrogatc him rested on the ground which he,
IN his preliminary letter to Mr. Sherrod Williams,
hms,ladniIs to be ,cnablc, namely, the relations,
existing between MS, of voter and candidate" he
being candidate for tho hiehc. office to which
my vote could aid in cle,aling him. That my in
qury WIS addressed to him " in good faith which
Is another OF ms prescribed prerequisites 10 mako
the right complete, is obvious from the fact that
answer was asked solely for my own satisfaction,
10 enable me To be fully prepared to confer onhim
my sulragr.-So far from being determined to
oppose the indis dual 10 whom my inquiry was
addressed" and from making it "wiih the sole
view OF exposing the opinions of the candidate to
uniriendly criicism," was friendly TO his cleo
tion and did intend to give his answer to
the public, to become "A source OF praise, or the
subject Of attack. All this plainly enough
disclosed by my first letter TO him. But if it
be essential TO inquiry to enti,le it to the
dignity of a reply, that il be addressed to the
candidate by the voter, IN good faith, and with no
design 10 expose the opinions of the candidate TO
friendly criticism, | crave to be informed what
ii WAS that entitled 1" the certain citizens of North
Carolina" to the reply from Mr.. Van Buren,, IA
copy OF which he sent to Col. Mallcrv, and to
which ! have already referred. Nor can it be
charged upon my inquiry that it indecate,
" because before it was made, MIR. Van Bulen had
said he would not give pledge" This cannot be
alleged with any color of ruth or Justice. Ii is
altogether mistake that Mr. Van Buren,, in his ll
ter to Col. NJ, had declared he would not give
pledge, any particular bill relating to the sub
ject ofmy inquiry, or to any Other subject These
are his words this point: sin saying this,
tender neither to you nor to them any pledges,
but declare only settled opinions and convictions
OF duty" And is declaration that what man
has said, is not pledge, and mus, be received