Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-12-20
MR.. CLAWS LETTER.


The following Is Mr. CIay's letter 10 the
Harr'sburgh Convention, II brea,hes the
true spirit a. a po.rio'. and should stimu
!a,e;every friend o. lcolntryiu the comir g
contest.
ASHLAND. 20,hNov. 1889.
Conference.-The public use which has
been made Of my name in connection with
the Office Of President Of the United S,a'es
furnishes The motive as | trust it will for m
the apology for this mole. Iaddress it to
you because our common residence in the
same state appears 20 me to render you the
most appropriate repository and organ of
what wish now to say.
The convention at Harrisburg. 10 desg
nate candidates Of the opposition to the
present federal admlnist ration for the Offices
of President and Vice President, has been
recommended, and The proprieiy of it has
been generally concurred 10, by all who
agree as TO the necessity of a change 10
the general administration. II appeared
TO me to be the best If not The only praci
cable method Of reconcllng and uniting
those, who colncdlng in he general prlr
c,ple, entertained different views os to the
most suitable candidates for these high
Offices: and have accordingly frequently
expressed, and now repent the expression
Of my conviction of the expediency of our
entire and cordial acquie.cence in the re.
commendalion Of the convention.
In the mean timo, appeals directly and
indirectly have been made to me by q highly
respectable convention holden in Pennsyl.
vania, and by private individuals to decline
giving my consent to The use of nv name.
upon the ground That distinguished citizen
Of the state OF Ohio is the first choice of
the opposition in Pennsylvania. and in the
opinion OF that convention would be more
likely to c"ncl'ia'c general support than !
should. | have been also addressed bv
various respec able aud Intelligent citizens
of New York, directly and indirectly, re-
commanding me 10 decline the contest in
behalf OF another eminent citizen who hn :
been distinguished IN both The military and
civil service of the United States.
While have been thus urgently. bu,
respectfully approached. numerous private
ci,Izeneand public meetings and convention
in various parts OF The United States, Tone
Of these conventions indeed IN Pennsy Ivan,n
itself have done me The honor TO expires.
their confidence in mo. and to intimate
their wishes tina, might be The opposition
cand date for the Office of Chief Maeilra,e
1t is perfectly manifest lha, cannoi com
ply with all these corflctIng OPINIONS and
wishes; nor apprehend. with any one o.
them. without dlsregardlng the others.
Under these embarrassing circumstance.
] have thought 1t most advisable to leave
10 the convention al Harrisburg The free Sc
lection ofcandlda'cs. as being the assembl,
to which, by common consent, that lmpor
,an' duty has been referred: representing
as ii prubnbly will all parts of the Uni'et
States, bringing together The feelings anc
views Of all. aud comparing and weighing
the Ocal information which it will derive
from every portion, it will be most com
petent TO make nomination accept able
To The great majority Of its constituents
Tha, II will be faihfuI to the high ,rus
confded to lis judgment and patriotism
cannot be doub,ed-and having full view
Of the whole ground, it will be more likel,
TO make selection agreeable to the grca,
body OF the opposition than any separate
convention could do, however enlightened
and patriotic i, may be, 1.-THE PennsyIya
MIA convention to which first alluded, be-
right in surprising that the distinguished
citizen whom It prefers would be NOR,
likely to he successful than any other, h,
ought to be nominated, and uuLoubl edy
for that very reason VIII be nominated BY
the Harrisburg convent ion, should it en-
terta, the same opinion.
With just and proper sense of the higl
honor Of being voluntarily called to III,
Office of President Of The United States b,
sgreat free and enlightened people, an
profoundly grateful 10 those of my fellow
citizens who are DESTROYS TO see me place
in that exalted aud responsible station