Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-24

Van Buren, was one-not mine to dsprove it. With
| out particle of positive testimony, you infer 1t
from The fact that he belonged to the party at the time
and possibly, with as little truth, of you wuald
now be called AntSub-treasury, because he acts with
the party opposed to that At the time re-
crrcd to, Mr. Van Buren, the Vice President o!
the United States, position which made IT Gnd,gnI-
fed III HIM TO enter into the party voenccs OF the peri
cd, and very improper the presiding officer OF the
Senate to express prcmaturey his opinions upon ques
tons involving Legislative action. Though the dag
nifty and duties of his station would have fully JUS
tilted his silence, | readily admit that he may have
been also unwilling to lose the support of powerful
party by unnecessary and uncalled-ior answers III
the absence of positive testimony, the question must
depend upon the comparative strength OF differences.
You infer, that he concurred in the doctrines OF this
State paper because he member OF the Democrat
ic party, although you well know that there were at
the time and still are, many able men who 6'sscnled
and yet retained their party connexions Wy ihier-
IS, that he never uttered an opinion upon the SUD
ject because it would have been imprude and contra
his duty and that he did not approve the arbtra
~ of the preceding Administration because hts
has been exempted from similar errors. GU are
supporting Mr. Rives, General Harrison and Mr. Clay
whom you know to be proclamationiss, and charge
me with dsgracclu conduct in sustaining Mr.. Van
Buren,, who is only concctured to be never de-
clared uncompromslng hostility to him or my one
clsc thinking it safer and Just decid" ih evi-
drncc than without is and better to trust TO my own TN
biassed Judgment of measures and men, than to follow
blindy The bidding Of parties or Of party editors
1t is far from my intention to depreCiate the charac.
ter or services Of Cen Harrison; but if rated them
as highly as his war!ncst friends would desire, the
circumst stance of his being "Mitary Chcitain, aud,
possibly selected in the hope of thereby enlistng IN
his favor, well known sympathles OF our nature,
would determine me against him. Fifteen years ago,
Mr.. Clay, with prophetic wisdom, warned his coun-
t.ymcn, against this Ganger-describng it the
rb ipbh has of b.
lie TO ruin" In contempt Of the admonItion, we
have just seen this genticman-superior IN every
proper qualification, in talents, attannenis, and long
experience in high civil stations-brought into COM
petition with two Military Chettans and his claims
postponed to those OF one, il not of both. Little did
think that the time Tor feeling the force OF his warn.
inc would speedily urtve; and sill! less, that he and
his friends would form the very party who now 50 warm
" recommend the army as the slime OF safe precedents
Every succeeding election of military man will give
an hundred fold power to the precedent and very few
more only viii &c wanting 10 make the Presidency Tie
established privilege of the army, and To encourage III
the end some aspiring chiealn TO become the Bona.
parle or the Cromwell Of his country.
IL the mysterious nomination Of Gen. Harrison, in
despite of the superior claims and qualifications OF Mr.
CLAW to he assigned not TO the above, but to some
other cause venture to suggest another, which makes
It equally imperative upon 10 oppose ms election.
The first resident OF non siaveloid.ng State, the
last Of a slavehoding understand, that the last
dad not at liarrsbaTg Inc Vote o SOLITARY
delegate except from slaveholding States. Taxing
these circum stances consideration, connected with
MIR Claws great talents and long cvl services, are
they not su!lccn, to suggest, perhaps 70 justify the
SUSPICION that the Convention designed 10 make bold
appeal to the feelings and prcndiccs of the nonslaye-
holding States rather than to their sober Judgment Are
they not in fact, told in very ineligible language that
Mr. Clay was rejected, 10 take the chance of uniting
the one class of States against the other, and that By
awaiting themselves o:the opportunity, they viii be ena
bled to get Of the Government, and 20 direct
its future policy: The very first open and decided ef
fort to form combination, founded upon the existence
Of slavery in States and its absence in others,
upon any sectional feeling, BY means of which power
is 10 be permanently acquired and held by the partIcu
lar States forming the combination, will be fatal 10 the
prosperity Of our country. Il wall, and must be
sisted and the inevitable collisions and aninostes
sprngns FROM the contest, will only be terminated by
pcace;blr separation, or compulsory union.
have defended myself, gentlemen, as briefly as
could and hope with becoming respect for those with
whom differ. You WILL Of course, do me the justice
10 publish this letter in the country Wing az soon as
you can Shonld you refuse to do so, will thank you
10 send il 10 the Editor of the Enquirer for pubca
ton Your obedent servant
WIN P. TAYLOR