Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-29
ADDRESS
To the People Of Virginia.

10 tnc lcOpic OIL virginia.
Felosr- Citizens: The Democratic members of the
General Assembly of Virginia, uniting themselves in
Convention with the Special Delegates from the coun-
try for the purpose OF framing Electoral Ticket "a
vorabc the reelection os the present Chief Mags
rac Of the u. States, have performed that duty, and
beg leave to submit the to your favorable consl
deraton and support They have also deemed il duty
incumbent upon them, 10 accompany their action upon
this interesting subject, with statement of the rea-
sons which have influenced them in the selection Of
their candidate for the Presidency; and the great prn
cipes which they consider involved in the approaching
contest The election of President of the U. States
has at all times been regarded of the most
important duties which the freemen of this country
can be called on TO perform. This results, not less
from the important duties devolved by the Constitution
upon the Chief Magistrate Of the Nation, than the fact
that the President must always be elected, in reference
to certain great questions of constitutional power, or
public policy Mere personal considerations have
but little to do with the subject They dwinde into ut
ter nsignicance, when compared with the great qnes-
tons involved in the issue; and this is peculiarly the
case in the approaching election For It is we'll known
TO you, fellow Citizens that from the earllestoperations
of the Federal Government TO the present tme there
have existed in country two great political par
ties entertaining very different views of the pow
ers OF the Federal Government as well as the mea.
sures proper to be pursued for the advancement OF
our happiness and prosperity nation. These two
treat parties began to manifest themselves IN the Con-
| vention ITSELF which formed the Federal Conshtu-
tom and very soon after its ADOPTION assumed their de-
finite names and characters. They were then known
rs the Federal and Democratic parties; and although
the Federal party have that PERIOD changed their
name-at one time, assuming the name OF "'att0nat
Republican, and, recently, that OF "Hh4g, =
yet slight share of observation only IS necessary
to perceive that while they have changed their name,
their principles and measures substantially the
same. Under their old name of "FcderatiStS, they
advocated strong National Government, and adopt
ed rules for constituting the Federal Constitution OF
a most latitudnous character. They were the advo-
Gates of a National BQnk, of the .9tcn and Sedtton
Lascs; of the assumption by the Federal Government
of the debts of the several States, thereby creating
great funded debt and paper currency TO be regula
ted and controlled by the machinery OF National
Bank with other measures Of kindred characer-all
tending to swell the powers of the Federal Govern
ment ut the expense Of the Satcs and the great body
of the People On the other hand the other great party
| was known in that day, rs we'll now as the Demo
cratic party They were the advocates of strict con-
struction OF the Federal Constitution, limiting the
patcd and to those necessary and proper the
ton of the specified powers and resisting all attempts to
enlarge lis authority by atitudinous construction
They opposed the Funding System, the Alien and Sc
don Laws, National Bank, and all monopolies, be-
they violate the Constitution, and confer power
on the Federal Government, at the expense OF the
States and the People. Can any contemplate the
political history Of that day. and the measures then ad
vocated by the Federal party without percevng tha
to great extent, they identical with the questions
which divide the Wings and Democrats OF the present
time. Already have the Wings in the Senate OF the
u s. attempted pass odious gag law, applicable TO
the inferior officers of the Government under the fri
yolous prete1! ofsecuFng the purity Of eectons there