The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-11-09

the riabt one. 1t was whether the people should
rrefsr Gen. Harrison or Mr.. Van Buren,, for
President; and knowing that the Southern peo-
pie were opposed to Mr.. Webster's political
advancement, the Globe, the Richmond Enqui-
rer Mr. McDufie, and every prominent man
and public press in the South, who were OPP
posed to the election of Gen. Harrison, abored
TO create an impression that his election would
brisg Mr.. Webster into power, and that Mr..
Webster's principles would be the principles OF
his administration Hence we believed it to
be unwise to give Mr.. Webster, or his political
opiniens, much prominence in the canvass,
and from the moment that we heard of his pro-
posed VISIT to Virginia, we were apprehensve
of its consequences. The result has verified
our apprehensions. These remarks are now
made in justification of our own course, and
that those who are so free TO denounce us be-
cause we have not submitted our judgments 10
their preferences, may hereafter exercise more
forbearance towards US. They should have
remembered that our past experience, that our
knowledge of Southern men and Southern prin-
eiples, gave us better means of Judging of the
effect and they should have done us the JUS
tice to suppose that we were governed by de-
sire to promote the cause, and not by ieal-
ousy or unkind feeling towards their favorite.
| As our purpose is TO vindicate ourselves, and
as we have no desire TO recur to it again, we
deem it important to show that others bave en-
! tertaised similar views, and therefore quote
one of series ofessays published in the Rich
mond Wing, intended to allay the fears of the
State Rights party. We do not know the wri-
| ter, but his purpose cannot be mistaken.
iTO THE FRIENDS OF STATE RIGHTS.
n felg plain matters tOrpldin men 10 HInt about
1t cannot have escaped the observation Of the
careful, candid and intelligent reader oil my first
number, il the positions therein assumed are
correct, that in choosing between the two op-
posing candidates Tor the Presidency, all State
Rights men, if guided in their choice solely by
a consideration of the friendship or hostility TO
State Rights of the candidates, as manifested
by their actions and opinions, must give the
preference to Gen. Harrison. 1t is also very
plainly intimated that however General Harri-
son NAV have advocated doctrines hostile TO |
State Rights, he is pledged not TO carry any of
them out, in practice, during his administration,
80 that ffhe were as Objectionable in the abstract
as Mr.. Van Buren,, yet State Rights have no.
thing to apprehend from his administration of
the Government The strength of the objec
tons to Mr. Van Buren, lies in this, that how
ever he may have protested opinions favorable |
to State Rights, yet, in the actions of his ad-
ministration he is certainly disregarding and
trampling upon them. Although he promptly |
said, 81 go SIR" yet he went not Now vice, |
though monster at first sight if seen too often,
is endured, pitied, embraced. Upon the same
principle, the first assault upon a cherished
State Rights principle, alarms every friend of
the doctrine, and rallies and unites the party; |
but let assaults be repeated, let one principle |
after another fade away in the blaze of FEEDER
al or Executive usurpation, and the friends of
| the doctrine cease to be alarmed, and come at
! last to endure, and pity and embrace, as good
| State Rights doctrines, the most odious off
spring of the widest latitudinaIanism. What
else could have ever reconciled some of the
most clamorous advocates of the rights of the
States, to coalesce with the administration in
trampling New Jersey in the dust? Surely
| New Jersey as State, has the same rights as
| South Carolina or any other State. The prin-
ciples are immutable, and equally applicable 10
| all. Nothing can more certainly and effectu-
ally weaken, distract and destroy the State
Rights party, than continued, repeated and I'M
resisted aggressions by any department of the
Federal Government upon their principles
Nothing so much retards its union, impairs its
strength, and forbids its final triumph, as con-
tinuatisn of such aggressions. To resist them
and by resistance to inflame the devotion of
State Rights men to State Rights principles,
and their zeal in their defence, the party must
be independently organised upon their princi-
| Piles. Such organization is impossible, while
men of all principles are amalgamated into one
great personal party, devoted TO the mainte-
nance of no particular ciple-aiming not to
support any cherished doctrine, bat striving
only to sustain man.
The lines of party divisions began to fade
away under Mr.. Monroe's administration, aid
ed not little, by the recommendations of Cen
Jackson, and then the pure doctrines of the
State Rights school began 10 wane. In Mr..
Madison's time they culminated-since then
they have constantly and rapidly declined I'm
der Mr.. Adams, the lines of party division up
en- principle were entirely efdced. The great
parties of the country were no longer ranged
under their principles, but under men. State
| Rights men and Consoldationists sustained Mr.
Adams-State Rights men and Consolidation
lists sustained Gen. Jackson. From that time
there has been no division of parties Apon prin-
ciple. 1t is not intended that principles were
abandoned. They still existed and were cher
ished, but parties were not ranged under them.
During the whole period, from the commence
Hent of Mr. Monroe'S second term State Rights
principles have sustained many successful as
saults, increasing in violence as the became
more common. A few rhetorical f1ourishes in
Mr.. Adams Message, thrown in to round a
period or to euphonize sentence, alarmed the
friends of State Rights-his declarations about
eighth houses in the skies, - his claim of right
to originate missions. and his assumption that
the representative ought not to be palsied by
the viii of his constituents" were regarded as
wild and unauthorized assumptions Of power,
and as pretending danger to the States. The
! State Rights men, among his opponents raised
the voice of remonstrance. Those in the num-
Der of his friends made their devotion t princi-
pie yield 10 their devotion 10 the man. The
party was distracted and its resistance faint
Gen. Jackson followed, and did the very acts
which Adams had only talked about The one
| cDeculatad the other acfad At. A. .or+,,