Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1840-10-03
GENERAL HARRISoN'S SPEECH
AT THE DAYTON CONTENTION
ssEHDl0rH sErrExPER Il $40.
REPoRTEDF W sNETHEN. DE- LOUISIANA
Necrtsu- ~ 20 Ire Coar,.t;o,
Secrt'G 10 he Contention.

sNETHEN. OF LOUISIANA i
Secr,'g, y.to ire CoareAiioa.
The Convention WIS organized by calling IN the
Chs'r' EN1'ovetnot Meunifo Of Kentucky, and ap
pointing nineteen Wee P~sesidor,S. oHoux Nhur mere.
Preston w Fariar. of LouiSana, MAJOR a. Miller of
Mississippi. Governor Bigger. of Indiana. ~ Governor
Vance OF Oaio. &c. w. Snethen, OF Louisiana, Sec
retary.
AVer a brief AMI happy address. welcoming the
Oh Chief To Dayton. from Judge Crane. ono Of the
Wee Prcsi leuts of the day, General Harrison rsc.
and ia a clear sonorOus voice that was heard hy every
man OF the immense multitude before him. addressed
the Convention tOr near twO hours. The appearance !
OF the Old Hero was hailed by the mighty shouts of
thousands far several minutes-IIc looks well. Is IN
excellent health. aud speaks with a ferNor aud ANNA.
iinn belonging rather To youth than to age. Compared
with other men whom the writer OF this has lately
seen and hcard, less IN years than the General, there is
not amy mlrked difference Of manner or INA ter. Tho
FIRE of his ere H. not diamed by age, nor has the
strength of ms manly intellect in the least. lie will
60 into the Presidential Chair. n veteran IN wisdom
and experience and he will grasp the helm of state
with n stedy hand and firm resolution. ready to adj
minister the peoples government afier the peoples
will.
GEN HARRISoN'S SPEECH.
| rso elloW-cijz"ps,-CTh multitude was here az.
itatol as the sea, when winds blow IRON A. aud il
was full five minutcs before the tumult OF ioy. at see
ing aud hearing the next President Of the L.. States.
could he calned)| rise, felow-citzens, To express 10
YOU iron the bbtom ola grateful heart NV wanncst
thanks Coz the kinl AM 1attering manner IA which
have been received by the Representatives Of the Val
ly OF the Miami. | rise 10 say TO YOU. that. however
magnificent my reception has been on this occasion, |
arm not 50 vain as TO presume that it was intended for
me, that ii,is glorious iriumphal entry was designed
rOne nlividual- NO. know two well that per
~pns impcrfecions to believe, that this vast assem-
blage has come zap here to DO him honor II Is the
glorious cause of Demncntic rights that hath brought
them here (lmmcnse cheering IL Is the proud anui-
ycrary ofolc oC the brightest victories that gl1ws on
the pages Of our country's history. which hath sum
V,.aAN Fb- n1F.v III FT.
riug)
Fellow citizens. It was about this time &c the dav.
~ years ago, this very hour, this very minute, that
ynnr speaker, as commander-in-che of the North IVES
tern Army, was plunged into an agony of fleeing, when
the chnnpnading lrom our gallant feet announced an
action with the eOemy. Ills hopes, his fears were
destined To be soon quoted, for the iidings Of victory
were brought TO him on the wings OF the wind. With
the eagle Of Triumph pcrchiug upon our hammers on
the lake I moved on to complete the overthrow OF tho
foreign fnc. The anniversary Of that day can never he
frrgutIen. Er every American has cause To rejoice at
the triumph OF our arms on that momentous occasion,
hut the brave aud gallant hero of that victory IL gone.
gne TO that home whittier we are all hurryinc. nnd To
ms memory let vs. d. that reverence due To the deeds
of 50 iliustrinus a patriot. From Heaven. does hs
soul look down upon US and gladden. nj the virtues
which still animate his generous counirymen ia recur.
rag to his noble and glorious career while on Garth
Great sensation for several seconds1
am fully aware, my fellow citizens. that YOU eN.
poet rom the some OPINION upon the various questions
Which 10 lltA III country, lfUIn centre tl clrClm-
ference, wrIh such fierce contention. CaluInny. ever
seeking 10 destroy all that : good ia This world. hath
ppcllinedthat am ayerse from declaring NV opinions
on matters 80 Interesting 10 you, hut nothing can be
more false. ICheers)
Have / not declared, over and often, that the Presi
dent of this Union does not constitute any part or pr
ton Of the Legislative body (Cnes from every quarter
You have, you have) Have 1 not SAID, over and
often, that the Executive should not Ivy any act at has
ioresIall the action ofthc National Legislature! you
have, you havcD
Have | not, time ont Of mini, proclaimed my CD,
POSITION to n citizens going forward amoag the people
and solIritlng votes Cor the Presidency HaveI not
many a time and often sand. that, in my opinion, uu
man ought Ia aspire 10 the Presidency OF these United
States, unless he - designed a. a candidate for thai
high Office 10y the unhot wishes of the pcoplcl lChcc.
nns) 1.-The candidate for SO high an Office be design
ed by The Will ot a portion or a majority ut the people
they " III come 10 Ihr determination OF sustaining such
Il man; from n review ofhis past actions and lie. and
they Will MT exact pledges from him OF what he NHI
do and what he will not 10, for their selection OF ham
u proof enough. that he will carry out the doctrines
OF his party. This plan Of choosing a candidate for
Tho Presidency is a much Snrcr bar against corruption
Than the system of requiring promises. lfthc pledsin,
plan - pursued, The effect will be-, Ia offer the Press
DENTAL chair iothe man WhU will MAKE the m9st prpm.
Isesi LL1ughicr) lie who woIld pledge most.
he WIN wOuid promise most, would be the man To BE
voted Ebr, aud have M hesitation IN declaring ms
belief, that he who would subject hs course 10 bc
thus tied up by pledges and Promises. would not sion
- break them when once in Office. CChccringl Are
my views on this topic correct, or are they not ?
(NIth one voice. the multitude indicated they werc)
It. fellow citizens, No examine the history Of all
republics, we shall md that as they receded from the
purity OF Representative Government, the condition
Of obtaining office was The making OF prpmiscS-lIr
whp bid the highest in promises was the favored can.
dIdIic, and The higher HE bids, The more marked and
certain the corruption. Look At the progress Of this
tIing in our own republic. Were any pledges required
of vOnr Washington or your Adams! Adams was the
candidate Of the federal party aud as n statesman was
bound 60 carry out the principles Of his party. Was
his successor. Thomas jefferson, The high priest of con
s;itutiOnal democracy, called on for pledgcs' No
His whole life was a pledge Of what he would do
And II we gohlck TO this old system of selecting men
Tor the Presidency, whose past career shall he a qua.
aniee Of their conduct when elected 10 the Chief Mag
isirIcy Of the republic. the nation would advance
safely, rapidly and surely in the path Of prs pcriiy.
But Of late years, the c]DrrupfIug system Of requiring
pledges hath been adopted. The Presidency hath
been put up to the highest bidder ia promises. and We
see the result. II remains fr you. my fellow oirlzcns.
narrest this course Of things. Cries Of we will.
we WHY
While then, fellow citizens, | have never hesitu:cl
o. declare my opinions on proper occasions upon the
great questiOusbefUro the nation. / cannot consent
10 make mere promises the condition DI obtaining the
office which you kindly wish % brsIJw uppu me. My
COMMONS am free 10 express, but You already have
them, sustained and supported by tho acts ola long
aud ardupus life. That life Isa pledge Of my future
course, u nm elevated by your suffrage 10 the highest
office 20 your gift. (~linmcnse cheering fr several Sc.
mds)
lthas been charged against me, fcllow-citizens, in1t
] nm q Fedemlist While / acknowledge that the
oiIgIn1i fell raj party Of This country was actuaica m
ITS coarse 10y no ImprOpcrJ9 atfSCu - rISLAJf ! ever
halsat r-was proper Ia be prepared for any event On
he commanded an army OF better materials g.
Proctor =, and that he was determined not 70
we a defeat adding with a smile, 10 IIouter"'
Smith, You had better fresh prime, too, as / she
expect my Aides 20 die around m'!' he
whds; At the crotchet, after the left wing hatcd
covsT-d-rJm Its momeutary confusion, and fu-
Joined 3D. H. front, Gen. HARRISON ordered Lieu
aut SmiIhrO bung Gown Chic = COsimand 10 -
port 10. Wa u was giving tuIs order, tie n"
Of tl.r Two horses were utCrlOCked; and sno
t0igs OF q tree ABOVE them, which had gatncrCdI..
rrL.Lu.L n n-u.L-r mL La.A-. md nrnumL mL--M.-