Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-19

be lost forever. In addition to this the doctrine is
openly advocated by the Presidents partizans that II
is not only the right but that is the duty OF his Office
holders to Interfere in all elections of the people, aad
exert their influence to control them The Conserya
tircs are opposed to the corrupt system OF graduating
the price of the public lands-a system OF bribery by
winch the votes of the States are to be bought up
by party with the fund of the nation, and
which is now an Administration measure.
Being thoroughly convinced, upon the most mature
reflection, that | could not support this Admnisra-
ton, came TO Richmond ut the commencement OF the
present session, (as was known TO several OF my mt
mate fr!ends determined at the close of it, TO resign
my scat in the Senate, and retire from public liie-but
the assault of the President in his last annual Message
upon the rights and credit of the States; his claims 10
Legislative power, and his proposition to raise an
my of two hundred thousand men, half TO be kept IN
The pay and service of the Government; the deep
wound inflicted upon the Constitution, in the blow
aimed at the sovereignty of the States and right Of
presentation, in depriyng sovereign State Of near:
the whole of her represen to TO his party
majority in the House of Representatives., and the is
peratc attack which has been recently made upon the
credit and rights of the States in the T. S. Senate,
where the sovereign States have been aragned at The
bar OF the Senate, their solSency inquired Into and
their internal government scrutnised and censured by
their agents, upon the pretext that they asking
the Federal Government to assume their debts, when
such application had been made, have satisfied
me, that ii is the duty of every patriot to remain at his
u
at such time. Not satisfied with destroying cur
rency, and prostratng the credit of citizens by the
ruthless which has been waged against them, the
Administration has opened its batteries upon the States
themselves, and il is difficult to estimate the loss they
will SUSTAIN the ruin of their credit and depreciation
of their Stocks which must break up their enlightened
and patriotic systems OF Internal Improvement and in
volve the States and their citizens, with the pton
of the Federal oilcers,) IN a common ruin. Firmly
persuaded that unless these destructive
be arrested, the consequences will be most disastrous,
and that this cannot be done, but By change of rulers
| have carefully examined the principles, qualifications
and claims of Gen. HARRISON 1.-THE only competitor of
Mr. Van Buren, for the Presidency which has result
ed in the conviction, that he is sound Republican;
that he is honest and competent; and tina: he has
dercd has country both III peace and war; most vaua
Bile services The character Of no public man has been
50 lnuci misunderstood in this State In the ale Pre-
sdenal canvass, he charged with being Federal
ist an Ultra t. ) Bank man. and al Aboltionis and
supposed, until very recently that these charges were
true-but, upon examination Of them, | find that
they are wholly unfounded lie Governor of the
North-vscs: Territory, and received his appointment
from the Republican Presidents Jefferson and Madison
He opposed to the Administration of the Elder
Adams, voted for Mr. Jefferson, in preference to him.
and supported his and the two succeeding Republican
In an address To his constituents
published in the Richmond Enquirer, in ls22 he holds
the following language 81 deem myself Republican Of
what commonly called the old Jeersonan school, and
believe in the correctness of that Interpretation of the
Constitutions which has been given by the writings of
That enlightened statesman, who at the head of the
party, and of others belonging TO it, particularly the
ebrned resolutions of the Virginia Legislature during
the Presidency of Mr.. Adams. deny therefore 10 the
General Government the exercise OF any power but
what is expressly given to 1t by the Constitution, or
what is essentially necessary to carry the power ex
pressly given into effect" He then expresses the
opinion, hat the charter given TO the United States
Bank was unconstitutional and that lie would stake
any constitutional means to revoke the charter. He
was opposed to national debt, in favor of retIench-
% obey or resign He denied the right of the
slaveholding States interfere with sayary, and de-
,lared that any interference on their part without the
consent of the slave States, would be violation OF the
Constitution He has made greater sacrifices IN de-
tending the constitutional rights of the slave States
han any other man. He voted Us member of Con-
rrcss against the restriction nterdlcng slavery in Mis-
souri, and Arkansas, flor which he turned out of
Congress- and in his public speeches since the aboll
ion question has arisen he has denounced It IN the
strongest terms and declared that it violation OF
he Constitution for the citizens of the free States 10
discuss the subject of slavery, or interfere with 1t IN
my way.
Great injustice has been done to Gen Harrison s
military character He has been represented IL
MIDI inefficient and incompetent officer, when he served
long, fought many battles, (wthout losing one,
endured as hard scrvce and displayed ~ much conr
lgc and military talents any other General officer
during the His military services will not lose
in n comparison with Gen. Jacksons Whilst the latter
conquered the Southwestern Indians and protected our
frontier, he conquered more hardy and
warlke race the Northwestern Indians, and protected
the much more extensive Northwestern frontier; and
whilst Gen Jackson defeated Packenham and the
British army under his command, and relieved the State
of Louisiana from invasion, he defeated the bloodth
ty Proctor and the combined British and Indian forces
under his command, and gave peace and safety to the
H. pF
embraced BY the States of Ohio Indiana Illinois, and
Michigan Alter having served his country faithfully
in peace and for thirty years. and dlsburscd
millions of public money, lie retired with clean hands
to private lie comparatively poor, and has been for
the last twelve years withdrawn from party strife, en-
gagged in the peaceful and honest pursuits Of farmer.
Benevolent, generous and just, he would 60 into the
Presidential Chair free from party resentmens and un
cered by party shackles resolved 10 be the President
Of great nation, and not of party. He is empha-
cally one Of the People; plain, honest farmer; and
would go into the Presidential Chair, resolved to con
suit their interests and not those Of the nsoien Of
fee holders whom he would teach that their Offices
were created for the public good, and not for their ex
elusive benefit In short, believe that he could and
would do much as any other man. at this time, to-
ward purifying the Government and bringing her back
to the Republican tack His election would dissolve
the unnatural and unholv alliance between Mr.. Van
Buren, and John &. Calhoun, the Procamaton'sts and
Nuers and teach all trading politicians in future, tina;
free people cannot be baered and sold as so many
oxen. and that such bargains and sales will never re-
ceve their sanction 1t has been said that, if General
Harrison is Republican himself, manyot his leading
supporters Federasts, who would control his Ad-
inislratlon and give it Federal character. If this
should be the case, would not be in worse stua.
ton than at present; for stronger Federal measures
(Which tend more to concentrate all power IN the
Prcsident could not be invented, than those which the
present Administration is attempting TO force upon
the country. But the State Rights Republicans, who
support Cen Harrison, would be able to control his adj
mi,hsraton, and with the aid OF the Republican wing
of the present Administration party, (who beng out
Of power would be willing to unite again with their
brother Rcpubcaus they could successfully resist any
attempt to asen Federal measures upon the country
if any such should be attempted, of which have no
fears, as General Harrisons whole public and private
life proves him to be sincere Republican, not IN pro-
LESSONS only, but in deeds.
At the last Presidential election gave my Jealous
support TO Mr.. Van Buren,, and preferred him to Gen
HARRISON because approved of the leading measures
of his predecessor Gen. Jackson, which ne was pledg
ed TO carry out That pledge he has violated in almost
every respect Gen Jackson and his whole party were