Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-25
Columbia, February IL, ls40.
HENRY COENTY.

house of Henry county, in the town of Mar,insyilc
on their Court day, the 18th Of January, ls!0-on mo
ton OF Geo. Hairston, Esq, Gen. john billiard wa
called 10 The chair and Christopher Y. Thomas appoint
ed Secretary. Whercupon Capt. Geo. Dyer proposct
Inc following resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted:
Resoired, That we approve of The object of the friend.
OF the present Administration now in the General AS
sembly of Virginia, Of calling general meeting through
their delegates, of the Democratic Republican party 0
Virginia, to be held in Richmond the goth of mex
! month.
Resoiced, That Christopher Y. Thomas be the Dele
gate to represent the friends of MIR. Van Buren's re
election to The Presidency of the u. S, in the county
of Henry in said meeting. And on motion of Nlaiol
J. Tyler Hairston, in The event Of the said Special De
lcgate falling TO attend, that our worthy and consistent
Senator, Capt. David Dyer, be appointed his alternate
Rcso'rcd, That a committee Of five be appointed t.
draft a Preamble and Resolutions expressive Of tho
sentiments of this meeting.
Whcreupon the Chair appointed the following gen
tlemcn Geo. Hairston, sr, Capt. Geo. Dyer, Majol
Robert ilairston, Major J. Tyler Ii~airSton, and Chris
topher \. Thomas said committee.
The committee 10 whom was referred the above re
solution, made the following Report
In taking a view Of our present political affairs, We
are struck with the grca, similarity of the present con
test with that glorious political revolution, which re
suited in lSG0 in the downfall Of the elder John Adam:
and the Federal party, and in the elevation Of the great
Apostle Of Liberty, Thos. Jefferson, and the triumph
OF DcIlocrhiic lkcpub.iCdn pT!iiciiItS. ne sane pEi:l
clplcS are nov. as then, at stake. Notwithstanding thC
number Of nicknamcs with which the Federal party
have covered the cloycn foot, they are iii fact the sam,
party, cnntcnding for the same doctrines, the same la
titudjnar!an construction OF the Constitution TENDING
to usurp the rights aud sovereignty Of the States, L
destroy the limitations OF power in the General Go
vcrnEcEt, and convert IT INTO one grand CONSOLIDATED
Government with un!imitcd powers. THIS sccmSto have
been the tendency Of their measures since the origin o
our government TO the present day, and will continue
to be SO as long as ambitious man is ~grasping alter
power Constant vigilance Is the price OF liberty.
The Democratic Republican party have lnvar:al!. Gp
posed those usurpatlCns Of power. They have contend
ed that the General Government was 4 government
OF delcga;cd powers, limited by the expressed grant: ant
all powers not gwen, were reserved TO the States and
10 The people. That Ectorc exercising any powers IN
der the grant, you should be able to point ot the clause
clearly giving the power, aIdnd run INTO The Wild held
of construction, making THIS great shield OF our rigd;s
and liberty mean any thing or nothing. Let us then
compare The principles of the two candidates, now be-
fore US for the Presidency, and we shall clearly see tc
which party each candidate belongs, and around which
should rally every friend of 4 strictly limited govern
mcnt, and who believe that in combining the Genera
Government within the plain, literal meaning of the
Constitutions, We shall thereby pcrpetuate The happy
union of these sovereign States, and secure the liberty
prosperity, and independence Of cur beloved country
The late grand Federal Wing caucus held al Harris
burg, have brought out General HARRISON OF Ohio
lhslT Opposing Gliitu'iit " bdI pl'SIil lhS. i'h'
Democratic Republican President, Martin Van Bn
rcn. Withou; wishing in the least 10 dctract augh
irou the inst merits Of the old General, believing
lie las, with what moderate talents that has fal
len 10 his lot, faithfully discharged his duty accord
ing to his la;itudinarian Federal principles in the vari
Gus stations he has held, we have yet to learn where h,
has ever displayed those rare talents which would qua
Ifs him for the Important station of President of these
United States. lie has held appointments where he
could have displayed those talents, If he had them
But in cur humble conception, none such exist above
the med;ocr.cy Of those who have filled similar sta
tons. whether in the cabinet or the field. We are at
loss to know whether those high culogiums we have
lately heard, could have any real Foundations, unless
contrary to the nature of nan, his mind should have
become Illuminated and strengthened since his retire
mcnt in declining old age. The picture lately drawn
Of him may show the beauty of the picture, but by n
means the likeness of the original. 1t is, however
more TO his Federal principles, than his want of ablll
ties, that we object. We find him, $50 far as the mode
rate display he has made, either in Congress or else
where, has enabled us to know the advocate of as
suming those powers TO the General Government
which the Federal party have ever claimed, and til,
Democratic Republican party have ever thought a
tending 10 consolidation, and dangerous to liberty. A!
far back as the old Federal Sedition Law memory, ",
find our distinguished Randolph charging him 10 hi
face, (which was not dcn'cd) As one Of the supporters o
that od;ous measure. We see hun also. favorable 10 The
mower Of Congress for establishing that Mammoth Mo
med Aristucracy, the L. $. Bank, which, III the Ian
lruare Of Mr.. jefferson, VIC believe Ia hr the most dan
rer0us OF institutions 20 the free principles of eur Go
yernncnl. As 10 a high Tariff for protection, that mca
sure, 50 destructive and oppressive to the South, he la:
been willing 10 20 as far rs the farthcst-cven ''to SCI
our streets growing in grass" before II should be re-
pcaled. On the subject of Internal Improvement BY
the General Government, he is also in favor Of that as
sumption Of power. OF all the subjects which car
aritate this country, and which now agitates it from
one extremity TO the other, none is looked upon by
! war, rcoi D1triOt with more horror or rs more calCula
ted to sever this Union, than the disposition OF a large
number of the citizens of the non-slave-holding States
TO Interfere with our domestic slavery. 1t become:
! then, the especial duty ofevcry Southern man to look t.
and critically to scan the opinions of the candidate:
for Office, on this matter. General Harrison has op
posed, we admit, the formation of societies in tht
non. slave-holding States, for the purpose OF Abolition
but contends that Congress has the power OF using
the surplus revenue 10 buy of the slaves upon The con
sent of the State. The consent of a State, then, is &c
give Congress unlimited power of taxation and appro
priation 10 purchase slavcs-to tax the people TO buy
up their own propcrty-Lay the tax to the amount o
the property, and then return 1t Tor the property q
more oppressive and alarming stretch OF unconstltu
tional power, cannot well be conceived. In compari
son to which, these abolition societies sink into com
parativc insignifcancc. The inference, we think
fair enc, that to his principles upon this subject, III
owes his nomination, by the late Fedora! Wing caucr:
at Harrisburg. The abolition Editor of the Emancipa
tor boasts of il, as their victory, and an evIdencc o
their influence. How else SilGlId tiicy nave ONcTlpoA
cd their great favorite champion, Henry Clay, who Ina;
been the leader of their party, and borne the brunt o
the action in all their favoritc measures-a man tor
Of acknowledged splendid talents; whilst Gene
raj Harrison, though favoring those measures, hat
but little 10 do with them and of comparative mo
derate talents. The late election Of The West had seal
cd MIR. Clay's doom there, and being a STAKEHOLDER h'
could not get the Abolition support at the North, the
only remaining hope of that party. In order to obtaiT
that support they had TO yet a candidate OF their liking
Hence the nomination of Gen. Harrison. How, then
can any Democratic Rcpublican-any in favor of
strictly limited Government, or any Southern patriot
support a candidate entertaining those principles: Ar
they not at war with every principle OF the party:-a
war with those principles contained in Madison $ ccle
brated Report, which we adopt as our text book:-a
war with Southern rights, peace and security.
Mr.. Van Buren,, our present President of the Z. S.
is opposed to those assumptions of power, and in tavo
of combining the powers of the General Government
strictly within constitutional bounds. He is opposed
to a L. S. Bank; has recommended the reduction OF tht
Tariff to the economical wants of the Government, ant
against internal Improvement by the General Govern
mcnt-in fact, a strict constructionlst, agreeably 10 me
| Wilt CI-I H.. H.. ,h,ocf IF Ambition. hp hns