Liberty advocate., 1840-07-23
NORTH BEND, o. May %, 1910.
GENTLEMEN,

NORTH BEND, o. May %, l84o,
nave the honor to acknowledge the receiD
Ioi your letter of the 25lh February. conyevin,
Inc proceedings ofa meeting Of the Whc mem
oers OF the Legislature, convened in the Capi
tol OF that State on the 22d of that month.
beg you TO believe, gentlemen, that an
deeply impressed with the honor which bo,
been conferred upon me by the distinguishes
oUuy' "hom on lhIs occasion you represent
Inc great object Of both my civil and military
NE mas been to serve my country to the utmost
oi m my abilities, and TO obtain its appreciation.
The hope OF this has cheered me in circum.
stances Of great difficulty and embarrassment
Z GU will pardon me, trust, ifin this letter
60 somewhat beyond the mere purpose of ac.
knowledgIng the receipt of your communion.
''oh, ana use the occasion for making few re-
marks, which circumstances seem 10 require
from me, in respect TO declaration of opinions
Ior pledges as to my future conduct, REQUIRED of
candidates for high offices.
my public life, not now a short one, is before
the country My opinions on importan, sub.
Jects, have been expressed from time to time
as those subjects have arisen, and since INV
name has been mentioned among those from
whom selection might be made for the Office
OF President, have in several letters to friends
rui'y ana frankly avowed my sentiments.--
farther than this, cannot suppose intelligent
persons could desire me TO go. The people odi
ms country do not rely on professions, promi.
, YES ana pledges They know, that ifa candi. /,
late IS unPrlnclpled he will not scruple TO give
my pledge that may be required ofhim and as n
'lle VIII ne hesitate TO violate t.-I have al. f
eauy made public the principles by which III,
mould be governed if elected President. so far II
5 relates to the proper Executive duties oftha, -
nce; hut almost lnnumerable applications "
ave oeen made to me, for my opinions relative E,
'na'lefs OF legislation, or even to the properl
loae ol conducting business in the two Houses A,
congress My published letters to Mr. VIII. -
ANS and Mr.. DENNY, will show, that do not =.
'nSlder the President constituent branch of ~
e Legislature; yet it is impossible to read the "
tlers that have been addressed to me. withont i w
a'eVing mat many of the writer's had adopted 90
oPlnion, that the Presidential office was the ~,
oPer source and origin ofal the legislation In' Io
lhe country; anppnion, in my judgment, at ~ NJ
u WIN every principle Of the constitution. "'
d Oh deep and dangerous consequence. The \,
eValence oil such sentiments, more than al. ~"
Isl any thing else, would tend to consolidate ="
"nole substantial power ofthe Government" ~,
me hands ola single man; tendency which. So
ether IN or out of office, feel it nv most ~, ~
emn duty to resist. ''' col
nave declined therefore to give any fur ~" nav
r pledges or opinions on subjects which be. u" u"
6 to the future legislation of Congress-be- era era
ST. conceive, for the reasons given in NV pc
erS 10 Mr.. Williams and Mr.. Denny. that ne
'gress should be left as much as possible un u .'n
mmelled by executive influence in the dis Ue .ne
rye oil It's legislative functions; and that ": .eN
Ter guarantee for the correct conduct of Wv
ei magistrate may be found in his charac, enc a
ana the course Of his former life, than in ,bPP 'bP
lges and opinions given during the penden r,? n.;
,. u double contest; and that, although re- r. 7
nzing the right ofthe people to be informed no, :
ne leading political opinions of the candi- ,ha a'
5 lor Offices Of trust, yet as it regards the r.;a s
ects upon which the Legislatures may be ~, ,S
10 10 act, the pledges and opinions should of 'I
Congress "'''O a. al o' 'he candidates Ha,
/ Because, the habit Of considering sin ,hn '
individual tho eo,,.o. tne
sures of nnvonnn oo~0 'Io"i' "h'ch all the Of a
adlng to republic, and Of the most dan. ovn ,Ur,
US tendency. exp
Because, upon all the questions in re- sOI, s,J
70 which under any circumstances, il ooo, no,'
be at all proper for me to make answers. Peoi
entlmenis have already been fully and
" given to the pu bile, in manner to en-.
them to credcnce, as conceive that no u
81 man would suffer his friends to publish ~
nents IN his name which were not genu ors os
or containing opinions which he was moi o.J
willing TO endorse. oroli
cePt, gentlemen, the assurance lng
ofmv h;rrL ., serv
'ISatui field