The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-07-07
MOTH BEND, 0. May %, 1910.
GENTLEMEN,

oENTLtMEN,
have the honor TO acknowledge the receipt
of your letter of the 18th February, conveying
the proceedings of meeting Of the Wing mem
bers of the Legislature, convened in the capitol
Of the State on the 22d of that month
beg you TO believe, Gentlemen, that am
deeply impressed with the honor, which has
been conferred upon me by the distinguished
body, whom on this occasion you represent
The great object of both my civil and military
life has been to serve my country, to the utmost
Of my abilities, and to obtain its Appreciation
The hope of this has often checred me in cir
cumstances of great difficulty and embarrass-
ment.
You will pardon me- trust, if in this letter
90 somewhat beyond the mere purpose of ac
knowledging the receipt of your communlca-
ton, and use the occasion for making few re-
marks, which circumstances seem TO require
from me, in respect TO declaration of opinions
or 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 important sub
jects, have been expressed from time TO time, as
those subjects have arisen, and since my name
has been mentioned among those from whom a
selection might be made for the Office of Presi-
dent, have in several letters to fri 'nds, fully
and frankly avowed my sentiments. Farther
than this, cannot suppose intelligent persons
country do not rely on professions, promises and
pledges They know, that if candidate is UNI
prlnciped he will not scruple To give any pledge
that may be required of him and as little will he
hesitate to violate it. ! have already made pub
lie the principles by which should be governed,
if elected President, SO far as relates to the pro-
per Executive duties of that office But almost
innumerable applications have been made TO me,
for my opinions relative 10 matters of legisla
ton, or even to the proper mode Of conducting
business in the two Houses of Congress Nv
published letters TO Mr. WILLIAMS, and MIR.
DENNY, will show. that do not consider the
President a constituent branch of the I.egisla-
ture yet il is impossible to read the letters that
have been addressed to me, without believing
that many of the writers had adopted the OPT
mon, that the Presidential office was the proper
source and origin of all the legislation Of the
country; an opinion, in my judgment, AT war
with every principle OF the constitution. and OF
deep and dangerous consequence The preva-
lence OF such sentiments, more than almost any
thing else, would tend to consolidate the whole
substantial power Of the Government in the
hands OF single man; tendency which.
whether IN or out OF Office | feel il my most sos
lemn duty to resist
] have declined therefore TO give any further
pledges or opinions subjects which belong 10
The future legislation OF Congress--because,
Isl. conceive for the reasons given in nv
letters TO Mr.. Williams and Mr. Denny, thai
Congress should be left as much as possible un-
trammelled by Executive influence in the dis
charge Of its Legislative functions and that n
better guarantee for the correct conduct OF
Chief Magistrate may be found in his character
and the course Of his former life than in pledges
aud opinions given during the pendency OF