Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-06-29
VIM. HENRY HARRISON.
FOR VICE PRESIDENT,
JOHN TYLER,
or VIRGINIA,
HON c. P. VAN NEsS-oN THE STUMP.
FOR PRESIDENT,
or OHIO.
OF VIRGINIA


hrcvi,y as possible. Having despatched the char
res nuains, The administration in "a blaze of glo-
rv" the orator brought General Harrison Into
notice Mr. Van Ness acknowledged the Gcner-
ais honesty and worth as ma. and even vens
,ured, in this connection TO denounce in warm
terms, the furious war upon private character,
which is too frequently waged by politicians. But,
presto! he was down upon the old hero in the
twinkling of aa eye describing him as weak,
iuhecile not to say ignorant old fellow and utter.
yunft fox tic Presidential chair! This sudden
oulburst too was but the herald OF II torrent oil
ISLANDERS and slang, which the Goveanor had ev'
IDENTITY gathered from the locofoco newspapers OF
the day. We shall not stop to speak Of the tai
ents or qualifications of Gen. Harrison, other than
to cav, tina, his enemies have as yet failed to shew
n single point, in long public life of varied aud
RESPONSIBLE s,otions, in which he was found want
ing. Now to the suadcrs--we speak what we
meau The first we shul name is, the broad ind
unoualifed assertion Of Mr.. Van Ness. that Gen.
Harrison is an avo;oed federdhSi Of The John nd
ans school. Wemarkcd the assertion at the mo-
tnent Mr. Van Ness uttered it, and find it was al
=, male (save the phrase "ovowed, y in his Wood
stock speech, os follows:
oThe federal party have brought forward Cen
eral Harrison MS their candidate; and this is right
enough so far as lis political principles were con
cerned since he toaS Of The original fedeTatiSS
of The JOHN adams school
Here is the assertion; ne know the grounds OH
which it was made and we know, too that the
charge is not well founded
To the testimony:
Extract of a letter from Hon. ]. Burnct Of Gin
cinnalti to James II. Birch, Of Missouri
"My acquaintance with Gen. Harrison com
menccd at this place, in l7DO, when he was cap
thin in Waynes army, and Commandnnt o. Fort
Washington This was during the ndnlinisira-
lion OF President Washingon ard wien the con
test for the succession, between MIR Jefferson and
the elder Adams, was carried with great
warmth was jealous supporter OF Mr. Adams
Harrison us zeaousiy advocated the cause Of Mr.
jefferson, and am within bounds when say,
that argued and disputed with INN an hundred
times he vindrnting and maintaining the prlnc
ples and claims of Mr. Jeferaon and !, those OF NJ
Adams Although Adams was elected, Harrison
nerer yielded his Lrejernee for JeGefSon but con
tianed TO eulogize him and defend his princip es
There was at that time great intimacy, and ,
nu,tnl friendship between us, which brought u'
together almost daily, FOR then Cincinnati was
village OF log cabins, containing but lew inhab
tauls, which, circumstance brought us togethe
more frequently than is usual in large societies"
This it will be seen, goes back to date pre-
uions to John Adams administration.
Extract from letter OF Gen. Harrison TO li
constituents, dated Cincinnati, Sept l6, 1922.
81 deem myself Republican Of what is com
monty called The old jeflersonlan School, and be
lieye in tile correctness of that interpretation G
tie Constitution which has been given by til
writings of that enlightened statesman, who wa
a, the head ofthe party, and others belonging to i
particularly The celebrated resolutions Of the Vii
sin a Legislature during the Presidency of Mr. Ad
ans"
MIR. Van Ness quoted from the first part of Iii
very letter. and yet he declares that Harrison rs a
apo,osd federalisti Perhaps, however, he did nc
read all the letter, though it is a short one aud "
do no, wish 10 be understood, therefore, as charg
ing him with deliberate and intentional lasehoo,
In addition to the above we have before tbs eA
tracts fiomthe Journals of the Senate, in whic
we find messages from Thomas Jc6erson lin 1eC
aud 1867 and James Madison tin 1909, 1912 an
1879 nominating VIM. Henry Harrison to off
ces Of the highest responsibility; md the poop
pretty well understand that during the last WI
there was not a man who more practically al
triumphantly proved his democracy in the peri
of the field. II such testimony constitutes &c
Harrison an "ayowed' or an "originn fcder,
is," Mr.. Van Ness has no question of veracIy
settle on this point.
The next accusations were That General liar
son is in the hands of n committee who cont
his opinions - that he conceaIs his seumsn's n
that iie refuses to answer questions. TO the I
first charges we do not hesitate TO give n dir
contradiction; the last hears a sembance Of Irl
and but Il sembIanco OF it. Our readers recoll
the famous Oswego letter, and the reply OF
committee: that committee was appointed by
Wings of Hamilton CO., as their correspond
committee; with it originally Gen Harrison had
connection, over him it has no control, with
correspondence it has nothing TO do, and in Fl
untlthe appearance of their reply to the Osw'
letter, he did not even know the names of
committee, save one that Of Mr.. Gwynn
the curious may wish TO know how they camt
reply to the Oswego letter {; they shall be graz
ed. Gen. Harrison receives on an average alb
twenty five letters daily, and many Of them ask
his sentiments. Such as can be answered by
of his previously published letters or speed
and ne others, he endorses, naming the speech
letter where the answers 10 be found and ha
them over TO David Gwynn, AN intimate persc
friend, and the document which Gen. Harrison
indicated is transmitted. Gen. II. only author
him to transmit the sentiments which he has
mery expressed, AID to say that he declines g'
anew exposition Of them. The Oswego letter
received, endorsed and given to Mr.. Gwynn,
isa member OF the Hamilton Go. Commute
he was of Gen. Jackson's committee; the r
was sent. These are the simple facts, and all
facts, as we learn from Gen. Harrison hin'se
Now to this reply, for which General Harr
is held responsible :-the questions were