The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-15
Erom he Charleston Courier

/" consider this gross and contemptuous insult TO
the People of the United States, and If weak super
ANIMATED old man. utterly destitute Of qualifications to
sustain the dignity perform the duties OF the Office
| could be elected President under such auspices,
should consider it reproach to our common country
| But as a Southern man, have much graver oblec-
tons to him. He is National Republican, holding
all the doctrines and principles of that party he was
nominated by that party and will sustain every meas
ure which may be proposed by the great leaders Mr.
Webster never uttered constitutional doctrine, and
Mr.. Clay proposed measure that General liar
rison has not supported or approved In fact he will
be tool in the hands Of these gentlemen and to elect
him world be to adopt their principles and measures.
If Southern statesmen prepared for this cannot
believe the people are Having withdrawn entirely
from the field politics. Disguised it'll the everlasting
scramble for Office, which gives party cooring To
every public measure, beg it to be understood that
while am utterly opposed to the election OF General
| Harrison not the partzan of Mr.. Van Buren,,
though ] would greatly prefer him TO his opponent
ed openly and firmly dear to the South, and what
is equally important they are the principles OF his,
| party"
TO the Hon. George McDu6ie:
SIR Having disposed Of the fancy Of Gen.
Harrison's silence, and the annoyance OF log
cabin PROFESSIONS proceed TO consider the re-
mainder of your letter. quoted in full, as above.
| 1t has occurred to me when reading your very
contemptuous estimate OF General HARRISON,
and the bold manner in which it is announced,
| that it is curious that your very unfortunate and
disastrous experience in the only President you
have as yet helped TO make, had not taught you
degree Of dffidence in the sureness Of your
| Judgment. Ii any man IN the nation has had
reason to doubt his infallbty, certainly you
have. When we recall all that you have said
of General Jackson as his early advocate and
recent enemy, we need not multiply words to
convince even yourself, how utterly valueless is
| al
how utterly the wisest may be deceived in their
estimate Of others. In Gen Jackson, you be-
held, in rap vision, political saviour, born to
rule !" and to bless, and the whole land listened,
| with entranced ear, to the inspired prophecies
which foretold his coming, and the benefcent
glories of his reign. He came-and 10 I! the
voice which hailed his advent with hosannas,
now denounces him as minister of wrath, sent
| to scourge and to destroy! We may be permit
ted to hope then, that notwithstanding you may
be perfectly satisfied that Gen. Harrison is
'sweak, superannuated old man, utterly desti-
| tute of qualifications to sustain the dignity or
perform the duties of the Office that in this
case, as in that of Gen Jackson you may be
entirely mistaken As your proof consists in
assertion, we are not at liberty to conjecture up
on what your opinion is based. The last evi-
dence we have met on his being superannuated,
was the fact Of his speaking to fifteen thousand
of his fellow countrymen, so as to be distinctly
heard by the entire multitude and the most re-
cent proof of his weakness, is letter, written
| in answer to an invitation to dinner, given in
honor of Gen. Van Rensselaer,, his bosom friend
and early companion in arms. Let any one,
| however prejudiced, read that letter, and say
that the fire, which sent its writer, when youth,
into the wilderness to contend with the savage,
does not still burn brightly, and that its noble
and eloquent sentiment, its powerful and vivid
expression, tell of a waning mind and decayed
spirit-''a weak and superannuated old man !"
| We will rest the vindication of the freshness
and vigor of General Harrison's mind and char
acter upon that single production. Let it be
read and he will not need friend to vindicate
hm-he will stand sef-vindicated. AS for his
capacity to govern, the country will take the
opinion of no individual. His life must vouch
| for him, or he can have no voucher. 1t is the
only certificate and security that sober people
can depend upon. 1t has been his singular good
4 fortune at least entrusted with high and varied
civil and military commands, to have signally
succeeded in all he undertook, and to have won
the confidence and appreciation Of Government,
and the love of the people. One fact, which
cannot be disputed, speaks very strongly for him.
He commands the respect of the people of the
entire west. They "believe" in him. You
will admit, sir, that the men of that region are
no small breed, and own no stunted forms or
spirits, and that he who has been ever held in
respect and admiration by them, must possess
strong qualities, and can be no feeble spirit. He
has commanded them in war and served them
in peace; and In a mass, and with one voice,
they now call on him to rule over them II was
the saying Of Talleyrand, that the people are
riser in judging Of the talent for government
than any one man, howerer wise. You will
admit, sir, the sagacity of the most sagacious
Frenchman and if he were right, that you have
great reason to disrust the soundness of your
opinion to Gen. Harrison's fitness for com
mand, and that his friends possess strong grounds
of assurance when they hope much from his adj
ministration. II is papable, sir, that the people
differ with you, and that entire division Of the
people who know him best, differ most widely
from you. | would point you to the evidence of
his capacity in written form, but cannot hope
for perusal and calm judgment II is but too
evident that you have taken sides. There is,
however, one quality which Gen. Harrison pos
sesses, which all admit, that at this time, and
for the fulfment Of his destined mission, is the
priceless quality which the country needs and
the people seek-a SPOTLESS HONESTY.
His name is unsuied by an act, which casts
doubt upon his purity as man, or patriotism as
citizen The people, sir, have lost confidence
in the honesty of their rulers they believe that
they have not administered the Government with
single-minded spirit; they have had too much
reason to fear that if the present heads of the
Government are not themselves corrupt, that
they have treated too gently and kindly those
who have been VIGOROUSLY So You yourself,
sir, have taught them that the chiefs Of the pre-
sent administration are utterly corrupt, and alto
gether wicked An honest people cannot con-
fde in dishonest and corrupt men, and they have
turned instinctively to the unblemished character
of William Henry Harrison, as a certain remedy
for the looseness of principle which has brought
the administration into contempt and the country
to ruin.
But, sir, General Harrison is Irrational re-
publican!" and nominated by the nationalrepub-
Ecan marty This ohiection does MOI indaad