Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-13
a CA BID.
To Tie Fotcrs Of CumLcrland.

| FErLow.CITIzESs: The ed.proceedings Of a
Caucus held at your Court house the last court day.
have notified you of my nomination as the Republican
candidate TO represent the county Of Cumberland, in
the House of Delegates. Although native of the
county, my residence in il has been Of but short dura-
ton and my location at end, with but little call to
public places, has made almost stranger to you.
These circumstances, combined with very prccarious
state of health which may put il out my power TO as
socac much with you previous 10 the day of election,
render my duty TO give very brief expose OF the
opinions entertain upon the most prominent political
topics Of the day Having never been public man,
nv taste and habits of life always setting in another
direction, I have no experience give in. Nor
have been close observer Of political events.
But at pretty early period Of my life, | fonnd
there was great principle which was the dividing
point of political parties in ihs country that was the
constr uction Of Constitution involving the qncs
tion whether il grant of powers 10 Congress Ii
mtcd by ,s expressions and direct corolarics from
tbcuor OF powers which might be enlarged 10 almost
any extent by construction Upon this question, poll.
ticans very after the adoption of the Censtitu-
ton fell into parties, the Federal and Republican
the latter on the side of the limited, the former
the side of the expansive character of that instrument
Under the influence of this last interpretations have
seen spring up Bank Of the L. Staes-tlc Alien
and Sedton laws-a system of protective Tariffs, and
4 system of Internal Improvement BY Congress !
find in the Constitution express grant of power for
either of these objects and my opinion is that the pre-
pondcrance of the able arguments which have been
urged for and against The power necessary and pro-
per inference from powers expressly granted. is dccI
telv against it, 1t not 10 present pur
pose fellow citizens fatigue you with recapitullon
Of the grounds of argument which have broug me 10
this conclusion nor have any new views 10 offer
But bv way Of "excluding conclusion favorable to
the power TO charter Bank, which has often been
drawn from Mr., Madison's snnctoning such measure
in 1876 upon the ground, that public sentiment had
declared in its favor, will refer you to his very able
speech against it, upon the original application for
charter and to the universal admission, at the former
period Except with the Fcderaiiss) that nothing but
necessity or cxpediency justified the We
now have the benefit Of more experience as TO the
practical operation of such a Bank, and we have
seen it upon two general suspensions OF specie pay
ment among the first to suspend and the last 10
We are now called upon again 10 determine whether
we will disturb the experiment now being made of an
"ndcpendent Treasury, for the sake Of trying old
remedy for pecuniary disease, which IN the opinion
of Republicans is certainly unconstitutional, and at
least Of very doubtful cXpcdcncv, and which even the
Whrs believe, in this State do not generally ap-
PROVE | unhesitatngly adopt the opinion that bad
State legislation by overbanking and waseful expendl
of money public works has been the chief cause
of disordercd currency II the States will move dis
crectly in their respective orbits, and Congress will
pass the necessary laws 10 enable excellent Chief
Magistrate carry out his plan for the management of
the revenue We shall then be able TO determine with
more wisdom upon the necessity ola great controlling
none we'd institution regulate affairs And let US
not look to the General Government for aid relieve
US from our debts The Jad use made of the surplus
cnue lately distributed By II among the States, i'll
Iapplying il TO works, (and adding 10 an already
large dcbt) instead OF dischargng old ones, ought 10
be wholesome admonton against such dependence;
whilst oo it should teach Congress to recoIlect in flu
ture the old adage, that "charty begins at home"
In the absence of any exciting subject Of State po-
icy Federal relations have engrosscd public atten
tion and constitute the chief test OF qualification IN
State elections Among these relations the approach
inq election of Presidents the aahsorbng sub
iect and the question of choice between two eminent
citizens is put to every candidate for popular suffrage
1t will readily be inferred what my position IN refer
ence to them from the foregoing remarks And the ad.
vocates for the reelection of Mr. Van Buren, may,
think with safety challenge comparison between him
and Gen. Harrison upon the great constitutional qncs-
tons before adverted TO, after yielding to the latter the
honors and the gratitude due 10 of the most dis
tinuushed Of our countrys defenders in the tented
field. lie is an acknowledged advocate of Congress
sonal power upon all those subjecs.-And believe 1t
is admitted and charged by his opponents, that MIR. v
Buren, is decided in his opposition 10 a National Bank
But they profess TO place him upon footing with his
connection because, he voted for small appropri-
aton TO the Cumberland road BILL which vote he regret
ted and said in his speech Footc resolution to
amend the rules of the Senate, f the subject
again presented to hun, he should give different vote
II is also objected 10 him or more properly urged IN his
lavor) hy his opponents, that he voted for increase
Of the Tariff in 1893 This vote he gave in obedience
ia instructions from his constituents. Can il lie
cravely urged that these isolated votes place him on a
footinp with man who has always BEEN and is still
an dyocate of these the true policy of the
country:
There is another subject of more solemn import than
all TO wit fsavcry upon which il is contended that
there is no difference; indeed that MIR. Van BurcnS is
more obnoxious 10 the South than Gen. Harrison-and
why Because he voted for the an s'our restriction
/ (,ompare this vote, fcllowczens, with Gen. llar-
Icon = ovowcd opinion that the surplus revenue of the
government ought TO be applied to the purchase and
aon,n,;sson Of Slaves, and decide between them. But
rs 10 this questionable. Van Burens pledge to resist
any Bill for the abolition Of slavery n the District OF
,orfarancc with il in the States with or without their
consent, puts him beyond all suspicion We have no
.ncb pledge from General Harrison:
~ Very respectfully your obedlent servant,
! c. II. HARRISON.
Th Rank question first divided The Republican and Fedora
pares aud in all the stages ~ - - ,h nr,,n r rc