Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-04-28
POLITICAL.
fF'rOm shs Lsrmg,on a. Ge;c,,s, .aprl 3,


o: the most prominent objections brought by the Wigs
against Mr. Van Buren,. when he first became can
didate for the Presidency. lie was accused OF being
dark, mysterious, cunning man-one who possessed ~
pre-emnent degree the art otwraPpng mp his mean
ing in ambiguous phrases, more dhcu OF 'nerpreta-
ton than the responses of the Dephic oracle. a li.
lie magician, who deuded the people by seigh-oi-
hand tricks and, BY dextrous shutting, turning and
twisting. deceived alike friends and foes.
This was the character given TO him by his enemies
how has it been sustained BY facts No aspIran 10
the high office he fills has been more frank IN his
avowals In instance has he shrunk from the Ques
tionng Of his foesn instance has he failed to reply
TO his friends Questions embracing the whole scope
Of national politics have been put 10 him various oc.
casons upon all Of which his have been full
and explicit, that not peg has been left to hang
doubt upon. The whole nation understands perfectly
his position in regard the Tariff, the Bank the In
dependent Treasury, and the Abolition questions.
But the ease is widely different in regard TO Gene
raj Harrson-doubt and mystery hang over his OPT.
Mons upon most of the important points of public po
Icy. His replies to the various interrogatories ad-
dressed TO him have been ambiguous IN the highest
degree, and upon orc point have they been ascer.
tanned with degree of cIearness, except upon the
subject of Auoton-he is uneGuivoca!ly IN favor Of
devotinr the surplus revenue OF the General Govern
mcnt to the purchase and emancipation Of all the slaves
In the Union He is understood by the Abolitionsts.
10 be one of themselves, and his nomination has been
hailed By them with the loudest exutation and the
"
Harrisburg Convention.
There is proof that the guarded silence Of the Gene
raj and his supporters is matter OF polcy-hey enter
tain opinions which they dare not and contem-
date projects which will not bear the ordeal Ut public
discussion The proposition to address the people OF
the United States made in the Harrisburg Convention.
was voted down without moments hesitation The
State Conventions of the General friends in Ohio and
Indiana made great parade-hey had mock repre-
sensations of ssog cabins, canoes, &c. &c, bands 0!
hon epc,y oh md cflor barra M
shard c.der, and lots of gingerbread but public
principles-they dispersed and ''made no sign.
An attempt made in the Legislature of this State
last winter to ascertain the Generals opinions upon
the subject Of Abolition; but although the questions
which the Democratic members wished to PROFOUND 70
him were extracted from one Of Mr.. Clay speeches
the proposition was voted down by the Wings Atthe
same time, however. the leading Wing members expi.
city pledged themselves that General Harrison would
answer fully any questions upon the subject, provided
they asked in decorous and by respect
able persons.
But there was link stl waning--the friends who
nominated him at Harrisburg, the friends who met in
Convention in Ohio aud Indiana had all refused &c
make any avowa Of the opinions either Of themselves
or their candidate and his friends in the Legislature
this State had decided that questions should be pu
him, only remained, to cap the climax, that the
General himself should refuse to all nterroga
tories This has been done, and the Reporter shall des
cribe the manner in which this extraordinary feat was
accomplished. We extract the following from last Sa
turday Observer and Reporter:
The las, Globe has foul and vulgar assault upon Gen
HARRISON simply because the friends OF th General Cncn
nat have come to the resolutions that they do mott deem i'm
Of men, who think proper send him nteoratsy
They justly assume the ground that the opinions Of Gen
HARRISON all the leading and exciting topics parry aga
lion, be not distinctly known because lie who know
them not, seeks not 10 know them.
g" viii be borne mink presidential election
Mr. Van Buren, and Gen. Harrison EACH for the frs
nn%d to- the Hon $ Wams his State, n .g
do touching all the questions Of Natona
bic1y ,ius
Ie friends Of Gen. Harrison say that he
political opinion then held and promulgated and they
ii question: which has since requiring
hands exposition of his views II after living upwards
The American people dispense reply to ever,
village club which suppose That the esnes Of the Cmiot
hang upon deliberations then ought he have
In the Harrisburg Convention. The friends
content with their knowledge Of his political views
and suspect that his would fo him
even u he answered according to their own views
1--WE think the friends Of Cen Harrison have acted wisely ht
grounds of difference between him and Mr. Van Buren,"
Reader, what we're the impressions left upon your
mind after the perusll ." The above extract: Did you
not come to the conclusion that little ''vilagc
club, composed Of tGr ",t',9i'> OF General liarr-
ION, had been a-kn. h im. st.nrnt questions, suppos
ing i,at III" d"stnirs ii ia. Union hung upon its de-
libcratIonS, and that ~" General had very properly
refused TO permit himself :" t: annoyed in that man
ner! We know you dpdyrn could come TO other
conclusion. But we will sooa show that YOU ID not
yet understand the mysteries Of Whcr,ry Nothing
could be farther from the real state OF the ars than
the account which have extracted from the Reporter
lst. The Globe has not made "a most foul and vul-
gar attack upon Gen. Harrison, simply because the
friends of the General AT Cincinnati have come to the
resolution that they do not deem it imperative upon
Gen Harrison to be responding to every or set of
men, who may think proper to send him an nterroga-
tory" The remarks Of the Globe calm and tempe
rate and cannot be considered either foul or 'syul-
gar, although they contain some common and familiar
phrases.
Cd 1t is not true that General HARRISON in his reply
10 Sherrod Williams, "responded fully touching all
the great questions Of national Government. The
General bnked the question on Abolition, and returned
most lame and unsatisfactory replies to nearly all the
other queries.
3d. It'll that the questions alluded to by the
Reporters article quoted above were addressed to the
General by "viage club oswego is larger town
than Lexington.
4th 1t is not true that ''the friends of General
Harrison content with their knowledge of his poll
teal views"
We will prove the second and fourth these positions
BIZ the Oswego Correspondence.
The "receiving and referring petitions for the irnme
date abolition slavery in the District Of Columbia
implies the power of Congress to legsate upon the sub
feet Has Gen. Harrison ever expressed the opinion
no los his