Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-06-26
fFroia TIE Gi"br.J

TO OF Il CONSTITUENTS
The Hon. w. b. Calhoun, in an article occupying
about half u column Of the National lntcliigcncer, de-
MES that he used The words ".Abolition society, in the
letter, the substance of which we laid before you in our
address of the 18th inst. lie had already, by again
showing us hs letter, satisfied US of our error, so far as
his language was concerned, and It was our purpose OF
having it corrected in Saturdays Globe. We have yet
10 be convinced, however, that the error consisted III any
thing but rOrdS, or that is correction can have the least
effect upon the differences drawn by us as to the purposes
for which his letter was written on the character OF the
secret movement, originating with Harrison himself 10
secure the support of the AbolitIonists, BY making them
believe he was one Of their party.
Mr.. Calhoun, in his letter To the Editors of the Ma
tional lntelligcncer, dated the 18th instant, uses the
following language, viz:
e'The letter of Gen. Harrison referred to in my note,
was short one, and consisted exclusively of a response
TO this inquiry: is il true that Gen. Harrison, whilst
Governor of Indiana, did make an effort 10 introduce
slavery into that Territory This inquiry he responds
to in the SAME TERMS which he used in replying
10 the same question eighteen years ago, in the Address
to the Public, also referred to in my note"
Now what were the TERMS used by him eighteen
years ago in replying to that question: That address
has recently hccn widely circulated, and may be found
in a printed speech Of the Hon. l.. Stan!y, a Wing
member of Congress from North Carolina, page -,
from which il will be seen that those storms were in
the exact words following, viz:
81 am, says Harrison, 'accuscd of being friendly
TO slavery: From my earliest youth 10 the present
moment, have been the ARDENT rRITNp of HUMAN
LIBERTY. At the age Of eighteen became a member
of an Abolition society, established at Richmond, Nir.
ginia, The object ui which was to ameliorate the condI.
ton Of slaves, and promote their freedom by ercrytegol
means"
The terms used by Harrison in the address Of la2a
were San abolition Society" Mr.. Calhoun says he
used the "same terms" in his late letter to Mr.. Evans
In that letter, therefore, he stated that lie had, cat The
age Of eighteen, become a member Of an ABOLITION
SOCIETY,"" &c.
Now, in Mr.. Calhoun's letter 10 the Editor of the
Globe, dated the 10th inst, he says: "The letter, THE
SUBSTANCE OF WHICH | WAS COMMUNl-
eating, contained a distinct injunction, nc. Here
MIR. Calhoun himself admits that his letter communl.
Gated "TilE SUBSTANCE" Of General Harrison's
letter, and that letter, as we have shown by his own
testimony, contained the words ".~ib0'itiOn Society,"
The truth is, we believed Mr. Calhoun; and, aiming
to give 'fhe substance, of his letter, not being permitted
to copy the language, ave confoundcd together Gen.
Harrison S address of lS22, and Mr.. Calfoun's letter
abiding to his late repetition of the same terms in his
letter TO MIR. Evans, and enormously put the wor S
abolition society into our copy from recollection. Yet
our copy was substantially correct, uyless Mr.. Calhoun
is himself in error III saying that his letter contained
the Substance of Gen. Harrison's.
But whose fault is it if error be committed in refer.
ence 10 the contents OF these secret missivcs which pass
from a candidate to his friends in Congress, and from
them, through their friend, to the Aboli,ionists, for the
purpose of receiving their support for that candidate
Mr.. Calhoun says, General Harrison,s letter contained