The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-06-18
From the Richmond Uhig Of Monday.
RICHMOND, April 18th, 1910.


Dear Sir-The circumstances which this letter
will explain, will me, ! hope for intruding
myself upon your attention.
Among the numerous charges which have been put
into circulation against you by the presses and parti
Fans of Mr.. Van Buren, the two most relied upon and
deemed most potent in the South, arethat you n
Federalist and an Abotionist. Satisfied from the
evidence before them and the whole country that these
charges equally unsustained by truth your friends
have met, denied and they believe, refutcd them
As the prospect Of your election increases however
and the heart Of the patriot revves with the hope OF
the success Of one, from whom he expects wise,
nomical and republican administration the malignity Of
your enemies to increase and the sposmen become
more reckless and desperate in their efforts to retain
the power by which they make their spoil-Of this,
the conclusive evidence will be found in the Richmond
Enquirer Of the 10th inst in production purporting
to be an address from the Van Buren, Central Com
mttee here In that address, it is roundly asserted
that you are Federalist and Abolitionst and that
your friends in the South support you, knowing that
you This statement is made here with know
ledge of the views entertained by the Wings of Vir-
GINA expressed in the address to the people of the
State, published by their Convention, which was held
in this city in the month Of February last of which
send you copy by the mail of this day regard the
charge, therefore, as an impudent fasehood against
you, certainly is against the Wings Of Virginia
at whom it is especially levced; and if made BY an
anonymous scrlbber in newspaper, might be passed
by with contempt But the charges now put forth
in an imposing FORM and the subject of Abolition is
one OF absorbing interest and paramount Importance
and as could not and am the Wings Of Vir-
gina, and the South generally, would moi vote for
any Aboitionst living to be President Of the United
States; Scarcely than they would for Florida
Indian and as have been placed before the people
of this State for the Office Of Elec.or upon the wing
ticket, | have thought it due to you to the Wing
cause and to myself to ask you to furnish under your
own hand your denial of the charge in letter to me-
which may publish
| beg leave to say, that the denial which expect
will in my opinion, advance your with all good
and rejecting through the land but whether it
will advance injure it, it is equally due to yourself
and to u.s. that you should furnish it. as | am satisfied
that you would be unwilling to advance that cause
by any fraud, should be to be made the instru-
mens, apparently or dupes Of it. Be pleased there
FORE to say to me- whether you still entertain the SEN
tments upon the subject Of Abolition expressed in
your speech at Vincennes in 1885; whether you ever
were a member of an Abolition Society in Virginia,
and whether you have designated the Richmond So
ciety Abolition Society and what was your
political connection if any, with the old Federal party
With great respect
am, sir, your friend, &c.
JAMES LYONS
To Gen, w f. HARRISON,
Cincinnati, Ohio