The Madisonian., 1840-02-25
LETTER OF THE
HON. WILLIAM c. RIVES
CASTLE HILL. Feb. IS. ls40
or VIRGINIA..

The subject oil the pending Presidential cleo
ton, and what course think ought TO be pur-
sued in il by those OF us IN general OF the Re-
publican party who have been opposed TO the
leading measures Of the present adminisra-
tIon
m While my name was recently before the
Legislature, by the act of my friends. as
candidate for reelection To the Senate Of the
United States, Declined IN answer to var-
Gus communications from members OF that
body, to give any pledge OF support 10 either
OF the Presidential candidates, as the condl-
tlon my election | did so, because, while
it is clear thai, under the Constitution, Sc
nalor of the United States can, IN no possible
contingency, be called on, as such, TO give
any VOTE or perform other act in the election
of President, believed that the practice Of
requiring of those who might be brought for
ward for the office Of Senator, pledges 10 sup
port this or that man for the Presidency, how
ever it may be otherwise viewed by many
honorable and patriotic men, is practice fa-
tally calculated TO destroy the independence
of The Legislative Department, and TO pros
trale it at the feet of the Executive power,
whose inordinate growth and overshadowing
influence already threaten the very existence
of our free institutions. In regard to all those
: questions of public policy and legislation
which were likely to come before the Senate
of the United States for its appropriate and
legitimate action, my opinions were fully
known, or. if they were not SO, was ever
ready TO declare and explain them 10 the best
OF my ability in answer to any inquiries
which might be addressed to me. | had,
moreover, been very recently in the public
service, and my acts in the discharge of the
trust confdcd TO me, which were neither few
nor equivocal nor unattended with circum-
stances of peculiar trial, were before the coun-
ny atlording, as it seemed to me- the most
authentic Interpretation of my principles, as
wei as the surest guarantee of my futur,
course.
For these various reasons, fell that I
ought not TO give any pledge of support to any
of the Presidential candidates, as the condi-
ton of my election to the Senate Of the United
States, and accordingly declined to do so
while my name was recently before the Le-
gislature, in connection with the election for
that office. These motives Of reserve have
now ceased. My name is no longer before
the Legislature for that or any other office
and as in time past, it has never been by any
act or solicitation of mne so, whether it shall
at any time hereafter be, will depend on the
event, even, Of my name being again present
ed to the Legislature, by the puraity and ge-
nerous confidence with which my friends and
fellow-ciizens have been heretofore pleased
: to distinguish me, the Presidential election
will have been determined and we shall all,
of necessity, have taken our equal and respon-
slble parts in it; before the Legislature ac-
cording to their recent decision on the sub
Inrf uyI1 III -. ,.srS,
of the United States. Under these circum-
stances, can no longer feel the slightest de-
llcacy, as private citizen, in expressing to
you, freely and without reserve, my opinions
on the interesting question you PROFOUND to
me-
Your inquiry naturally divides itself into
two branches. The first is, can we support
the reelection OF the present Chief Magis-
trale-those of us, mean. who have been.
an earnest IN our opposition 10 the leading
measures and prevailing policy of his adm
nstraon And this question would seen,
properly and plainly to resolve itself into an
other. Has he abandoned or withdrawn any
OF those measures, to which we have been,
and are still thus opposed? so far from it,
we have seen that, in his recent Message to
Congress, he has again brought forward
and urged with increased determination of
purpose, his now cherished Snb-treasury
scheme, which, at the time of his election, all
his political friends believed to be fraught,
and which zoe still believed to be fraught,
with the direst evils to the country. He has
not only again earnestly recommended this
scheme, but he has urged IFS adoption ia the
most obnoxious and Objectionable of all the
lor!ns It has ever assumed. refer, Of course,
to what has been commonly called the specie
clause, or requisition of the public dues in gold
and silver alone. This rigorous feature of
the scheme hnd been prcterlnitted by the Pre-
sideni, IN his more recent exposlions Of it,
and was believed to be finally abandoned by
him; but is now brought forward in bold re-
let, II rs understood as the sine qua non Of the
new political alliance which has been an.
nounccd to the country. Aud the President
erea tells us that he believes no period will
he more aaspicious' for the introduction of
this hard money policy in the operations of
the government, than The presenf'-when
we know, that IN two-thrds or three fourths
oil The States specie is at an average premium
oil ten per cent. above the common currency!
Nest auspicious," indeed, for the interests
ol those who are the recipients and beneficial
RES OF the public contributions, but surely not
Tor the interests OF the people, who are the
payers, immediate or ultimate, of all these
contributions.
In compliance with this recommendation
OF the President, we have Just seen the Sub.
treasury bill, with the obnoxious specie clause,
hurried through one branch of the National
Legislature, by minority vote, in the absence
Of many members. when, if that body (the