The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-02-25

/ Of Arkansas patriotic self-deyoiion, by
which he lost his seat in Congress, and in
Cured popul,r odum and prescription. for
season, in his own State. All this Gen
Harrison did freelysfrom sense of duty to
the Constitution Of his country, and to the
rights and interests Of the Southern States, at
time when he had nothing TO ask at their hands
| What was the course OF the present Chief
Magistrate. In whose behalf Gen. Harrison is
now sought TO be stigmatsed as an abolition
ist, under the same circumstances He,
then, as a member of the Senate of New
York, voted in favor Of instructions to the Se-
majors and Representatives Of that State, in
Congress, 10 support the Missouri restriction,
and year or two afterwards, as member
OF the Senate Of the United States, voted in
favor VI the proposition to restrict the intro
duction OF slaves ialo the Territory of Flori-
da. Well therefore, might the south require
OF him some pledge of fidelity to their rights,
when he became a candidate for their snffra-
ges TO elevate him 10 the station he now &C.
cupies. But what further or higher pledge
can Gen, Harrison have TO give, than his con-
daci and opinions, uniformly sustained through
every change of circumstances, and at every
personal sacrifice, coupled with that Just and
the Presidential veto in his letter to Sherrod
Williams, Esq, in which he says '.ii is a
conservative power intended only to be used
TO secure the constitution itself from violation,
and to protect the rights of the minority and
the wesAer membeis Of The Union"--a defini-
tion obviously framed, in its last clause par
iicularly, with reference to that vital interest
of the South, of which he has proved him
self, through good and through evil report, the
disinterested and patriotic champion.
Another denunciatory charge against Gen.
Harrison, and alike destitute of foundation,
which has been extensively propagated, is,
that he was "A black cockade Federalist and
an advocate of the Alien and Sedition Laws"
during the administration Of the elder Mr..
Adams. This charge has been most deci-
sively met and reiu,ed by Judge Burnet, dis.
unguished citizen, and lately one of the Sena-
tors in Congress, of the State Of Ohio, who,
from an Intimate personal acquaintance with
Gen. Harrison at the period alluded TO, de-
clares that he was a firm, consistent, un-
yielding Republican of the Jefferson school,
and warmly advocated the election of Mr..
Jefferson against Mr.. Adams" Gen. Harri-
son himself, in debate in the Senate of the
United States, in March. 1926. in replying TO
SEINE observations OF Mr.. Randolph, import
ing a similar charge, explicitly declared that,
while in common with his constituents, the
Legislature Of the Northwestern Territory,
whose delegate in Congress he then was, he
approved the course Of Mr. Adams admins
trar!on in the controversy with the French
government, and had great personal respect
for Mr.. Adams as an honest man and pa
triot his opposition to the Alien and Sed-
ton Laws was so well known in the Terri
tory, that promise was exiorted from him
by his friends in the Legislature that, as he
had no vote in the proceedings Of Congress-,
he would not unnecessarily compromise the
local interests of his constituents by the ex-
preston Of his political opinions" But whe-
Their Gen. Harrison has been or is a Federal
list must depend on the character of his pol,i-
cal principles, and not on the arbitrary CLASH
ication OF personal or party prejudice. Now,
1t SO happens that we have an authentic and
mos, lucid exposition of his political princi-
pies by himself at period Of life when they
must have been fully matured and thoroughly
settled, in an address to the voters Of his dis
trct, before whom he was then candidate
for seat in Congress, which was published
in the Cincinnati lnquistor, under date Of the
/ 9TH September, 1922.
In that admirable address, he declares that
ne is "a Republican Of the old Jefersonian
school," and derives his principles Of consti'u-
tonal Interpretation . from the celebrated re-
solutions Of The Virginia Legislature Of '9s
and 99'-that he, therefore, "denies to the
General Government the exercise of any
power but what is expressly given to it by the
Constitution or what is essentially necessary
to carry the powers expressly given into eff
fecr'--that " he believes Tie charter giuen 10
The Bank OF The United States ,cas unconsti-
tntional"-that " he believes in the tendency
OF large public debt to sap the foundation of
The Constitution, by creating moneyed aris-
tocracy, whose views and interests must be in
direct hostility to those of the mass of the peo-
pie" and that he is, therefore, :" in favor oil
every practicable retrenchment in the eapcndi
lures of the governmental he believes
IN the right OF the people to instruct their re-
personalities, when elected"-and, finally,
that he believes "upon the preservation of the
union of the States depends the existence of
our civil and religious Iiberties-,hat the true
cement Of this Union is the brotherly love and
regard which the citizens Of the several States
possess for each other-and that as the union
was effected only by a spirit of mutual con-
cession and forbearcnce, so only can it be pre-
served" political creed more truly Re-
publican and patriotic than this, think you
will agree with me, has never been submitted
TO the American people and as it was deli
livered TO the world when the experience and
reflection Of life then bnt little short of fifty
years had impressed their seal upon his opin-
ions, it must in condour be presumed to form
the basis of his public policy and conduct.
Bnt, it is said that Gen. Harrison hus voted