Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-02-06
8 p z z O n
HON. PELEG SPRAGU E,
Delivered al Fameuil Hall, before The
cifsens ct Boston and ricinity, upon
The character and services of
GEN. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON,
OF OHIO,
The Wh:g candidate for Ms Presidency
oChe United States.


r Mr.. SrRAGvE said that having beer Dele
/ gate to the Harrisburg Convention he was
called upon 10 give some account of the pro-
ceedings Of that body. He should attempt
only plain statement, and, as he appeared
some what IN the character Of a witness, IT
might not be iDprosor 10 state bis Own posi-
ton.
I | am, ssid Mr.. g., no politician; canno,
afford to take any political station. When ]
( came ,o reads in this city, it was with fixed
! DISCRIMINATION to devote myself exclusively
! 10 The practice Of my profession. | came 10
( MGssscauseiis because Il WAS the place of
! my birth, because here were my relations,
imy early friends, my dearest associations
\ because The soil Of Massachusetts covered
the bones Of my ancestors for two centuries
and wished, 10 The fulDess Of time, 10 min
4 gle my ashes with theirs. | adhered To the
determination which had forinsd, 10 take ma
part IN politics. except what belongs to n prl-
lvate citizen who loves his country, until
was called upon, in u msnner which though
l could not resist, TO attend the Harrisburg
n Convention. The pre-emnont Statesman Of
our own Commonwealth having been With
4 drawn,-I went there the ardent frland Of
Henry Clay, rsvenng hls virtues, with the
highest admiration Tor his genus, and the
fullest confidence in his exalted, self devoted
patriotism. / carried with me, as believed,
your wishes for his elevation 10 the Chief
Msgistracy. ! made youl wishes fully known
to other-but after full aud free interchange
OF views aud opinions, the Convention has
deemed IT best TO nominate General Harrl-
son and am convinced that their decision
was the wisest that could have been made !;
although, under the influence Of your and my
own predictions. came to that conclusion
moro slowly than ma lorty ofmy colleagues.
\ What are the reasons on which this con-
yicton rests: Tho Convention was COM
posed Of gentlemen Of the highest character
for intelligence and virtue from all PORTIONS
Of our country. Twenty-two States were
represented; aud ii is beloved that no as
semsly, since the organization Of our govern
inent, has comprised more of talent, nforna-
/ ton and patriotism. The Delegates from
/ Massachusetts sedulously exolted themselves
TO obtain full and correct information, not on.
| ly by conversation with individuals from other
States, but from each State Delegation as a
body, upon thoir representative and official
! responsibility, as well os upon their personal
! honor. They sscer,anod, AS they thought,
that Mr.. Clay in sll probability could not get
4 the votes of cernin States without which no
4 Wing candidate could nationally expect 10 be
elected. To this conclusion thoy ware
brought renctantly by evidence which they
could not rcsIst.
Il As to the great Stale Of New York with
her 42 electoral votes---st least three fourtbs
of her Delegates To the Convention, and
twenty ont of twcnty-one OF her Representa-
|tves IN Congress were of opinion that her
electoral vole could not BE- piven 10 our Ia.
vorite candidate and this representation was
confirmed by ot least as great a proportion uf
all others with whom we had opportunities to
confer.
The Stat Of Ohio gives 81 and Indiana .
electoral vstes. 1t was the concurrent testi
mony oi all that there was no fair prospect OF
Nr. Clay's obtaining either Of those States (;
/, while Oh the ethcr hand the assurances were
strong and uniform that General Harrison
weuld undoubtedly carry them both. That
ho would take the vote of New York was the
confident and undoubtIng belief of nearly all
her Delegates, confirmed by every other
source Of information. Here then were y
electoral votes which General Harrison could,
and which, owing to transient causes, hr.
Clay could not now obtain /; and no assurance
could bc given Us that his superior strength
IN the South or elsewhere would approach to
a compensation for this loss. Is The Whig
party so strong that we con Afford 10 dispense
with - electoral votes?
! But this is not all - lhorc is Pennsylvania
IVY hen at Philadelphia was first tclL that
the Keystone State might be carried Tor
Harrison, received the suggestion with in
: credulity. But subsequent Information lndu.
ces the belief that we may nationally indulge
in ssnguIuc expectations of such a result
Three ionrihs of her Delegation expressed
that opinion and what we heard from al!
SOURCES. after The nomination, strongly con-
hrmcd 1t. These hopes will not seem vlsi0na-
ry when it is recolleclsd that, IN 1896 when
Jacksonsm was 10 lis palmy slate IN Penn
syivanla, with triumphant majotlty cf twCn-
" thousand; General llarrlson--brought
|, forward as hs was. at late day, with other
Wing candidates in the field, and without
Iexpcctalion of general success, still came
within about four HoUsand votes Of carrying
the State anc II Is to bs further rccolect"d
that iron, the Convention which then put hlm
~ nomination, that distinguished gentleman,
,Thaddcus Stevens with several OF hls friends
and associates soceded, carrying with them,
rs We were assured from very high authority,
from ten To liteen thousand votes. Had ar.
Stevens and his friends then supported tho
nomination II would have been sustained by
lrit mphant majority. VIII lie support II
now | have IT from his own mouth that he
will and was assured by distinguished in.
'di,iduals after tho nomination. and among
them Tx Governor Shultz, that we Llight eX-
pcct the vote of Pennsy sylvania TO he given
Tor General Harrison by ten thousand mnio-
Irity. For Mr.. Clay there wus no rational
hope IN that State. Here, then, arc thirty
more electoral votes, making an aggregate of
lO2 in these four States alone which, If rell.
once is to he placed on the Irdgrfrnt and
representations of distinguished ard honcra-
bic men we may confidently expect viii be
given for the nominee oi the Convention
This is tho best testimony which the nature
/ Of the casc admits, 1t ~ that which The Dele
gates iron Massachusetts wcnt to obtain
which they iclt pound 10 receive, and winch
they could not disregard.
Il General Harrison Is now the only wing.
candidate. There II now no question except
between him and Mr. Van Bursn. llas he
tLp o,t,iir, .figps 10 discharge the duties of