Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-03-12

cannot.
Let US now soc what are the public principles and
opinions, the life and character Of Gen. HARRis0s,
shs sole opposing candidate for the Pfesidsncy, and
II they do not presaai q better guarantee for the
safe republican administrator OF the Government.
A has been the singular fortune Of Gen. HARRisos
10 have been more misrepresenied ard consequently
Misunderstood, particularly iBhis native State, thar
airy othef distinguished citizen Of our couatry. The
reason Of this is. doubtless, 10 DO found in the cir
chmstance that for the last ten or twelve years Of
his life, he has been withdrawn from the scenes Of
active political employment, and that, while his
name was before The country in the last Presidential
election, ~expnsing him, of course, TO much denun-
citation and isrepresenta from bis political nd.
versaries, the attention Of the opposition party OF
the South was mainly directed 10 distinguished
citizen OF their own section, 50 that there was no
party interest felt at that time in tho South, 10 de-
sectng and exposing the numerous end gross mis-
representation Of which he was made the subject
by an unscrupulous press. From this stare of
things IL has arisen, that in the South generally, aud
Ia Virginia particularly, the most uafounded charges
have been widely propagasea in regari to his pub
lie principles and conduct, and til lately without
efficient 1nirsjictio and exposure, thus imposing
on many good citizens. who will now be eager 10
repair tho injustice they hsve done him. The most
prominent OF these charges, which Is stilI wan,only
repeated, Is, that Gen. Harrison is an Abofhonist.
| nave recently Investigated with care, oil the evil
dencss of his principles and conduct on this, as we'll
as other important public questions, and | am tho
roughly convinced, that if there be one man, who
has entitled himself to the gratitude cf the South,
beyond all others, by the noble and disinterested
zeal he has at all times manifested. the sacrifices no
has freely made. the single heartedness with which
he has exposed himself to persecution and political
prescription, in defence Of the Constitutional rights
Of the South, and the peace and safety of their fire.
sidess against all interference whether Of fsnaticism
n. ,ftss.. ~. ~ --A ~ A.. . -
HARRISON, ofOhio.
You have doubtless read the speech made BY him
II vincennes in the State OF lndiann, IL 1885, in
which, IN the face of a non-saye holding audience,
he gaIantly volunfesrcd TO defend the rights and in.
terssts OF the South. Where can be found, even in
the productions Of any Southern Statesman, a more
energetic and u~nsparing denuncin,iou Of the schemes
OF tho Aboittsontsts? He pronounces them TO be
weak, Prcsumptuous and unconsfitutional"-t il.
legal, prosecuting and dangerous" and after depict
ing in glowing language the fatal consequences to
which they must lend, he calls upon his audience,
with indignant arnestness to from upon measures
which are to produce results 50 much TO be depre-
Gated" He lays down in the broadest and most
unequivocal terms, the fundamental principle that
the subject Of slavery Is under the sole aud exclusive
Jurisdiction Of the States in which it exists, und that
neither the general government nor the non sirve-
holding States have any right whatever 10 interfere
with II and no moreover contends that aiscusstoRs
upon the subject in the nor. slavc-holdiug States.
tcnding in their consequences. a. they do, 10 ieop-
ard tbs peace and impair ths rights Of the slave
holding States, are an abuse OF The freedom Of speech
and Of the Press, in violation OF the spirit and per
vsdingd design OF the Constitution. The same decia-
rations were made By him, and With greater enIpha-
ais If possible, in an address delivered 10 on assem-
bly, of his fellow -citizens at Chevioi ia Ohio, on the
4th Of July 1888; fran which an isolated passage,
Tin which, the author admitting slavery IL be an evil,
.Aa. L. Aa.fl = H. ~
Union devoted 10 it's progressive extinction by the
Purchase and colonization Of the slaves, Gih the
s~asetioa cfthe states holding them , has been art
fully cull-d, and given TO the public. carefully SUI
pressing tie coaterf, in which Gen. Harrison main
tsins, in the strong and unqualified language | am
about to cite, that the slave population is under tile
srcinsirs control Of The States which posses them, I"
and that . neither the general Government nor the
non-slase-Aolding Suites can i%n,rfere in aay icay,
with the right Of property in slaves" and al the
same time deDpunces The schemes of The abolition |
lists as fnUght With horrors, upon which an iucaf- |
nate devil could look ctly with appreciation"
But even II the incidental and abstract suggestion
above noticed in the Cheviot speech Of Gen. Harri-
son were to be looked at disconnected from its con
text. however we nigh, differ from him both as to
its practicability, and some Of the principles invot
we'd justice and eandor would still require us 10 bear
in mind, that buta few years Ego, similar sentiments
were freely expressed, Doth by the press, and public
councils OF Virginia, aud that a plan for eGecting the
same object, almost identical with that thrown out
by Gen. Harrison, was developed and earnestly
advocated by Mr.. Jefferson, in a letter addressed
by him, during the last years Of his life, to Mr..
Sparks, which you will see in the 4th vol. of his
writings page 388-39I. But | again repeat, where
10 the man, whether Of the South or Of tho North,
who in the practical assertion Of the rights of the
South, and in energetic and decisive reprobation Of
the projects OF the Aboiitionists has gone further
than Gen. Harrison A jus, people cannot forget
the noble and selfsacrihcing devotion with which
be stood alo.e, OUT of al. the Representatives ofthe
rsstern non slave holding states, and in a little band
OF but two or three from the whole nor slave-hold-
ing region Of the Union, in sleadil, resisting, on
behalf of the rights and interests of the South. the
memorable Missouri restriction, and the kindred
proposition made al the same period to restrict the
iatrodnction OF slaves isto the Territory Of Afkan-
shs-a patriotic seli-devotiun, by which he lost bis
seat IN Congress, and incurred popular odium and
prescription for a season ia his own State. An
Tins Zen. Harrison did freely, from u sense Of duty
to the Constitution of his country, and to he rights
and interests Of the southern States, al a time when
lie had nothing 10 ask at their hands. What was
the course Of the present Chief Magistrate in whose
behalf Gen. Harrison is now sough, TO be stigrnati-
zsd as an obolstionist under the ssme ciI cumstarccsf
He, then. as a member OF The Senate Of Nov Yor,;
voted in favor Of Instructions 20 tbs Senators and
Representatives Of that State in Congress, to sup
Poit u a4issoufl RESTRICTION, and a year or two az
forwards, as member Of the Senate of the United
states, voted IN fuvor of the proportion 10 restrict
tne introduction OF slaves into the Territory of
FLORIDA. Well, therefore, might the south reouire
of him some pledge of fidelity TO their rgh,s when
he became a candidate 70. their suffeaees TO elevate
linn 10 The station he now occupies, But what far.
tier or higher pledge can Gen. Harrison have To
give than his conduct and opinions Uniformity su,.
tanned through every change Of circumstances. and
at every personal sacrifice, coupled with thai, Just
ana hepubiican definition Of the true province of
the Presidential veto in his letter to Sherrod VIII.
Jams, Esq, in which he says at, is a conservative