Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1840-09-26
Gov. POrter's Reply.
TO THE PTTTSBURG COMMITTEE.
HAnnisBUne, Gath August, l840.

had the honor ~ receive yours of the 3,h inst in
,ltlng me, behalf of the great mass Of my de.
mocrac iellow.citizens of Pittsbrrg and vicinity,
to partakc ofa public entertainment to be given in
testimony of their respect and personal eseem and
OF their confidence in me as the Chief Magistrate
OF the commonwealth" l regret that prior en-
gagements and absence from the seat of Govern
ment for a considerable period prccuded the possi-
hiy of my remaining longer in Pitt burg. have
an opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of
your letter, until my arrival at this place. | beg
you to accept my sincere thanks for this miniesa-
tion Of appreciation on the part Of my democratic
fellow citizens of Pittsburg ind its vicinity, and to
assure those whom you represent, how gratifying
10 my feelings, is their favorable opinion Of my
public conduct.
You have not over rated, gentlemen, the difficult
ties with which have had to contend. took ca
sion, in late Letter 10 my democratic fri, nds of
Philadelphia to refer TO them, and / cannot forhear
row to repeat, that those difficulties called on me
for The exercise Of all the ability and all the firm
ness with which it has pleased God to endow me.
Surrounded on all sides with endorsements,
was constrained hy circumstances TO adopt that
course which seemed TO be besct with the least
and am sorry 10 say, during the darkest period of
those embarrassnents, there seemed to he want
Of cordial support, and manly assumption of re-
sPonsility on the part Of the coordinate branches
of the Government, 10 whom well as to myself,
the people had entrusted The management, of their
public al ,irs.
Every rational man knows, that you cannot erect
or change governments in a day. Mistakes and
abuses Of half century in taking root cannot be
exirpatcd at single blow; and when intimately
blended with our business and public interests, as
the banking institutions of this commonwealth were
the evil must be examined and correct with grca,
Caution and skill. Remedies are often suggested,
that at frst glance appear sound and complete,
but upon a more thorough consideration are qu.c
as bad the evils they are designed 10 cure When
men are responsible to the public for all The results
of measures that they recommend or approve il is
douhly incumbent on them not 10 lie misltd by has
iy counsel, or false appearances. They are s,oOrn
TO tOeigh things ,UeH, and to act according to the
dictates of their best judgment, perfectly fearless of
all that human power can do against them. In
pressed with this, as the paramount obligation of
my official duty, | have both done and RETAINED
from doing various things, on which diversity of
sentiment prevailed among my political friends and
supporters; and frankly and fully submitting my
reasons 10 my fellow citizens have relied on their
candor and sense of justice 10 vindicn,e my course
My confidence in my follow oitinons hoo boon
than realized. They have appreciated the obsta
cles in my way, and have made ample allow lnce
for the peculiar circumstances in which the people
of the commonwealth and its Executive have been
placed. am there is b,:t l;,te real diff renee
fopinon among the various members of the dem
ocratc party on the great subjects Of public policy
that have occupied the attention of the people for
several years pas. There HAY be differences of
opinion it is true TO details, but upon the essen
tia principles involved, we all think very much
alike How idle and unreasonable would il he then
to ask of our neighbor, to agree with us implicitly,
in all the minute details Of system, when we Sc;
alike in relation to every fundamental principle OF
which it consisted And how absurd and unjust
would it be, to impugn his motives and dcnouncc
his conduct, because he could no, recognize in our
opinion the only nfallabe stand, rd of perfection 7
Were this otherwise, it would be indeed social
tyranny of the most grinding and insupportable
kind 1t would destroy at once that ftcedom OF
opinion which is not only the glory Of our rcpubi-
can institutions, but the very life and soul Of their
existence. God forbid that the day should ever ar
rive in this country, when the most exalted ndivid-
ual in power may say TO the hum5es: +" am the
standard ofinfahllity-agree with me in all things,
or he branded as a rocreant and knave-s,and of
from the altar Of patotism-l am holer than thou"
freely concedc to every man, the right to form
such opinions upon public men, as he sees fit, and
to act the best dictates of bis judgment in sup
porting them. ! claim as a reciprocal night the
same privilege and shall exercise il, as have hith-
erto done, and shall continue to rely on the intel
ligence and integrity of my fellow citizens TO sustain
me. | know tat public officer. who can bare
his very heart TO the public scrutiny, with a con.
sciousness of recti,ude of intention, has nothing to
apprehend from the people. That scrutiny cheer
fully inyi,c--it cannot be instituted too often, OIL
too rigidly applied TO the conduct Of public func
iionaries.
hope, gentlemen, rot tc be misunderstood
These remarks are not designed to be applicable Il
any particular class of indviluas, if in fact an,
can be found. who might feel disposed to oplropri
ate them to themselves. They are made for tn
sole purpose of explaining my own views of tn
course ii becomes me to pursue, under such circum