The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1840-05-22
Cry OF WASHINGTON.
April 25, 1910.

the National Oemocralic Convention 10
Baltimore, induces me TO address you.
The object ofthat meeting is to nomIn>
ale candidates for the mex, election of
President Snd Vice President Of the
United States. lnreiation to the Pre-
sidency,i am happy to find it is uniVer-
sally understood, that there will be no
division. The leading, and only point,
in which any discussion is anticipated,
is that ofthe Vice Presidency.
From the situation in which ! am now
placed, il seems 10 be proper that <Hy
sentiments and views shoulc be di6nIte.
ly known. The first question will be,
whether the Convention will 60 into the
nomination.
On this point, il is said, there will be
difference Of opinion. Whether the
Convention shall make nomiuatlon, or
leave it 10 each State TO make its own
selection, | wish my friends 10 undei-
stand distinctly that that will be mai
ter with which am not TO interfere. ]
will be perfectly satisfied with the course
the Convention shall adopt; and, in any
event, must beg Of them not to suffer any
feeli ugs of partiality for me to endangeA
the principles which we are united in
sustu ming. NV sentiment have ever
been, that in Republic no ctizsn has
any claims upon the people TO election
for any Office, irrespective of the benefit
and advantage resulting 10 themselves.
All offices ought TO be for The good of
the people, and not for the incumbents.
IL special services ever merit special re.
wards, those rewards should be given in
any other way than that which would
endanger the great fundamental Princi-
pies of liberty.
To'regard highly responsible elec-
tive Office, asa reward for past services,
is 10 regard the elective franchise as
forestalIed by the claim ofjus,ice; and
1t is therefore repugnant TO American
principle. lfsuch CLAIM may be urged
IN favor of any other, on any occasion,
| am conscious that my humble servl>
ces mer, nothing beyond what they
have already received. So far as past
services have elected the principles OF
the mao, they will be regarded a. a
pledge for his fu ure cOuise; an be-
yonc this, they ought not 10 be coDsid-
cred; especially IN relation TO myself
There rests no obligation on the part
of my friends to me. The debt fgrat.
i,ude, fit ever existed, has been more
Than paid. All the obligation that res
mains, is from me 10 them. The conf.
Ience which they have manifested, anc
lhe kindness shown to me, havo lmpos,
ed an obligation Of gratitude in my bo-
som, which can never conceal. There
is al this time. great interest at stake
1t is the support Of the principles il
which the Government has long beer
administered. Those principles have
neen my guide for more than thir,y.fv,
years, during which timei have beer
continually atfcat upon the tempesluou
sea of political life. They are mucl
more dear TO me than my own elevation
or that Of any other person. desir
all of my friends IN the Convention t,
regard their preservation as ihfinltel
more importsnt thar the qualification @
any private friendship.
| | have not solicited -e~nomnatior
nor shall decline it. am, as eve
have been, in the hands Of my friend
and fellow citizens. II is no less N
duty 10 make the aVowal, that wish ,
be entirely at their disposal, and sha
be perfectly content with their swar,
If, IN their opinion, the great principle
for which we contend, will be more llk,
y 10 be secured by the use of ny nam,
they will use tiff, in their opaior
: another selection will be more likely I
= ensure success, they will make ano,h,
selection. II, in their opinion, TO msk
no nomination Of Vice President, an
leave the selection 10 the pleasure an
preference efthe Republicans of the Sc
eral States, will give most strength
our friends, the Convention will TAX
that cOurse; and 10 either event, sha
continue TO act with perfect integrity
, those principles, and TO the lrient
= with whom have hitherto acted in su
r tanning lhem. In assuming this pos
ton, do not wish to be understood
d declaring myself insensibIe to the hol
S ors which arse from public Confdenc
Y | canregard the MN but a misanihrop
who is perfectly Indifferent TO the a.
n plause or the ceDsure Of his fellow me
Of 1t 10 a quality to which ] make no pr
~ tensions. Next to my own con sclenc
- q the many testimonials which have 7
4. ceived Of The appreciation of my fellt
citizens, is tho richest reward for T
'te past services TO which my ambition ev
On aspired; and this feeling has been I
IN n principal cause, for some years pa
| r 4 4.