Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-10-22
An ADDRESS
TO THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
THROUGHOUT THE uni
TED STATES,
AND ESPECIALLY TO THE VOTING MEM
BERs or SAID SOCIETY.

BERs or SAID SOCIETY.
Respected Friends With a view Of
satisfying myself, and some friends and
acquaintances In the State Of New Y ork,
where ! reside, relative To tho moral, IN
ieleciual aud physical fitness of Will
liam Henry Harrison 10 occupy the
Presidential chair OF our country, have
visited Ohio, and had several inter
views with General Harrison. have
also heard him deliver three public
speeches, aad SO far as ! am able TO
nudge from such limited acquaIn.
tance, | pronounce him fully capable and
emincntly worthy of occupy ing the high
est Office in the gift of the citizens Of
the United States. Hitherto, (allbough
am torty-two years old, never cast
II vote foI Presidential electors, having
conscientious scruples of the 2roprlety
OF Chlsians actively participating IN po-
llical governments. But after mature
and woigh,y consideration Of the sub
lect, / have come to the conclusion that
it is not only proper, but my duty, when
two candidates for an important official
station are before the peopls, ,one Of whom
must be elected, to make myself, as far
as consistently cam acquainted with
their relative qualifications and claims
Tor the Office and that il become sat
isEed, (all things considered that one
is far preferable to the other, that ou2 ut
TO vote for him, regardless Of the party
that may have nominated him thus act
ins as d member OF the one body polite
OF our country, instead Of member OF
party. In resolving therefore 10 sup
port Harrison for the Presidency, ! do
not design to identity myself with all
that his lIiends say and do, ~ with all
that he has hitherto as d public man said
or done, but from an acqua,n an"c with
the principles, characters and public acts
of Harrison and Van Buren,, thaving
once resided in the same place that the
latter then did, | esteem the 'nrmer lar
preferable to the latter; therefore, in
voting for Harrison | consider that l
merely express my choice OF the two
men, one Of whom, in oil human proba-
bility must be President. This is the
course Of conduct that consider Chris
! iian principle demands. Christians of
the United States now doubtless hold the
balance of power between the two great
political parties of the nation, and hence
/ il they would exercise II IN reference to
Christian principle and public good, they
might henceiorward secure tho services
OF the best men that the two polite al
parties may present Tor their suffrage.
As political abolitlonists are undoubtedly
the minority Of this republlc, it would be
'ant-democracy for them 10 force rulers
OF their exclusive choice upon the nation,
if by political organization and shuttle
they could do So | must, therefore, from
the principle OF Republican Democracy
go against such II measure, SO long as
| believe abolitionIsts are a minority in
this our republic, because ! believe The
law of nature and OF natures God die
tales that the majority should rule in
natural Things. Christianity arms It's vo-
tales with no law but truth aud persua-
sion to put down evil with these fail
coercion is the prerogativc OF Jehovah
alone. Hence my friends will see why
60 against thru political organization
Under eAlsting circumstances it wars
against democracy. Correct public sem
ument, by truth, love and persuasion,
and correct legislation will inevitably
follow But for the minority to suppose,
that under any possible circumstances,
it nigh, be right to coerce The acts Of the
majority in a Republican government,
is to suppose that an effect may exceed
the cause.
la coming TO a conclusion relative to
tho claims of candidates for our suffrage,
if upon one important topic they appear
TO be equally balanced, then We should
weigh them upon other topics ol the
most Importance. Friends sentiments
upon the important topic of Slavery are
generally known, that while they depre-
cate it as great moral and political evil,
they also dlsapprove all unconstitutional
or coercive measures. To inilame the
passions, is but TO close the mind against
the appeals of truth. Admitting that
Harrison aud Van Buren stand nearly
at par IN relation TO slnvery, still there are
other important topics upon which they
may DC NcIgUeu. L ASK neltncf Ol tnem
to pledge what he will do, but consult
their principles and past acts re latve
to what they may do. Their principles
and acts relative to the Indians are very
dissimilar. When inquired of Iisrl-
son the course he would pursue with the
New York Indians, if he should be elec-
ted President, he replied, 81 will do
them justice, so far as may be called
TO act in relation TO them" But" he
continued, d" can give you no pledges
relative to what they may b', but | will
give you some thing bettoT than pledges
/ [ refer you to my past aca towards the
Indians when Governor OF lndiana, aud
TO NV messages relative to them to the
legislature. In one or two instances,
when Governor Of Indiana, ] withsio d
the General Government, because 1
thought II demanded more than Justice
did of the Indians. never would con.
clude a treaty with the Indians" he
continued, unless ] believed il would
he satisfactory TO the tribe after pede. "
He then referred me to John johnson,
Tor many years an Indian agent under
n A