The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-26
..thc dark and bloody ground!" A perfect "Ten-


For number of years he has been prominent
member of the wing party, and represented Mr..
Clay's own county in the State Legislature, and
was well known to ENJOY the confidence of Mr..
Clay himself Hear what Mr.. Wickiiile says;
81 have thought well Of General Harri-
son. | gave to him an ardent and ANNA
ted support in 1886. | am not now UNI
friendly to him-yct, confess that | feel
deep degree of humiliation when it APP
peared, that he had suffered three men in
Cincinnati, to put forth that most dishon-
orable letter to the Oswego Association.
The refusal of the Harrisburg Convention
TO publish to the world the principles by
which the wings are known and charac-
terized as a party, deeply impaired my
faith in their political integrity. The as
sumption Of control over General Harri-
son, by an arrogant committee, and his
acquiescence therein, sadly admonishes
us that he is unfit to be the depository of
this high trust. This, however, is merely
personal, and goes TO the personal quail
fcations of General Harrison for the Pre-
sidency.
"No man shouts be placed in the Pre-
sidency, save it be as the representative
of some principles. To bestow the Office
as the reward of either civil or military
services, without regard to the political
principles maintained by the candidate, is
at war with the genius of this government
"Now, sir, | am wholly unable to sat-
isfy myself with regard TO General Harri-
sons views, touching all the great ques-
tons now at issue before the American
people. Mr.. Rives, i'll his late letter to
the people of Virginia, took the ground,
and reasoned with considerable plausible
ity, that General Harrison is opposed to
a National Bank. Such, surely is not
his political attitude before the people of
Kentucky. Upon question of such Vi
tai interest-the question of the currency
that which has so deeply agitated this ma
ton, it is lamentable to think, that a can
didate for the Presidency, should keep
his opinions SO shrouded in mystery that
in one section of the Union, he may be
quoted on one side, and the reverse in an
other. Yet, candor compels the admis-
sion, that not only upon this, but upon
nearly every subject that enters into the
contest, is there like degree of reserve
exhibited.
| will not charge Gen. Harrison with
being tnctured with that political maIady,
if it ever takes firm hold upon our system,
dissolves this Union, as surely as there
now exists slave population. will not
impute to him this monstrous sin, for
which, if he be guilty, no atonement can
be had in the splendor of his military
deeds, or in the purity of his past life.
But if his friends, with his consent deem
it right to SNAKE no further declaration
ofprincipleS for the public eye," then is
he morally responsible for giving colmte-
nance to this fanatical sect. His conduct
does most painfully contrast with the mag
unanimous position of his opponent--the
President of the United States--who has
alienated many of his Northern friends,
by his stern fidelity to the South and
West, upon this momentous question.
speak to facts which the country knows.
Party feeling and inexcusable ignorance
may deny to him this honorable need OF
praise, but the day is not distant, when
the Judgment of this nation will be award
ed, unbiased by the ransitoly influences
of an excited political struggle. Upon a
subject of this character, involving SO
much of feeling, and pregnant with SC
much of calamity and woe, choose my
station on his side, who offers himself, ar
impossible barrier to these mad fanatics
5 rather than on his side, whose position is
at leas. equivocal, and in regard to which
4 he maintains mysterious silence.
: With my limited powers of obscrva
ton, l can see no triumph to be achieved
e by the election of General Harrison, bu
r the simple substitution of one set of Off
> GERS for another. This might be desira
: BILE, did it involve nothing more. But the
country ought not to be invoked to it.
I trust in Gen. Harrison, when he is no
willing to put his trust in the country, bu
! appeals to its generous confidence II
advance, as is distinctly ayowed by hi
:, accredited committee.
In &C ming to this conclusion, it give
me great pain to part from those will
= whom | have been politically associated
. / feel deeply indebted to the county o
~ Fayette for its repeated manifestations o