The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-03
From The Charlottesville, Va, JcBersoniaa Republican
THE PRESIDENCY.

The PRESIDENCY.
Mr.. Editer The letter of General Har-
rison, copied from the Richmond ENQUIRER
into your paper of this day, has operated
more than any other one document, to decide
my vote In his favor. As friend TO the sub
treasury, and as an admirer of much in Mr..
Van Buren's theory of government, had a
strong bias towards him. But many things
in his practice had made me distruslfu Of him.
His retaining Mr. Woodbury. in high Office
after the astounding disclosures Of Document
No 297, reported by that functionary him
self-revealing deialcalion piled upon defal
cation, under Mr.. Woodbury's own eyes, vet
overlooked and forgiven, paipaJiy on accoun,
Of partisan services-was itself enough tG
awaken suspicion. But numberless instances
Of our Presidents acting upon the atrocious
maxim, that ITO the victors belong the spoils'
of Office, completed my. conviction that he
was unworthy of my vote, if candidate
could be found, whose opinions agreed sufli-
cienty with mine, and whose honesty could
. be relied on.
General Ilarrison's integrity stood proved
by one great and iniallible test. Through a
course of 25 or 80 years, he had held posts
which presented the most tempting Of all OPP
portunities TO amass wealth unfairly, vel plan
sibfy, by land speculations. by Indian agen-
cies, by Indian treaties. These temptations
he had resisted, as probably no other of our
public men ever did; and he had retired from
thar long series of stations, poor man. The
moderate competency he now enjoys, arises
only from county clerkship, and from a
farm which his own hands have TILED, and
which has increased in value mainly by the
rapid peopling Of the gigantic young state he
lives in.
But feared that he was a Bank-man, and
infected with the other hereses which made
MIR. Clay Objectionable TO me.
To this fear, the letter you now publish,
and one which General Harrison wrote to
Sherrod Williams in 1885, (besides others, J
have given perfect quotas. These letters
demonstrate,
L. That Gen. Harrison thought the late
Bank of the United States unconstitutional
2. That he was for no public debt and,
with view to its extinction, was for the ut
most possible economy in the government
TObscrve, too, that he was addressing con-
stituepcy devoted to the Tariff; so that if he
favored high duties in his heart, that was the
time TO show it, by declaring his preference
for them as means of'paying off the public
debt.
g. That he was, and always has been a
Republican of the Jefferson school; and es-
pecially that he approved Of Madison's Report
and resolutions, which put down the alien and
A. That he held the true doctrine of in.
structon, namely, that Representative, when
instructed must obey or resign.
IL. L. Il,
AS Mr. Richie does or did-he consider.
ed il matter for the save-holding States
alone to manage; and that all interference
with them from the other States, was uncoa-
stitutiondl, ineapedient and improper.
6. That be felt the inestimable value of the
UNION, and could depict it in colors among
the most beautiful and expressive tina, have
ever known. See the last paragraph of his
letter of 1922.
Sir, among the many conceaments, and
indirect violations of truth, of which the We
teran editor of the Enquirer is guilty-hc has
never, believe, had the moral courage TO
utter, knowingly, a direct falsehood-not the
least heavy item in his great final account
will Ire that which he is now practising in
the cndeavor to stamp the character of an
abolilionist upon WILLIAM Henry HARRISON.
For this attempt, its author will yet live to
blush; or rather to feel that covering, skulk-
ing sensation, which guilt, bailled and caught
cannot often help feeling Already the evil
dences which convict him are overwhelming
If he would show one half of them to his
readers, not a man but would cry out with in
dignaiion, at the foulncss Of the ialsehood
which has been palmcd of upon them by thcil
trusted oracle and guide.
1t may excite passing emotion Of sur.
prise, that ], friend Of the Independent
Treasury, and no chg, should support for the
Presidency man who is opposed TO ,ha
measure, and oppose its champion and patron
The solution is plain. From the time wher
first had a vote | have made it my princi
ple-aad if my reason be spared, j, shall b.
my principle always to vote, not for the maj
who agrees with me in one, two, seven, o