Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-11-09
tn. P,.,d,nn-GIN SCOTT

"e f'ssteeHey-SCN. Il.
II seems impossible TO keep the question OF III
succession suspended in this country. To such
magnitude has the patronage o. the Office grown
so vast an influence does it exert upon all IN. int.
rests, the hopes and the fears of the people-so in
timately does 1t Intervene itself into oil the con
Germs and business of lile-that all mems though,
are involuntarily turned towards il; and so soon
one struggle is ended another begins Thi, is
condition Of things TO be depored by every p,tro,
II cannot well be, whilst this disturbing and ssi,n
ting process is in operation that the true and sub
stantial interests OF the people can be properly At
tended TO. Ii becomes impossible, when The Pre-
sident himself enters the arena, and peryert, IN,
patronage ofhis station from public ends to the az
srandizemen, Of himself This latter evil, the srea
Wing party hAttered themselves had been we'll pro
vided agains, by the establishment of the ONE rrRs
principle. They elected Gen' Harrison and NJ,
| Tyler for single term-well satisfied, that both
of those gentlemen would devote Whatever inAuenc,
pertsined TO their stations, sngly to the advance
uent Of the national welfare. In this, however. n,
in nearly all OF their other good expectations of MI
Tyler, they have been wofully disappointed. Tha,
worthy was scarcely warm in his seat, before he
was found intriguing agans, this or that prominent
man, and prostituiins the influence with which he
was invested, to subserve his own petty ambition
lie is fairly in the field, or will be soon-for
his Organ announces that he will, at a proper time
submit the merits and dement's of his Admns,ra
ton to the judgment his countrymen.
This inconsistent and unbecomng conduct of the
acting President, has had the effect of precipt.tns
the next canvass, and prematurely involving the
country IN an another struggle, which, for the M .
tIonal good, ought TO have been deferred for AT least
two years. Candidates for the Presidency are spok-
en- OF. and their respective merits canvassed with as
much warmth now, as tho we were upon the eve
of an election. There is no present remedy for
ihis.-But whilst the people feel the evil pressing
upon them, it is proper time to suggest a perma.
nent cure. This is to be found in the limitation o
the Presidential Office to a single term, and at the
same time divestng tina, Office Of full half of the pat
ronage, which now belongs to it, or which by con.
stEuciion, is exerted by IL The good sense and
patriotism ofthe American people, will, we doubt
not, IN due season, apply these oorrectives, and
thereby place the great interests of The country Up
on stable foundaton-Hol TO be shaken or over
turned by every blast Of faction or disturbed by
the srovellins schemes Of intriguing politicians.
Blu, for the present, we must take things as they
are, and make the mosI we can Of the position in
which We placed. II wo cannot prevent the
premature agitation OF this absorbing ueston, we
must labour TO drec, it, that as little evil as DOS.
sble may ensue from it. IL is in this spirit in which
General Winfield Scott has acted, in the very deli.
cate and embarrassing position in which he ha,
been placed by the excessive anxiety OF the public
touching the mex, Presidency. No mln, we take
it, sees and depores more deeply than does that
gallant soldier and distinguished Patriot the evils OF
this everlasting CONFUSION, and man would go
farther than he to prevent them. But assaed from
various quarters by those VINO look to him as one
fitted TO preside the destinies of his country he
has with the franknsss Of a soldier aVowed his sen.
timents in relation questions Of public interest,
and without declaring himself candidate, intimales
his willingness to serve his country in any post
TO which he may be called. We copy his letter.
which the reader will find to be "every inch Wing
and free from all nOn.committalsm. He that
runs may read