Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-11

from. Virginia gave me no instruction., e4-
cepling las | understood) that the nomination would
not be made GU thSsdrst vote, and intending, in that
case, TO make itsA&leciipn among. the nominees who
should be presented bysthe other delegations; or, if the
nepination should be mdde by general consent the
hNt vote, 10 concur in it. IL
When the general Committee proceeded to collect
she votes for THO nomination of the Vice President, the
States were called in the order in which they are ge-
nerally called in the House of Representatives Of the
US. The Css& rttees from Maine and New Hamp,!
shire, announEf9A The votes of the Delegations of those
States 1he.yotes of one were given for the nomInet hon
positive) were. givsp &Psome other gentleman. Mas:
sachusc,ts being Next called, Mr.. Ashmun announced
the vote of the delegation of that State for me-. Upon
his | said, in substance, that considering the part n
nniHJ.SSorne in the Convention, and especially in CHAT
me Sihssirta General Committee, being the 1hly
= II it from the Virginia Delegation Mot
W.; ~ . D. -. had ever suggested my name for the
s hod reosinev-ii under such circumstances, |
r;;bor, tru,h md nominations, it Knight be said,
litude to make the l.ou. WV ernInuSn - W ,snna
r y, the e yom;not;on Ear =, Ceilings, that | had procu-
ruu e' ins,aad Of e w. %' s = that, in my opinion, my
would probably weaken il, even fingth TO the ticket,
was was resolved. for other reasons, ,hSsi Virginia; and that
cept any such nomination: q did not s>,a ,hoaa rs.
sons, and it would be idle TO state them sn I'D
therefore, | suggested to the COMMITTEES fro.'1 Masss'
chusetts, that it should return to its delegation, al. Sn,
l. HO5L W LIZ hHS toPA'S
committee saw at once that | was sincere and decided
and adopting my suggestion, Immediately retired.
Itsoon appeared, that my "delicacy' had been "over
strained but for a reason very different from tina
which you, gentlemen, have supposed. Inc Vo,nt
proceeded in the absence of the Committee from Mas
sachusetts. The several Committees from the othel
delegations uhat from Virginia e%xcepted) acting undei
instructions given before | had said a word on the sub
iect, and therefore uninfuenced by my declining The
nomination, announced, in order as they were called
A. a, g ,l,a:r ra,r,cfiya dolp0ati0ne Not anOllel
vote was given for ME. A majority Of the whole NUN
Der Of votes, and a large majority too, was given tor TIT
nomination Of Mr.. Tyler. The other votes were scat
tering. 1t was then suggested to The Commute
which had given the scattering votes, that they shoul'
return To their deleg ations, report the state OF lhe vote
whereby MI. Tyler was nominated, and propose tina
their votes thonld also be given Tor HIM. Those Com
mit,ees retired in pursuance ofthis suggestion, consult
ed their delegations, and soon returning, gave thei
votes also for MIR. Tyler.
Virginia delegation, | thought that delegation woult
best consult his feelings and his dignity, by witholdin!
their vote altogether, so that the nomination should b'
entirely the act Of the other delegations. | did no
take this course, because ! thought the Virginia dele
cation would hesitate 10 concur in the nominations; OF
The contrary, | believed it would concur in it, and tina
willingly and promptly. My real and my declared pur
pose was, now that MIR. Tyler had received the nomi
nation, TO place him before the country on the mos
elevated ground on which he could stand.
4 The committee rose, ana Governor OWEN TepOIet
to The Convention, that MIR. Tyler had been nominated
for the office Of Vice President, by the unanimous vote
Of all the delegations, except that Of Virginia, which
had not voted at all. And then stated publicly in thu
Convention, the same reasons for Withholding the vot'
of the Virginia dele CATION, which l had declared IN TIT
committee and this was done in such a manner rs no
TO disparage Mr.. Tyler by Withholding the vote of tin
Virginia delegation, but to elevate him. This was th
] real motive and purpose Of my conduct; and this,
am sure, was its effect for which ] appeal to ever.
surviving member OF the Convention. Inc scene can
not have been forgotten.
Saving this, it is proper / should add, that Mr.. Ty
Ter would not have been my choice for the Vice Pfesl
dency, if the state of the vote for his nomination hat
left me any choice. My own wish was, that Mr.. Man
gum of North Carolina should be nomlnated; or II th'
Vice President should be selected from Virginia, NJ.
voice would have been for the nomination Of Jane
Barbour. expressed these sentiments TO the few gen
tlernen with whom had an opportunity OF conversin!
on the subject. But ! had no such objection to MT
1 TYLER, as would have induced me to dissent IRON M
nomination, when | found il agreeable to the sense o
The DELEGATIONS from the other States; and think tina
this was The general sentiment at the time, OF the dele
cation from Virginia. / certainly acted under the i'm
preston that IT was so.
have moi. any more than you, approved the conduc
OF Mr.. Tyler since his translation to the Presidency, "
consequence of the death of General llarrison; yet
would not, therefore, have him disparaged by an erro
neous view Of the facts attending his nomination; muci
more by my silence as to those facts.
1t is perfectly true, as you suppose, that when Mr.
Tyler was nominated for "Vice President by the Har
rissburg Convention, neither that body, nor, | believe
any one member of it, looked 10 The contingency OF ms
becoming President of the w.. S. by the death of Gen
Harrison: / acknowledge for myself that that unhappy
event never occurred to my mind. | doubt very much
whether, in any election since the amendment Of the
Constitution of the U. S. touching the manner of elect
inu the President and Vice President, the Vice Presl
dent has ever been selected with any view to the con-
tinaency of his becoming President in consequence Of
the death of the President elected by the People.
b. w. LEIGH.
Richmond, Dec. 3, lS4l.
oo,cDIss--o, soss,on