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

= e ares. rel;anceSrns, be on tfe industry an&enefgS
of ,onr population, tHs fsiefnents -uf productive wealth
which are presented in q genial climate, a fertile SOIL
great, natural advantages of inland navigation, ana as
beautiful a variety of valuable State products, as an
indulpent Providence has conferred upon any other
country. That we may make the best possible appli'
cation of these natural advantages, is my fervent wish,
and shall be the constant object of my most iailhlulet'
forts in the public service.
THE HARRISBURG CONVENTION:
To the Editors of The Richmond hiy
Gentlemen: In an editorial article published IN your
paper of the LIST instant, it is stated, that
tSo far from Mr.. Tyler having been selected at Har.
risburg Gin obedience to the popular will, " he hat
scarcely been thought of for the nomination. Mt. al
madge was the universal choice of the Wing party,
and had he consented 10 accept, would have received the
unanimous nomination of that enlightened Convention.
Next 10 Mr.. Tallmadge, Mr.. Leigh was the choice OF
The Harrisburg Convention, and had not his honoFaoe
but overstrained s~cruples Of delicacy interposed, MI:
Leigh would have been unanimously nominated, ana
would now have been President Of the U. S. (By The
way, we have not yet forgiven him for suffering a mere
fantasy to mar the public happiness, and to impose
upon US such an abortion OF a President as John ~
ler.) 49,
ave are dealing in history, not in fiction. MIR.
Ls;gh having declined, for the refined scruple, that 10
accept the nomination from a BODY oil which ne was a
member, might be imputed as procuring his own nom'.
nation, Gov. Queen of North Carolina, then suggested
MIR. Tyler, for the sole reason that his name had oeen
oil III ~ NLlC llChGl III lSsO1 h"a aaa shN
of, in the South and Southwest. No other name was
mentioned, and MIR. Tyler was accepted as an alterna-
tive, not a choice. In fact, nobody thought ABOUT Tue
Office as of any Importance, or cared much VINO hlied II.
We guess they will be more particular another time
In Virginia where he is best known, Tyler was so en-
tirely obnoxious, from his conduct at the Senatorial
election in January, 1899, that no body oil Wings would
have trusted him for any place; and the proof OF the
fact is, that the Virginia Delegation at Harrisburg, re-
fused 10 vote for him, TO a man, concealIng their mo.
49,. Lo,a,ar ppior tho plea Of HEHTlru. We Suiu.
above, that zee are dealing IN History, not tntcfton.
From whatever source you have derived The inlor-
nation on which you have founded this statement, |
must request you 10 let your readers Know, that you
derived no part of it from me; aud as under Inc circuin'
stances Of the publication, my silence might De regard
ed as n confirmation of the statement, | must say, iur-
Their, that the information you have received IS erro
neons in respect both 10 Mr.. Tyler and to me.
1, is my belief, that after Gen. Harrison was nom'c
mated for The Presidency, Mr.. Tyler ras the choice ct
a majority of the Harrisburg Convention for the wee
Presidency, and am quite sure, that | was not-as sure
as / can be of any thing which depends on the eVi-
dence of facts passing under my own eyes. a succinct
account of the transaction will render this PLAIN.
The convention met, aud was organized, on We'd
nesday morning. A resolution was adopted, alter some
debate, that u general committee should be appointed,
TO consist of committees 10 be appointed by The respec-
tive delegates from the several States, tor the nomIna-
ton of fit persons for the Offices of President and vice
President of the u. S.-each delegation 10 give the
same number Of votes in making the nomination as
the State it represented was entitled TO electoral votes
in the election; and whenever any one person should
have a majority of The whole number Of such votes,
the nomination to be reported TO the Convention.
The several delegations appointed their committees
10 compose the general committee, on the same even
ing, or early Thursday morning. The delegation from
Virginia appointed me alone to act as the committee on
IFS part. An the other delegations appointed three
members, except one or two which had not as many Us
three delegates in attendance.
The gener raj committee met early Thursday morning,
and appointed Gov. Owen Of North Carolina its Chair.
man, and MIR. Bacon of Connecticut Secretary.
The first step of the general committee was, to COL
lect. through the agency Of The particular committees
of which il was composed, the sense of The individual
members of the Convention as to the NOMINATION LOT
the Presidency. 1t appeared that there was a plurality
of the individual votes for MIR. Clay, but not a majority
Of the whole. The other votes were divided between
Gen. Harrison and General Scott.
The general committee next proceeded TO collect
the votes Of The delegations for the nomination Tor
the Presidency. 1t appeared that there was a plural
ity of these, but not ] majority OF the whole, Tor hr.
Clay, the other votes being divided between General
Harrison and General Scott. The voting tor the
nomination of President continued all day Thurs
day and Friday, without any other intermisslon IMAM
what was necessary 10 enable the particular committees
10 report the result of each vote to their respective de.
LEGATIONS. On Friday night, a majority OF the electoral
votes were cast for the nomination Of General HarEl-
son. Upon which it was agreed that the general com
mittee should meet again next morning, ana that 'he
particular committees should then come prepared to
cast the votes of their respective delegations Tor Inc no.
mination Of the Vice President. And then the com
mittee rose and reported 10 the Convention the nomi-
nation of General Harrison for the Presidency.-Ihis
was done about eleven o'clock Friday night.
During all the time the general committee was thus
collecting the votes for the nomination oil the PRESIDENT,
little or nothing was publicly said, in that committee,
on The subject of the Vice President, except only that
it was understood to be the unanimous sentiment OF
them all, that if Mr.. Clay should be nominated Tor
President, the Vice President should be selected nom q
non. slaveholding State, and if Gen. Harrison or Zen.
Scott should be nominated for the Presidency, some
gentleman from a slayeholdingS State should be nomina-
ted for Vice President.
From priyate conversation with the members OF the
general committee, / thought that Mr.. Tyler would be
the choice of a majority of those who composed that
committee for Vice President, in case Gen. Harrison
or General Scott should be nominated for the PresI'
dency. And | mentioned 10 the Virginia Delegation,
that that was my impression as to the sentiment OF the
general committee: Dir. Tyler was preseni, ana as
Claimed all wish upon the subject. Governor Owen
told me privately, that he thought the nomination OF
Mr.. TYLER would be jndicious, and particularly, that it
would be acceptable 10 the Wings Of North Carolina
because he had been run on the ticket with Judge
White nj the previous election, and had thus become
known TO them, and they had formed ia vorable senti.
ments of him.; and 1 have no doubt he said the same
thing 10 other members of the Committee; but ne never,
TO nv knowledge, publicly suggested the nomination Oh
Mr.. Tyler.
What passed among the meihoers VI .e e"'
who were not members of the general committee, touch
;np the nomination for the Vice Presidency, l knew
not then, nor do l now know. No one informed me.
was so constantly in the general committee, that | had
hardly any opportunity for intercourse or conversation
With The other members of the Convention, except those
of the Virginia Delegation; and but one of them said
any thing to me $50 far as / remember) on the subject
and he only expressed his strong disapprobation OF the
nomination of Mr.. Tyler, not his preference for any
other. | am certain, that no suggestion was made to
,-l thu had N least
reason to believe, that any member of the Convention
had thought of nominating me for the Vice Presidency
till The General Committee met on Saturday morning.
the last day of the Convention.
Let it be remembered, that all the particular COM
m;,,ess were expected to come prepared at that meet
inn with instructions from their respective delegations
10 cast their votes for the nomination of the Vice Ere:
sident. have no doubt that every one Of them did
come SO prepared and instructed, except myself; the