The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-05-07

to make good our article of Thursday, il, that Gen,
Harrison, before tho election, avowed his oppeSi-
ton 10 the prescription, as II has been VIGOROUSLY
pursued In almost every speech he made, and
especially in a pab!ished letter, 1--WE think his Ten
ncssce letter. he utterly disclaimed the policy
AT Cleveland however, he made the most sigma
and particular disclaimer. In the presence OF
thousands ut Cleveland he excited the attention OF
the whole assembly by giving his meaning direct
exemplilcatlon--an Immediate personal nPplca-
ton. His eye lighting on political opponent
minglmg in the throng of excited political d>pu-
,ans, he said, as reported in the papers at the
time, and never denied
81 sec over the way public officer; although
he may oppose me, if he does so honestly and con-
scirn!ousy | shall be the last man to disturb him.
Before | would remove him for Il mere difference
of opinion, WOULD SUFFER MY RIGHT
ARM TO Be SEVERED FROM MY BODY"
Our next point is, that Gen. Harrison brought
the feeling here evinced, with him to Washington.
To prove it, we quote the authoritative language
of Cot. Preston, his intimate friand made in the
Senate after the Presidents arrival:
"The Administration coming into power reject
and rcpudiltc the infamous maxim that to the VIC
tors belong the spolIs. The spos what spos
The spos of our common country? The SPOTS Of
our brethren and leow-cizcns; Is the countr,
4 vanquished country? God Forbid | should AS
soon think of making spoil ont Of the possessions of
nv own family. Too long have we seen the prin-
cpc acted upon all over the country; we come
into power repudiating it from the very bottom Of
oaI hearts,
did not the distinguished person who is to be
advanced to the head of the Government, express
~ take ground against such sentiment in bill
he introduced into Congress Do not his senti-
ments stand recorded against it We practice on
principle like that No, sir, no; tbs system Of
prescription is itself 10 be proscrijeL stand on
that ground; and so help me God, will, so far as
] am concerned, act upon IT,"
The third point is that after his induction into
Office, aud after the prescription had begun, Gen,
Harrison expressed his utter rcpugnaceto it, Here
we regret that we are obliged to use names in vim
dl,aoa of our own veracity; but we use them
only in connection with flcts having already gen
cral publicity. No breach Of confidential inter
course can be imputed TO Us, lor they had been
communicated TO Others without reserve before
for the purpose for which we used thnm--'o exon
crate the character of President Harrison from UNI
lust impn,alion. They mud become matter of com-
mon conversations Those, however with whom
the knowledge and statement of the facts referred
10 by us, originated, it is Just 10 say gave them no
political application, and two of them had neither
seen or communicated with Us on the subject
The specific fact on which we founded the as
serion that Gen Harrison expressed his abhur-
renee Of the prescription visited upon the subordi-
mates in the Department, grew ont oian occurrence
to which the Rev, Mr. Thornton Ca clergyman Of
cmincnce Of this city,) and another highly respect
able clergyman, Mr. Ryland, were Witnesses, We
understand those gentlemen went with Il letter from
Judge Mclean in favor of the latter To prevent his
removal from his chpoincy. They found the
General in the circumstances mentioned by cor
respondent, whose communication we gave some
days ago in the Globe, and then it was that he said
TO these excellent men
"Gcnl.cncn, have been almost run down;
cannot stand it; this turning ont Of w0rihy men
acrer jniU coRscRt 10. Only Just now, beautiful,
youn. looking woman called on me, and said, NV
husband is turned out of employment, and we ARE
actually here in this expensive city having nothing
10 eat My dear slrS,' continued the President,
81 dimld Kills nc; can hardly stand it the IN.
worthy viii not go out, and the worthy shall not
be turned out"
Should Mr. Webster be inclined to test the vc-
racIty Of this statement, let him call before his
Commission of Inquiry the pure, pi0us, and ven.
cradle men whose names we have given. We have
not communicated with them on the subject, and
they doubtless had no expectation TINT the state
ment would find ia way into the puba prints, but
we do not hesitate 10 say those patterns of inrrg-
ry and truth vii, make good every syllable here
written down. Gen. Harrison did say to them, 81
claaoi stunt il. Tiishfai1g ont Of morihg ,rc3
IwW not consent TO-" He did refer to the dis.
trrsscs Of the bro'cnhcarlcd wife, aud added, ~
almost Kills mc'--und NVr Webster NAV have Il
solemn record made oil il, If he wishes, in the ar-
chives Of the commission now sitting in the Star
Chamber of the Treasury on the say ingS and doinnS
Of the unhappy worknrn, nnw drawn up before il
to undergo the law ~ laid down ia his circulr.-
Nay more; we will point out TO him several other
persons To whom Gen. Harrison expressed similar
feelings Of disgust in regard 10 the distressing pro-
cess which some Of his cabinet pushed forward,
without his knowledge in unny cases, ard direct
" against his promises IN others, viii we have
specified in orr former article, aud which that of
The National lncliitnnccr does moi deny, For the
present, however, we point Alr Webster and his
prescribing colleagues to the testimony Of the rev
ercnd gentlemen whom we have named.
The fourth conlroycrtcd point for which I've will
state our authority, Is the late Presidents express
snnS Of anguish WHOM his mind was wandering N
the delirium Of fever and broken sumhrr, to ilr
subject which had pressed most rp0n it inst before
III WIS UulIlt NuNU Nv wv 'llI'llhl NllFU VTtNPN
upon him The words whirh we have quoted, and
which evidently show that his mind reverted 10 The
distressed wives who chung Sout him aud imp or
ed the restoration Of their husbands to the cn,p'ov-
mcnis on which the livelihood Of their families de-
pended, were mentioned by Miss Clark IN the pres
cncr Of several most respectable persons Miss
Clark is hcrse(a most respectable lady. General
Harrison, we have heard had been nurscd several
years ago in her family, through most dangerous
sickness, and he ever expressed the deepest graft.
tudr towards her ns having saved his he hv her
kindness and attention. On the late ALTERING oc-
casion we understand this lady rendered her ser
vices, and soohad his last days with watrhlnl al
tcnions. which seemed 10 be most gratefully re-
ceiycd, from former association in similar distress
in. circumstances II was during this ladv's wills
by his side Tint the tourhag expression, fell from
his lips, which shaved that his mind dwe upon
the unhappy women who had inplored him 10 re-
store the means Of living 10 their oulcas fIneS
The sources through which wc have the statement
Of Miss Clark '$report Of General Harrison cx-
,,,ou-i,ps ,f kind aud uonnrOus f,nliu,y "a, tl,,,