Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-10-06
HINGE NI'I


A correspondent Of The Charlottesville (va) Advo-.
cate. furnishes an extract of letter fran Judge Me
Lem - Onio-which ; appended. The lriter is da
led 10Th August. I3-aud Vas not written TOR pub
liearon. The Judge says;
The ufic@ &c President, in my opinion. has been
lowered. aud alsn The charicIsr OF The Country al
home and abroad. by The mrnus a Ell ~ SECURE Iha,
oi' e. High as the Presrdensy uf 'Is great nation Is.
u may he reached Al too great - pr ce. % siuks be.
low the ambition of an hulprahl- mind. When n IL
atiaiuable only 10y sacrifice of a e lohiesi atrini.
ism. Not To name Others. We have in the eleN anou,
"i Jedrrs,n. Madison. and Monroe. examples of a
high and honorable ambition which is worthy ofimi
Iai"r. These eminent men. when namcS Er the
oiiice ct President. rcPusing on what Iliey had {. ne.
aud what their known capacities enabled them Ia do,
10 The highesr public huns. neither took mr. seemed
To iake any agency a. Ihcir own advancement.
F'r many years. I have been deerly impressed
with the injustice. the cOrrnpI;ng aud ruinous efforts
oi political ParIIzanship. Its infruduciiDns inlaA the
Federal Government, has well nigh rn-neI our be.
loved country. Before tins hlne had perverted our
moral sense. our loveo OF Country. qtd 80 inr plit,cs
are c6ucerned.almUs every noble feeling oflhe heart
We were happy as n people. in the enjoyment ai
great aud uninterrupted prsperiy. Anu whatever
~ ne sand To The contrary, this terrible evil lies at
the foundations uf all our Embarrassment II has
been mainly instrumental ~ the cOmmcrcial revuI-
si"iis we have Witnessed, and it has pruSlm.ed our
p-lIIiral morality. Oar peeuniary ksses within a
lev years past are almost beyond The power OF cum.
pn'aii"n, bat these are scarcely worthy OF cunsudera.
ion. IA cnmpari~On With the hHs, Il may he the ar.
rcfaabIe lnss of moral Eirce m our l"siitntlors.-
That man must be blind 10 the admnniiiuns OF hi,lo.
f' VIM snpposes that a free government can be long
sustained. which addresses ITSELF with all is inan.
ence To The baser passions of our nature. Such a
course leads To n widely DIFF sed corruption and con.
sequent ruin. In my judgment nothing can rescue
our governments lrnua - Ina ,r,,~. =. -
hcs' out a change Iu lis p,lIical action. Tins nc.
lion must he elevated. "a must reach and rouse the
moral tone of the HnIInn. Instead OF ADMINISTERING
To- 'he pfnsliiuied appeuIcs OF demagOsues, u must
rest on a Nirinous and an enlightened public opininn.
IL must gather strength by IT'S acIs-mnral strength.
ne chIei ufthe government m making appointments
10 office, should carry out The principles sfthe yrru.
Jus. Monroe, wh", on a certain persun beine recon.
mehded To htm i"r an office AS n Personal friend " ih
good quail hcations, remarked with earnesinsss:"No
mon can feel rHure grateful 'han lido fr pUrS,nal acts
oi kindness. bat IN making This appointment I have
a t'igh pubic duty To perform, aud 1 most Look TO
The public interest,""
A departure lrim these principles drove me, relnc.
ianiy from political life; aud in all sincerity | assure
you that ihere Il no pulitcsl office, not even the
which cOuld tempt me again into polIii.
tics, on principles opposed 10 those which l approve
md on which | endenvor TO act.
Pledges when given by a candidate for public ia
nour should be received " ia suspicion. as Ihey are |
made 10 answer a particular purpose and
are seldom redeemed. No one. perhaps should br
Tor The Presidency. whose opinions. on the
IeadrI 6 topics OF the day. are unknown Iu the puhlic.
Unill within a lew yeats past. pledges were MOI re.
ln;Ted from the canditiies for the chIel magisuacy.
And | may asL what good has resulted from lhIs in.
Has a made our Chief Magistrates ranre
10 the constitution aud To their general dulIesll
Leta comparison OF our history with the pasi answer
ms qnesi'oi. Who thought of asking a pledge lmm
le Aenrraied fathers ui Ihe republic; ahuve named2
A sonnd head and an honest heart. | hunk, arc The
'-st pledge. These Will rarely TAIL, whilst experi.
'noe shows that pledges are made To be broken. :
M one NJ q ~ named Tor the Chief MlagIsIracy. (
ON a respectable snurre should fsel himself al
liberty Ia saw that he would decline a nomination
I"r that o:ice. Bui | beg you To believe, my dear
'ir. thai IhIs remark 5 not prompted by a. yanity
which lsais me :" suppose Thai my name cnnli he
considered by The contemplated Wing
CunVen ION. The friends of Mr. Clay. in considera. !
iun cl his eminent qualifications and long public
'e' vices, are looking wuh 10 ordinary sIlIciiude 10
hts Elimination. AID | assure you, That ! have no
NiSh' 10y The "hlrnsiOu ui my name 10 separate my
friends. II ! have any. from IhrIr present associa lions. |
d" not desire. and would not receive the Presiden.
~, II Within my reach, as lhe instrument of u parry.
Indeed should count II 10 honor, To have my name
'sSuclaled wI.h the downward course of our
government. aud such a curse is accelerated. and
accelerated, Ivy ultra partyism. re bring hack
ne government 10 It's old foundations. Iu restore it,
Osi character. lis iormcr purify, energy and elevation
Nould tie an achievement second only 10 that of
NushlnglOn's. An achievement which would make
~ individual The favored son of ms Country. o.
his who would Dot Le proudl and shou Of This
'lyeci. no honest man can desire The Presidency"
"Hh the greatest respect I am.
Your grateful AID obd'I servt.
InUN AtI NE |