Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-11-09
Tbe :E rff 39rfssy
From he Baltimore .amsFicar,1
VIEWS OF THE TAiIFF4

| The three most prominent candidates for the
Presidency are Henry CLAY, MARTIN VAN b.
hES and JonN c. CALHOUN The first is The
great leader Of the Wings; The two Others are
asPiranIs for The dangerous honour Of ''demo-
cratic nomination.
The views Of each Of these distinguished per-
sous respecting questions Of public policy ought
70 be we'll known- and for The most part they
are known. Mr.. Clay has been in public life
some thirty five years. OF more, and he has acted
a'leading part nearly all that time. His course
ealevery matter Of public interest has been o.
pen, straight forward and decided he has ne
yer hesilaled 10 express himselfclearly on every
subject upon which Il was his duty ib express
aE opinion. These characteristics Of his arc
veil known. He was once opposed 10 a Ma
3tional Bank ;but the evils resnllipg from the
vast Of one caused him 10 change Ms course on
that point as The same causes operated 10 in
ence Mr. Madison to change also.-A national
curency-a system Of national projection to
home iulerestsa judicious attention 10 internal
Improvements --alT combining % make one great
American system-,hese Sold and cSmprehen-
ziye Measures, embracing all interests and Law
ing h'pad and deep The foundations cf our ma
tionaf Ind ndence, were made, uuder the elo-
qger eds5cscy ! Nit.MBlay, the constituent
eslutes 81 national policy during the demo-
100000 y Of Mr.. Madison.
or M. Van Bursn's public course enough Is
known 10 render The vi ole sszr, i E,
al one uinr nls of5'.so1rutoi Madison and Of the
last war again he was The supporter Of both.
But the general impression made upon The mind
BY his political career may Be expressed in ihe
words Of the Calhoun New York address.
No action 81 his life enables you toauess what
manner Of man he is you may judge ia what
circumstances he was placed, what objects be
had in view. but yen refer il all 10 The externals,
and Of the internal mind you know nothing
Search in your minds FOR all you know about
him, and you shalI find you know what Offices
he has held ;and you do moi ryFwell know
now he came 10 be selected for them. He has
never dealt with you directly. but always al one
remove, always, as il were, atsecond hand. He
has not stood out, man Of free speech and ac-
lion, in bold relief, like ar. Calhoun, before The
people, bus be haspracsised apart with their SER
wants. By those The people upsled he has been
trusted, but not BY hsnl.--He is man Of calcu-
elnlion, and one who makes no mistakes, and
MS rtICtIS Iro ia ulr NtCfI IAt~t
aud pinion ofthe political system. Such knn&l-
edge In political life Is emipeniy valuable and
useful, and lhe man who had genius for acGuir-
ing il and turning il 10 account became indbpen-
sable ia public bodies. Not inP6liical clubs
and committees and conventions only, but also in
legislatures and cabinet councils, and TO all in
turn be did good service, and from All se collect
ed bis wages 10 advancement. Bal be has no
personal popularity he never had any !; and the
deliberate appreciation, hatf negative sslhat we
beslow Oh bis public career, is thiHg rs differ
ent from he genial feeling OF friendship with
which men speak Of Jackson or Calhoun, as 9
certificate IL good character is different from q
cordial embrace.
| With regard to Mr. Calhoun himself, be i
| frank and definite enough 10 the expression 81
his opinions ard he can generally be found 10
some decided attitude on questions 6f public ius
lisrest But unforsnnaleIy his career affords no
assurance thai he opinions cfone year will be
Those Of the next lie has way mbreoyek Of hold.
ing lis alIiss in ehssk some times, which j. little
perplexing. He praetised sIhal new species Of
strategy on The Wings once, and his Van Boren
friends seem appsshensiyenor Of similar move
menl towards them. The Richmond Enquirer
has pronounced him an unsafe politician and
not 10 be lInsied-bul thRl opinfcn was uttered
some Tine ago. In IsI6Mr. Calhoun was The
warm and able advocate pf National Bank. a
protective Tariff, and 4 sysIsds or internal i'm
prorements he is nov opposed TO every one or
he features Of national policy
Butil was particularly on he subject Of The
Tatid Ihat we design 10 see forth the views or
e.rh IL these nroninani 1cn2Iefncn> aud ak