Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-10-05

MR. EDITORS"
/ see 81 De HAS, Nos. Of ,hs New York cou.
:, rier s. EnquiFkr that there have heea made SON,
attempts 10 create dissatisfaction among Ii,
Ways, sId destroy the unanlmiy which nov
eA7 cleiszes all their actions and movemenls
, ~ socisling names at gentiepen With the Office
, oil President Who have no desire for thai ofics
know not what the present feelings Of Mf.
NeosteI snd Judge BTaxlon may be, butto place
, lpd . Mclean in a proper position, beg leave
Z 70 give yua extract froul i letter from him.
lfaated August 10Th, '43 he says:
+ sThe Office Of Presideai, in my opin.
ion, has been lowered. and also the char.
acter of the Country, al home and abroad.
lby tbe means used to secure that oi6ce
High as The Presidency Of this great "a.
lion is. Il may be reschedast too greet a
price. IA sinks below beambiiion OF an
honorable'mInd. when tits attaiuable on
~ by a sscrilice OF the loftiesi patriotism.
Al Not 10 name Others, we have 10 the eleva-
lion Of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe;
examples Of high and honorable ambi.
iion which are worthy OF imitation. These
teminenl men, when named for the office
Of President, reposing on what they had
done and what their known capacities en-.
abled them 10. do, in The highest public.
trusts, neither took nor seemed 10 take
any agency 10 their own advancement.
For many years | hayel been deeply
Impressed with the Injustice. thelcorrupt-
ing and ITainous effects, oi political psrii
zanship. lis introduction into the FEEDER
al Government, has well nigh ruined our
beloved; Country. Before this bane had
perverted our moral, SENSE. our love Of
country, and, 50 far as politics are con
cerned. almost every noble feeling Of the
heart, we we're happy. as a people. inihe
enjoy ment Of great and uninterrupted
prosperity. And whatever may be sald
TO the contrary, this terrible evil lies al
the foundation Of all our embarrassments.
1t has been mainly instrumental in the
i commercial revulsfons we have Witnessed.
and It has Frustrated our POLITICAL morali-
lty. Oar pecuniary losses within few
past years, are almost beyond the Tower
Of computation but these are scarcely
worthy Of consideration in comparison
with tie loss. il may aeIihe i.reparable
loss, Of force in our Institutions. That
man must be blind TO ibq hdmobitions o.
history, who supposes fhaesa free govern
ment can be long sustaihed, which ad.
dresses itself, with all its Influence, 10 the
baser passions Of our nkure. Such a
codrse leads 10 widely lFffused corrup
ton and consequent ruidl In my judg-
menl, nothing can rescue dur government
from this the common IatA tnf republics.
aud rouse, the moral tone OF the nation,
Instead Of administering III the prosiituted
appetites Of aemagogueslit mustirest on
:, a viTtuous and an enlightened public OPT
Mon. Ii must gather strebgih by ITS acts
-+moral strength lis aim should pc the
general good. The chief:of the govern
me1i. in making appointments to office,
should carry out the principles Of the vr-
tuous Monroe, who, on q certain person
being recommended 20 him for az office,
as apeIsonal friend, with good quallfca
lions, remarked, with earneslness.4 No
man can feel more grateful Than ! do for
personal acts Of kindness. but in making
this appointment have high public du-
i Is 10 perform, and mus: look 10 the
public interest"
| A departure from these principles drove
me, reluctantly, from political lie; anc
in all sincerity assure you that there IS
no political office, moi even the Presldens
cy. which could tempt me again into poll
liics, Oh principles oppo4edto those which
Il approve and on which IendeayoI 10 act
Pledges when given by a candidate tol
ppBlic favor should be received with srs'
i picion, as they are generally made toyan
swer particular purpose and ara seldom
, redeemed. No one. perhaps, should b
named for lbe Presidency, whose opin
ions, on the leading topics Of The day, are
. unknown to the public Until within
flew years past pledges were not required
from the candidates for the Chief nagistra
I Icy. And may ask what good has re-
suited from this innovation? Has i
made our Chief Magistrates more faithful
Is the constitution and 10 their general
| doiies? Let comparison Of our late
: history with The past, answer this qnes.
I ton. ]. Who thought OF asking a pledge
from the seueTsted fathers Of the republic
/ above. named A sound head and an
!, honest heart. ] think are The estpledges.
:. Thoseswill rarely fail whilst experience
] shows ii a'pl' edges are made 70 te broien
81 No one who is named for the chic
magisracy. tom respectable. source,
lshouid feel himself at liberty to say ths
be would decline noHination for tina
Office. But ! beg yod 10 believe, my
8 dear Sir, thai this remark is mol prompted
sbyi ayanily which leads me 10 suppose
e;tisl M name could be 1avorsbly consid
erred by the contemplated Wing conSen
lion The friends 81 Mr.. Clay, in consi
liberation Of his eminsBi qualifications and
-l,onp public services are looking with nc
Eordinary soEcitnde 10 bis nomination
1 And assure you, that lbsve no wisp, pJ
Il the obtrusion Of my name. TO seperate sin5
z tfriends. il have any. from their tresen
! associations. | do not desire and wouli
! nolreceiye the Presidency, il within my
4 reach, as the sinsirunent Of party. 10
Z deed, l should count il no honor, 10 hav
my name associated With the downwaf
: course Of on. Government, and such
b course is accelerated. end only acceleral
a ed, By ultra partyism. To bring back th
s government tot old foundations, 10 re
s store its lost character. iis formefplrisj
4 energy and elyation. would be an achieys
Iment second Only to Tia. 0f Washington,
d An achievement which would make an