Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1844-08-09
ANOTHER LETTER FROM HONEST
MORDECAI BARTLEY.

The following letter from the patriotic
BARLEY, to the Wings assembled at the
WellsVille Convention, comes warm from
a heart that has ever throbbed with gem
erous devotion to the country and all its
great and diversified interests. 1t will be
read with delight by every honest man, not
warped by the bigouy Of partizan intoler-
ance. We copy from the Richland Jefler-
Mansfield, June 9th, 1914.
Gentlemen:--I regret to inform you, that
owing to events not under my control, |
shall be deprived Of the anticipated plea
sure Of meeting you at WellsvilIe on the
Sd of July next, when and where ex-
pected to see many of my old friends and
associates, most OF whom have not seen
during period Of more than thirty years.
l have vivid recollection Of their appear
ance at the time Of my association with
them, Time mas since, no doubt, whtened
some OF our locks; care and turmoil cha g.
ed youthful appearance to that of more ad-
vanced age. Still, | am confident that
many Of them would be recognized, were
] to meet them. AT subsequent period,
promise myself the pleasure of visiting the
Eastern part of the State, when | hope to
renew an acquaintance with many Of my
old friends.
sincerely hope, gentlemen, that you
may have a pleasant and profitable meet
ing, No other than patriotic spirit could
have melted the Wings to call it. Such
meetings, when peaceably and quietly con-
ducted, are conducive of favorable results.
They are adapted to our Republican insti-
tutions. Atthem, all occupations and con-
ditons Of men meet together on the same
Republican platform, interchange opinions,
form more perfect Union, and determine
as to the most auspicious course to perpet-
uate our liberties.
The measures inissue between the wings
and their opponents have now such tangi-
Bile form, that the American people can
Judge Of them according to their merits
and demerits. am aware that the wings
have boldly taken the affirmative side or
the great and leading measures of the
country; and that their opponents have
taken the negative on the same questions
except that Of the annexation of Texas
On this, with few exceptions, our oppoa.
ents have taken the affirmative side. The
principles which the wings advocate now
| they advocated in the Revolutionary War
when they sealed their sincerity with theil
blood; they advocated them at the forma
ton of the American Government, anC
they brought them into practical operatio!
during the administrations of our revolu
tionary fathers. But new era has beer
placed in our political history. A party
styling itself Democratic, has, at an epocl
replete with invention, introduced serie
of new schemes and speculative theories
which have been advocated and urged up
on the country with zeal approximatnl
to enthusiasm.
Itseems paradox in politics, in coun
try like ours, for party to oppose and re
pudiate, sound national currency-a cur
rency which has been sustained by Wash
ington, Jefferson, Madison, and a Mon
roe, and offer no substitute but an issue o
Treasury notes and Sub Treasury scheme
which the people have repudiated by de
cisive vote. The speculative theory ha
, nearly reformed the people of Ohio out o
State Currency, and what has it given a
substitute? will briefly say it has gvel
us currency issued by foreign Banks, 0
doubtful character, and about which tn
people know but little, and as l presum
will be erefused in payment of Taxes.
The citizens of the United States. VIII
) are mutually benefited by our republican
institutions, and protected in our lives AM
, property by our laws, should oppose ju
dlcious protection 10 the labor Of our coun
try, against the pauper labor Of the ole
world, is to me astonishing, more especial
" when they offer nothing as a substitute
but visionary scheme Of "Free Trade" OF
our part, whilst foreign nations have pro
hibited nearly all our exports by the impo
J sitio1 Of enormous duties.
At no period, since the organization o
our State Government, have the people o
Ohio needed the distribution of the pro
ceeds Of the sales of the public domain s,
much as at the present. The people ar,
oppressed by enormous taxes, and ough
to have aid from the source alluded to-
The principal argument made in oppo5i
ton to this highly important measure is
that an appropriation Of the money arising
from the sale Of the public lands woulc
corrupt the people. Surely this imputa
ton against the moral integrity of the com
mon people did not originate in our owl
country. 1t must have had its origin a
mong the despots of the old world, VIII
never appreciate the virtue of the mass O
The people. Ihave never before heard sue
: a futile argument seriously made.
: The annexation of Texas to the United
States is, in my opinion, momentou
question. | cannot conceive how stric
: constructionist can regard the measure a
constitutional. Distinguished statesmen
who are advocates of the measure, hav
hitherto been strict constructionists, and
am at loss for the reasons of this grea
change in their views. The power unde
I the constitution to annex foreign govern
ment to ours is surely not expressly given
and whether such power can be fairly ex
. erCised by implication is, in nv oninion