The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-06-20
CIRCULAR.
TO THE VOTERS OF POsEY AND
VANDERBURGH.

represent the Counties of Posey and Wander
burgh in the State Senate, and the call be-
ing supported by such a numerous and res
pectable list of my fellow citizens, both of
Posey and Vanderburgh, as TO preclude the
propriety of a refusal, l now respectfully
offer myself TO you as a candidate for that
station.
A candidate for the first time and unknown
personally TO many of you, it is proper that
you should be made somewhat acquainted
with me and with my political principles, that
you my judge of the propriety of ~bestowing
your votes, and, in this view, the egotism
usually considered pardonable in a candidate
may be allowed to me.-Descended then
from a Virginia Wing of the Revolution, who
faithfully performed his duty in the service
of his country until the close of the war, |
was educated in the ~strictest sect Of Democ-
racy-of Wing Democracy-of such Dem
ocracy as triumphed in that struggle for lib
erty and achieved our independence as a
nation. An ardent supporter of the princi-
pies of Jefferson and Madison, as was my
father, | was early taught to look to the prin-
ciples then enforced as the true creed of
American Democracy;-and those who know
me need not be told that | am of the same
politics still. If /, in common with thousands
of the old Democratic party, have been un-
able to see the true Wing Democracy which
marked the Revolutionary era, in the one
man power of Van Buren's administration, il
is no doubt owing to my political education.
Taught 10 look to the Government as instiiu-
ted for the good Of the people, | can never
subscribe TO the doctrine that the "people
demand too much from government" when
they call upon government for relief from the
effects of its own bad legislation. Taught
to consider it the principal domestic duty of
the President, to see that the laws are "faith-
fully executed" as the Constitution requires
and to look to the legislative body emanat-
ing directly from the People as the source
of Law, / can see no true Democracy in a
President setting himself in opposition 10 the
representatives OF the people, chosen for the
express purpose of making their laws, and
declaring to them what laws they shall and
what they shall not make. Considering that
every citizen is entitled to his opinion, if
instead of the Jeffersonian qualifications for
office, which were honesty, c~apabiliy, and
a devotion to the Constitution, | see the
modern "democratic" qualification TO be feal-
ty to the person ofthe Chief Magistrate, and
active services in ~electioneering in his be-
half, it is my political education which forces
me, in, common with many ofthe most talent
ed men of the country, TO look upon the re-
uuirement of such services from every Office
holder as a departure from the old landmarks
of Democracy and a saPping of one of the
vital principles of the constitution. Ii on
these, and many other important points, the
tests of true Democracy do not lie with the
party which now arrogates to itselfexcluslve-
" the name of "Democratic," my opinion to
that effect only comedies with the opinion
of the universal Wing Party, who to a man
refuse to recognize the business of that name
when applied to those who rallied at the last
election under the banner of Van Buren,,
and whose political allegiance has now, in
opposition TO a majority of their own party
and of their own nominating convention, been
transferred to a man they have found some
where | believe in Tennessee of the name OF
Polk. But I allude to these matters not TO
discuss them, because the station to which |
aspire has little to do with general politics.
[ allude to them only because there are
many persons who think no one qualified for
any office who has not considered Martin
Van Buren, to be a pure democrat and one
ofthe greatest men oft the world, or who now
refuses to look upon this Polk as the en-
bodiment of democratic principle. All such,
would have TO know, that on these points |
differ with them in opinion-and that in re-
gard TO the questions which now divide the
country, my ideas of Democracy require me
to support those advocated by the Wings.
But The duties of the office for which !
ask your votes Except in the choice of a
Senator of the United States,) have little 10
do with general politics, and though have