Litchfield enquirer., 1844-01-18

mn RIvES ON TIIE Pres IDENCR.
Alstasf houl tho hon. w. c. Bisos % itisnd b
virginia appears IN ths Riehmohd Whigef Thurs
dsy last, h which that gentleman sRONa bis deter
minaaion 10 oppose with whtt ability he possesses
the election q Martin Van Buren,. The following
paragraphs from tkis lstter are alive have room
for this week. sas.s
N ne approaching Presidential contest. thenswe
ought not and cannst Be neutral; and Il, - every
thing now indicates - % be the case, that contest
shall be between M. Van buren, and Mr. Clay. nave
a little hesitation in saying that there Is but one
line Of action BY which we can acqnit ourselves q
our duty to the country and Chat e. waving al
minor considerations b give manly snd deter
mined support 10 Dir, Clay preferences to Dir. Ven
Buren,. For myself can conceive Of no greater
calamity to the nation, OF deeper dseredif TO the
cause end very name Of popular government, than
fhe reelection of Van Buren, would be. alter the
signal and overwhelming majority BY which hewasI
50 recently deposed from power upon the fullest
canvass II his measures. policy and conduct
Il is impossible Tor any Rejecting man ocOntem-
plate the actual and prospective condition q the
country without seeing In talready the germ Ofnew
difficulties and troubles, which may in Their APP
preaching development, agtato our glorious Union
to its centre. The Oregon and Texas question IN
our foreign relations; ct home adeReient revenue
with all its 0niss0yy sources pressed up to their
farthest productive limit, and some OF them, there
10 reason to apprehend, beyond; the tariff contro-
yersy re.opened, with al the conflicting interests
and passions which never fail TO be awakened BY
it; and ADDED to these, the rekindled fresof the
abolition excitement-- and all Of them are
questions which carry in their bosom the fearful
elements Of civil iscord and intestine strife. The
worst and most dangerous aspect they present -,
that al Of them bring into immediate andopposing
array. noe INTO angy snd nOsts! eG.1sson. ~
graphical divisions Of the confederaey. Whose,
II such moment, is the master-spirit that may
have power to still the rising tempest, before Il
sweeps with destructive fairy over the face Of our
yet happy Union: or should this prove hopeless &
impossible, whose the commanding genius "toridc
in the whiElwind and direct the storm I" To pre-
side over the destinies of great RepUblics in .
crisis Of such complicated difficulty and peril calls
for something more than the arts of the mere par
| typoliticians Il demands the highest moral and
intellectual qualities Of the stGseman-c courage,
self possession, elevation Of character and views
nobleness and generosity of nature that attracts
confidence, and can inspire enthusiasm; the spirit
Of persuasion and command combined. Let the
annslr Of the country, in some Of the darkest mo-
ments which have ever lowered upon its fortunes,
be consulted, and they win answer whether Hem
Try Clay or Martin Van Buren, Is the man for such
q crisis s
PENNsxLvAr1A.-Mr. Van Buren's Virginia let
ter condemnatory Of the principle as wcll as the
details of the Tariff renders him very obnoxious to
the people Of Pennsylvania Of all parties Protec.
ton is more popular in that State than perhaps in
any other in the Union; and Governor Porter, fol-
lowing public sentiment, takes strong ground on
this subject In his Message at the opening Of the
present session Of the Legislature he thus emphati
al