Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-10-24
LETTER FROM MR.. WICKLIFFE..
WAsHISaroN, Aug "a, 1874.


GENTLEMEN: | hare the h0nor to ac'Inowl-
edge your h3te Of the 9th inst, in which you
say ..the Den 5cracy Of Mllis1n county pro-
pose 70 hold grand mass meeting at Madison
courthouse, Va, en- the 9th Of September
next, with view to promote the Triumphant
election Of JAdEs K PoLx and GEORGE NJ
DALLAS, as Pres.dsat ani Wee President. and
t. pr1clge tae ra-aaasxatjol Of Texas to the
Uailn." You al5o alltaat you 's.se instrus-
ted By large meeting Of the cisize Is Of NJ.
ism c1laty to solicit my presence on the oc-
casion''
You have not, gentlemen. no citizen among
yen who feels more Intensely anxious upon the
issues involved il the poad!lg Presldential Con-
test than do
Ever since have been made to understand
tie provisions and principles Of our Consctu-
tioa. and, as have grown up from Infancy 70
the verge Of old are under It's Influences, aud
witnessed It's happy effects as a whole; alike
adopted to the tWenty-six sovereign states, as
it was to three lions Of citizens and thir-
teen states; giving protection to all and dis
pensing blessings u la.llloas. nave regarded
It's authors viii feeling Of Feaeration almost
ido!atr0u5. | an opposed to all radical chan
ges and ilnJvations up3n this, the great work
Of Washington a Id his associates. We have
grown Under is strength, and prospered be-
yond any example in t.rnsr governmets, by
the viytfying influence Of its principles The
machinery Of government and the harmony Of
safes have been preserved in peace and in
war, By It's partitions Of power, By the checks
and balances established in this our charter of
freedom 70 the citizens and the independence of
the SAFES.
Without anv other objection to candidate
for the Office Of the Chief Magstracy, if he
proclaimed himself the leader and champion of
a party whose aim and object it is to strike from
the Constitution one Of its checks which the
wisdom of Washington, Franklin and their
compeers had placed in it, would oppose his
election.
A service of ten years in the Congress of the
United States, and a close observation
upon its legislation since retired fiom it in
1888, have satisfied me that the liberty
of the citizens, the right Of property, and
the independence Of the States, are better
secured BY the existence of the qualified veto
power, than they would be if left at the mercy
of an unrestrained majority of that body.
1t is the great conservative power of the
States and of the people, placed in the hands
of the President Of the United States, to be
exercised by him, the immediate representa-
tive of the whole people, for their good 1t
may be abused t)r time, but the bailot-box
has been appointed to correct the abuse. An-
initiate this p3,gar, and the Federal Govern
meat will, sooner or later, overthrow the indie
pendelce Of the States, and. in the name of
sarty, tranple upon individual rights. / re-
E%M the effort now making to destroy this
&festure of the Constitution us bid stride to
consolidation, and the building up a great cen
trail power in Congress, which in tine is tc
know or acknowledge no rule or limit of ac-
ton, but the will of a partisan majority of its
members.
You, have, gentlemen, in your letter, beer
pleased to allude to the reannxation of Texas
to the United States. hope / may be excus
ell for obtruling upon You some observations
upon that subject.
With YOU, was and f1r the 'sre-a1aex.
ain Of I5ll5 a. sae elri.eSs p;l:sl;ols pr l.
od''
I have ever viewed the treaty of 1910, BY
which that territory was cedad spain by ths
limited Safes. as most unwise ana there were
those at the time, wlo spared no pains to i'm
press upDa the public mind in The Southwest
that it was br3ugh: about by the then Secreta
~ Of State. under the Influence of the sa NJ
hostile feeling towards the South and the Yves
which had been attributed ID him in the nego
tia+i,n At Gaeat Be that as it NAV. it was
Wrongful cession Of the territory and citizens 9
the United States. in violation IF the Consttu
Tim and the solemn treaty stipulation witt
France. by which that territory and the PEG
ME thereof were to become part and parcel 0
Federal G ,vernment Of the United States
,snnan. an equal footing with the citizens CT TIL
other Safes of the Confederacy.
I hailed, in common with every other Yves
.ts-,- man. the early and prompt effort of Mi
Clsv when Secretary Of State, to regain Tex
Z by treaty with Mexico, the then sovereign
mower over Texas. No man denounced thi