Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-07-16
POLITICAL.
LETTER FROM A. H. CiAPPELL, ESQ,
Ncm,ler IF Congress from Gcorgia. 10 u JJnig
CnlnnliiEe IN TINT .SknL.
MAsnlNGroN. June Il. Isl.

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CGHtalittee IN TINT .Stat.'
WASHINGTON, June II, isil
Gentlemen: | have had the honor TO receive
YOUR letter of the 26th ultimo, informing me Of
your appointment TO represent tic county of Bib
in Convention OF delegates from the several
counties composing the third Congressional Dis
rict soon 10 be holien at Forsyth Tor the purpose
of nominating 4 candidate, in behalf the Wing
| party Of the district for the next Congressional
| election You inform me- further that you desire
! 10 prefer nv name TO the Convention before all
others. hut that you Deem il cue, Is well 10 my
sell as 10 the party whose confidence have ever
had, 10 state that 'iny late address 10 the people
ol Georgia, together with my votes on one or
more important public questions, have created
some difference of opinion as 10 my views in rela-
ton 10 the leading measures OF Wig policy, and
my feelings towafJsthe ~ his candidate iorthc Pre-
sidency; and therefore in order 10 be enabled bet
ter and more satisfactorily 10 discharge the trust
reposed in yon d. delegates, you ask 10 be placed
i'll possession Of my views in answer 10 the fol-
/ lowing questions:
Whether, or not, am favorable
''>l. To a tariff raised for purposes of rcvcnnc,
and aiorling an incidental projection 10 the diff
! fcresl branches Of American Industry
81. To National Bank, adoriing a sound
! currency of uniform value
Sd To 4 Distribution OF the proceeds of the
sales Of III" public lands among the States on just
and liberal terms.
18th. To restriction of the Veto Power.
18th. To Limitation OF the Presidential service
! 10 one term.
9th. To the election OF Henry Clay 10 the Pre-
sidcncy"
Before entering upon a reply 10 Your letter
gentlemen, cannot refrain from expressing my
thanks for the kind and considcratc feelings io-
wards me, personally and politically, which you
manifest. Under any circumstances such mani
icstations would have produced 4 deep impres-
sion; under those which actually exist they are
peculiarly GRATEFUL and the time will never come,
assure you, when they will cease 10 he iemeni-
bcrcd and properly appreciated by me
luu are doubtless aware, gentlemen. and there
fore need mol now be informed by Inc, that your
letter l. by no means the first or the strongest
evidence | have received OF the dissatisfaction
which has, for considerable time. prevailed
among my Wing friends in regard 10 my course
III Congress. IL is only one among Il multitude
Of proofs OF lha, kind which have been reaching
me for months past. Indeed, the very opening OF
the session was signalizcd 10 me by my finding
myself in opposition 10 the entire Viii" partr III
the House on great question, and by the subse-
qucnt discovery that ibis opposition WAS deemed
worthy Of severe ccrsure by portion oi the par
" al home. and by nearly all was viewed aS mat
ter OF serious regret. | confess TO YOU gentle
men, was deeply struck with tic very peculiar
character of this censurr Knowing, a. did,
that my friends generally were inclined 10 diff
Ter with me ON the question of the constitutional
validity of mr election | should have ielt little
surprise il many among them had though, and
said was ceLsuIabc ior taking seat 10 which,
in their opinion, had 10 title whatever. Bnt the
ccnsurc against me went mol upon that ground.
Not III all was arraigned, not Tor the crime
OF taking an oath and seat as Representative
in Congress. when had no title Is such but for
the crime OF refusing 10 deny by my vote my title
10 the seat which | had thus taken and occupied
under the sanction OF an oath il was extremely
apparent, that if had disbclicvcd i'll my right Ia
scat, but had nevertheless taken il and enjoyed
lis privileges, and exercised lis functions and had
then voted against the conSiitulionaliiv OF my
tenure bat still coninGed 10 cling 10 ii, and enjoy
! it i'll fact all would have been fair weather and
smiles between me and ny political friends on
the election question. But il was my misfortune
to believe III my right 10 !hc seal L. winch they
/ had elected me; and acted, spoke, and voted IL
/ accordance with that belief, and hence fell unGei
condemnation.
beg To BIZ understood as not advclting 10 tlii:
Subec, with any view Of complaining; Tor not
witLstandin- the ccnstlre and regret al my course
!
I felt ~ my friends. they afterwards generally cx
/ hibilcd towards me abundant kindness and con'
I titence. The only reason, therefore. why have
aavclcd to the subject now, l.. that ii is one
/ among number OF circumstances gong 10 $40"
/ the s,ricncss AMI jealousy with which the Wing
/ party i'll Georgia are gctln" disposed To tie dow
! their Representatives 10 vote and act win lht
! Wing party in Congress on important questions
of constitutional power and public police. Thi'
disposition is douby cvnced - well by what ha'
| been approved in others, As by what has been DIS
/ approved in myself during the present session
! And il is Il disposition which, whatever else may
bc thought in regard 10 il. canno; be denied to bt
| The opening oil a new and mosl important era IL
/ Southern politics.
! Having been thus warned Of the peril should
| probably incur at home, 10y daring 10 vote agains
The Congressional Viii. party on any question
on which they should choose 10 rally Is party
soon saw another trial ahead OF me. between my
/ clear sense OF duty and this party requirement o
voting with the Wings. alude now 10 the Ia
riff question; the question on which, above al
Others, should have supposed that SouiherI
REPRESENTATIVE would have been safe with hi:
constituents in resisting The bchesss otany nation
I al or congressional party wha!erc;, winch >cs "
/ the protective policy a a cardinal point III IL
/ creed But, having dwell 50 amply on tins sub
lcct oil The Tariff III my iatc addItes, which YOU
| have done me the honor to notice should tc IL
eycasablc 10 detain you at much length ON ii al
this lime. There are some things, however
which nv opportunities here have compelled met
| know. and which il is proper 10 mention 10 YOU
In the first place, soon perceived that no op-
poncnt of the protective policy could expect TO ne
recognised by tie Wing party IN Congress as a
sound, orthodox, true-hcaItcd Whis That po-
licy was distinctly proclaimed * the great para
mount question with the party. The imposing ol
taxes ON the whole country for the benefit oi tie
protected interests, was their darling measure
/ Whoever would concur with them III lhat-who
ever would support and abe; them III ihelr system
I of egalizcd robbery Of the people-inight nope
and not hope in vain, TO be tolerated IN differing
with them on other questions. B,,t, whoever
vcnturcd 10 hwan OF resist them ID tGa', was ho'
10 be forgiven. or deemed worthy OF lfaernal WEI
come in the great Wing brotherhood.
/ This temper and determination on the part .!
the Wing party grew out Of two causes or mo-
liyes-lsi. out of that deliberate policy OF using
| the taxing power of the Government as an en-
I .,ine Of individual enrichment and sectional az
erandiZenent. which is the very root OF the Whole
! protective system: 2iv, out oi their ANXIOUS de
! sire to appropriate the protective larli system
/ exclusively to their own USE rs an eeclioneerina
argument or lever in those sections Of lie Unio!
in which devotion 10 the system is believed to be
the predominating political sentiment. The dali
! rer which they wished 10 obviate in these sec
1 lions was. ihat OF being rraled or paraIyzed If
The use of this weapon by The successful asser
lion, on the part Of the Democrats that the
Wings, as well as themselves, were dlvidec
party on the s,mec, OF protection. Ii this i'm
preston could be prolncet by The Democrats, il
! Is manifest tina, the Wings would have very liulC
advantage over them in making party capital ou
Of the Tariff But the Wings were. and are
determined 10 have such advantage; and TO have
il in the most decisive and overwhelming manner
! They hope 10 carry, by means OF it, the grea
States of New York and PENNSYLVANIA; and By ;,
coupling with it the @"%teuf OF works oil internal
Improvement by the General Government, ans
a distribution oithe proceeds Of the sales of th,
public lands. they hone also 10 secure some Other
doubtful and strongly contested States. Hence
| il was poin, Of great importance in their party
tactics and eleciionecring strategy for them 10 u
able to cry aloud 10 TIE people OF the North, 'Bc
hold the mighty schism which reigns in the DE.