Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-02-17
MR.. CALIIOUN,s POSITION.

MJt CALHOUN IOOl
Since the appearance of Mr.. Calhoun 5
address, it is constantly enquired what he
and his friends htend doing7 To this it
may be answered, that he and his support
ers intend to tike the ground Of uncom-
promising opposition 10 protective tariff,
to national bank, TO the distribution of
the proceeds of the sales OF the public
lands, TO the humiliation of tn, veto pow.
or, und to the reception of abolition peli.
lions into Congress. Whoever is against
these measures will receive the support OF
Mr.. Calhoun and his friends.
We are aware til IL support an indepen.
dentpostion requires abilities and charac.
ter of the most superior order. The Uni.
ted States is divided into two great parties,
and oil men 10 be successful as politicians
must belong 10 either ore or the other.--
But true pat iotism may sometimes dictate
course which would ceiaride with neither
party. The democratic party oflhe South,
al least the State rights portion of it, have
always evinced their decided adherence
II the doctrines Of free trade and hostility
TO protective hriff; suppose then that
man calling himself dem Dcrat should be
nominated Dor President, who louli avow
himself precisely oil the opposite opinion
rs 10 these measures, whit course would
patriotism ard princple dictate TO them TO
pursuit. How could they forget these
princip!es2 Would tho word democrat
compensate for 'hf ab,ud 'umcn'? We
ere gol OF that opinion. When we forget
thosc things which con ,tiiuo democi acH5
ave are utsea with ,ul chart or compass.
The Richmond Enquirer, the atlas Of
democracy, objects 10 the address Of Mr..
calhoun ia one particular, because it will
no, only not support any mrn who is in
favor Of protective tariff, hut he will not
supper, any man whose Influential friends
and supporters are, and he will not only
not support any man who is in favor OF the
reception of abolition petitions into Con.
gress, but whose influential friends and
supporters are. The same objection we
find 10 have been made by many others.
1t is objected thatla man should be held
responsible for the faults of his friends and
supporters. 1t may be replied to this that
a man is nominated and elected, il al
all, by his friends and supporters, and
they it. is to be supposed, point out the
course which will be pursued by their
nominee. Aman constitutes his admins.
tration out Of his friends and Supporters.
and it must be taken for granted that il
they had not known his sentiments to he
congenial with their own, they would moi
have chosen him fer their leader. Bu
say the directors. "The expression is in
defnite,t does not say what friends, where
ahey are, how many in number, or wha
will constitute them Of sufficient import
ance to regard the course as affecting The
NomineeiO I the NOnVenttoh. HIS may
be answered by saying, those are alluse'
90 who have right 10 speak authoritative
BY on the subject. Those principles which
a Convention may avow, may well be sup
posed 10 be those Of the man it nominates
It is not intended to hold Mr.. Van Bu
rem or any other man responsible for VIVA
a few misguided or incorporate indiVidu
ais may do. This would indeed constitute
what the Richmond Enquirer calls loop
h,le to creep out at, but that is not wha
Mr.. Calhoun intends by q mans influen
tial friends and supporters. The Enquir
er takes high and manly ground upon TIL!
subject and denounces at once those pre-
tended democrats who passed the SYRIA
cuse resolutions aud those who voted K
reject Rhett's resolution on the tariff, ana
in favor ofthe reception of abolition peti.
tons. This is the proper ground to take
upon this subject While ever these priu'
ciples are tempered with, no confidence
can be entertained by the states rights
party in any professions made under the
name of democracy. We hope that ere
long, the whole democratic party will