Arkansas intelligencer. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1842-1859, 1844-02-24
MR.. CALHOUN'S LETTER.

This letter, of which so much has been spoken,
and written, has como to hand. Mr.. Van Buren,
and his friends are not so severely casligated rs
We were prepared to oxpec. from the rumors tha.
were afoat.
Ar e takns s,ronn- around AGAINST the Bati.
ted and refuses to suffer his name to 90 before it..
lie denies that it reflects the will or wish of the
party. he contends that 1t will be composed of
the Delegates of Delegates; and be the mere ins,ru
ment Of designing politicians. Ho opposes the
General, and favors the District system of repre-
senaton in it, to get at the wishes of the people
to preserve the gifts Of the smaller Suites from
the greater.
lie repudIa,es tae present system of Conven.
tons, and prefers the former mode of selecting
Candidates in Congressional caucusos; and con-
tends that If the practice of nominating Candi.
dates for Presidency, by Conventions cons,itu-
ted, as the friends of MIR. Van Buren, proposed. .
shall become the established usage it will utterly
defeat the intention of the trainers of the Const.
tuition, and would BIO followed by radical and
dangerous change, not only in the Executive
Department. From the whole tenor of his letter,
r.,
either MIR. Van Buren or Mr.. Clay. Tho follow
ing extracts from his letter defines his position in
relation 10 those gentlemen:
81 made up my mind to wave the objection
which have long entertained to any ntcrmedi-
ate body, unknown to the Constitution, between
the people and the election of the President, in tho
hope that the proposed Convention would be so
constituted that | might consistently with my
principles give it my support. In this have been
disappointed, and being so, am compelled to de-
eide as havo done. The same motives which
impelled mo to separate from the administration
Of Gen. Jackson, in tho plenttude of its power,
and to come to the rescue Of Mr.. Van Buren's at
its greatest depression. compels me now to with.
hold my name from the proposed Convention.
Having now assigned my reasons for refusing
to permit my name to go before tho Baltimore
Convention, it rests with you who have placed it
before the people and nssented to abide BY Con.
vention fairly constituted to determine what
course you will pursue.
Be your decision what ii may, shall be con-
tent. But regarded it as due to tho occasion, to
you and myself, to declare that under no circum.
stances whatever shall | support any candidate,
who is opposed to free trade, and in favor of the
protective policy, or whose prominent and influ.
entail friends and supporters are. | hold the pol.
icy 10 lie another name for system of monopoIy
md plumber, to be thoroughly anti-repubIican and
federal its character. also hold that so long
rs the duties laid to be in fact bounties to
one portion Of the community, while they operate
as oppressive taxes on the other, there can be no
hope that the Government can be reformed, or
that its expenditures will be reduced to the proper
Standard
"Much less. still, can give my support to any
:anddate who shall give his aid or countenance to
he agitation Of abolition in Congress or eIsewhcre
'r whose prominent and influential friends and
Importers shall. doubt the sincerity of any {