Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-01-04
TO THE DEMOCRATS OF PENN
SYLVANIA.

Fellow Citizens: After long and serl-
draw my name from the list of Presi-
dental candidates, to be presented
before the Democratic National Con-
ventien. This resolution has been
dictated, by an anxious desire to drive
ufsuor@- g.Al.a.tha ranks of the party. and
secure the ascendancy througfrour ne u
Mon. In arriving al this conclusion, l
have consulted no human being. 1t is
entirely my own spontaneous act, and
proceeds from the clearest and strongest
conviction of duty.
Whilst thus taking my leave, as your
candidate for the Presidential office, |
am animated, by sense Of profound
gratitude, for the unanimity and enthu-
siasm with which you have my elevation
to the highest Office on earth. This
feeling shall remain ehgraven on my
heart, until time for me shall be no Ion
ger. 49,:
WheF, in January last, the Democratic
members Of our State Legislature, in
their letter addressed to me, presented
my name to the Union as Pennsylvania's
favorite candidate for the Presidency
| made some observations in my answer
to which desire to recall your attention.
then stated. that if the Democracy of
Pennsylvania should resolve to offer my
name to the National, Convention as a
candidate for the Presidency, wish that
degree of unanimity which could alone
give moral force to thhir Recommended
tioh5 felt thai ought not to counter
act their Wishes This am proud to
believe. they would do with unexampled
unanimity; yet every unprejndiced man,
who has observed the current of political
events since that period, must be con-
WINGED. that even the great moral intu-
ence of Pennsy lyania with her sister
States, would be exerted in vain to Sc
cure my nomination. Under such Cir
cumstances, ought l., for any personal
considerations, to suffer the great State
which has bestowed so many honors upon
me, to ask, the first time in her history,
for a Presidential candidate of her own
with a certain conviction, on my part,
that the request would not be grantedf
Should be the means.of placing her De-
mocracy in false position, which yet
their high sense Of honor and the noble
perseverance of their character, might
forbid them to abandon? To ask these
questions, my heart tells me is to answer
them in the negative. Every feeling OF
gratitude and of duty dictates, that |
should leave them to decide, in the Ma
tional Convention, among the candidates
whose prospects arc more promising:
But still higher obligation rests upon
sae. In my letter, to which have al,
ready referred, declare, that the prin
cipIes and the success of the Democratic
party so UNNECESSARILY transcend in i'm
| portance the elevation Of any individual
that they ought not to be jeOparded, in
the slightest degree. by personal partial
/ ity for either of the candidates. AID
! agaiu:"lf know my cwn heart, | should
most freely resign any pretenslons which
the partially Of friends has set up for
me, if by this could purchase harmo-
ny and unanimity in the selection of a
Democratic candidate.
The time has now arrived when feel
myself constrained to apply these princi-
pies to my own practice. 1t is true that
may net be able to secure entire una
nimity in the party by withdrawing my
name from the list of candidates; bu.
yet shall reduce their number, and thus
diminish the elements of discord. The
great moral ard numerical strength OF
PENNSYLVANIA. to which her uniform, self
sacrifising patriotism adds a double force
will then be felt in all its power, and
may decide the contest in manner sat
isfactory to ;he entire Democracy Of the
/ Union.
| can proudly say, that since have
! rnnrioL the rnsitinn Of xnur candidate