The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-02-14
MR. CALHOUN'S LETTER.

The letter from the Hon. JOHN G CAL
HoUN. declining to recognise the validity
of the Baltimore Loco Foco Convention
and which letter has been anticipated
for some weeks past-has come at last, in
the shape of an Address to his political
friends and supporters. We received it
by our mail papers of yesterday. 1t IS
John G Calhoun all over After long
string of metaphysical objections, and fin
ely spun theories, relating 10 the forma
ten of Conventions for the nomination of
Candidates for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency, he concludes by premptorily
refusing to permit his name TO 90 before
the Baltimore Convention. He states at
full length and very much in detail. His
ideas of the mode in which such Conven'
! ticns should r1 constituted, He iiIiilIlnS
such bodies intervening between the Peo-
pie and the election, always Objectionable
and excusable on no other ground than
for the purpose of securing harmony in a
party. He advances his objections again
st the proposed Convention at Baltimore,
and endeavors TO rebut the reasonings Of
those who support it. His whole course
of argument appears to us, from hasty
reading Of the Address, to be rather shad>
owy and llimsy, than sound and substan-
tial. One can hardly read it, without
wondering how this world could get on,
if all the men in it were such subtle the
orizers as MIR Calhoun. 1t is apparent,
! throughout the whole Address, that he
finds he has no chance, in the Conven-
ton, hinself-und, fit had been other
wise, perhaps, his objections might have
been less strenuously urged.
1t will be perceived that Mr. Calhoun
does not decline the Candidacy for the
Presidency. He merely refuses to allow
his name 10 be made use of, in the pro-
ceedings of the Baltimore Convention.
1t will be left TO his friends TO determine
whether any-and. if any, what-further
measures shall be taken, in reference to
his claims to the Presidency
Those who, not being sufficiently ac>
quainted with Mr. Calhoun's ambitious
views aud bitter feelings have supposed it
possible that he might be so far exaspera-
ted with the Van Buren, section of the Lo.
CO Foco Party, as to throw his weight in
TO Mr. Clay's scale, will find themselves
mistaken on that point. He does not
mention either Mr. Clay or Mr. Van b.
rcn, but expresses the most deadly hostil-
ity TO the principle of protecting the In
dustry Of the Country-that principle, the
prevalence of which, in the counseIs of the
: Nation, has done more than all the other
measures ofpublic policy, TO restore the
Country 10 o state of prosperity and hap
piness. How Mr. Calhoun-with his eyes
/ open. and with serious countenance-can
assert that the auspices, every where, "pro-
CLAIM the approaching downfall of protec-
ton, and the permanent triumph of Free
! Trade" is more than we can well imag>
ine.-There has never been moment,
when the doctrine Of protecting the pro-
duct and the labor of the Country was
more likely, than al the present moment,
to become the. fixed and settled policy of
our Government, Or when it was more
generally sanctioned and supported by the
People.
Having now assigned the reasons for
refusing to permit my name to 90 before
the Baltimore Convention. it rests with
you who have placed it before the people
and assented TO abide by Convention
fairly constltuted,to determine what course
you will pursue.
Be your decision what it may, l shall
be content.-But regard 1t as due to the
occasion. TO you and to myself, to declare,
that under no circumstances whatever
shall support any candidate, who is op-
posed TO free trade. and in favor ofihe pro.
tective policy, or whose prominent and in-
! fluenliai friends and supporters ure.
| hold tae policy to 30 another name for a