Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-18

We ask YOU then. fellow cillZehs' M"'S" "
the parties is entitled to your support-lhe parry
whose measures have advanced the interests, ana
Wind ,calcd the rights aud honor OF the coun'y'
or the party which has abandoned every ISSUE
upon which it has heretofore sought your sup.
port, and left you 10 vague conlcclures u '"'
Interior designs Of its leaders!
But is il 10 be believed that The wing po'i''o'a
have, in truth, given up all their most cnel'.n
cd political tenets2 Recollect Inc extra se''''
which followed General Harrison's election. a
Wing Congress then presented 10 1ohn ~ Vie
for his sanction, series oil measures, !,
ayowed opposition to which nc was ~ DO ,e,
debted for his nomination. hceoIh ho or.
Ter of Wiloughby Newton, I'D mni1n -, ="
knowcdged, with mort'nca,loun, .u h,,nnad ON bo
VI ."o nd manly ayowa of their political opinions,
ara Tho ,hey not now pursuing the same course
an prescription" was their cry then-ou' now
aid their practice conform TO their professions,
Get the number OF officers, who were e]ected
go, of,;ce and the swarms of Office hunters,
Who assaiIed every avenue TO the Prcsiden.
mansion. testify against them. They now DO
clare that the purposes of their party IN pre-
sen,;np an Contaminated" candidate are pa
trio,ic and disinterested- they contend not
for mere marty triumph, or for the sordid "spolls
of yictory.n but the general good. BE assureu
that should ihey elect General Taylor, the
scenes Of 1910 will be re enacted. They VII
again, as they did then, DANGEROUSLY demand the
reward OF their allegiance. They Will rely on
his opinions upon the veto, and again enoeaVoi
10 carry through Congress oil their Federal
measures.
Turn your attention now to the candidates
themselves No voter should cast his suffrage for
them before dete} thinning for hluiself whetho OF
,hoJ have the necessary qualifications. The chel
magistracy of this Confederacy is, perhaps, the
highest and most responsible office in the world
The sages who framed our Constitution supposed
that, TO secure the free choice and cordial sup
port of the American people for this elevated
post the highest moral and mental qualifications
would be requisite, the most profound states
mapship and the most spolcss character. iney
annexed 10 the office important powers ana du'
ties of high responsibility. Since our Constl-
tuition was framed, the rapid growth OF our ne
public has increased the Importance OF tfese
mowers and the responsibility Of these duties :
Fearful, indeed, arc the consequences WINCH
nigh, be apprehended, if, at this eventiui epocn'
an incapable person should be elected
Let US enquire into The qualifications OF zen
TAYLOR for this important station. IL IS Tue pecu'
liar province OF those who advocate MS eiec'iuu'
10 enlishen the public mind on this SUD- ect. ne
has never in the halls oflegislaiion, or ELSEWHERE,
unclaimed his opinions on the great questions OF
nubIic policy which have commanded the aIlen-
lion of The nation. He has never filled any clice
whatever Of civil trust, and has never had the
opportunity OF exhibiting the abilities ana requl-
site qualities OF salesman. we respectfully
ask. is he fitted for The Presidency OF me uniea
States BY his education habits and course OF NE
by his knowledge OF the laws oil the land ana
The Constitutional any investigations ne mas
ever made OF the great questions OF policy @hicn
have 50 long divided parties in our cnuntry,-ny
his knowledge Of The commercial Interests, Inc
resources and statistics OF the na,ion,-by his &C
quaintance with our foreign relations, and tne
views and policy OF the governments with Which
We have diplomatic intercourse We ask ior
any Of these evidences OF his fitness. We have
as yet seen none ourselves, and have sought ioI
them in vain.
On questions which have engaged the Sc
lious thoughts and eliciled the opinions OF every
rejecting freeman in our wide spread confederacy
he acknowledged that he had formed no opinion
except as 10 the exercise of the Peto power
which opinion, il acted upon, would save him tbs
trouble, if President, Of beslowing all further
thought on questions which have heretofore occu
pied so little OF his consideration.
On comparing bis correspondence on The sub
ject OF his nomination Tor The Presidency, with
mis- subsequent conduct, we discover an oscillation
OF mind, want Of firmness and a susceptibility
OF being used by designing politicians, which We
did not expect 10 have .ouGd in the gallant sol
der. He al first assumed the high ground OF ar
independent candidate, who mus be elected by
"iha spontaneous and unanimous choice OF the
people alone" He declared, that he would IN M
case permit himself 10 lie the candidate Of an9
party OF uieM himself ITO Pa,ty schemes"-ii elect
ell 10 the Presidential Office, j, must be 1eitton
anu agencn NJ his-he could only yield his Assem-
TO be considered candidate Of the people tr
,lSpectirs of porty-lhal ifiie Wig party desired
al he mex, Presidential election 10 cast ihei
votes for him, tbcp mus, 10 u on ,hei, o,on res
possibility, acttom any pledges from h,m-tha
il had mol been his intention al any moment u
change his POSITION mitidra,r has name from
tie canvass. artaerer might be the nominee Of IN
National Coarcation either Of tie Wig or De
nocratic pa,iy-ihat he should engage in M
schemes, no combinations, mn intrigues. Sucf
were The declarations Of General Taylor before
the Wing Convention assembled. Let us nov
see how Tar they have been sustained by his acts
General Taylor has given his 'cniire, full ant
unequivocal appreciation" 10 the statement made
on his behalf By the Louisiana delegation in TIT
Il
mus, therefore, he regarded as his. According
", he has not only permitted himself to be the can
didate OF p9,tu but has yielded himself TO 6
party scheme. His nomination has not been pro
cured wi;hou, any agency OF his own. He ha
consented 10 be a candidate, not irrespective o
party" The Wig party have nominated him
mol "on their own responsibility" but on dis
ti,,ct pledge, without which he could not have
been nominated, sanctioned by him, that nj
name should be Withdrawn from The canvass j
he were moi The Wing nominee. He according
ly has changed his position, and has fully sane
toned and approved "scheme," Combination
or intrigue" 10 secure his nomination for TIT
Presidency BY the Wing Convention.
Ills inconsistency and vafiableness OF purpose
are equally conspicuous in other portions OF hi
| correspondence. He admitted "that it is the in
herent right OF every freeman to know The opin
ions OF those who may be entrusted with the ad
ministration OF the government,"- dcclared tina
he had mo conceament, that he held mo opin
ion which he would not readily proclaim 10 hi
assembled counlrymen;" but intimated that hi
official duties during he war would preclude hin
from satisfying the calls made upon him for lb
expression of his opinions.
The war, howeyp, has since terminated, ant
Gen. TAYLOR has ORA med the Wing nomination
for the Presidency. Instead OF answering III
reasonable inquiries Il his countrymen, wha
does he noar say2 y I letter TO B. NJ. McCon
key, he says, 81 have laid il down as a principle
no! 10 give my opinions upon or PREJUDICE in an
way the various questions OF policy now al ISSUE
between The political parties Of the country, no
promise what would or would MOI do were
elected TO the Presidency OF the United States"
He has thus, while candidate for The Chic
Magislracy, denied 10 his counIrymen, what, BY
his own admission, is 'the inherentright every
freeman" Surely, such position could not have
been voluntarily assumed by HIM. Il must have
been imposed upon him by designing politicians
But though he has declared that, il elected Pre-
sident he mus be unpedged and unlrammele,
in the discharge OF his duties, he has said more
in few sentences than was ever said before BY
any candidate, TO bind, pledge and tramamcl him
self, if called 10 the Presidential chair. He ha:
distinctly stated, that "upon The subjects of the Ia
riff, the Currency, the improvement Of our srea
highways rivers, lakes and haIbors, the will o
the people, as expressed through their represcn
tatives ought 10 be respected and carried out By
the Executive" On these great subjects, which
have SO long divided parties, not only as ques