Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-11

may be seen by the declaration Which iauo uA
der oath. was Chairman of tho commlltee,
and an opposition member; of course most o.
the charges alleged against the ofiicers OF inc
Executive were submitted by statements 10 me
Some of those statements MADE an imPIess'oh
on nv miad, aud induced sincere oeliei 10 the
truth of some of the charges. But Inc real IN
tention and true effect of my oath was, as Tue
journal of the committee will show, to lay on'y
6o,,,dot;on for Proceeding, on my responsi6.H-
~ I, ,nouirs INFO and iRretigate the truth
tojs, hood ofthe charges named IN my OATH. mat
oath itself did not aud does not Surport TO reryy
Inc truth or fai,ehood of those charges. kner,
of mn own kaonledge, nothing abam th:'r fruh
or faisehood. spoke Of my belief only, OIL the
IN formation of others, and the oath which LOOK
pouchsd ONLY that ,phich belief and Information
would Justify, and called upon the eommptse 10
inquire into the mat:Ts alleged, and 70 repor.
thereon. Such was the sole intent and effect OIL
the oath
The committee did not deem the specifications
and verifcalions of charges sufficient to proceed
| upon, and they Trer 1oerc but Dsry pa'ftaHy ana
meagrely INQUIRED INTO il ,zH The main and most
serious charges asains, Gen. Cas-, as Secretary
of War, were never touched, and the truth or me
falsehood oil them was never esled.
So lar, then, a. Gewral Cas- was concerned,
nv oath did not and could not sonUtet or eren aDses
him. II was hsarsay only, and an athtaVn Srounu-
ed On information from others, ,c' themselves tre'e
neuer sc0rn, except as 10 some OF the MINOR cases
specified, and implies in its ,'s'y torm ana nalI1e
laat lis in,ep. was not 10 verify ttetruho Of charges,
bu, me mere fact of the cuistsnce of charges.
But ii is urged that l, nevertheless, swore mat
beli.oe6 in The truth OF these charges. dio al
the Time most sincerely; ard The Wing parry
now would have il supposed that | continue 10
| that belief. II do, in what category ol des
| radiation must they suppose the wing parry ~
self 10 be Placed in my humble estimation, Tasn
they see me supporting Nth zeal man thus con-
dem1cd 6y me Tar the Presidency rather Than an.ts
icth that party in bringing INTO po1sr ITS more o.
b; absorred principles andpractl;es! confess Ina1
a candidate would have to be fully as BAD as !
once thought General Cass 10 be, before could
be driven from the Democratic party at ms
day, or 10 take even neutral stand in The COM
ing contest for The Presidency
My support OF General Cass al present, with
my convictions of the past as 10 his character, al
iecls my ocn pr0priety of conduet not his and, al
the worst, convicls me only Of being driren to &
ehoi:e Of eriis. Ii would prove, al most, tina.
prefer the Democratic party, with Gen. Cass At
| irs head, 10 The dire alternative OF clecung The
Wings and their principles OF this day 10 power.
| But The truth is, that nothing could be a more
triumphant rindication Of Gen. Cas- against the
effect If my spora belief in the suHciency y
charges preferred by Others against ms official
conduct in 1867, than that 1, pho aid SO De
Eepe, and dit 50 sw.ar then, an no,o nominated
Gle tor on his ticket, and am ready and anr'ous
to r9ts for him 10 be the President Of the United
States. What better evidence could give the
| world thar my convictions OF his character have
| been changed And there is no Inconsistency
in such change. When you have been made
10 believe. persuaded by others, thata mars cha-
| racler, official or Individual, is bad, and have
been caused TO arraign il before The pubic, and
| have afterwards become better informed or have
! been given reason 10 doub. your former conYc
lions respecting him. or have never hac The op
portunily OF testing The evil repor, OF others, and
| have seen good men OF all parties and classes,
| Tor long period Of time, who have tiled him,
trusting him and hunoring him. You are bound
not only TO allow your convictions OF his charac
Ter TO BE- changed, but TO avow the change before
| the world. To atone 10 fellow man, who has
been injured in your esteem, BY the error or ma.
| lice OF Others is, according 10 my school and
| code The very beauty OF consistency with honor,
with truth, with sound morality, and with justice
| from man TO man!
But why has this change not been avowed be.
| fofe2 The answer is this:
That The Richmond convention OF the Demo.
cratic party, without consulting me and without
| my knowledge or consent nominated me on Their
electoral ticket for Ibis State. accepted The no.
minalion Internationally; and il was not until
| afterwards, when The Baltimore Democratic Con-
venlon nominated Gen. Cass for The Presidency,
that was led TO inquire, in The course of my own
seli-exa minalion, as TO the line Of my duty; whe-
ther there was any thing in the past conduct OF
Gen. Cass, public or private, which forbade my
support OF him, and the continuance oil mr. name
on The ticket OF Democratic electors Tor Virginia
This was self examination which enceayored
cal pfeiudices. and With a lsQlemD andrposciea,
fah and 10 the best interests OF our country, ac-
cording 10 It's tenels.
Politically was we'll assured that Gen. Cass
is il favor offres tr0de;
That he is opposed TO protsciuc tariff;
That ne is opposed 10 breaking up the great land
system OF 1857, and 10 squandering the proceeds
oil The sale OF our rich inheritance OF national
real estate for mere local and party purposes Of
elecii0neeriDg;
That he is opposedto public debt, and TO Gre
ating any necessity for il;
That he is opposed 10 The banking system OF
finance, and for separating The public credit from
private, and The public money from all private
corporations and speculaions in trade;
That hels opposed TO making the federal gov
eminent splendid power, centralizing and alb.
soIbing al domestic affairs, and sinking nlo in
sisnlhcanie the rights, powers, and authorities OF
The States
That ht had sustained the vcloes OF President
FOLK, IN opposition 10 The renewal Of grand and
unconstitutional system Of internal improve
menls, pHllal in its application, and wasleiu Of
The pubic money;
That ie susans The consfitutionaL po,usr Of HE
reio, as cell as every other part Of The cons,ilu.
lion, as nnding and in iull force until The consti-
luton saN be changed in the mode prescribed 6y
'tsesl; AM makes 10 party pledges 10 SUSPEND the
cJeTeise y any one OF the Constitutional poweys for
ne hmetc mightbe elected, and especially mol 10
suspend The exercise of tina. power (lhe veto,)
which al ns crisis, is so essential 10 protect a
nhofy against majority, and 10 preserve our
niional Union;
a power 0! the veto against The odious measures
called The Wilmot Proyiso and agains, all mea.
sures OF that class, and that he has voted against
thai provso in his place in The Senate Of The U. |
States;
That he is for leaving the subject OF slavery |
where II was lett BY The constitution not 10 be in- |
ertered with in any OF lis domestic relations by |
The federal government and has been ever for Sc.
curing the best and safest COMPROMISES and sua-
rances on that subjec;
That Oh the questions Of The northeastern boun.
uaiJ, Vi tue annexation oil le1as, and oil acQuir-
ing justly, lawfully, and consliutionally, more
territory from Mexico. ne has gone tor he spread.
ing and strengthening of orr republican instilu-
lions on this continent. and Tor extending their in.
dnence over the world;
Tha, he has ably supported the Mexican war
BY arguments 10 show its consti,utionaliy, lis
Justice, lis humanity has vo.ed for lis supplies,
promoted lis glory and success by timely and CT.
hcien! measures; and aided in its honorable term.
uation by satisfactory peace, without looking 10
shat section The war or the peace added terrific
y;
That, in connection with foreign affairs he
nuck timely aud efficient blow abroad al The
'rogant foreign assumption ofthe right OF search
non The high seas: is il you please, anti British,
aan'Ffench, ani-every foreign influence or pow.
sin opposed 10 American rights and interests,
;s is himself purely American in his habits of
i.assh and action on our foreign relations;
Tat A4It Is l. T.