Litchfield enquirer., 1848-09-14
EXTRACTS FROM THE Speech of Hon. DANIEL WEBSFEK' AT MARSHFIEI.D SEPT. l, ls49. .Repcyted 6cv the BOst0W sdftas.

vHenGgte0 JOg Me oOotSV SAN'De
 Although i, is not any purpose. during the recess of Congress, Io addIe's pnbitc aS'eth~ plies on political subjects, l have felt II my duty to comply with your request, aS neiyh> .h,,ts and tow nsmen, aud io meet you lo'cay
 am nut unwilling to avail myself @t tnls "c- casion, tO signity +a Ahe people q! ihe unl'ed States mv opinions upon the present sate ol our pubilc affairs. l shall perform that daiy' certainly with great Irankness, hope ~sdh candur. It is not my purpose t"-day '"'at tempt to carry any point lS act as an: mans advocate, la put up or put dO"n an b"o\: wish and propose to address your the 'an gnase and in the spirit <t conference and c"n- sultal,en. la the present extraordinary crisis of our pu5lic cnncerns, I desire ,o h0 d no mans consc fence but my own. My own "piD- ions shall communicates G~aels ss-rt' fsut with ennal disregard to consequences wheth
 CT they respect myself or respect others
 We a-e on the eve ot highly important
 Presidential electinn In two %thTre e:"n'h hS" the people uf this country are to elect freS,
 ideni of the United Sia'es-and all see' ana all feel, that great interests oi +ne co'h'T! are so he affected. for gurd ur evil, by the results t,f ,hat election, Of the interesting subjects. over which the person wh" shall bc elected. u,us, necessarily exercise more or less con,T Il, 4hrre are especially three, vlally connected. lh my in,eement with the hORW and happiness ofthe rouDtry.
 Tn the first place, the honor and happiness of the country imperativelv require, that there should be chief magistrate elected who shaIa not plunge Us in further wars of ambition and conquest. In my judgement the inter esis of the country and the feeling ct vast majority of it's people, reqaire that Pres- dent of these United Saa,es shall be elected. ,:1Io k;s official iuHuancn f(l pra,note, nar who feels any dlsrosl,i"n in has heart to promote the further extension oi slavery in this country, and the farther infi',- ence of it in the public councils. In the third place, if have any just estimate. tt any eNpe- rience--not now a short one-in public affairs has enabled me to know anything f wha, the public prosperity demant;s,-in the next place. say tha, the late nt the cuuniry dneH require an essential ref,rm in the system of reVrnues and inaace, ,--such as shall restore the pr''s- peri,y, by promoting the interest. and i"sier- ing the labor Oi the country m iis various branches There are other ihing' important I will not allmde to them. These three hold so ie essnn,laa.
 sV'here are three candidates presented l." 'h" choice of the American people. General Tavihr Is the Wtig candidate. standing upon the nomination of the Convention. Gen. Cass is the candidate of the opposing aud no" dominant patty "f the country. -\nd a third candidate is presented in the person Oi MT Van Buren, by a convention of fell"w-citi- zens assembled al Buffalo whose ohjrct,- t,-m whose Iaain object, 1t would appear [" me.-is ccntered in one oi these consi'teral ions ~hlch l have mrntinned-and that is the prevention of the further increase ot slavery, aa object in whieh:ynu and !, gentlemen. SO far as 'nat goes, entirely concur with them, am sure hr, ,,f ,h,, hur.s fn.uaV WhIvs. National Whig., Mass ,chusetts Whi.s. Mmsho field Whiss-aad Il the noiDiaati.n made al Phladelphi, were entirely s,ilsiactor! tn the people of Massachusetts and to Us. our path of duty would be plsim
 In the first place it "a to be cosside,ed that General Taylor ts been "r mlna'-d b> WhIg Convention, holden in cunl"rmiiy with the csage M the par,y, for yeaIs past, aud la'rly nominated. so far as know. IL Is [" be c"n- sidetet. also, that he Is the only Whig before the peorle as a candidate the P,-sidency-and no citizen of the country. with any effect, can vote for any other Whig, tel his preferences be wha, they may.
 In ihe aaxt place, il is proper to c"aside, the uersoI.al character of Gen. Ia, Tor and hi' political opinions, relations, and coinm"RIca' tiuns, su far a4 they are known Now, gentle men, in advancing but a taw "baervaiiuns npoH this part of the case. wish eve ybody To m. derstand that have no personal acquaintance whatever with Gen. Tay Tor. never saw hiH hut once, and that but for few moments, ir the Senate. The sour, es of information aye open To you as well as 10 me. from which derive what learn of his character and opin- ions. I have endeavortd [" "btain access f'' those sources, l have andeav"red to inform and instruct myself. by communication with those who have known hi,n in his profession as soldier, in his associations as a man. in his positions and opinions On poiIlc al subjects; and will tell yuu frankly what think of him. according to the best lights that have been able to obtain.
 need not say tha, he is a skillful, brave. and gallant soldier That is admitted by all. With me all that goes very little way to make out the proper qualifications for Press ident of the Upited States; but what is more I believe that he is an entirely non. esi and upright man. believe that he Is m. dest, clear-headed, of independen, and manly possessing m'nd framed oy proper dicipiAe aud se.t control believe that he Is eslimablc aud amiabie in all the relations of private life 1 believe that lac possesses rep ui atio for equity aud fair judgment. which gives him an influence over those under his beyond what is conferred by the au- lhority of station believe he Is a man pos | sassing the confidence and attachment "f all l who have bcen near him and know him. s" much for what I think of the personal tharac- 1 Ter of Gen. Taylor.
 1 will say. too, that so far as have observed. l his conduct since he has been a can.ilddate toi | he office of President. has been irrep,oacha- | ,le. I hear no intrigue imputed io him. no treatment Ot rivals '; ! do not lind l him making promises. or holuing out hopes to | any men or any party do no, find him put ling forth any preiensions ot his own; aud therefore think et hun vrry much as he seems Ia think of himself. that he is an hone-t man, nf an independent mind. and with upright pur- poses and as to his qualifications for 'he P'es- idency, he has nothing mre to say ahuut it |
 NoH. friends and iellnw tnwasmen. with | respect to his political opinions and relations. I can say at once, that l believe him io be a l Whig. and believe him 10 hold to the main | doctrines of the Whg prrty. To think other | wise. would he 10 impu,e 10 him degree of aergiverztion and fraudulent deception oi 1 which suopose him .s be utterly incapable. l Gsatlemrn, 1t ia worth oar while 10 cansi.ler l in what manner Gen. Tayiwr has beceme a can. 1 didAte f"r the Presidency of tn United States, At woald be great mistake to supp ,se that he was made such, merely hy the nn,nina,on of tie Philadelphia Conventions tor he had been 4 .al.- \