The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-06-14
PLEDGES OF CANDIDATES.

Ii Is very well kuowu tnat oeu' muir
son, when candidate, resoluiely refused
to give pledges as to his future course when
elected 10 The Presidency. He looked up
on i, as disgraceful in candidate to as.
sumo any such obligations, and, what is
more, he thought and said that such pledg.
es give no additional security Of perfor.
nance. "The people Of this country"
said Old Tip. do not rely on professions,
promises and pledges. They know, that
il candidate is unprinc'pled, he will not
scruple to give any pledge tina. may be re.
auired OF him, and as little will he hesitate
to violate it," And again:
81 have declined therefore to give any
further pledges or opinions on subjects
which belong to the future legislation OF
Congress-because,
Ist, | conceive, for the reasons given in
my letters to Mr.. Williams, and MIR. Den
nv, that Congress should be left as much
as possible untrammelled by executive in.
fluence, in The discharge Of its legislative
functions; and tina, better guarantee for
the correct conduct of Chief Magistrate
NAV be found in his character and the
course of his former life, than in pledges
and opinions given during The tendency OF
doubtful contest; and that, although re.
cognising the right of the people to be 10.
formed of the leading political opinions OF
the candidates for offices Of trust, yet AS
it regards the objects upon which the Leg
isIa,ure may be called to aci, the pledge
and opinions should be required, if requi.
red at all, of the candidates for Congress"
Now these noble and independent sen'i.
mems were applauded by The Wings OF
1910 10 the echo, and the unpiedsed can.
didaie went into the Presidency by most
overwhelming majority. With what con.
sistency thea can any supporter of Gener.
al Harrison denouncc Gen. Taylor for re-
fusing to give pledgesl He occupies The
same manly, independent and republican
position with Harrison, and one TO the per.
feet propriety and justice Of which the A.
merican people have given their emphatic
sanction by the larges, majority ever Civ.
en- to an American President Rich. Rep.
SPECIMEN OF INVENTION.
The Cincinnati Inquirer has the follow.
ing:
"Martha Christian has been convicted
before the court of Wood county, Va, Of
teaching female slave to read the Bible,
and sentenced to Imprisonment, for ten
years in the Penitentiary
II seems however that this item Of news
was not deemed sufficiently impressive,
and so the New York Globe furnishes its
readers a copy Of the Identical indictment
in the case of the Commonwealth VS. Martha
Christian, as found 10 the Boston Chrome. /
type! 1t is as follows:
"Wood County, to Wii:-The Grand
Jurors empanelled and sworn to inquire Of
offences committed in the body Of said
county, on their oath, present: That Mar.
tina Christian, late of said county. being an
evil Si-po-~d person, on the fourth day oil
July, in the year Of our blessed Lord one
eight hundred and forty seven, I
at Righteous Ridge. in said county, no,
having the fear Of God before her eyes,
wickedly, malicious'y. and feloniously, did
teach certain black and negro woman
named Rrbeccs, alias Black Beck, TO read
in the Bible, to the great dlspleasure Of
Almighty God, to the pernicious example
Of others in like case offending, contrary
TO the form Of the statute III such case
made and provided, and against the peace
and dignity Of The Commons allh Of Vlr.
elnia."
The Petersburg Gazette, ia which we
find the above feats' OF inventive genius,
says, "trulh compels US TO nail the above
statement to the counter, as false in every
particular. No such person as Martha
Christian resides in our county, nor was
such conviction ever obtained in on:
court" The Gazette speaks Of Inc whole
Thing as decidedly +" .ich" which beyood
dispute il is. II can only arouse Laughter
here, and seems quite unworthy the digni.
ty Of conte pit.
But it assumes more serious aspect
when We reflect that this story and hun.
dreds Of like character are believed by
thousands at the North, especially where
they are found in the columns Of influential
f papers Ike the Globe, one Of the leading
, organs of Nep York democracy.
A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT.
m