Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-01
To III. Editors Of the Enquirer.
D.,..,ro,, M.a..,f,o ", ISfh Tn

/ To fh< Editors 0f tte enquirer.
PRINCETON MERCER Co., Va, 18th July, AZ.
Gentlemen On Monday last The Presidential
canvass commenced allhs place in good earnest,
opening with discussion tetween A. &. Pendle.
ton. ESQ, Of Giles, our talented ElecIor Tor this
Di.,rc, and A. T. Caperlon, Esq, OF Monroe, the
head and front of Whggery in this region, and
| NAV say, its most able champion. Our farmers
being bu.ily engaged with their harvest, there
was not so large a turn out as is usual on CouI
DAYS in This couny-ihose in attendance having
been chiefly induced 10 come on! in expectation
OF the discussion, which had been previously an
nounced There was, however, Iolerably lal
crowd.
The Court very coureousy surrendered lht
| Court room for the OCCASION. Mr.. Capefton lee
| off in gallant style in support OF "Otd Z4e" ant
in his very impressive manner held him up 4:
the peoples candidate 10, The Presidency. III
said lie was "a Wing, but not an ultra Whig,"-
and that his honesty OF intention and great public
services emineniy entitled him TO the supper, Q
a Tree people-,hat he, (Gen. Taylor was wor
Thy OF all confidence and thar, il elected. he woulC
administer the government according TO The hon
| est dictates OF his own conscience, Tree rom al
| party considerations. Mr. Caperion then advert.
ed TO the Democratic platform Of principles as
sci iorh By The late Baltimore Convention He
read The first resolution, expressing the confidence
Of The party in the intelligence and patriotism OF
/ The people, DC, and said tina, Gen. Cas-, 10 his
letter OF acceptance, had in mated that The Wing
party did not possess confidence in The intelligence
OF the masses He MIR. Caper,cnl secuted this
idea and protested Tor The Wing party The most
perect reliance upon the virtue intelligence and
patriotism oi the 9ear people. He did not auempl
| an illustration OF This arice Of Wing faith las he
might have Done had he thought OF NJ by telling
1 n tvha
made 10 The intellectual powsrs OF the people in
ls4O, through me medium of logcabins COON
SKINS gourds, hard cider, &C., nor how in 1874
they sought 10 convince heir judgment by the soft
and winning melodies drawn ION Inc Falfsr
Kirey" and chaunled iorh by select clubs al the
most wilching time o! night"
Mr. Caperlon read some other resolutions from
the Democratic Platform, containing, as he sa ID
| the professions Of the parry He said The Wings
in their Convention, had published nc platform O.
principles, but II any wanted % know them, they
wonid te found in the vryopposi'c Of Democroh1
pra,tices With his eclaiIcisscmeLt OF Wig prin-
ciples MIR c. very adrniy turned 10 The late wal
With Mexico, which he denounced in no mea-
surcd terms, declaring a, The same time that The
principles and policy Of The present adminislra
ton in relation TO lis inception, prosecution and
lei mnaion bv treaty, constituted The grea! issue
between The Wings and Democrats a. this time.
He charged ha, the war had been unwiseiy and
uncons i,ulionally commenced AMI carried on b.
James T. Polk; that Lewis Cass had fully den-
Iii himself with all the measures Of The tx
ecuive and was therefore, in the present contest,
to be he'd responsible fol any that were wrong.
Mr. Caperton spoke one hour and halt, BY
arrangement, WHEN he took his seat and Mr. Pen
d'c.on occupied The stand Tor an equal space Of
time
Mr.. Pcndleton reviewed the positions and ar.
gnments Of Mr.. Caperton, calmly and dispas
sonateIy, but with perspicuity, ho!dncss and Of.
feet. lie conrasied with whitening sarcasm the
relative position of the two great political par.
ties of the day-the one publishing 10 the world
IFS principles in letters Of light 50 plain that "he
uho runs may read" ard presenting in lis can.
dldates, for the two highest Offices in the gift Of
the people, living "embodiments Of these prin.
cples, whose opinions, as well as acts, are full
y and fairly submitted 10 the test OF an enlight-
encd public judgmen'-the other seeking the
concealment of its own principles, as well as
those Of its standard bearers, under the mantle
of secrecy and silenee.
Mr.. P. referred 10 the campaign Of 1910,
when the Wings virtually repudiated all their
old doc,rincs-and showed up beautifully the
difference between their professions during the
canvass, and their acts in the extra session Of
Congress. He indicated the Democratic plat
form, and showed that Cass and Butler both
stood upon it. lie appealed to Mr.. Caperton
again aud again for the principles of Taylor
and Fillmore; but appealed in vain. All that he
could learn was, that they were "Hhiss, but
not ultra Wh,gs."
Mr. P. replied at some length to the charges
preferred by his opponent against the President,
touching the war with Mexico, SC. He showed,
by a long array of authority, that The Rio
Grande was the proper boundary Of Texas, and
that the President, in the absence of any Treaty
stpuations with Mexico, was bound SO to con.
slider it. That the war was not brought on by the
march Of the troops under General Taylor 10
the Rio Grandc, rs shown by Mexico herself,
but that the annexation Of Texas TO the United
States was the cause, constantly assigned by
Mexico. He very ably sustained the measures
of tic present Administration in relation to The
war-showcd that the charge that it was com
mcnced BY Tie President, SC, had no foundation
in tho historical facts of the country. He ad.
mitted that General Cass was, to some extent,
identified with the principles and policy Of Mr.
Polk, and claimed for him on this account, as
well as on account Of his high character as a
statesman, his distinguished public services. and
his open, frank, and Oft repeated ayowal Of his
principles, always Republican, the support of at
least the whole Democracy Of the Union.
Mr.. Capcrton then occupied half an hour in
rejoinder, and Mr.. Pendleton about the sane
time in conclusion. | am well aware that the
foregoing sketch is far too brief 10 do full justice
10 either OF the speakers. They both acquitted
themselves well, interlarding their speeche.
with much tina, was spicy and rare. As between
the speakers personally. should feel unwilling
to express any opinion Of preference but as
regards The political positions they assumed and
debated, il was proud day for the Democracy
of Mercer, and only regret that every voter in
the county was not present 10 hear.
A SPECTATOR.