The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-10-13
MrDDLEroar, h5Quois Co.., !

Mr.. OsmGU-As | have been spending
some days at thi, place, venture 10 drop
youa lew ha>ty liue> in regard to the doin-S
OF a court week in this part Of the ''prairic
State"
Court commenced It's session yesterday.
Judge Thomas being present early in the
morning; last night, however, he was tax.
en- III, ia consequence whereof he adjourned
court to-day at : O'Clock, p. NJ. leaving i
small portion Of the business undi,puScd Of.
y there were in attendance at court gentle
meuoi divers political crcei~, it was thought
advisable by the "crovdn to get mp a sort
OF political clam" Accordingly, rroca-
nation was made by the .'hish sheriff"
charitable enough to include all political
complications, whercupon an assembly gath
cred into the count house.
Mr.. Little, of Joliet. was first called on,
and after him, McssrS. Murphy aud McRob-
ertS Of Dauyiile. The first and last made
strong CaSS y Butler speeches, and urged
reasons IN favor Of their election which, to
my mind, were conclusive. Mr.. Murphy
Is a Taylor man. lie in the first place Ia.
bored toproye that Gen. Yaylorw was whiS.
a good whig, though not an "uira whig.'
lie next attempted TO prove that his oandi-
late would not be = party President but the
PreSiden, OF the whole people, and | am not
sure but he established both positions, leav-
ing his audience to draw the following very
consistent conclusions, viz
lSt, That Gen. Taylor is good party
wing.
End, That he i, no party man n all, aud
# he had NJ "rull.back," would administer
the government in such a way as not to
identify himself with either Of the great par
ties Of the country. lie could al the same
time favor strict and a liberal construction
Of the constitution he for and against Il
national bank: for and against high pro-
tcctivc tariff; and for and against all the
other great questions which gitate the minds
of the people. This, | suppose, is what
would constitute President of the "whole
people," and is what Gen. Taylor means
when he says he is a wing but not an ultra
whig.
Mr.. Murphy next attacked the veto pow
or, as If the exercise of that power was
question TO be pronounced upon by the peo.
| pie in the election of their President. had
supposed that when the chief magistrate
had taken his oath Of Office, it became his
imperative duty 10 interpoSe his veto when.
ever, from the convictions of his well in
formed judgment, the exercise Ofthat power
became necessary to preserve the constim.
| ton Of the country from violation. had
supposed that the President could not. at
will, lay aside this high duty, and leave to
| a log-rolling Congress the fate Of the Con.
stitu,iom; but that, guided by the ronvic.
4 tons Of an honest Judgment, he would feel
obliged to remember his oath aud guard
with vigilance the charters Of our liberty. II
this provision in our fundamental law is
wrong, let those who are so dissatisfied with
our present political organization seek to re-.
move this check upon hasty and nconsid.
crate legislation, Of which all history teach.
es MS the world has always been full. 1t is
not an absolute, buta qualified power. But
/ If IL is wrong, let us not seek to change it
by clecting a President who will pledge
himself beforehand to leave almost every
thing to bare majority in Congress, what.
ever his own convictions may be rs TO the
Ipropriety or constutionality of the measure
proposed.
On the whole. the meeting went off well,
Mr. Murphy making as plausible speech
as the present position of the wing party
would allow. The crowd dispersed, evi.
IDENTIFY determined, almost to a man. to vote
for Ca,s s. Bn,lsr. l have been told by sew.