The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-08-22
A LETTER FROM MR.. CORWIN.
WASHINGTON, July 20, 1913.

have seen in the papers from various parts of
the country, contradictory conjectures as to
the vote of this and that person, and among
others myself
have never doubted as to my duty as a vo-
ter, since the nomination was made. Ii istrue
l did not wish Gen. Taylor, preferred Others
to him. But Convention of Wings was call
ed, expressly for the purpose of agreeing up-
one OF the tiye or SIX persons named. was in
favor of that Convention, as it was fairly con-
Quoted, feel bound to sustain its nominee
Had the man been named that wished, and
the friends of Gen. TAYLOR had refused to sus-
tam him, am sure, j should feel warranted
IN charging them with bad faith. / cannot
apply one rule to myself, and a different one
TO others. Had the Convention named aman
who was not Wing, or who was infamous and
unworthy, / should feel in that case. absolyed
from any obligation to support such man.
But General Taylor does not fall within either
of these classes. lie is Wing. He is above
suspicion or reproach in his personal character.
lie has proved himself worthy of every public
trust eonfded to him and that think is n rea-
sonable guaranty that he will not fail in this.
| know the non-Slaveholding States object to
Gen. Taylor, that he lives in Slave State and
owns slaves. Did not Mir. Clay live in n Slave
State? Does he not now? Was not Mr..
Clay stakeholder ? Yet we were proud TO
vote for him, and l would now do more and
sacrifice more to place him in the Executive
chair than | would for any man in America.
And so would thousands of the purest and best
men in the Free States. Thus, this objection
is not insuperable, as we have seen. The nom
slaveholding States should ask this question
Will the man proposed (whether he live in
Free or Slave State) use his power for the ex-
tension of Slavery to Territory, where it docs
not now exist? On this point, what is Gen.
Taylor's power? No more, / answer, than
yours, unless he should exert it through his We
to. Will he do this? l answer, according to
his pledges, he cannot. lie bas said in his
letter to Capt. Allison-"The personal opin-
ions of the individual who may happen to oc-
cupy the Executive chair, ought not to control
the action of Congress upon questions of do
nestle policy, nor ought his objections to be
lnterposed, where questions of constitutional
power have been settled by the various depart
ments Of the Government, and acquiesced in
by the people"
If Slavery is extended anywhere in Terrific
ries, it must be done bv act of Congress. Isit
not question of domestic policy?" Clearly
ii is. Has it not been settled that Congress
has the constitutional power to prohibit slave
ry? The Missouri Compromise, and various
other similar exertions of the power by Con-
gress, recognized by every department of the
Government, answers this question in the al
firmative. An all know that this has been sac-
guessed in by the people, Thus, then, it Is
clear, that the people, if they wish to restrict
Slavery to its present limits, have only to elect
the proper men to Congress, * their will be law,
uncontrolled by that so much abused veto power
Indeed, the doctrine Of Gen. Taylor on the
subject of the veto, as laid down in the letter
above quoted, Gntended for publication and
therefore 10 he considered pledge,) is in nv
judgment, of more value as Il principle in our
system, than any which has been advocated bv
the Wings since the Revolution. This des-
potic power by its use and abuse has. for the
last few years, extended its tyrannical grasp to
every, even the minutest question of lepisla-
ton 1t has ranged, uncontrolled, over our
whole system of domestic policy, from the cs-
adjustment of bank down to the erection OF
a harbor at the mouth of a creek. Every act
of the Congress of 4 free people has thus been
made to square with the judgment or caprice
ofoNE MAN Such Government is an accu-
rate definition of adespotism. 1t is true il on
ly continues for four years in one hand but II
IS none the less despOtism while it lasts, and
if it Is to be longer tolerated, will be continual
the only change being the transfer of absolute
power from the hands of one petty tyrant to
his successor. An honest man, rs Gen. Tay-
Tor is admitted TO be, with such opinions and
reasonable intelligence, which even his enc
mics concede, cannot make a bad master or
dangerous President. / have been asked
How can YOU, who denounced the Mexican
war, vote for its Hero? My answer is TO me
plain and obvious Gen. TAYLOR was an off !
Ger in the regular army. He took his commis-
sion when youth. lie contracted to fght |
when and where his country called and TO O. |
hey the orders of his superiors in command
i he President was COMMANDMENT Chief lie |
ordored-Gen. Taylor obeyed. lie acted as
Scott and hundreds ofothers did. II was sand |
is, the view Of their duty, taken by all officers
of the army and navy. 1t is very different
question with the volunters.--The Govern
ment reqIests-it does not command citizen
to volunteer his services in foreign war
The Government can compel the militia "to /
repel INVASION" but it cannot force beyond /
the United States line, single man, except |
he is in the regular army. In the speech for
which / have been so much condemned, by
men who never read it, / took this distinction /
1t is too Obvious to escape any one who choos-
es to think.
intended to say word concerning Gen
Cass, but have not the time, and need not
tax your patience farther. l will only add, |
that in my judgment, his views of public poll
cy, are more pregnant with danger to the Re-
public than those of any prominent politician
ever yet promulgated in this country-and if
carried out, as / fear they should be, should he
succeed, would be fatal to the happiness of the
people, and end in the total subversion of our
present form of Free Government. His wild
schemes Of wars of conquest, and unbounded |
of allneighboring countries, and all
sorts of population, are fraught with evils, in
my judgment, quite too obvious to noed Illus
say nothing of the reckless disre-
gard of rights, which they imply. That he en-
tertains these notions sincerely, Gas am will
ing to admit) only renders him the more dan
gerous. If he were not in earnest, he would
only be demagogue, and might be expected,
when such pretences had served the purpose
Of an election, to change, Gas he has recently
On other subjects his opinions Between two
such men, cannot hesitate. / know differ