The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-05-13

or tne rTeSloenCy. AHne atteStS my |
,agacity. Ia .,,+a
So strong was my conviction that
you would be candidate when letters
we're read in the Convention OF the
swing friends of Gen. Taylor" in the
State House at Frankfort, from the Hon.
J. J. Crittenden, Hon. Charles s. More
head, and Hon. J. P. Gaines. beg
ging us not TO nominate Gen. Taylor,
and thus push you from the track, and
saying that YOU would on your return
home retire from the canvass, in the
presence of thousands there assembledl
rose up and declared that although
respected these gentlemen, | had not
the least confidence that you would in
truth withdraw. Time attests my sa-
gacity. After you had gone TO New
York, and delegates were chosen
to The National Convention whilst you
were the city's guest, and it was again
asserted that you would decline on
your return home, said no; you refus-
ed to 60 to New York last sumner
you would not have gone now unless
YOU had determined to run for the
Presidency. Time attests the truth Of
the prediction. You say that your
friends represent that "the withdrawal
of nv name would be fatal to their Sue
cess" If they so speak to you, they
speak different language elsewhere.
have been told that all tile members
of Congress from our ewn State but
one told you that you could not be e.
lec,ed, and that divers others whom ]
could name told you the same thing
But if these reports be untrue, allow
me TO tell you that have heard almost
universally that your name would a.
gain bring US defeat. In that opinion ]
concur, and will give you my reasons.
Because am not guil,less myself,
and because of the bad taste of the thing,
| will not urge objections to your pri.
vate character. Neither will | press
your prestige ofiH luck, in saying that
all the measures which you have urged
upon the people, except the Missouri
compromise, have been erased from the
statute book. For we lament in com.
mon, the fall Of the tariff, the bank, and
internal improvements s,under your lead.
shall confine myself to the question ol
availability. Three times have we run
you and three times your name has
brought US defeat! So soon as Gen,
lW. H. Harrison brought us up from q
miserable minority. where you had lei
us, to large majority. you hurried on
to Washington, when Mr.. Tyler un
der Mr.. Webster's lead was doing gooc
service to the country and party, anc
by attempting to force on him and u'
| the "obsole.e Bank" which he had pur
posely slurred in the canvass, yol
brought US to speedy minority!
i, A "long time ago." being too old te
perform the comparatively light duties
Of Senator, you gave the public a fare
,reU address, and retired from pubH'
life. The Democratic party by the ex
cess Of its numbers, was once split in
to widely separated fragments.-Mes
srs. Cass, Calhoun, Van Buren, Tyler
Polk and others, were all pressing thei
claims with bitterness before unknown
to the party. "Whom the gods wisf
to destroy, they first make mad" The!
determined to bring Texas into the U
+ nited States, aropedly, to break dowr
the power of the free North, and t'
make this nation slave empire. Th'
friends of liberty rallied once more, AMI
| in spite OF your Missouri compromise
and Your constant denunciatlon Of al
real anti-slauery dclion, your Ralsigi
letter made you by some fatality, ou
candidate once more. The Democart
ic feuds were at once cured up by th'
greater hatred Of Henry Clay. Mr.
. Van Buren,, had taken similar grount
with yourself, but who could not unite
the party, was loverthrown, and Mr.
James ,Ks Polk substituted. Notwith
standing the claims Of other Wings,
i will now restrict myself TO- saying you
EQUALS were postponed, who no ont
now doubts could have been elected
: We the Wing party, all united on you
We fought with the ardor OF brother
!. hood, and with the moral poDer OF
, noble cause. Our success seemed Ger
ltain. Now once more, by that fatality
ri which attends you, you came out II
!. your Gd.eite letter, and disclaim AM
sympathy wilh emancipation. It's tru'
|, there was a little inconsistencyin this
! iuasmuch :as you had always avowe'
3 Just the opposite doctrine; but as 70,
h wrote to me, "eo ON, GOOD CAsslus,'
!. thought at last, all things would com.
!: out right. This, however. was smal
. affair between you and me, and ourab
J, clifton friends. But all once, yo'
! came outin your Alabama letter, whe'
j you would ssnot reject a permanent ae
: quisiiion of territory on account cf'