Newspapers / The Journal (Salisbury, N.C.) / April 19, 1825, edition 1 / Page 2
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tiicy v.’o'iui 1)0 I.-•('clcii !i/ u ■•.loi lu : : oU'.liu’,. T lit* Ici'ir.s ci ll ( loa'i 1. n.^■.! I '!i(! iK't tun''''" ('XHCt.iv how i* j il had not C!iU':imI into his ( ••!>'» |>- ’.vouU! 1' r>l '.f'11 my |)C(-r head. 1 rouiu! | tion to* have a pcr'iJjiiiil ril'air il'.f uiid I shouhl liave justly c\j)()st‘rl inysrll to ifniveusal ridif.uic, ii'T li:id soii:^Mil onr iM\sfii’t. n;c(l iVoin u ciinduhitf l>r- i'oii- liif pi ii|>Iiii’o .111 flcctor foi-t'lc pcoj)If. I ;1« lilii ra^fly exaiu'nKT! tlic d.ii- tits i!icidiMl t') tiiis new afil'ith'. and aii till -ucts hcforc ric, npon v ii'i.h iny ind'^-nicnt was to bn I’oinied or I cv i‘" cd. IT-lh(' ca^M'iiU’^s of any of thi' lieuleil ];ai ti'/.ans of’tlif iTSjjrciivc can- (licLiU’b sua tai'diiifSiS in the dr- «.hiration of inv intcn'-icn. I !>oht:veU that with /lirn. I dt'teriviiicd to lay ll>*‘ Mat trr heloic the Iloi;s'' and :H-spfcit’iilly to iiiviii* a?i invtsLi;^aa.Mi ol' my conduct. 1 accordini;iy made a coniniunica'ion to the House, on the same day. tlie motives -lor whicli I assip;-ned. ^iV. Kicmer v/us ill his |jlac‘. and, when 1 sai down, i(j-.c l!.c cor.lr.rv, it l, .s pi vld.- I, “ tr .:u 0e in rsons luvinj; llif hifflu st nuinbt rs, not -X- crcain^'' lliri'c, on li-t nf tliosc \-tid for :is l.*n sidciit, tliv !l(.n.'. ol Ki prfseiitati\cs s!i;ili I'hiMsp, imnieJjatolv, 1)> Ijallnt, a Pi\siilciit.” ■| 1ms, u (liuntinii'iS .nily invcs't.i in Hr- I Ions.'; Ibr clioicc iir;p!it ■' > \;riiiiuitioi'., coir.par- woii, jiul^mciit.—'1 I. - thLivfbn.-, 'hat one (.t' llii three p rsoi'.s .1 i t'lf in|;l.i-st r. t'jriinl, not Sfl.’ifr, !'v tlu- c«»ii->tiUiti(in t'l the couiiUn’, iipf'ii t!ic ot the House, it si ill reni.iiiis to ilrtirinir.e wli.it is the tnie de- U'r''e of l to it ^ It Iius hien )iitfiKle'l tliJit it siiniild operate, it not as an and Statet: ll.ut he was prepuird and v^ il-; 1m-ti -;-tiM,. M K :,st 1m the iiuture of one, and 'ihe new ivhi'ioTi. in u hic;!i 1 was placcd to iiii!^ to sr.t^itanliaV. hi-( thai’i-rs ut’;ainsi tlu s’lliject, i:n;i(i^ed on me an o!)lii^atiori lo pay some nsjHct to delicacy and de- roiMim. , iNIeanwhile th?.t very reserve sv.pjdied itlimciit to newspaper critirivin. 'I'he ei iiK s (o’lld no; ''on'.prehcnd how a rijiti. .standin;'as I have stood toward the oth- nth'.ncti. s'loiild he restrained, hy a .‘'I'll ol‘pron; iely. tVoni inslanily lii^htin!' •ir.ucr till* hannt'i's ol' one of tlu:n>, aiainsi tlieollitrs. ].ctlers V.ere issued iVoin t!ie inan'il'actory at Washiri^^ton, to toi.ie hacl, uI’k r pei r>jruiiii;.' hin:^ journeys, lor asl'.inqton ( on'Minplion. ’I'hese let ters itninued to ‘‘ .Mi-. ('lr.y and his friends a tiiysM rio'is air, a portentous vih'lice,” k( . I'roni dai k iiii.'l dislani junts the pri.iT.”''ss was euiy to Ojien and bitter deniMu iati.iji. Anonymous letters, I'll! oi' nn iiuct and alxi'^e. were ahnosi ■ I.lily jto'ired in on nu . l-'ers6na! llireats '.ere communiratfd to me, tliro’ I’riendly ortyans, and i was kindly api)iivi cl oi' al! ilie f^lories of vi'.h’.ge eni^ies which u- v/aited me. A systematic ;'tt?.ck was ‘ iniultaneoiisly , oifiiviei!':i.'! upon me from Moston to r!ia. h'stoii, with an ohjeci, present and tiuure, w hich it w;.s imposfii- liie. to liiislake. Xo re.-.n out ti’vself conld Iwiow tii- nature, ♦ \lent and vai'i- 'ty oi ir.euns hi^ !i v. ere ciiipioyed lo .'.V. e and itiihir r.-'c me. I horc them, J ': ust, as notn- r; eserta';'.e cui^ht to iirxo ii(iv)-ic! and us became me. me. Thi i was his voiiit'lary declaratlf.n tinprom|)ted hy his aiders and ubett(;i s. w ho had tio oj)i',ortiiniiy of jin-vioa^ con-_ sultation with liim on iiiat point. Here was an issne j)uh!it !y and solemnly join ed, in whicli ib.e ai.rused invoked an in- (|uiry into serious c!tar.u;es against him, and the accuser ps'ofessed an ability and a williniriit 'is^ to estal'Jish them. A de bate en.^aed, on iIk- iiext day, whic!) oc- ciij)ied the yiealer j)art of i;, durin;; wi;i( h Mr. Kremei-declard to Mr. Brent, of Louisiana, a friend of mine, and to .Mr. I.ittle, of .Maryland, a fi i^'Jid (;f (ieneral Jai'kson, as tl.ey have cert ified, “that he never intemled to char^^e Mi'. Clay with corruptifju (jr dishonor, in his intended vole for Mr. Adar.is as I'l s'sident, or ih.ii he had transfei'ret', oi' corJd transfer, the votes or interest of his fi icuds ; tliat he (Mr. K remer) was the last mtn in the nation to nu.ke snrh a i hari^e n- f'uinst Mr. Clay; and that his letter was nevsT intended to cotive.y tin* ideii ^’•iven to it.” Mr. Dufi^es, a hi^;hly respectable inhabitant of this city, lias certified lo the ‘'anie dec!aratii)i;s of .Mr. K.ieiner. A miss:i};'e was :ilso conveyed to iiie, (hirin|^ the d •se.'ssioii'^, iliro’ a niemi)er tfie Houie, to HiCert.iin if I woiiM he satibtieil with un e\- pliiiiution which was put on [niper and shown .iH’. ami uhieli it wusstattd Mr. Kremer was wilhnf,% in h's place, to make. I replied tliut tlie niitter was in the posst.ssion oftlie House. !i.U i.ii this form il ‘.hould control the jnd>f- iiiciit of the lt(;i!be. I5u'. this is the sunie argu ment of conciusiv enes^, whicit tlie ('(Mistitution ■hti s not enjoin, th'uwn Itito a dlH'ereiit,_ but iiK.re imposiiii;' si’.upe. Let me analyze it.— 'Cl..re are ctrtun Shiites ilii- ag'gref'ute of whose t I t ;oiul \(ji>. s coiil'enrd upon the hii^hest re- liir f.l randl}:itf, inuieales tlieir w i:vlk that he .hoiil l he the l'ri*side:it. ’J heir voets .'iinoiint •n liiiiiihe:’ to 99, out of t!ie .?C1 electoral volts ol '111- whole l.'nion. 'I'hese 99 do not, and (:-unot, of lhemseive.% make the President. If til. fact of p irtienlar states f'-iviiig'votes can, iireordinjf to any received notitin.i of the doc- t:i.ie ol i.istruction, he iei^''arded in that light, to whom r.re those insfnictions to he considered addresstd? According- lo that doctrine, the pf ;pli-, \^'ho ap|)oir.li'l, have the right to (h- rtet, hy their inbtruetions, in ccrtain ea.ses, the coirrse (;f the vefjresentative tiuy ap- j)oliil 'I'he Stati;., therefore, who gave those v‘) votes niiiv, in some sense, l>e understood thereby To ha\ e instructed their re])reseiitati\es in the House to vote for the person on whom they were hestowcd, in tiie choice of :» Presi dent. Pul most clearly the repi'e.senta'iv( ^ coiaing from other stales, wliieh }pi\e no part i:f those 9y votes, canfiot he considered as hav ing been uniU r anv obligation to surreniler tlie’.r jiidgnient.i to those of the Ji^tMe whieii gave the ‘J9 \ otes. 'I'o contend lh:it they are cutler such .01 obl’.gation, would be lo inaintaiii th it the p( opie of one state h.avt th(! riglit tu in-^irnct the re|)ri s( niativcs from aiuitin r state. It would be to maintain a still more ab'^urd proposiiion, that, in a ease where tin repre- seii'atives from a state did not hold thenist !ves in-.trueted and bound by the will of tliat state, as indicati d in it.s eloctor.d eolle;.'e, the ri pr^'sen- t;iti\i.s from anotlur sr: l wi-re, nevertlichss, instructed and bound h\ tluit alii n w ill. Thus, deh"^ation from neither l ili.'se states voted.— And yet th.- avgun.eiit con , itti ;’. re|U'rt il that t!ie deleg:ili(->o fro'ii Iv nt,.* k \. who dc. ixjlf'-pre sent the p oph- of Nt.ilii-l'arolina ncu' Maryland, 1 w as aticrwanls told tiiat Mr. Inuhani, of Penn-, . , . . syhania, f?ot hold of tliut panel, put It in his | '’^1 ^ North-t aroliin, and a large I hen lollc'.vecl the letter,, attfrw ards a- pocket, and that he.a-lvised .Mr. Krtnier to take Var\lani., in thuir respec- Ci jjted :.s Ills own by Air. Krcmcr, lo the no ste|; without (he approbation of lus IViend.s. '■•lectorid colleges were givm t . 01,>■ of tduiT!';;:.n (Jhsei'Vei-. '\ iih its charac- ’ook, of Illinois, moved ati jdjonl-ninei.t of three returned ( an 'idat/s, ft..r w n ..n t!u :. I- .nu ^unte'ds vou are wJI acciiiainted. 1 nitormaiion which he received Vv’hen 1 sav/ D.at leU. r, alh-i-ed to 1n.aking a sat ,, , , 1 tory atonement on the next du\ , tor the mil ry v.ri.ten by a mem.jer d the very House, |,Huidlonenie, whichii.avnodoubthew.mhl , . uAcr v.iiicii I Was piesidiiip;, w ho was so , have made, if lie had l)ecn left to tlie impulses^ slnndd be in-.tructc d l.-y, a:vi gr. e an efnct t) lUe lur desl}-n?t.'d fis lo be described as be- ’f his native honesty. 'I’he Mouse decided to 1 ''I'licated wdl of the people of tliosr tv\.) M-ai. s. ioneing -to a pariiinlar deletra'ioii, bv 1»>y f>n"nunication to a committee, jind I "hen tl-' ir own dehg^>n,’i i)Hid no :.l*eii!.on to name, a memuor with v hom I'mio-hl be- '\v hai-j >t. non: Mess those deleg.tv.n. h h iIu-niM .Kes , oc I In the mean tune Mr. Kreiner lia.l taken ‘.“1 • >!an;,'!ng. at .-last on my par?, [ p,.|,surne, or ratlu r tlu re had lieen forced npoii i ;dl oMier circum.slaiu ( s cvj.’ini et-d with, tile inajorit cs which f;a\e liie eh-. tuiai votes. Ml thel” revp-.ctive slates; and f. It tin.mselvcs jlistifieil, from a view of the whole gromuh to act upon thvir respoi.sd/ilitv and aeecerding to their best jn Igments, disreguntiiig the electoral votes in their .states. .\.) ! are the rf prcsenta- tivcs from a diflerent state not only bound by the .'ill of th'- p(.ople ok a dit’erenl coinmon- we.'dtli, hut tcrhldden to examine into the man ner hy whicli l';i‘ expression of tliat will was hroaght af)mit~.ii: e.';aininath)n wliich t!ie im mediate reprt seatativcs themselves feel it their duty to make ? Is tiie f..ct, tlun^ of a plurality to have no xvei^Mu r Vjlv from it. Here are '24 communities, unin;d under a common government. The t*?cpressijn of the will of any one of them is entitled to the most respectful attention. It ought to be |)atiently heard and kindly regarded by the others; but it cannot l)e admitted to In; conclusive upon them. The ex pression of the will of ninety-nine out of two hundred and si\ty-one electors is en titled tr> very trpeat attention, but that w ill cannot be considered as entitled to control the will ol the 162 electoi's, who have manifested a difl'erent will. To ■^ive it such controHing' inlliience, would De a Mibversion of the'fundamental max im nf the Republic—that the ni.ijority should govern. The will of the 9i) rail neither be allowed rightfully to control ihe remaining If.’, nor any one of the lfe2 electoral votes. It may be an argu ment, a persuasion, addressed to all, and to each ol them, but it is biniling and o!)ligatorv u|)oii none. It follows, then, lhat the lact ol a [)lural-ily was only one amuno- the various rotisiderations which the House was ( ailed '!j)on to W’eigh, in i.uikiiig up iis judgment. And the u eight (d‘the consiih ration ought to.ha\e lieen regulated by the extent (jf the plur- ’.tlily. As bciveen (ieneral .lackson and •Mr .\dams, the \oie »itanding in the pi'o|)or!ions (d‘99 to 81, ii w as 'entitled tM less weight; as between the (Jeneral ai'id Ml'. Craw ford,it was entitled lomore, t!ie vole being as 99 lo 41. * The concess ion ni ly even be made, that upon the sii[)- posi'.ion ol an e(|Ualiiy of |)retensions be- twern conipetiiig catididalev, ihe piT|)on- deiance oughi Il> be given to tiie fact of a ])lni al;t\ . \\ ilb tlirie views of thi; relative state (d’the vot.', wiili which the three retiirn- ecl candiflatcs ente!('c: the House, I pi-o- ceedcd to *\aminc; the other considei'a- tions V, hich belonged 'o the (luestion. l or Mr. Crawford, who barciy entered till.' House with oniy four votes more than M.ie candidate not returned, and up- i.n wl.f;s(‘ case, theiTloi(', the argument derived Iroin the fa', t of phii vility opera ted wiih strong, though not di'cisive force, I have ever felt iiiuch iiersonal re gard. But 1 was calh (I upon lo ]» rform a solemn p’.iblic duly, in Mhich my pri vate feeling-,, w helher of air( cuon or av»'r- sion, wen; not to h. indulged, but the good ol niy coun’ry only consulted. It apjK'ared tome that the piecaiious state t»l 'hat l'fntletn:,»i’i: I..,. 1.1. . I.! _1. T I >'i i.i.in r 1111.11-nan Dcei'Kircea iinon tricuoly .salutations, and who was possi- Inm, the advice of Im friewb:, an't I heard no bly ’•eceivjiig tiom me (.onstanlly acts of tnore of the apology. \ committee was aji- onrtesy and kindness, I fell tliat I could hointcd of seven •gcntl:mci, or whom nc»t one r.o longer remain silent. ,A crisis ai)near- >riy political frcmi, but who were Kmong ed to me to have arisen iu my iiublic life. | "T'’^ in. inbcrs „f the body. I re- I Uqii.',! r--.,.,i 1 , I . . . I ccived no suminoiis or notification Irom the com- l issuul my (^ai d. I ought not to have ' nuttee from its f.rst organi/.ation to its f.nal dis- put in 11 the last paragraph, because, al- solution, b-it Mr. Krem.rwuE called unon bv it though it does not necessarily imply the ^ to bring forward his proofs. For one* monu nt resoi t to a personal (ombat, it admits (jf' I'leased to stop here and conleiiiplate his that cotistruction ; nor M ill I conceal tlvt ’’• hition to h«; Mouue an i to me. such a possible issue was within niv con-: un.!. r •.^l,i..!. be l.a.i w « I •, ' V" I voluntanI.N jilaCL.l imnsjf. 1 le a ; a mt mber tt.iiplatu.n. I owe It to the C(minnuuty , of one of the most /.ngnst assrmbli. s upor. to say, that whatever heretolore 1 may 1 earth, of which he w.i.^ boimd to dei’end tlie pu- have done, ot', by inevitable circumstan-! '''h' ' expose the corrnpticj.-i, by every consid- ces, might be forc('d to (h;, no man holds whicli ought to infhi-nc’e .n jiatr'.ot bo- in deeper abii'irrence than I d,. timi' ^ a:;U hi^hij Iinj.ori.mt pernicious pracli-e. Condemned as he j.erf ,nne,l by that * , v.v)ii.Miuiu as II iissemldy. Me hud chosen, in an anonymous must be b\ Uie ,ud.f-ment and philosophy,! left.-r, t„ bring again.st its pnsidiivg olhcer to sav nolhing of the •■( ^f every I chiige^, in respect tothatd It_\, of tiie mo-t tla- thinkirg man, it is an adair id'feiding a-1 I hes(-charges convi renv iKi- bout which we cannol, altho’ we shoiild, I'h h-gations from higidy resp..etaidt states, reason. Its true corirctive w ill be found 1 u TV '1olhcer rnerited not mcre- AvhiMi 'ill null.. II Ui , • he di'aggi.-d from the chair, hut to he ex- hen .III shaiUnite, as all ought to nnile, ,,,|le.i ti.e INu.se-IIe ch.-dienges an investiga- lliit.s Kiiquafhied j)roscripiU',ii. -.ion ini.) !n, t (mdnei, anrl .Mr Krem. r boi,!ly \ feu- il'ivi; '.fo.- «lw. I 1 1 i‘ . i'. r iiceepis the cl'.ilh iige, and I'.rmiiises to sii'Main ( ■■irr! - I ; • r V' ? i:“ "'>• 1 l-i** ^-cnsat.on. he ,:on.mi[,ee, upp.,i„te.l hv t-.Jifi, .\!!othi C .ird, under Mr. i\re-, tiie House iiseli. v.i.h the er'imon consent iner s naiiU'^, was publisht d in t!ie Intel- | both parties, c dls upon \ir. Kr im rto (.\ecut- ]igf'Uc('r. 1 li(* iiig'it belore, as I was | I’'*h!i ly givi-n in hU jiroper pi: ce, vohin'aiilv informed, Mr. r.-itoji, ^ Sen-|P'*th('public pni.ts. a»or iV..m'Tenncs ,ee. and the Hiograph-1 J;/^‘be allei;-ea ariai^. leents; er d‘ f e’l'.i-.l T-.it-c I I 1 1 - ' Meinage inwhii-|i the trud t.ugf.t to -‘;yyl'»‘'kson,v.hoboanh.l in , ,,;k. piace. . ry thin,. as here fresh the the » 1,(1^ this City oj>jH;sile to t.iul in re'olh-etion ol ili.- u iln(.-bse.s, if there were anv. which .Mr. Kren,er iij) hi', abode, disiame >!' about iwo ;ui!es unrl a h If' r.s (, io'.e'cd lor some lime will, him. Mr. K.renier is entijed to gieal eicdii lor having ovei'come all the disadvatr.a- llliieall the priiofs w.-re concentrated. Mr. I>r. nier ui.s stiniulateil by every motive wliitli I i '»i Id inq I 1 1) liciinn, by rmisistt IKy of charae- duty to ///.» cotisiiilu iil';—to his conn- j ll \ ; bs that (.1 I'eiieeinili;. hiss(jlemn pledge; iiis aiiMons \\i.sii for the succ ess (.t liis favo- • I , . . I 1. n sin I i"i Ills 1,1V ()- ges. nu Hient !o lus eai .y Me and uatil ofirii.-. v Ik .s^- :i,t,r'. Ms eonid not fail to he advui- ediic.ilioii, and fovred I’.!s\\.iy !■> ihe hon or..bh' stulioll III meii.hi r (/I ihe ll(;use of l^'[)r. seiif. tiie.s. .Xrdi'i.L in his al- taihiiKiil to ll.e f.M.s!- wiiic.h he hud es poused, fu n. i' l,is i^li.l. r.nil oi' his blind zeal others ha-^e availed ihem- sdves, and h.-ve nuule l.ini their dupt' and th i!- irj,-/.ruMieiit. I d i not ;»!-et( nd t'> l.liow llic (dr.ec * ol' Mr. I.ntijii's \ is]t ;o t.im. ! su ie liic t',,. ; ;r-, il v ar conimniii- ‘ a-.ef! t'> m'. ai;d h a', e you to kreii.i'i s cai>'l is ecjniposi'd v.iiii so.ne « a'c an 1 1.0 ii*t!- ...rt. ,v:d |,e is ‘.aade 10 .•ivow in il. ilioiM.li M)me'\ hu; ''oi;i \ oeuM v, ’ t he is the auihor 0'' tl;- h :ie- i„ ili-- « vdi.mhian (.)!),erve.i.' '1 o Mr. Crow niii- siiicld. a memoei' I'roni .Mussa' huse;i.-, I'ormerly Secret;]- y of t!i‘ .Vavy. he de- lai'ed th; * he akis not tl;e aiithor of th.it letiei'. In his C;u'd, he dr.iw s a ( !;•),■ *'l s-'paration hetwren mv IViinds ;ind "iie. ac(j-iitting!hem. and ilndertakin'r i„ Miake good his ( har:--( s, in th;it h-Ure, only so far as 1 was o’l- ,., ned. -Tl^e pi:,-- po^-e of this disetimin.ri«)n is^obsions. ■At that time the ele( tifin iindecided. ain! it w;is thci'elore as itr.jior'.aiii to ab- Main fi'oni iiiipiitat 10ns r.gainst nn liieiifls, as i* w.is juditic to them up". "II me. It thi'v ( o;dd l?e made to l,» il('\( that I had Ix en peilidic^ir, in ih' ‘.rws- poi I (,| ’ hei r indie 11:,t ion, tlir_\ miglit hav(> liei n e.ii rii (' to 1 be sii (ipoi i of ^ii n. .lacl.- I ietei\if) iii( ,\;itio!ial Intilligen- cu. eoi'la'iiing Mr Kleiner’s (airl, al Ine. ivfa')’, • d,e 1 su.'l tiipe of its disti'ibli- t’’ t'v ‘^'1 'I '■ 1iii'Mii!,|- (;| ils pi| b'ir ;t 1 ion. so'_n as 1 I •'.,{! 'h, curd, I uiv i co- Cl! ity soi.piirt.ng his atroeic.u.; (;li;irgi-s. fjiit .Vr. Kr -iiii r h;id i.ow the bi-iielit of the i.dvice el ills Ir.ends. He had n»i [iioofs, for tin- plaiii- I St 1)1 all ri aaons, (ii-canse tiiere w;is no truth in Ills chargi-s. I hey saw that to :ittci’.j)t to i s- I.riii'ii 1 Ii. ni, .'Hill to iail, as he niiist fad, in tlu- ti*'.in!)t, niii,H.t lead i„ of tie eon spirae;., o! v ii'.ch he as tin- orpm. '| |u y I- \ i:.(i!^ J :u n^fi tliat In shoiill n.^ike a n treat, aiel I-Kir 'idr.ntness siii'-;;-. sr,-il tii'it 111 an o''jee- tiin to f'at jnrisiliet'on I'fih.- II..use, v.liich had l>.-en aiiiiiiO'. il, a’ 1 in »li. p(,piii:ir lop,es of tin ilerdoni ol tlie plr>s, /,.',v .lu'y to liis con.tilu- eiits, and the in. Miiailtv in t!u- eeii'I 1i>n of Hie s;»eakerot the lloiNi I a nieinber on ti.e !ioor, ]i!.ius h!e M..ans ii.inhi |.i iWima to dc- I ' ivi the igiK iaiit. ami onei a! his disg;-ace. A hJ.orid eoiniiinnii-alii.n w as .iceordingh pre- ['M’l ll !iy tlii in, ni M'-. KrciK r's nanie, an.l lr.ui..iiii:ed to the iiii!i,i!O i', loiinded iij'.on liiese .Miggi'slioiis. I lies llu- val.;.iit ehanipion. wlio ha.l liel,!!y ,-feppi-tl lorw ::i .1, a nd |)rom- is,!. ,S .1 KeprcM-htatiii of//((■ p.opli-, to '‘er\ aliMi.l yiiM spar,- not," forgot all Ins gra'nitous ';id!a;.iIy ;n!il i.oavtcd pairiolisiii, aiul sunk at iii'.t. in'o nr d silence. ith tiK.sc^i iiiiij-i;,,^ j f,,p t]|,> present. h ;o e him, and pvoe;-, d tr) assign tin.- reasons to Non, to wh(;in alone I admit m_\ s( If to he c!li- ci.dl} I espoi,'i!)ir, for 111,. \,,te which I ga\i (.11 llie J’l'i '.('( ii'fal I lei-iieir. "I’Ik? first iiupiiiy '.ehieli it lu'liov I d iii'.' 1 o iieil; .■ w as, as to the in- Inn i.'-e whieli ongiitto hf , ,, itf(| on my jiidg- II.1 nt, by t;.r I’l la1 i \ e statt of the lt i tnnd \ otes wliich ibetl.rt e retiirie. d (r.iiduntes hrnught inln die Hoii.se, IVoiii die ci lhg- s. Ceil, .lack- soii ol.iaiiied 99, .Mr. Adonis cj. and .Mr. ( raw- f:.vd -il. (liii.-'il the 1 let of a |,hiraiily being giM-n to Ol e ot'the can.lidalt s to havi- any, am' thi.t It sl..nldleo.- i.cen d, (-im-, ii,e covti- '“>h hi., ln-,1 fruiKis, in all luti.nwccill h.ive maite i* d.cisui-, iii,d in-I ‘’ ‘ ‘‘j "UCCouiU ‘ ‘ ■' | onclusive against him, to say nolliin;:: ul ..tiier fuisidi-rations of pub- 1... iial‘ 1 • MJ iit, V o.jlj h.i\>' dc.ev-uvl terdietid th-- D^.it i\trc,se >l piiy disi-ietioii en ! j'onclusive against him, to sav . 't the Hmis-- ,.f I\,'i'e5i Illative.'*. I nolliin,' of ihe Const,HUien b;i:, ji'.t -.,0 Old.iil.' tfXrvTiiiiu.'ii-T'., if li.'^ppi^y? he had Leeti difrerciilly Lircumst.uiced.— He had bet'n ill near eigliteen months; .md aiihough I am aware lhat his actual Voiidliion Mas a fact depending upon ev idence, and that the evidence in regard 10 il, which iKid been iiresenled to the public, was not jieri'ectly hrirmoniouK, I jutlged for mvself ui)on whut I saw and heaid. He iiiay. and 1 ardently hope v. iJI, recover; but I did fiot think it be came me to assist in cotnmitting the Ex ecutive administration cl this great Hc- public on the doubtful contingency of the irstoration to health of a gentleman who had been so long and so seriously alllict- ed. Moreover, if, under all the circum- st.mces of his situation, Iiis elcctioti had been desirable, I did not think it practi cable- I believed, and yet believe, that if the votes of the Western States, given to Mr. Adams, had been conferred on Mr. Crawford, the elfect would have been to jirotract in the House the decis ion of the contest, to the great agitation and distraction of the country, and pos sibly, t. tlcfcat an election altogether—the very worst result, i ihought, that could happen. It appeared to me, then, that sooner or later wc mustarri.cat the only pracucal issue of the contest before us, and that was between Mr. Adams atid (ieneral Jai'kson, and I thought that the e.irlicr ,\e got there, the fjetier Icr the country and lor the House. in consulenng tins only alternative, I wab not unaware of your strong desire lo liave a Western IMesident; but 1 thought that I knew enough of \our patriotism, and magnanimity, displayed on so nia- nv oic.a'iions, to believe that you could rise above me mere gratification of sec tional pride, if the common good of the whole re(juired you to make the sacrifice of local imrtialiiy. I solemnly belie\eU 11 did, anci ihis brings me to the most imp'ortant coiisidei alion v. hirh belonged lo Uu; whole subject—-that arising oulol liie respective tilness of liie only tworea’, competitors, as it apjieared to my besi judgment. In soeakiii.g of Cien. Jackson, I ai'.i aware d’ llie citlic.icy and respect which are jus'.l} due to that distinguish ed ci’-izen. It is far from my puipose to utteiu; t to dispai'age him. 1 could not do 11, if i w ere capable of making ihe attempt; but I shall, nexertheless speak of him as becomes me, w ith truth. 1 did not believe him so comj)etent to discharge the various, intricate, and c.omplex duties of the oflice of Chief i\U gistrate, as his competitor.' .lie has displayed groat skill and bravery as a military comman der; and his renown will endure as long as the moans^^exist of preserving a recoi- leciion of human transactions. But to be ijualified to disch.arge the duties of President of theUnited States,the incumb ent must have more than mere military attainments—he mtist be a statf.sm.w.— An individual tiiay be a gallant and suc cessful general, an eminent lawyer, an eloquent divine, a learned physician, or an accomplished artist; and doubtless the union of all these characters in the person of a Chief Magistrate would be desirable; but no one of them, nor all combined, will cjiialify him to be Presi dent, unless he superadd.s that indispen sable requisite of being a statesman. Far from meaning to say, that it is an objec tion lo the elevation, to the chief magis tracy, of any person, that he is a military commander, if he uniusthe other cjuali- fications, I only intend to say that, what ever may be the success or*splendor of his military achievements, if his qualili- cations be onfy military, that is aaobjec tion, and I think a decisive objt'ction to his election. If (ieneral Juck.son has c.\- hibited, either in the counsels of the Un ion, or in those of his own state, or in those of any other state or ten ilorv, the qualities of a statesman, the c\idence of the fact has escaped my observation. It would be as painful ;is’it is unnescessary to recajiitulale sonu.' ol the incidents, which must belresh in vour recolleciion, of his public life, lint’I was greatly d.‘- c('ived m my judgment if ihey i)rov(*d him to b(‘ enthiwed with that prudence, romper, and discretion, which are neces sary for ci\ il adminisiration. It was in vain tor(|mind me of the illustrious ex ample of \\ ashington. There w:is, in that extraordinary jierson, united a seren ity of mind, a cool and collected wisdom, a cautious and deliberate judgment, a perlecl commatid of the passions, and throughout his whole life, a faimliaritv and ac(;iiainianc("i.viih business and civil tnmsaciions, w hich rarely characteri/.e any human being. No man was ever more deeply penetrated than he was-with pi'olound respect for the safe and neces sary i)rinciple of the (>ntire subordination ol l!u‘ military to the civil authorhv. 1 hope 1 do no injustice lo (Ieneral J-ick '.on, ^^lu'tl Isay, that leonld n.K .-(^cog nise, 111 his public conduct, those attain ments lor bo!h civil i,-overnmeni and mil- iiary command, whiel, coiemporaries postc'ruy have alike unanimonsly concurred in awardir.gas vet onlv to lU- lather ol his country. I w:,s sensible of the gr;it.tude which the people of tiiis country pistly fdt towards (ieneral Jack- •son for his brilliant nuliiarv s- rvices- I ut the impulses (;f public gratitude should be controlled, it app(«ared to me, by reason and discretion, and I was no, piepait-d blpifily to .surrender mvself to the hazardous indulgence ol^ a feeling, how ever ;imiahle ;ind excellent th;i' fi rl- I'l'i pfoperly direcled. It did no* scn-i to me lo vi^c or if, us 1 Solemnly beiicved, Cieucmir son’s competency for the olTice was v ly questionable, that he should beip*' i'll a situation where neither his fan the public interests would be General Jackson himself would last man to recommend or vote for an^- for a place, for which he thought fit. I felt myself sustained by his reasoning, in his letter to Mr. Mq “""• in which, speaking of the qualificaH'’’ of our venerable Shelby for the Dc mcnt of War, he remarked : j’*''' compelled to say to you that the accinir' ments of this worthy man are not petent to the discharge of the muItiS duties ol this Department. I hope he may not accept of the „J,„. lamfearrul,ifi,edo?rK; not add much splendor to his nr well earned Rtanding^ as a public chaj^''^ ter.” Such was my opinion of OeneM Jackson, in reference to the Presidenc' His convictions of (lovernor Shelby’ '* fitness, by the habits of life, forthe*!!' pointment of Secretary of War, w. not more honest nor stronger than m were of his own want of experience and the necessary civil qualifications to’dis charge the duties of a President of tht United States. In his elevation to this office, too, I thought I perceived the es tablishmcnt of a fearful precedent: anc! I am mistaken in all the warnings of in- structive history, if I erred in my jud»! ment. Undoubtedly there are otheraiS many dangers to public liberty, besides that which proceeds from miHtary idoj. atry, but I have yet to acquire the know- ledge of it, if there be one more perilous or more frequent. Whether Mr. Adams would or votilj not have been my choice of a Prcsideni if I had been left freely to select from the whole mass of American citizens, was not the ()uestion submitted to my decis- io'n. I had no such liberty : but 1 waj circumscribed, in the selection I had to make, to one of the three gentlemer whom t-hc people themselves had thought proper to present to the House ofRepre- sentatives. Whatever objections tnij^kt bo supposed to exist against him, still greater ap])cared to me to apply to his coiiipeiitor. Of Mr. Adams,- it is but truth ;ir.d iusllce to say, tl.at he is hiphFy gifted, profrnnully learned, and long and greatly experieticed in public affairs, at home and abroad. Intimately conver sant with the rise and progress of every negoti.Ttion with foreign powers, pend ing or concluded ; personally acquainted with the capacitv and attainments of most of the public men of this'countrv, whoin it might be p' oper to employ in the pub lic service ; extensively possessed of much of that valuable kind of inform.ition, which is to be acquired neither from books nor tradition, but which is the fruit of largely participatingin public affairs; dis creet and sagacious; lie would ent('r on the duties of the office with great advan- tage.s. I saw in his election the estaV lishment of no dang*rous example. 1 sa'ir in it, on the contrary, only corformityto the safe precedents w’hich had been es tablished in the instaticesof Mr.Jeft'erson, Mr. Madison, and Mr. Monroe, who luJ respectively filled the same office from w hich he wa.s to be translated. [Mr. Clay he‘ic examines the rpsolii- tion of the Legislature of Kentucky, and denies that it ought, under the circum stances, to have any influence on his vote. He says that the Members of the Legislature left their homes before the Members of Cbngn'ss, and were not, therefore, better qualified to form anc- pinion in regard to public sejitiinenlthan he was. Moreover, he recei ved a paptf from a number of his constituents, re questing him to exercise his own iudj'- ment in giving his vote. He then pr-i* ceeds :] r.Mtertaining these views, of the dec tion on which it was made my duty to vole, 1 felt myself bound, in the exprfi^c of my best judgment, to pi'cfer Mr. ains ; and I accordingly voted for iiini I should luiv(* been highly gratifu'd il it bad not been my duty to vote on the oc casion ; but that was not my situation, and I djd not choo.sc to shrink from aliv responsibility which ai)pertainod toyouP Hepresentative. Shortly after the elec tion, it was rumored tliat Mr. Kremer was preparing a publication, and preparations for it w hich were niakm? excited much expectation. Accot'ding- ly, on the 26th of February, the address- under bis name, to the •* llieciors of the ninth Congressional District ol iheSta f of Pennsylvatii:i,” made its iti the Washington (^ity (iazettc. - member of the House, I am pcr=iiadec believed that Mr. Kremcr wrote oncpat-a- graph (.f that address, or of the pk’-*' w hich was jirescnted to the jurisdici^ of the Hyuse. Those who counsel him, and conipo'^ed both paper‘d* their ])iir])oses, were just as well kno"- a*' tl'.p author of any rep»rt from a mittee to the Housi'. 'I’he first obser'“^ tioti V, hich is called for by the the puffc of its publication. 1i’ was in lliisCity, remote from of Pen*isylvaiiia, near wliichM’'’- ' mer’s district ia bitiiated, and in ^ having but a very limited, if any, ci ^ lation in it. 'I'he Z/'/i/r i?^ ble. The fart that the Presidci.t - ed to nominate me to the Si'tiaU' • “ ^ (iiliee which 1 now hohl, in th ' a f('w day:;, was then well l-ii 'V't • ■' the publication of the, '■ tirade Ie"
The Journal (Salisbury, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 19, 1825, edition 1
2
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