Newspaper Page Text
From the Washington Gloln.
•Gentlemen: The accompanying note? of
s visit to Mr. Madison, were written lor
preservation, not publication. But his
’ death suggests not only the propriety, but,
perhaps, the utility of giving to the public
bit opinions on many subjects. And, be
ing tinder that conviction. I know of no
medium, for their extensive and salutary dis
semination, so good as the Globe, in w hich 1
hope you may think lit to insert them.
August 6, 1836.
VISIT TO MB. MADISON.
I had long promised myself a visit to Mr.
Madison, whom 1 had rot seen for twenty
odd years: nnd on Monday, the 2d of Mat,
1836, after sleeping the' night before at the
village of Orange Court house, six, miles
from Montpelier, we got there before break
fast, and were most hospitably received
The riile is rough, the road not good, nor
the country much cultivated. But after
we left home, without any spring, it had
•uddenly burst forth, even there ftom sev
eral hot days; and, in the more southern
climate of V irginia, the woods were in fol
the whitehorn and redbud-trees in
greater number than I had ever seen them,
giving a pleasant coloring to vital was oth
erwise rather a wild, poor, and uninterest
ing region. Nearer Mr. Madison’s the
country is more improved, and the moun
tain scenery is very agreeable. You enter
liis outer gate from the woods, and nt once
get into something like a park, with his
well-looking bouse about half a mile oil:
the whole cleared and improved, with trees
in dumps, and other signs of ornamental
agriculture. The house is a tw o story brick
mansion, with wings and colonades front
and back, in good design, but decayed and
in need of inconsiderable repairs, which, nt
a trifling expense, would make a great dif
ference in favor of the first impression ot
his residence. The house was built by his
father, the w mgs and colonnade by himself.
The rooms tire good; furnished w ith French
carpets, large windows, a good many utiint
ings, and some statuary—altogether w ithout
any fashionable or very elegant equipment,
yet in a'gcutleinnn like style ofrttia! propri
ety. The table not only abundantly, but
handsomely provided; good soups, tlcsh,
fish, and vegitables, well cooked—desert
and excellent wines of various kinds : and
when Mrs. Madison was prevailing on me j
to eat hot bread at breakfast, she said, ;
••You city people think it unwholesome, but i
'we eat heartily, like the French, and tie- j
ver find ourselves worse for it. She looks j
just as she did twenty years ago, and dress
es in the same manner, with her turban and 1
cravat; rises early, is very active, but sei- i
dom leaves the house, as her devotion to
Mr. Madison is incessant, and he needs till
her constant attention. The view from '
'the front of the house is very picturesqe, I
bounded by the blue ridge, which begins
about eighteen miles oli, seeming to he
close by: and though the thermometer
marked 83 degrees in the colonade, vet the
mountain air kept the house cool enough.
The estate consists of near two thousand
acres ot good land—the red soil, John ■
Randolph said, in which Presidents grow
—with about one hundred si .vjs, i o ’oneol
whom, I was told by Air. Payne Tod, bad
treeji flogged for several years.
They raise about a thousand bushels of I
corn; but the principal crop for sale is lobar- !
co, productive of income for the time be
ing, though injurious to the ground. There
were some horned cattle of the superior
breeds; the horses, equipages, and sodding,
however, the w hole equestrian department,
in a useful state, but by no means elegant.
Air. Madison told me, that ever since his
Presidency he has been obliged to live be-I
yond his means, selling off some of his cap-'
ital continually, and that be is now in debt. ■
He spoke often and anxiously of slave prop
ty as the worst possible for profit, unless j
employed in manufactures, as he is sure it
will be to advantage: and w hen 1 mention
ed Mr. Rush’s productive farm of ten acres,
near Philadelphia, he said he had no doubt
it was more profitable than his with two
thousand. .Among the deplorable effects!
of the abolition excitement, he considers, ■
first, that in teaching southern people to itn- !
agitie that slavery is right and usefid, a .
change of opinion suddenly arises, and he :
referred to Governor McDuffie’s message'
in proof of it; secondly, deteriorating the ’
condition of the poor states, whose bondage I
is embittered by laws and measures intend
ed to counteract the ill-timed and ill directed
efforts to put an end to it. Sustaining
Governor McDuffie’s message, he also men
tioned Professor Dew’s discourse; ofw nich,
as ofGovernor McDuffie’s talents, he spoke
at the same time, with approbation, respect
ing their slave doctrines.
Mr. Madison said he always told the
southern people that the tariff was not their
chief grievance, when they complained
most of i’; but that, while he asserted the
constitutional power, and denied the policy
of high duties, deeming it a power best
used moderately, yet in his apprehension
the inexhau.table new hinds of the south
west, brought into competition with the v. orn
soils of Virginia and the Carolinas, were
the principal cause of their sufferings.
Nearly two-thirds of his slaves are too
young or too old to work much, while the
support us so many is very expensive. It
lakes nearly all he makes to feed, clothe,
and preserve them; and when a handsome
column or other ornamental part of bis man
sion fills into decay, he wants the means
of conveniently repairing it, without en
croaching on necessary expenditures—be
sides, the difficulty of getting adequa e ar
tists at such a distance from their common
resorts. In this connexion he spoke of the
productions, the resources, the currency,
mid the economy of the country al large;
the substance of all he said, on these topics,
was, I think, to deprecate the paper momw
system, without appearing to have confi
dence in the establishment of hard money
instead of it. “J here will be troubles and
explosions, I predict,” said he, •‘though it is
perilous to be a prophet,” ami it seemed to
me that he did not believe that the cotton
plantations would continue to be very pro
ductive, any more than those of rice or
grain. There was a considerable failure ol
the wheat crop last year, (he said,) and In
spoke with uneasiness of its prospects this
fear.
Soon after our arrival, .Mr-. M idi on
look us into the room he occupies during
the day, and from that time, I passed the
rrot’-r p u t ofthfee d iys at his side, !i -
tening to his conversation, lie is very in
firm—eighty-five years old last March—
| never was strong, and now is extremely
j emaciated and feeble. Longacre’s picture
gives a perfect likeness of his whole ap
pearance; much better, I should say, than
Stew art’s ever did, which is the best por
i trait ot him as he was formerly, lie can-
I not sit up, except a little while, now and
j then, to rest from reclining on a sofa ; and
lat first, when 1 saw him, he wore gloves
i which were laid aside, however, as the wea
; titer became warm. We found him more
| unwell than usual, anti with a difficulty of
breathing, which affects his speech so, that
Mrs. .Madison told me I must talk, ami not
j let him. But as I wanted to listen, an dhe
i appeared to grow better every day, our
! conversation became animated w ithout fa
tigueing him. *1 hough nothing would
have induced me to injure him, vet 1 found
1 him so free <>f communication, that 1 heard
a great deal more than now, a fortnight
since it happened, 1 shall p,crimps be able
to recollect precisely. But it is deeply
fixed in a memory tenacious from strong
impression of its interest, ami 1 will try to
1 he accurate in the memorandum of it before
the impression fades.
Mr. Madison is a man of medium, the
middle way —avoiding all extremes, and
perhaps fond of checks and balances ; but
he is in grain a genuine republican. You
: perceive directly that Mr. Jefferson is the j
| god of’ his idolatry ; nnd while he acknow-I
. ledges the talents, services, and merits ofj
| his first great antagonist, Alexander Hani
| illon.yet when 1 told him that Prince Tal-
• leyrand, in eulogizing Al. Thiers to an
) American gentleman, characterized him as
; the Hamilton of France; “yes” said Mr.
M. ‘•Talleyrand was a greit dabbler in
stocks.” Not that he dispa-ages Generalj
j Hamilton, to whose abilitiesfie does justice;
; and, indeed, he speaks ill o’no one, being j
i fastidiously measured in liis language and !
j from personalilies: but he rnd no idea that
I Hamilton, the author of tie fi tiding sy s
tem, is to be classed with tinse country gen
i tiemen, like VV a.-hington Jefferson, and
j himself, whose foundatiom were in the nio-
• ther earth, and who held socks, scrip, and
j such ephemeral and di-dnsive things, in!
i great disestcem. Mr. Jeierson’s portraits,
by Stewart, by Kosciuscc, and others, his !
j relics and his recollections, are all about I
; Air. Madison’s apartments. When he I
! mentioned Mr. Monroe, lb called him Mon
j roe, as was natural, Mr. Monroe having I
j served under him; but vhen he spoke ofj
j Mr. Jefferson, he called lint Air. Jefferson I
i ns one he looked op to. He spoke also, with j
1 obviously natural respect and affection, efi
Bashington. 1 asked bin if’it was true, as I
l 1 had heard, that General Washington bad i
i offered him the English Mission about the
j time of Jay’s treaty ! He said no, lie be-1
I lieved not at that time ; but lie supposed
I there was nothing tiiat General Washing
ton would not have given him if he chose
it, as they were very wed together; and
I lie gave the French missions to Monroe,
j you know', said lie. 1 forgot whither I
| a-ked him, as 1 had heard, that Genual i
j B asliington, long passive on the coiistitu- i
tiomdity of the bunk charter, had desired I
him to sketch the argument of a veto t and I
' 1 suppose 1 did notask him, as otherwise
1 should most likely’ recollect his answer.
But some question 1 pulled him to say,
j in more detail than 1 can repeat, that Gen
eral Washington was a very remarkable
man, and singularly endowed, not only j
w ith the powers of judgment, hut of sus
pending his judgment till he had heard all
that could be said pro and co/?, and then in- j
j flexibly determining. I told him that Col. |
j Pickering said Col. Hamilton denied that!
I Washington was a great man, or any thing !
more than one well fitted for the part he
j had to perform, which sentiment Col. P.'
' said would be found in Hamilton’s letter re- i
signing the Treasury, as it appears in Mar
i shali’s Life of Washington. Mr. Madison
j said that was itself to characterize Washing- j
ton asa great man. He said too, (which'
| 1 had never heard,) that he was a veryelo-
I quent man, and that some one he mentioned, j
i(1 forgot his mime,) who was a member,
j w ith Washington, of a Church Vestry, used j
tosay that in a discussion on the affairs of
I the church, in which Vvashiugton took an 1
activeftart, he never heard more eloquent
‘ .-.peaking than from him. .Mr. Madison
■ added, that he considered Col. Pickering a
I man undervalued; for though some one ;
had said that General Washington spoiled a
good Postmaster General to make a bad
Secretary of State, when be appointed
Pickering, yet his despatches, (said Mr.
M.) always beginning with abuse of the |
French and the democrats, after that pre
i face, go on with well composed and well
j considered views of our own affairs.
1 mentioned the letters of and to Wash
{ ington, as now publishing by Mr. Sparks
j and he inquired if there were any of liis j
about the period I spoke of; a question I
could not answer fully. He told me he had I
just seen the first volume of General Arm- j
strong’s Memoirs, saying that his style is
good, though rather too epigramutic ; but I
(that it is an easy matteron paper to criticise j
jin the closest, the conduct of an officer in ;
the field as General Armstr<««:g does Gen-i
I eral Harrison’s. I asked w hether he ap- j
( peared in the work, he said not yet but he i
j supposed he would in the next volume. I l
| told him I thought Colonel Monroe would !
! not be spared in that. No (said he,) nor I I
I either. He mentioned in this connection i
I that in the worst stage of the war, just as- I
‘ter the capture of Washington, while the
I British frigates were lying before Alexan
dria, and an attack on Georgetown was
cottfitmally apprehended be had received
! four persons remarkable for their bitter op
position to his administration, he particular
ised Mr. Hanson then editor of the Federal |
! Republican newspaper, afterwards Senator,
j confidential caution against designs said
jto lie in agitation against Air. Madison’s
! person. He also stated that Air. Cyrus
; K ing, one of the members of the House of
j Representatives from that part of Alassa
j chnsetts, which is now Alain, a most ttnas
j pairing antagonist, who never even ended
; on Mr. Madison during the war, afterwards
j called to pay liis respects. Air Madison in
vited him to one of bis Presidential dinners
j which Air King declined, but in anole full
!of personal kindness and respect, lie was
j half brother to Rufus King, am! a vio ent
opponent of the war and Mr. Madison.—
One so constitutionally and philosophically
tolerant as lie, could bear great abuse with
I great severity. I have heard Governor
poles say, who was his Secretary, when be
|vas every day called •yrant, murderer,
despot, &.C., that lie was never known to
■•peak harshly ofthose who vilified him.——
lis patience and forbearance were iaex
taustible. I spoke to him of Judge Peters
nd of his son’s regret that in a late publi
ation of Mr. Jay’s life there is a letter of,
•edge Peters’ containing a reflection on
Hr Madison, which the Judge must have
Witten thoughtlessly, as he was, I know
nueb attached to him. He spoke with
fgard of Judge Peters; repeated several
o Lis witty sayings, laughing heartily;
sid he had no idea that Judge Peters and
h agreed in every particular ; but that did
nil prevent the greatest good will between
tlem, and he was sure that the Judge might,
eindemn part of his conduct without meali
ng to say any thing hard ofhiin. I rela
te! to him an anecdote 1 have heard Air.
j Eng tell of Air. Jay’s taking offence at
wtat he considered disrespect to him by the
i tjiecn ofEngland, at her drawing-room,
■ aid his al ruptly leaving it, refusing to re
' urn till assured by proper mediation that
| m offence was intended. Air Aladason said
j was like Air. Jay.
j Air. Madison’s temper is perfectly amia
i hie and the best vord I know of to discribe
I his love of country, is to call it beautiful or
lovely patriotism, such natural profound,
| and pure republicanism, untainted by the
j least practice of European preference-ncver
j having been out of his own country, and be
ji'ng thoroughly imbued with the faith, the
religion, that Democratic Government is
not only relatively, but positively/thebestin
the world. Infirm as his body is, his un
derstanding is as bright as ever ; his intel
ligence recollections, discriminations, and
philosophy, ail delightfully instructive. He
loves to talk freely on all subjects of political
and historical interest, which do not involve
the mere politics of the day. From nulli
fication up to the Congress of the revolu
tion bespeaks unreservedly as to measures,
but with almost prudish reserves as to per
sons, including himself.
He intimated a pleasing, but it may be
rather fanciful anticipation, of the effect of
our laws against primogeniture and entails,
viz : that in process of time there will be no
lanre fortunes but that a state of mediocrity
will be the common condition. With strong
impressions of the indispensable advantge
ol education, be appeared to be as thorough
ly impressed with the dangerous tendencies
ol merely lascivious life ; the middle ground
is obviously bis predeliction.
There was one topic of our national
policy on which he spoke with enthusiasm
as the greatest and best means of the U
nited States, taking a lead in the inculcation
ol a principle calculated to prevent war: that
the principlethat free ships make free goods.
We conversed a great deal and with great
animation about it. He alluded to the
pamphlet lie published in 1806, in answer
to “ War in Disguse,” ami called to mind
the conversations we had many years
ago, recollecting better than I could the < ot
respondence also that passed between us, in
lurtherance of that ride, as he asserted it
to be, of international law that free ships
make free goods, to which rule Great Bri
tain alone takes exception. He repeated
many and striking reasons for the w isdom
of mr advancing, &. her conceding the rule
no.v because in twenty years, according to
iiiscalculation or commerce will be greater,
thtn hers : ail the rest of the civilized world I
wil second us. We shall put ourselves at i
thtir head, establishing a principle which
Etgland must concede—and that principle
is .he pledge of permanent maritime peace,
mil unlimited commercial prosperity.
His circumspection and reserve—in fact, si- j
lesce, whenever he deemed it indiscreet to'
sniak, contrast curiously with Gen. Jackson’s
boil, open, and unhesitating conversation on
mist ol the topics introduced by or to him. Di
r.itg with him a few days before I was at Air. j
Aiidison’s, I was struck with the entire freedom ,
wilt which he discussed subjects of public con
troversy with a member of Congress opposed
to kis administration, particularly with the vvar
rio-or western tone of his w hole conversation,
'file member was deprecating the antipathy |
w licit he said prevailed amongthe western mem- j
be sto the Vv est Point Academy. The Gen
erd said that it was partly owing to their stis- |
petting favoritism in the selection of pupils ; but j
nure owing to the system of punishment, w hich i
pu a mark for appearing on parade with dirty j
gloves, on the same footing with a mark for not j
beitg prepared with a mathematical lesson, j
w licit he pronounced to be absurd, and declared j
tint if ever he saw an officer on parade with '
glcves, he would disgrace him. Air. Aladison !
could never talk in this way. I think the j
strongest approach 1 heard to it from him was |
when speaking of his dismissal of Air. Granger, |
tiie Post Master General: he mentioned his I
nqiure, with him. But beyond an indicating [
•votd, like that, he never goes. In the course of I
hiscomplaints of Congress for thwarting the Ex- !
ecutive views at the beginning of the war, I con- j
fess it occurred to me to doubt whether the j
Jackson tone is not more potential, if not prop- I
er, with Congress, than the Aladison. All such j
comparison, howevar, is odious; and with sin-|
cere respect for both these uncommon persons, j
I mention their total difference in ibis particu- I
lar, only that 1 may the better sketch the mor- |
al portrait here attempted. Air. Aladison’s ah-I
horrence of war is as remarkable as that it was j
liis destiny to be President during the war. His j
politics are as simple and lovcty as his patriot- j
ism, deacc and unian. They are the whole
system —to avoid war at almost any price, and
to preserve the Union at all events. I thought,
but am not perfectly sure, that 1 understood he
was not pleased even with any increase of the
navy ; and more than once, when the contro
versy with France, just closed, happened to be
mentioned, he showed the strongest dislike to
hostilities, saying that we should be warned of
the perpetual liability to war, by its having well
nigh resulted from such a state of things as never
could have been expected to give rise to it. He
spoke very freely of nullification, which lie alto
gether condemned, remarking that Air. AValker,
jof the .Senate, in a speech he had delivered on
some occasion, was the first person who had giv
en to the public what Air. Maeison considers the
true view of Air. Jefferson's language on that
subjeut. Mr. Madison went further on this sub
ject than I think hedid on any other in the way
of condemnation. They expected to make
Charleston, (said he.) a great commercial em
porium, the mart of the southern country ; but
they never could, by such means. He said a
gaeat deal of the appointing power of the Pres
ident; denying altogether, as a recent notion,
the doctrine which withholds from the President
power to fill vacancies in the recess of the .Sen
ate, He said much more on this point than I
can recollect, being a point of constitutional law
to which my attention has never been much di
rected, wherefore I could not distinctly under
stand ail he said. If I am not mistaken, how
evel, he asserted the power of the President to
semi foreign minister* w ithout the advice of the
THE STANDAIiI) OF UNION.
Senate at all, arguiig that they were mere
agents of the ExecutitS, whom he might charge
as he pleased with foirign relations. lam not
sure that I perfectly inderstood, or accurately
represent, what he sid in this respect. He
mentioned the treaty iiidiing power, observing,
that though it might b<in theory confined to the
President and Senate,yet, that when a grant of
money' was to follow,it was the right of the
House of Representatives to participate in the
measure. 1 cannot Si* that he asserted this
unequivocally, but he hid it was most reasona
ble or natural, or soirrtliing of that sort. He
spoke of the Post Offi*e Department as a dan
gerous incongruity in Hir system, and intima
ted, but quite insigniicantly, that the reason
why that Departmeiitis not subordinated like
the rest to the generd action, but allowed to
occupy a separate orlit, is the improper influ
ence ‘which Postmasers General have over
members of Congress He was clearly of the
opinion that this stae of things ought to be
changed. The Post Jaster General, (said lie,)
can take a Senator, ifhe chooses, and by giving
him a lucrative post tflicc, change the majority
of the Senate. He nantioned the indirect con
trol which the Presicnt had over the adminis
tration of justice, b; his power to appoint or
remove maashals. Itold him that it had been
suggested to me by’ tie Attorney General, that
the authority of the Bank of the United States
to establish branches .vithout limitation, was un
constitutional, conceling the constitutionality
of al! the rest of the charters. lie said perhaps
it might be so, but that his attention had never
been particularly drawn to that circumstance.
I asked him where 1 might find any thing in the
power of legislation, with a view to explain and
restrain the trust, and told him 1 had been look
ing into Benhan’s works, hoping to find some
thing there, btr. that I bad been disappointed.
He said it was t difficult topic, and mentioned
a long letter iron Air. Jefferson to him, with aa
argument to prove that legislatures cannot bind
succeeding legislatures after a certain period,
the ordinary term of a man’s life. But Air.
Aladison said that lie had written an answer to
that letter of Air. Jefferson, very considerably
qualifying bis doctrine. I spoke to him of the
judicial tenure of office, and I don’t distinctly
recollect what lie said of it; though my impres
sion is, that he said he saw no objection to al
lowing judges hslf pay, ot something of that
sort, when incajucitated for active duty. He
mentioned, with ibvious acquiescence, the right
es the Judiciary’ > settle questions of constitu
tional law. IJefcondeinned all monopolies and
perpetuities as iiconsistent w ith republican in
stitutions ; thoufh he said, some corporations
seemed to be inlispensable to public improve
ments ; but he thought that every legislature
should have porer to review the by laws and
other proccedhgs of corporations, as the pass
from time to tine, and to affirm, after, or dis
affirm them, ai they pleased. He mentioned,
though rtithermysteriously, the movements at
the beginningof the war, when he was Piesi
dent, saving tiat matters might have been much
better done if Congress would have given him
an army organized as the army is at present—
that is, a smal force, with a large staff; where
as, he said, tiey insisted on giving him a much
larger army than was necessary. There were
certainlv (he said, with meaning and feeling)
some unaccamtable proceedings in the begin
ning of the war to thwart his administration of
it; to which, on my answering yes, the opposi
tion was thoroughgoing, lie replied, “but that
is not w hat 1 mean.” There was something,
(said he,) I never could understand, and will
not characterize, but leave it to history to do so.
1 thought he meant something done or left un
done by the members of Congress ostensibly
supporting the war. lie spoke of it with emo
tion, intimating that the plans and views of the
Executive were marred by the legislative de
partment. He mentioned Napoleon, as I had
often heard him formerly, with dislike; and
when I stated circumstances vindicating Joseph
Bonapart from aspersion which Air. Aladison
seemed to have adopted as well founded, he
said he was glad to hear my oxplanation.
There were other topics touched by him,
which, perhaps, mignt he deemed personal, and
1 therefore omit, particularly what he said of
Ex presidents.
Shortly after my visit, the spirit of this just
man was made perfect, as I trust, by his death.
A purer, brighter, juster spirit, has seldom exis
ted ; and 1 would be the last to make public
theie, among its last emanations, if I did not
believe that it may do some public good, and no
individual harm—above all, to their illustrious
source. I ought, perhaps, to add that, several
times, on my expressing hopes of his health im
proving, he said, with perfect composure and re
signation, that he believed lie bad a proper sense
of his situation ; that lie felt he was on the de
scending, not the assending line ; that, weak
and emanaciated as I saw him, 1 had still no idea
how extremely feeble he w as, but that he viewed
his decline w ith serenity.
From the Pennsylvania Reporter.
W 1 c have great pleasure in laying the fol
lowing interesting correspondence between
the committee appointed by the Democrat- i
ic Young Alon’s Convention and Mr. Van
Buren, before our readers. The letter ofj
this distinguished favorite of the democrat
ic party will be read by all with great sa
tisfaction :
Ilarrislntrg, July 6, 1836.
Sir—The undersigned committee, ap- j
pointed by the convention of the Demo- j
cratic Republican Young Alcn of the state j
of Pennsylvania assembled at this place, in
conformity with the duty assigned them,
have flic honor to enclose you a copy of the
proceedings of that body. You will per
ceive that the young and active portion of
the democracy of the State of Pennsylva
nia, have hastened from all sections of the
commonwealth, at a busy and inconvenient
season of the year, to respond to the call
that has been made upon their patriotism,
and in the mingled councils of the repre
sentatives of the east and the west, the north
and the south of our widely extended state,
but one spirit seems to prevail, in a firm and
inflexible determination to sustain the can
didates of the democratic party of the Un
ion, for the Presidency and Vice Presiden
cy. You w ill observe in these proceedings,
a manifestation of the determined hostility
of the citizens of Pennsylvania to the vast
moneyed incorporation that has been char
tered within our limits for the unpreceden
ted period of thirty years, in open defiance
of the w ill of the sovereign people, and
through the instrumentality el' those who
have pledged themselves upon the altar of
their country to resist its recuscitation as
dangerous to the liberties of the Union ;
with this determined and unyielding oppo
sition to the Bank, your name Ims been
identified as the bold and efficient advocate
of the principles of democracy, and as the
known champion of the people’s tights,
have our hills and valhesonce moreechoed
back the loud gratiilations of the freemen
of the state, laudatory c.f your nomination
for the highest office in their gift.
We have the honor to be, sir, very re
spectfully, your obedient servants,
william s. ramsay;
daniel g. fenton,
HORN R. KNEASS,
A. P. WILSON,
JOHN YOUNGMAN,
JOHN S. WEILER.
Hon. Martin Van Buren.
Albany, July, 1836.
Gentlemen—l had the satisfaction to find
on my arrival here, yesterday, your letter,
announcing to me the determination of the
young men of Pennsylvania to sustain my j
nomination for the presidency, and 1 has- j
ten to make them, through you, my grate-j
fid acknowledgements for this proof of their j
confidence and friendship.
There are circumstances in the political :
relations heretofore existing between the de
mocracy of Pennsylvania and myself, w hich
gave an unusual interest to this expression
of the opinions of so large a portion of them.
Justly admiring, as in common w ith the re
publicans of the Union 1 have uniformly
done, their exemplary and disinterested de
votion to principle, 1 could not do other
wise than cherish a continued anxiety to
gain their good opinion. The proceedings)
which I have now the honor to acknowl
edge, speaking with candor and fearless
ness the sentiments of thetlemocraticyoung j
men from all parts of the state, upon men !
and measures, with the repeated testimoni
als of regard received from other quarters,'
encourage the hope that my efforts to make j
myself worthy of the confidence of the de
mocracy of yonr state, have not been alto
gether unavailing. I would but poorly re
ciprocate, gentlemen, the frankness and ge
nerosity of your communication, if 1 did
not declare to you, that there have been
but few if any occurrences in tny public
life, that have given me more heartfelt satis
faction, than the consciousness of such a
result; or if I failed to asssure you, that,
to continue to deserve their good opinion,
will be an object of my exertions, in what
ever situation 1 may be placed.
My sentiments in regard to the Bank of
the United States, and its measures, to!
which you make allusion, are well under
stood ; and the democratic yoiinf men of |
your state do me but justice in assuming that
my best wishes are w ith their in their
praiseworthy efforts to resist the attempts of
that dangerous institution to set at naught
the well understood wishes of the people.
Thanking you, gentlemen, for the kind
manner in which you have discharged the
duty assigned you, and begging you to J
be assured of my regard, I am, very re
spectfully,
Your obedient servant and friend,
ALVAN BUREN.
ATessrs. Wm. S. Ramsay, Daniel G.
Fenton, Horn R. Kneass, A. F. Wilson,
John Youngman, and John S. Weiler,
Committee, See.
From the Macon Georgia Ttkgrapfi.
The nnllifiers, after ramaging old files
Sc chronicles with a patience truly praisewor
thy,in search of testimony against Air. Van
Buren, seize upon his vote in the New-York
Convention regarding right of suffrage as I
if they had found something I We con- [
gratulate upon them their luck! Such un-!
tiring industry—such profound research, j
among musty documents and mouldy news- ;
papers deserves some recompense ! They |
found, out, (listen !) that Air Van Buren j
voted to restrict all free negroes (who were
unrestricted before,) from voting unless they
possessed property to the amount of §250 !
And this reader, it is that the nnllifiers have
found. Much good may it do them, we
congratulate them upon their luck. And*
we congratulate the Republican Party,
that, with all their industry their learned
research, their untiring zeal, their enemies
have been unable to find any worse charge
against its favorite candidate. We con
gratulate the country, that a statesman so
pure so free from stain of any kind, so free I
from error even, can be found, as Martin
Van Buren. Look the country over and j
find his equal. What other politician in the
w hole United States could bear such an or
deal ? Who besides him would like to
have every act of his life brought in review ?
every word criticised every thought expo
sed ?
Allowing all his enemies say of Mr. Van
Buren what does the charge amount to?.
Why that he was willing to allow men ofj
color of good character and standing in the
State of New-York, the right of suffrage.
This regulation was not made to affect the
slave States at all—it was to be confined j
to his own state. And here it may be ask
ed what right have we to intermeddle with
or inquire about the internal regulations of
New-York? Is a legislator in the state of
New Yorkto be arraingned in Georgia for
his public acts in his own state ? Let us
be cautious, how we expose ourselves to
the same charge of w hich we accuse the
Abolitionists, that of intermedling with
what does not concern them.
On the question, whether negroes ought to
be allowed, under any circumstances, the
privilege of voting or not politicians are not
yet agreed. In some of the states negroes
enjoy this privilege, in others they do not.
And whether they do or not, has never to
our knowledge been question of much in
terest or inquiry. Had this privilege been
a source ot great danger, we should never
seen it extended as it has been in the slave
states. Strange, that Negro suffrage in
North Carolina, Tennessee, &c. should be
harmless w hile in New Y ork it is fraught with
such dreadful consequences. Had it been
so alarming and dangerous to the liberties
of the South, Judge While would never
have tolerated the feature in the constitu
tion of Tennessee with his great influence
in that state. Strange, that it should all
at once he discovered so fraught with dan
ger, when all southern politicians from John
C. Calhoun down have passed it over
w ith indifference ! If Mr. Van Buren is
to blame for allowing free negroes to vote
in New York Judge White is to blame
for allowing them to vote with fewer restric
tions in Tennessee, And yet, nothing is
said against Judge White for this offence.
Here follows an extract from the Con
stitution ofNew York on the right of suffrage
which received the sanction of Air. A r an
Buren. Compare it with the same provis
ions in the old constitution ofNorth Caroli
na and Tennessee and even with the pre
sent Constitution of GEORGIA, and w hat
is there so exceptionable in it, that is not
in the others.
ExtractJrom the Constitution of the State of
New York.
Art. 2, Sec. 1. “Every male citizen ol
the age of twenty one years, who shall have
been an inhabitant of this state, one year
preceding any election, and for the last six
months a resident of the town or county
where lie may offer his vote; and shall have,
j w ithin the year next preceding the election,
paid a lax to the state or county, assessed
upon bis real or personal property ; or shall
i by law, be exempted from taxation; or be-
I ing armed and equipped according to law,
' shall have performed within that year, mili
i tary duty in the militia of this state; or who
j shall he exempted from performing militia
duty in consequence of being a fireman in
any city, town, or village in this state. And
also every male citizen of the age of twen
ty one years, who shall have been for three
years next preceding such election an in
habitant of this state; and for the last year
a resident in the town or county, w here he
may offer liis vote; and shall have been,
within the last year assessed to labour upon
i the public highways, and shall have per-
I formed the labor, or paid an equivalent
; therefor, according' to law; shall be enti-
I tied to vote in the town or ward where he
I actually resides, and not elsewhere, for all
! officers that now’ are, or hereafter may be,
I elective by the people : but no man of col
j our, unless he shall have been for three
years a citizen of this state, and for one year
next preceding any election, shall be seized
and possessed of a freehold estate of tlieval
ue of two hundred and fifty dollars, over
and above all debts and incumbrances char
ged thereon; and shall have been actually
rated, and paid a lax thereon, shall he enti
tled to vote at such election. And no per
son of colour shall be subject to direct taxa
tion, unless be shall be seized and possessed
of such real estate as aforesaid.
Tennessee Art. 3. sec. 1 & 2. “Every
freeman of the age of twenty-one years and
upwards, possessing a freehold in the coun
jty w herein he may vote, and being an in
habitant of this state, and every freeman
; being an inhabitant of any one county in
the state six months immediately preceding
the day of election, shall be entitled to vote
for members of the general assembly for the
county in which he shall reside.
Electors shall, in all cases except treason,
felony, or breach of the peace, be privil
eged from arrest during their attendance at
elections, and in going to and returning
i from them.
North Carolina, sec. 7. 8. 9. “That all
freemen of the atxe of twenty-one years,
whohave been inhabitants of anyonecoun
ty within the state twelve months immedi
ately preceding the day of any election,
and possessed of a freehold, within the same
county,of fifty acres ofland,for six months
next before, and at the day of election shall
be entitled to vote for a member of the sen
ate.
That all freemen of the age of twenty
one years, who have been inhabitants of
any one county within the state twelve
months immediately preceding the day of
any election, and shall have paid public
taxes, shall be entitled to vote for members
j of the house of commons, for the county in
j w hich he resides.
j That all persons possessed of a freehold,
j in any town in this state, having a right of
i representation, and also all freemen, who
i have been inhabitants of any such town 12
) months next before, and at the clay of elec
tion, and shall have paid public taxes, shall
be entitled to vote for a member to repre
sent such town in the house of commons :
provided, always, that this section shall not
entitle any inhabitant of such town to vote
for members of the house of commons for
the county in which he may reside; nor any
freeholder in such county, who resides with
out or beyond the limits of such town, to
vote for a member for said town.
Georgia, Art. 4. sec. 1. “The electors
I of members of the general assembly shall
jbe citizens and inhabitants of this state,
j and shall have attained the age of twenty
one years; and have paid all taxes which
may have been required of them, and which
they may have had an opportunity of pay
ing, agreeably to law, for the year prece
ding the election, and shall have resided six
months within the county.
So it appears, that while New ¥orl<
qualifies and restrains negro suffrage; sev
eral Slave Slates including Georgia, say
nothing on the subject; and thus leave Ne
groes on the same footing with the whites.
From the New-Orleans 13ee.
MEXICO.
We have been favored with the sight of a
letter from the interior of Alexico, in which
is said that a project is on foot to invite
the northern states of the republic of Mexi
ico with the Republic of Texas under one
Independent Government. The letter is
dated Zacatecas, July 28th, 1836, and
states that the disaffection through the
northern provinces of Alexico is great and
still increasing, and speaks of the advanta
ges of an independent state like that of
Texas. The state who appear to be in fa
vour of an alliance with Texas, are Tam
aulipas, San Luis, Zacatecas, a part of Ja
lisco, Nuevo Lion, Coahuila, Durango,
Sinalog, Chihuahua, Sonora, the territory
of California, and New Alexico. The
principle object of all these states appears
to be that of forming a new republic in con
nection with Texas.
The division of Mexico is not a new de
sign, and now under the many favorable
circumstances, the empty treasury, the dis
traction reigning through the country, the
present situation of Texas and her inevita
ble independence, all tend to increase the
probability of the project of an alliance be
tween these states possible. The letter
shows evidently that much good would be
the result of the success of the design. It
also confirms the information w hich we have
given of the internal situation of Mexico.
From the Charleston Courier.
OFFICE BOARD OF HEALTH, }
Charleston, Sept. 3,1 o'clock, P. M. j
The Special Committee of the Board
have to report for the last twentyrfour hours,
seventeen cases of Cholera; two w hite, and
fifteen blacks—two dead, the others under
treatment. Os the seven cases reported
yesterday two more have died —the others
are convalesent. By order.
THOS.Y. SIMONS, M.D, ;
Chairman Special Committee.
A. G. Howard, AL D. Clerk.
1 o'clock, Sept. 4.
The Special Committee of the Board,
report for the last twenty four hours, ten ca
ses of Cholera. Two whites, eight blacks
—one dead—of the 17 cases reported yes
terday, four more have died.
THOS. Y. SIMONS, AI. D.
Chairman Special Committee.
\ A. G. Howard, M. D. Clerk.
1 o'clock Sept. 5.
j The Special Committee of the Board,
have to reportfoi the last twenty-four hours,
j twenty-seven cases of Cholera—six dead,
j twenty one under treatment —5 whites, 22
blacks. Os those previously reported two
more deaths have occurred. Bv order.
THOS.Y. SIMONS,M. D.
Chairman Special Committee.
, A. G. Howard, AL D. Clerk.
Sept. 8,1 o'clock.
The Special Committee of the Board have
to report for the last twenty-tour hours, twenty
two cases of Cholera—five whites, seventeen
blacks—three dead—the others under treat
) incut. Os the cases reported yesterday, three
mote have died. Bv order.
THOS. Y. SIMONS, AI. D.
Chairman Special Committee.
Sept. 9,1 o'clock
The Special Committee of the Board have
to report for the last twenty-four hours, ten ca
ses of Cholera ; 3 whites and 7 blacks 2 dead.
Ot the cases reported yesterday three more
have died. By order.
THOS. Y. SIMMONS, M. D.
Chairman Special Committee.
of
"The Jriends of the Union are our friends, and its
enemies, our enemies.”
__ TUESDAY MORNINO, Sept. 18.
Ihftiosi Democratic
Ticket.
FOR PRESIDENT,
MARTIN VAN BUREN.
FOR VICE-PRESIDENT,
RICHARD M. JOHNSON.
EXTRACT FROM
MARTIN VAN BUREN’S LETTER.
Accepting the nomination of the Conven
tion, and to the N. Carolina Commit
tee,
“ T content myself on this occasion icith
sayisg, that! consider myself the htmored
instrument selected by the friends of the Ad
ministration to carry out its principles and
policy, and as well from inclination as from
duty, 1 shall, if honored with the choice of
the American People, endeavour to tread
generally in the footsteps oj President Jack
son, —happy if I shall be able to per
fect the work which he has so gloriously be
gunf''
ft/”Jackson men in these days of mis
representation, look well to the above ex
tract, and then to the following from his
letter to the North Carolina Committee, on
the subject of Abolition,
“ I prefer that not only you, but all the
people of the Untied States, shall now un
derstand, that if the desire of that, portion
of them which is favorable to my elevation to
the Chief Magistracy be gratified, I must
go into the Presidential Chair the inflexible
and uncompromising opponent of any at
tempt to ABOLISH SLAVERY in the
District of Columbia against the wishes of
the slave-holding Slates.
•‘ For the Engrossment of the Bill, 18 Votes—A
gainst it, 18. The Chair voting in the AFFIR
MA lIV E, the Bill is ordered to be engrossed a*d
read a third time.”
Martin fan Buren, on the Bill to prohibit the ch"
culation of incendiary publications through the mailt
eeectobae ticket.
THOMAS F. ANDERSON, of Franklin.
WAI. B. BULLOCH, of Chatham.
SAMUEL GROVES, of Aladison.
THOMAS HAYNES, of Baldwin.
WILSON LUMPKIN, of Walton.
WILLIAAI PENTICOST, of Jackson.
THOMAS SPALDING, of Mclntosh.
REUBEN JORDAN, of Jasper.
WAI. B. WOFFORD, of Habersham.
THOMAS WOOTEN, of Wilkes.
PITT AIILNER, of Monroe
Union Congressional Ticket.
JOHN COFFEE, of Telfair.
JESSE F. CLEVELAND, of DeKalb.
IIIOAIAS GLASCOCK, of Richmond.
SEA I ON GRANTLAND, of Baldwin.
CHARLES E. HAYNES, of Hancock.
HOPKINS H. HOLSEY, ofHarris.
JABEZ JACKSON, of Clark.
GEORGE W. OWENS, of Chatham.
GEORGE W. B. TOWNS, of Talbot.
Union Ticket for Baldwin county.
for senate.
MICHAEL J. KEAAU.
REI’RES EN T A TIV F. S.
CHARLES D. HAMMON
DEAJAOTIA L. LESTER.
Union Ticket for lU'ar.ren County.
con SENATE.
THOMAS GIBSON, ESQ.
REPRESENTATIVES.
DR. MONTCtAIBORN ANDREWS.
WM. IL BLOUNT. ESQ.
Q. L. q. FRANKLIN, ESQ,
( Communicated.)
Nominated Ticket of the Union Party
De Kalb County.
For Senate.
ISAAC N. JOHNSON,
For Representatives.
E. N. CALHOUN.
JOHN DOBBS.
JAMES DIAMOND.