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THE OLD SOLDIER.SPRINGFIELD, (ILL.,) JUNE, 02,1840.FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORSB. S. Morris, of Cook County ;S. D. Marshall, of Gallatin ;E. B. Webb, of White;C. Walker, of McDonough ;A. Lincoln, of Sangamon.A. G. HENRY.Chairman of the Harrison StateCer..tral Committee.JOHN TODD, Chairman of the Committee of Corres-of Soldiers who served under Gen. Harrison.To the People of Illinois.Ever since the nomination of Gen. Harrison by tho Harrisbugh Convention, vvc have witnessed a constant and malignant effort by the Van Buron loaders, not only to deprive him of his woll earned fame as a soldier and a civilian, but to fasten on him the charge of being an abolitionist—an accusation equally odious and untrue* We need not be surprised at these efforts they have made ;—iirst, because it is easier to attack than to defend; and secondly, because they cannot defend at all. There was a time in this State, when tho policy of Mr. Van Burcn was advocated by his friends, and the charges against him repelled, if not with facts and arguments, at least with zeal and apparent confidence.— But now, when the people point to tho disor. ders of the currency, they are told that Gen-Harrison was defoated at Tippocanoo !—if they complain of tho reduction of prices and labor, they are told he rode Jo. Davies’ horse, instead of his own !—if they speak of tho extravagant expenditures of the Government, they are teld he was not at the river Raisin ! —if they complain of the boundless corruption in high places, thoy are told he was not at battle of tho Thames !—and if yet dissatisfied. the peoplo (suffering under tho misrule, corruption, experiments and extravagancetime, in the aentim* nt of the r. doptcd by the Legis! tare.”In 183;, Gen. i!irr»s vsitod his old neighbors at Vincennes, Indiana who then gave him a public dinner, and on which occasion, he delivered a public speech, the following extract of which shows most fully his sentiments on the question of abolitionism:“I havo now, fellow citizens, a few words more to say on another subject, and which is, in my o-pinion, of more importance than any other that is now in the course of discussion in nnv part of the fnion. I allude to the societies which have been formed, and the movements of certain individuals in some ot the States in relation to a portion of the population in others. The conduct of these persons is the more dangerous, because their object is masked under the garb of disinterestedness and benevolence; and their course vindicated bv arguments and propositions which in the abstract no one can deny. I am certain there is not, in this assembly, one of these deluded men, and that there are few in the bounds of the State. If there are any, I would earnestly entreat them to forbear —to pause in theircareer, and deliberately consider the consequence of their conduct to the whole Union—to the States more immediately interested -and to those for whose benefit they profess to act. That the latter will be the victims of the weak, injudicious, presumptuous and unconstitutional efforts to serve them, a thorough examination ot the subject must convince them.—The struggle, (and struggle there must be.) may commence with horrors, such as I have described, but it will end with more firmly riveting the chains or in tho uttor extirpation of those whose cause they advocate.”“•But the course pursued by the emancipators is unconstitutional. I do not say that there any words in the Constitution which forbid the discussions they are engaged in : I know there are not. And there is even an article which secures to its citizens the right to express and publish their opinions without restrictions.”“The liberty of speech and of the press, were given as the most effectual means to preserve to each and every citizen their own rights, and to the , Mates the rights which appertain to them, at the ' time of their adoption. But it could never have beenexpectedthatit would be used bv the citi- I zens of one portion of the States for the purpose of depriving those of another portion of the rights which they had reserved at the adoption of “the Constitution, and in the exercise of which, none hut themselves have any concern or interest.” “’Every movement which is made bv the abolitionists in the non-slaveholding States,’ is viewed by our feoutnem brethren as an attack upon their rights, and which, if persisted in, must in the end eradicate those feelings of attachment and affection between the citizens of all the States which was produced by a community of interests and dangers,,! the War of the Revolution, which was he foundation of our happy Union, and by a continuance of which it can alone be preserved. I entreat you then to frown upon the measures which are to produce results so much to be deprecated.— he opinions which I have given I have omitted no' opportunity for the last two years to lay before the people of my own State. I have taken the libcrt toexpress them here, knowingthat if theythev wiHnh°/l“n Ai y n0t aCC°rd With ?OUT8' lhat they will be kindly received.”In 18-21 Air v,2n..—
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Springfield Old Soldier
Springfield, Illinois, US
Mon, Jun 29, 1840
Page 2
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