Harpers Ferry Free Press

TO THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.

Fellow Citizens: We have now the satisfaction of announcing to you the success of our efforts in the formation of an Electoral Ticket, composed of citizens decidedly in favor of John Quincy Adams, as the next President of the United States: many of whom now fill, and others have heretofore filled, honorable stations in the service of the State; and the public character and private worth of all, entitle them to your fullest confidence.

In the performance of the duty confided to us, we claim no other merit than that of an honest zeal in the cause. The difficulties and responsibilities of our task, have been relieved by spontaneous meetings of citizens, in most of the electoral districts; at which electors have been nominated, and committees organized, who have cordially co-operated with us. In very few districts has a selection devolved upon us; and in those cases, our greatest difficulty has arisen from the number of highly respectable names that have been presented. Thus has a ticket been formed, for the support of our candidate, that might with strict truth be called the People's Ticket, having emanated directly from the people themselves, in the only unexceptionably republican mode practicable under the general ticket system: not dictated by a self-constituted power, and deriving no factitious importance from legislative assumption.

The meeting from whom we derive our authority, as a committee, nominated by a small majority, Gen. Andrew Jackson, for the Vice-Presidency, and that nomination was concurred in by several other meetings; but it by no means met the general approbation of Mr. Adams' friends, throughout the State. Some meetings declined making any nomination of a Vice-President. One expressly refused to concur in the nomination of General Jackson: and one nominated another individual for that office. Under these circumstances it has been deemed expedient and proper, to submit to you a ticket pledged to the support of Adams alone; and leave to the discretion of the electors the choice of a Vice-President. This course, there can be no doubt, will be more agreeable to the friends of Mr. Adams than encumbering his ticket with the name of an individual, however distinguished, whom many are unwilling to support. And it is believed that no name could be selected for that office, that would unite the approbation of all.

We have heretofore, fellow-citizens, addressed to you an exposition of our reasons for opposing the caucus system, and our preference for Mr. Adams over the other candidates. We will not now obtrude upon you a repetition of them. If there be any of our fellow-citizens whose minds are not already made up upon the Presidential question; or any who honestly doubt of the superiority of Mr. Adams' claims to that high office, we would refer them to the history of our country during the period of our constitutional existence—to the many important stations which Mr. Adams has filled under each succeeding Presidency, all which he has adorned and dignified by the splendour of his talents and the integrity of his conduct.—Examine also the pretensions of his opponents, as well as his own—not in the misrepresentations of the party newspapers of the day, where the most disingenuous perversions of plain facts is reduced to a system, where unblushing falsehoods and black calumnies are daily uttered with the pretence of enlightening the public mind, and the most heartless attacks made upon the private character and private feelings of the great and good, under the hypocritical guise of a friendly regard for their reputation, and a zeal for the public weal: You will seek in vain for correct information from such prostituted vehicles: But, seek it, where alone it is to be found, in the archives of our country—in the journals of our public councils, and in the state papers of the Executive. It is by their acts alone, that we can duly estimate the merits of public men. "By their fruits ye may know them." By this fair and honorable standard, we are content that our candidate shall rise or fall. We wish not to elevate him by detracting from his rivals one tittle of merit to which they are justly entitled. Neither would we enlist in his behalf your prejudices and passions. They are unsafe guides, and never appealed to but to deceive and mislead. It is to your sober judgment and better feelings we would appeal. We rest Mr. Adams' claims to your confidence and support, upon his long and faithful public services—his well tried constitutional principles—his great talents as a statesman, and his unblemished character as a man.

Fellow-citizens, the time draws nigh when our country, speaking through the Constitution and the law, will call upon each one of you to do his duty by recording his vote from the man he deems most worthy to guide the destinies of this great nation. We exhort you, as you value this inestimable privilege, not to neglect the exercise of it on this occasion. Let every man feel and act as if the issue rested on his single vote. We know that the vote of Virginia has been uniformly counted for the caucus candidate, and his partizans have industriously propagated the belief that Mr. Adams' friends here form a small minority, (falsely stigmatised a "fragment" of the old Federal party)—that all exertion in his behalf would be unavailing, and would only produce fruitless excitement and disturb the union and harmony of the Republican party! The device has so far succeeded, as to induce many well-meaning politicians to acquiesce in the caucus dictation, in opposition to their better judgment; and others, whose principles were not so yielding, have, nevertheless, for prudential reasons, considering the contest hopeless, refused to take an active part in support of their principles and their rights. But, be not deceived. Rest assured, we tell you only that which we do know, when we declare to you that Mr. Adams has a strong party of friends even in Virginia. There is not a county, not a town, and scarcely a neighborhood in the commonwealth, where are not found many men of respectability, intelligence, and as pure republican principles as any the State can boast, who prefer him and who have independence enough to assert and maintain their preference.

Be not deterred, then, we entreat you, from coming forward and giving a manly and independent vote in maintenance of your rights against the caucus usurpation. And, in giving your vote for John Quincy Adams, you will give it for a faithful and well-tried servant of the public—a firm, undeviating advocate of the constitution—an enlightened and virtuous statesman, who has always been found true to his country's interest and honor, "regardless of consequences."

Your friends and fellow-citizens,
Philip Harrison, William Browne, Tho's Seddon,
James Carmichael, William C. Beale, Thomas B.
Barton, Charles Austin, Horace Marshal, Howard F.
Thornton, William A. Knox, Archibald Hart, Han-
cock Eustace, Geo. M. Cock, Beverly R. Wellford,
William F. Gray,
Adams Corresponding Committee
Fredericksburg, Sept. 22, 1824.