The veto power - relation of parties : Speech of Hon. B.L. Clarke, of Kentucky, in the House of representatives, Monday, June 26, 1848. In committee of the whole on the state of the Union and the civil and diplomatic appropriation bill. Page: 3 of 8

                                
for their suffrages, will be much gratified to learn
the principlesof this candidate of "the new party,"
and particularly in what the distinction consists
between " a Whig," " a Clay Whig," and " a
Whig, but not an ultra Whig."    Then, sir, I pro-
pose a reference to his letters, by way of ascer-
taining something about the principles of "a Whig,
but not an ultra Whig."   Here is an extract from
General Taylor's letter to M r. J. W. Taylor. of
Ohio, dated May 18, 1847,, in which is the fol-
lowing:
"I ant not prepared to say that I shall refuse if thee oun-
try calis me to the Presidential office, but that I can and shall
yield to no call that does not come from the spontaneous
action andfree will of the ncrtion at large. In no case can I
permit myselft be thecandidate ofany party, or yield myself
to lrirty schermes."
This, I suppose, is the doctrine-the political

to certain statements that have been made in some of the
papers at the North, and which submits several inquiries
for ry considerations, has been received. 'o your iinuiries
I have respctfully to reply : First, that if nominated by the
Whig National Convention, I shall not refuse acceptance,
provided I ai left free of ali pled es and permitted to man-
t"in the position of indeperstence of all parties in which the
people and my oen sense of ditty hae placed re, otherwise I
shll reftrse tre nominalisi of any convention or party.
 Secondly. I do not design to withdraw my name if Mr.
Clay be the nominee e o t  Whig National Convention; and
in this connection I beg permission to remarkI, that the state-
mients that have been so positively made in some of the
Northern prints, to the effect that should Mr. Clay be the
nominee of the Cthig National Convention I had stated that
I would not stiffer my naime to be -used, are not correct, and
have no foundation in any oral or written remark of riine.
It has not been my intention at any inomen to chang my
position, or to withdrawnr.y name froi theranvass, who-
ever ma be the nominee of the National Convention, either
of the Whig or Deioeratic party.''

creed-of a Whbig, but not an ultra W hig;" and  From this letter, we begin to find out who and
I think this will be new doctrine to my old Whig what "a Whig, but not an ultra Whig," is; we
friends in Kentucky, who have always been proud begin to see how strong were his affections, and
to acknowledge their candidates for office as the how candid his professions of an overweening de-
candidates of the Whig party, and who have never sire to see Mr. Clay President over any individual
regarded a Whig as a " good Whig" who would in the Union. I believe General Taylor was out of
not be the candidate of the party, upon the terms the Union at the time he expressed his longing de-
of the party, and the exponent of their principles.  sire to see Mr. Clay President over any individual
Again, in his letter to General Peter Sken Smith, in the Union. Of one thing, sir, I am certain:
dated July 6, 1847, General Taylor makes the fol- I that "a Whig, but not an ultra Whig," is not a
lowing declaration:                           Democrat; for if he were, he would, at all times,
"I can only say, with all candor, that, if elected to that at all places, and under all circunstancese be will-
olice, it must be by the spontaneous will of the people at in and roud to avow his rinciples and opinions
large, and without any agenev or pledge on toy part it  y lg  p v    h    p
particular. If l ever fll that high office, it ioust be rntram- to the people-freely, candidly, and honestly, upon
mnelled with party obliaatious or interests of any kind." all subjects. Sir, there ii another thing of which
The next letter in order, Mr. Chairman, is a very I I am equally certain, and that is, that my honor-
remarkable production, one which, I doubt not, able colleague [Major GAINEds will never be able
will be well understood by many of our adopted to convince the Whigs, the Clay Whigs, the old-
citizens, and by them responded to when they  fashioned Whigs of Kentucky-those, sir, who
come to the polls. It is a letter addressed to G. have been honest in their support of Mr. Clay and
A. Birkly, President of the Native American Con- his avowed principles-that General Taylor is a
vention, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dated July 13, "good Whing,'' particularly after they shall ex-
1847. This letter, doubtless, has been well under- amine the letter which I have quoted, published
stood by the gentleman from Philadelphia, [Mr. on the very threshold of a Whig National Conver-
LEVIN,] who has all alonk been the fast friend of tion. General Taylor to be received and adopted
General Taylor, and who is the sole representative by Kentucky Whigs, when he declares that, if
of the Native American party upon this floor. Here elected, he will not be the exponent of Whig prin-
is an extract from that letter:               ciples!-General Taylor adopted by the honest
"Li United leisure from my public duties constrains me to Whigs of proud old Kentucky, when, at an old
reply in very general and brief rerms to the points cited in age, he has not yet discovered whether a bank or
your letter. I donotfeel myself at liert1 to express mr Fri  protectivetariff constitutionally or ucorratitution-
opiintse. I ar not weaning to le the candid-ate oJ any party." al-at a time when there is not a farmer's son in
What, sir ! a candidate for the Presidency not Kentucky, eighteen years of age, who has not
willing to express his opinions FRANKLY! But I formed some opinion upon the constitutionality of
will proceed.                                a bank, protective tariff, &c.!-Kentucky Whigs
Another of his series is the letter addressed to endorse General Taylor, when he declares his
the Hon. J. R. INGERSoLL, dated August 3, 1847; fixed and unalterable determination to run against
in this letter General Taylor uses the following Mr. Clay, though he were the nominee of a Whig
language:                                    National Convention! No, sir; never. Now, I put
" At the last Presidential canvass, it was well known to the question to honorable Gentlemen: Suppose,
all with whout I mixed, whirgs and Democrats, (Cir i hrl
no concelmenits in the mr:rtter,) that I was decidelly in prior to the meeting of the Whig State convention
favor of Mr. clay's eleetion, and woull now prefer seeing to February last, in Kentucky, some gentleman
him ini that oIlice to any individual in the Union.'  calling himself ''a Whig, but not an ultra Whig"
The General has admitted that he is uninformed had been brought forward by office-seekers and
as to the constitutionality or expediency of a bark, others, in some of the different counties in the
protective tariff,&c.. It is then to be inferred that State; and suppose, upon being addressed, this
his preference for Mr. Clay grew out of feelings of gentleman should reply, that he would accept the
personal kindness rather than any attachment he nomination of the Whig State convention, with
had for, or understanding of, Mr. Clay's political the express understanding that he would not be
principles.                                  the candidate of the Whig party, nor the exponent
Let us now examine his letter to 0. P. Baldwin, of their principles; but that, if the convention
dated April 20, 1848, but a few weeks before the should nominate Mr. Crittenden, or any other, he
assembling of the Philadelphia Convention, and see would not decline, but would run the race against
whether time, or something else, has estranged his the regular nominee of the Whig convention: I
affections from Mr. Clay. In that letter General ask, sir, if there are a thousand Whigs in Ken-
Taylor proceeds to say:                      tucky who would regard such a man "a good
r DEAa StRa: Your letterof the 10th instant, whiehalludes i Whig," or a Whig at all? But, for further illus-