r
V .
.NX ca
IIP
. ; . M -4; C";V- : 'V'..' ' . - - - - ; C
I I - - -l , l - - - ' ' ' ' '" 1 - ! - II , II . - - . ' . '
VOL 2.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
BY
ence of direct taxation. There are a few.
of you who do not now feel" that the taxes
you pay are a very serious burden. The
Cincinatti Convention held a different opin
ion, and in addition to what vou already
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
S2.00 PER A1VIVU3J IX ADTA3VCE.
- ( II '
Spcecli of Hon J Jcrre Clcmnioiis.
The Iluntsville, j(Ala.) Independent, of
Saturday week, brihgs.us the speech made
by Hon. Jerre Clemmons on the 28th ult.,
Blue Spring, near Decatur. It is a mer
ciless review of the Democratic Platform.
The following extract should be read and
reflected upon by every American citizen.
The next proposition to which I shall di
rect your attention is the following :
" That the question coneected with the
Foreign policy of the Country is inferior to
no domestic question whatever.. The time
lias come for trie citizens of the United
States to declare themselves in favour of
free seas, and progressive free trade through
out the world. And by solemn manifes
tations, to place their moral influence by
the side of their successful example."
Our Sag Nicht frien Is have a habit of
"Ccovrrmg up their meaning by such ambig
uous words that it is not always easy for a
piain man to tell exactly what they are at.
"Free Seas,' is a very taking expression,
hut there is something more behind than
meets the eye. It was intended to cover a
war with Denmark on account of the Sound
dues dues which that Kingdom has collect
ed from all vessels navigating the Baltic for
a period dating back beyond the discovery
of America. Our commerce there is trifling
and the money collected there from our
ship owners insignificant. " Washington,
Jefferson, and Madison recognized the rights
of Denmark to make the collection, and se
cured it to her by solemn treaties But Mr.
Pierce, more jealous of the Nation's rights
3 than they, suddenly discovered that it was'
not consistent with the National honor to
pay this paltry tax, when England, France,
Hussia and all Europe had paid it, before
our nation had an existence, and pay it yet
witlmut a murmur, and when moreover, six
months war would cost us more than would
" ,be collected from us in a century.
I may jlo Mr. Pierce injustice, but Tthink
I can account for the sudden importance
these Sound dues have assumed.
lie has seen proper to indulge in a good
deal of blustering on the occasion of a Spa
. nisli vessel firing into the Black Warrior.
An unsophisticated person would have
supposed that he intended to land an army
on the Island in six weeks, at farthest, but
unfortunately, tlie fleets of France and Eng
land were riding in those seas, and it was
pretty well understood that a blow at Cuba
Mould be met by a blow from the three
powers combined. Mr. Piercels courage
was not equal to such a trial: He hesitat
ed, vaccillatcd, until his minister resigned
in disgust, and the Secretary of legation
then patcheed up a compromise. Air Pierce
had backed square out. 'It was mortifying
and he knew it ; so, like the feller that was
whipped at a muster and swore " he'd be
l d if he'd stay whipt, but would go right
home and whip Sally," Air. Pierce deter
mined nt to stay backed out. He would
not fight England and France, but had re
solved to pitch into little Denmark. So
long as the thing was in his hands alone,
however, I had no great Apprehension of a
rupture. I thought he '-ould find some
way of getting out of it, and sure enough
he did. When the .time specified in the
treaty had expired, instead of carrying out
his war-like threats, he issued a circular to
the American Merchantmen- to jay their
dues but to pay them under protest. So a
, protest was substituted for a war, and there
the ridiculous farce ought to have ehded,
1 hut the Democratic Convention have taken
!t up, and what was a farce may soon be a
bloody tragedy. To do-them justice they
mean what they say upon the subject of
a fighting. Thev lack neither the courage
nor the will to do Jbattle with the Devil
himself, if it should strike their fancy to get
possession of his kingdom. How far it be
comes peaceful citizens who delight not in
j bloodshed, whose trade, agriculture and
commerce must suffer grievously in case of
a foreign war, to luik.themselves with a par
ty so reekless and so ready to quarrel with
any body and on any pretext, is a question
you must settle for yonrselves. For one I
choose to follow quiet paths. All history
. teaches that rational liberty can only be en
joyed far away from the din of arms, and it
not the least of my objections to the An-ti-Americanpaxty
that, they seem to take a
savage delight.1 in every prospect of a diffi
culty with pther nations.
This resolution shadows forth an other
principle more oppressive to the poor man,
and more blighting to the prosperity of the
countrythan all the foreign wars in which
U teealens to Plunge "s- They are not
onlp in favor of " free seas, " but " free
trade throughout the world." JFrec trade!
Do you know what that means? means
that instead of supporting the Government
by duties on imports, all duties shall be a
bolished and the money dragged by taxa
tion directly from the pockets of the people.
Let us see how such a system would work.
There are in the United States about twenty-five
millions of inhabitants. Our expen
ses have been swelled, as I have told you,
to seventy-five millions of dollars. Equal
taxation therefore upon free trade principles
would take from you yearly three dollars
for yourself, three dollars for your" wife,
LEXINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1856.
Brown, of Mississippi, indignantly resists
no:
This is the end of the'Democratic plat
form, as published in1 the Iluntsville Dcra
ocrat. j It is headed "Democratic Platform
in full." And so it is headed in other
Southern papers ; but that is not the truth.
There is something- more which I don't
wonder at their trying to hide from their
readers. At the same time this platform
was reported, another resolution accompan
ied it. j That resolution reads thus
That the Democratic party recognize
the great importance, in a political and com
mefcial point.of view, of a safe and speedy
communication, by military and postal
three dollars for each of your children, and j roads, through our own territory, between
nine dollars for every five of your " negroes, j the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of this Union,
Add up these sums, and you will have I and that it is the duty of the Federal Gov-
some idea of the paternal care the Democ-! crrrment to exercise promptly all its consti
racy propose to take of your pockets. ; tutional power for the attainment of that ob-
We in Alabama have had some experi- ject. j j
This resolution was laid upon- the table
by a vote of 138 to 120. It ought to read
135 to: 123, because three of the Alabama
delegates who wanted to vote for a road to
the Pacific were overruled by their col-
pay, propose to tax you with your propor- : leagues, and prevented from doing so.
tion of seventy-five millions of dollars, to be ! When the resolution was laid upon the
squandered on works of internal improve- j table, Mr. Inge, of California, nominated
ment, which will do you no good given a- ! Gen. Cass, and voted for him until Buchan
way to steam ship companies, or wasted in an's nomination was no longer a matter of
extravagant salaries paid to puhlie oflirers ; doubt. He then made a speech, an extract
who are feasting on French dishes, and : from which I will now read :
drinking Champagne and Burgundy, while
you are restricted to corn bread, butter milk
and middling meat.' " j of lys eminent qualities as a patriot and
IT 1 - - - T . ' . .
unuer our present system, you pay no i statesman, we acquiesce in nomination
taxes to the support of the general govern- : notwithstanding the course of the Pennsyl
ment but what you hoose. The luxuries ; vama delegation in voting against the propo-
And now, sir, so far as Mr. Buchanan
s concerned, we nave a high appreciation
7. Green Crnn PJrT Poi .n,i :
the incorporation of any such principle in Buckwheat turned under, arc also valuable
the Democratic creed. The 'Washington and cheap methods of fertilizing the land-
Union claimed that the Buffalo platform and should enter ihto the system of im-
men were sound Democrats, and the Cin- provement of every farm
fnnaCnUon"ebdo"A'eWin- In the name of common sense, if we do
Hie Washington Sentinel denounced them not me foreign fertiliPr 1p I,i
as traitors, but still its Editor participated to use hora
Correspondence Head !
Buffalo, August 5th; 185C. -
"VVyxdham Robertson, Esq.
Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of of the 23d ult., trans
mitting a copy of the preamble and resolu
tions adopted by the Whig Convention cf
r .
c inanuiacinrpfi mnnr mnra i r: ; i i . ,
in the deliberations of f!; r tu: L " rginia laxeiy assemoieo ai lucnmonu, oy
which thev constituted a , Z I 1 sorce, ana evC- whlch lhal intelligenl and patriolic body re.
bases in,npmm. q 57 . reU l colleclin5 commended to their Whig brethren through-
, ui4 v-u,- Bduiig, anu nauung materials to
crcigmy. xna oouinern coaujutors in manyl the compost heaps.
It
will "nav it I .v T T:j i i
localities TPnnflinfp IhP n-ri n(inlo i nl Honvr I 11 -r . ... I .
.... . . , "" . wen. 1 our next year s crop will
increase j out the Slate to yield to my nomination for
the 1
port.
the OrthodoXV of thl ttmhtT TlnArr I :. mr r -
. HKU ' " ""1 -"""o- ...anjo, your .arms need-many Standing, a, I do, a, the known candi
piujiujcs iu uiiinc grains 01 lanu 10 oi Your l.irms must Iiavp mnmiro nil j - r i t
...,, , 6,r ,r - y nave manure, or all date of another party, I yet recieve this re-
unnaturalized Foreigners. Mr. Mason, of your labor, from vcar to vear Is lost Vn. i ;u i a -i
v: 1 Vi ri , 3 "at s lost, un- commendation with gratitude and pride. I
irginia, and Rrr. Clay, of Alabama, con- til itis applied, no lick that -nn ciriU nn e i .t, . j u .v
V .1 , ..' . - diucu, no iick xnat you strike, no feci that it is made, not because the princi-
demn the policy, and warn him against the furrow that von plow no rnmnlslm ihn if r .1 1 . 1
r 1 , . . pow, no compiaini mat pes of the two parties are identical, nor
consequences Mr. Douglas proclaims that you mter. no tear that you shed, no prayer wilh , view to merge them in each other-
thc Kansas act ., a b.ll for freedom -Mr. that you offer for rain will pay-nothing, for such an object is expressly disclaimed
Midell lauds it as a great measure of Justice ncthinn-will avail. A nriest Wi? rillpd nn. u .1 n 1 . u
. . 0 , ,r , . wiiu0 x in avail. j. pnesi was called up- bv the Convention but because the prm-
to the feouth. Mr. 1'ierce says that oppo- an to nav over the barren fipltU nf hU mr. : 1 , .- - - .
. r . ... J . 11 ""."'.''J! OY uie uarren neius 01 nis par- ciples whic!: my nomination represents, ap-
sition to the repeal of the Missouri Compro- i.honers.l- He passed from enclosure to an- proach more nearly to those maintained by
mise is anti-Democratic Mr. Buchanan in other and pronounced his benediction, un- the Whigs of Virginia, than those of any
his London letter, says that no Democrat til he came to a most unpromising case other candidate : and because, as the Con
ought to be censured for any opinion he He surveyed it in dispair, exclaiming, "Ah ! vention was pleased to say, of their conn-
mar novo HolH rr thol enrnsA AT 1 .1 t t.t- -
"f"J w , W " j-- v,uw.- urewiren, no use to pray nere tins neeas Klence in my late administration of the Gov
ic reruns in iaTur ui a xiign i arm iMr. manure. Jiralor.
Hunter, ch'r of the Finance Committee, un
ceremoniously rejects his recommendation.
of the rich are taxed the necessaries of the
poor are exempt. The party now asking
sition in reference to an -overland commu-
TlicVote of ,or(h Carolina.
The Seetetary of. War, speaking in the We give below the vote of this. State in
presence of his honored Chief,"" advocates 1854, for Gov. Bragg and Gen. Dockery
a great Railroad to the Pacific Virginia leaving a space to be filled with the returns
declares such a road unconstitutional and for Bragg and Gilmer :
anti-Democratic. Twelve democratic Sen
ators, including Bigler of Pa., Cass and
Douglas, voted to confer the right of suf
frage upon unnaturalized foreigners. About
the sameliumber, including Fitzpatrick and
you to support James Ruchanan propose to j ted to the Convention.
abandon this system, and resort to a mode ! Jfre believe he does not aerce to what
of taxation which favors the rit h and op
presses the poor -which wrings from you
nication with Calfornia, which was presen- Clay, voted against it. Upon every ques
tion there is the same diversity. Upon ho
one thing are they agreed, save the love of
1854. 1856.
. l . .
I Q
COUNTIES. '' u
SS - B 5
o
p
that delegation has done!"
But the private assurances which satisfied
your hard earnings to feast the lazy drones Mr. Inge did not satisfy Missuouri, and Mr.
about Washington.
Shields offered the following resolution
. Can such men be the fiiends of the peo- ; That it is the duty of the Federal Gov
pie? Are they entitled to the name they ernmrnt to construct as far as it has consti-
have arrognntly assumed? Is it not a dese
cration of the time-honored word, Democ
racy? to apply it to those who have so far
departed Horn all the landmarks erected by
Jefi'erson and Jackson?
The resolutions which follow are all ini
lulional power so to do a safe overland
communication with our own "territory be
tween the Atlantic and Pacific States.
T T -1 HT IT
ivir. maunders, oi Wisconsin onered a
substitute : ;
44 That the Democratic parly recognizes
relation to the foreign policy of the govern- j the great importance, in a political and com
ment, anil are all mischievous and danger- : inun'walion through our own territory be-
ous in their tendency. The last one of the
series is equivalent to a general declaration
of war against the civilized world :
44 That the Democratic party will expect
from the next Administration every proper
effort to be made to insure our ascendency
in the Gulf of . Mexico, and maintain a per
manent protection of the great outlets
through which are emptied into its waters
the products raised on the soil, .nd the
twecn the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the
Union, and it is the duty of the Federal
Government to exercise all its constitution
al power for the attainment of that object,
thereby binding the unioiv of these States in
indissoluble bonds, and opening to the rich
commerce of Asia an overland transit from
the Pacific to the Mississippi River v and
great Lakes of the North.'
Alnmnnr.ft.
power and the love of spoils. Gov. Wright, Alexander
of Indiana, advocates the Kansas bill "as Anson,
the best JFihnot Proviso ever adopted" and Ashe,
Wm. Acklen and Rheuben Chapman, who gyg
certainly cannot be suspected of entertain-l ri i
ing any such opinion, voted with him to I Bertie,
endorse the principle of the bill. The New Beaufort,
York "Softs'" denounced Southern Emi- Brunswick,
era tits to Kansas as cutthroats and robbers, I , '
and W. L. Y anccy and Ij. P. Walker, who Craven,
stimulated that emigration by money and Cumberland,
speeches, are now acting in loving fellow- Chowan,
ship with them. The Democratic party oiuitidus,
have given Sumner, Chase, Wilson, Hale, Qarteret'
Hamlin, JJ I a i r, Cambreiing, Wilmot, Banks Cherokee,
and Fremont to the Abolitionists. What- Caswell,
Chatham,
596
235
255
550
333
562
620
410
572
435
425
739
638
1473
283
512
125
399
427
1007
597
441
902
'671
751
775
426
590
901
416
62 i
310
599
904
245
304
461
403
684
597 645
466 411
236 750
.734 708
569 505
958 787
608 t481
469 545
539 833
404 468
426 665
968 158s
784 538
000 000
291 230
589 306
107 473
000 coo
000 000
a record is here presented of a party claim
ing to be National ! What a spectacle is
exhibited of Democratic unity and Demo
cratic regard for principle !
Caldwell,
Currituck,
Cleaveland,
Davidson,
Davie,
Duplin,
Domestic Manures.
We would by no means discountenance Edgecombe
the use of Guano altogether, when it can be Forsythe,
The chief difference between this substi- procured on living terms, but would earn- Franklin,
commodities created by the industry of the ! tnte and the resolution first reported is that estly recommend to our readers a cautious aslon'
people of our Western valleys and the Union : it has more unmeaning words in it, and and prudent application of it, and a reliance, Qujjforcj
theretore, comes nearer to the standard oi mainly, on home manuiactureu manure, Greene,
Sag Nicht taste. The substitute was adop- there are many fertilizers on every farm, of Gates,
ted by a vote of 205 to 87 the Alabama equal value to guano, which are almost uni- Haywood,
delegates reversing their former position and varsally wasted. Among these, we may "a l,Iax
voting with the majority. mention, - Hvde
And thus this wild scheme of building a 1. Hen Manure. This is excellent for Henderson,
220 1120 211
1017 1137 1166 1062
219 620 438 425
544 158 000 000
978 336 1100 138
079 1292 823 1199
364 610 000 000
1061 22& 1113 155
1404 155 1563 189
897 802 "1080 826
713 339 744 334
808 138 000 000
1078 995 1255 994
t lanre."
Some of you are in debt, many of you o.wn
slaves almost all of you depend for yolir
income on agricultural productions. An at
tempt to establish an ascendency in the
Gulf brings with it inevitably a war with
France, England and Spain. IIow are vdur
debts to be paid when your trade is slop
ped ! What would your negroes be worth
Railroad to the Pacific, over lofty moun- all kinds oPgarden vegetables, and, if prop- Iredell,
the rich one would be compelled to dispense
with many of the comforts to which he is
habituated. Add to these the other evils
attendant upon a state of, war the general
demoralization the weakening of those
wholesome restraints without which society j
tains and impassable snows, at an expense erly managed, a little will go far as a ferlil- Jackson,
of hundreds of millions, was recognized as ezer for all crops. Take decomposed j?
when there is no market for the products of ; a cardinal principle of the Democratic swamp muck and mix halt and halt with the Lenoir,
their labor? Cotton, corn, rice, wheat and j creed. No wonder they were ashamed of scrapings of the hen house and poultry Lincoln,
tobacco would become hlmost entirely va-i their work ! No wonder when they pub- roost, and, just before using, mix with it one Madison,
lueless: while many articles which arc im- Iish what they call their whole piatiorm, ousnei oi aie io u, .c ..iu.c,
ported from abroad, and which from long ' they l.eave out this ruinous resolution. Bt put half a pint in each hill of corn. 1 he IoorCf '
use have become absolute necessaries, would 1 it is not left out in Missouri and California, result will be an increase of the crop 33 1-3 Montg0meryf
rise to an enormous price. The poor man There where it is supposed it will help Bu-J per cent. 1 he ashes should not oe aoueo Macon, .
could no longer drink his -coffee, and even chanan, it is dwelt upon with intense de- before ready for application, because it has Mecklenburg,
lirht. And this is the party calling itself a tendency to set tree the ammonia- ana w
n 1 J i i I ft w Hanover.
national! This is the party who profess, cause loss betore the mixture is covered in Northamptonf
to deal always fairly and openly with the the earth. Onslow,
people ! This is the party who claim to be 2. Night Soil. I his should be prepared Orange,
rr.wnmprl h v nn Pt nf nrincinles North and in the same way, with the addition of one- Pasquotank
South, East and West! Let me examine fifth stable manure and a quantity oi ncn - -
would be a curse the natural tendency of! a little in what this claim to national unity wefods mould in equal proportions, wmi person,
consists, r will begin with Arkansas and muck ; with a sprniKie oi nme or aica a,.u Robersof .
Alabama. Both have always been Demo- plaster or charcoal, or copperas dissolved in Rockingham,
cratic States. Both have always had De- water half pound ol the latter 10 eacn uowmn.
mocratic Senators ; and yet for years they bushel of night soil. Let these ingredients gy ""'
have voted directly against each other upon be thoroughly mixed together and put up in Richmmjf
every question' of Internal. Improvements, bulk to stand from four to six weeks, and Sampson,
!Ur Spbnstinn. and Mr. Johnson, would be then be shoveled over and mixed witn one burry.
verv indignant if anv one denied their right tenth ashes. A pint of the mixture in each Stokes,
to be called Democrats. Mr, Fitzpalnck corn hill, will increase the crop, on land
- i i noorlimr nir1. nt Ipast a third.
i and;iir. iay, woiuu ajine rcscui ajf iv.....&
tempt to lessen their claims in that regard ; 2. Hog Pen Manure. .
yet the first declare that the improvement 3. tow I en .Manure. ,
of Rivers and Harbors is an imperitive duty, 5. Stable Manure. t
while the last denounce it as a flagrant vio- These three, composted in a similar way
w i i Aft v UUl
lation of the' Constitution. Mr. Buttler says with the addition of leaves, straw, weeds, Wilke
that the right of a State to secede from the any kind of rich earth, and, if intended for Yadkin,
Union is clear and unquestionable. Mr. sandy land, a large proportion of pure clay, Yancey,
Toucey declares that secession is a folly will furnish a much larger supply oi valu-
and an absurdity. Mr. Dodge, of Wiscon- able home-maoe manure man any one wuu
in,1 holds that Congress has the power to has not tried it would imagine, at a mucn
528 1615
358 351
422 351
355 350
484 541
237 306
302 397
243 687
382 1256
336 255
571 2059
432 289
000 000
537 254
736 584
335 393
000 000
668 647
351 1349
572 106
a soldiery to lose their affection for coun
try, in affection for their leaders and the
contempt for rational liberty which long
service in the camp so certainly engenders,
and you have a picture on which neither
the patriot nor the Christian can gaze with
out a shudder. '
Grant that we were successful in the end
(as I believe we should be,) it would only
be after we had waded through seas of
blood, and when the public mind was pre
pared to exchange, the Republic for a Mili
tary despot. The veterans who followed
Csesar to the conquest of Gaul and Britain,
did not hesitate to turn their arms against
their mother Rome at his bidding. The
Republican soldiers who fought beneath the
banner of Napoleon on the plains of Italy,
required little persuasion to prop his impe
rial throne with their, bayonets. So it has
ever been and ever will e, and the -policy
ninv announced by the miscalled Democratic
party not only leads certainly to present
misery and suffering, but just as certainly
to eventual slavery and degradation
230
936
394
573
428
696
217
605
145
229
1023
1115
1109
641
590
343
725
601
782
1035
932
229 261 180
744' 1036 817'
274 499 263
296 614 222
3U 575 250
299 706 340
674 536 395
752 733 677
741 211 725
390 000 000,
652 1024 623
95 1107 73
424 1522 570
,490 695 428
238 772 108
963 1080 1119 .1015
331 496 330 ' 502
334 304 348
708 775 716
331- 678 384
679 773 669
310 1168 439
976 885 905
621 1010 1070 781
403 1378
Stanly,
Tyrrel,
Union,
Wake,
Warren,
Washington,
Watauga,
Wayne,
113
860
767
636
95
109
726
708
599
465
437
874
275
475
566 1281
247 556
990 497
877 570
769 498
177 797
124 309
834 273
1541 1170 1603 1124
754 168 819 101
245 388 261 377
156 428 000 000
1145 304 1332 274
325 1261 609 1264
650 758 633 888
639 349 810 320
48,705 46,620 58,859 40,532
46,620 . 40,532
si
slaverv in the Territories Mr. cheaper rate, too, than Peruvian guano at Brace's mai. 2.085, : 11,327
TflmKa flpiiniuipps it as a wronf for whic h J 55 or $60 per ton.
I.i,- ,nn,nnri,fP rmPilv. Mr. 6. Kitch'en and yard Compost. All the The ancients- were of opinion that Echo
n-'ik-.i aIA. l,;h tariff for the nro- trash. Suds and dirty water and sweepings was a maiden who had pined away for love I yet to give m my adhesion to either of the
Uiuuntau - o j 1 - . a t 1 .
1 lo,,inr. nf . Ppnnvlvania interests. 3lr. land scraping should De tnrown on inis, j uu noming ojh ner toicc icu.. . v.w i-.v, ,w-.v ..u,.,,
ernment.
Whatever may be our differenceon minor
subjects, I am sure there is one on which
we agree, and that one at this moment is par
amount to all others. I allude to the pres
ervation of the Union of these States, and .
the rescuing the country from sectional
strife. The question is not so much, how
shall the government be administered, as
shall it be preserved ; and on this great vi
tal question, national Whigs national Dem
ocrats, and Union-loving Americans may
well act in concert. On this basis, I shall
vith great pleasure receive the votes of all
who have confidence in my integrity and
ability, and who ask no other pledge than
my past service for my future conduct. This
position seems to' me alike honorable to all.
No principle is saccrificed. No deception
is practiced ; and I trust that no one, cas
ting his vole for me on this ground, will ev
er have cause to regret it.
Wilh many thanks for thed-tlering man
ner in which you have been plcasedto com
municate the Tesult of the Convention,
I have the honor to be your friend and
fellow citizen, Millaro Filloore.
LETTER FROM HON. It. C. . WXXTIIR0P.
The following letter from the Hon. R. C
Winthrop. of Boston will explain itself. It
was received on Saturday morning by the
gentle man to whom it is addressed :
Boston, August 14, 1850.
My Dear Sir : Your obliging communi
cation of he 12lh inst,, inviting me to ad
dress a mass meeting of the friends of Mr.
Fillmore at Brooklyn, on the evening of the
20th inst, was duly received. I lose no time
in saying that il will be impossible for me
to be present on that occasion, and that 1
can only return my grateful acknowledge
ments to the committee for the compliment
which the invitation contains.
As a member of the old Whig party of
Massachusetts, I have .acquiesced in the
arrangement of the state central committee
of that party, for postponing any definite
action in regard to the Presidential election
until the usual autumnal convention. . I do
not know whether I shall be in the way of
attending that convention, or if I am, wheth
er I shall be called on to take any part in
his proceedings. But I intend to keep my
self free from any absolute committals, and
to leave myself open to fresh impressions
and convictions, at least until the date which
has been fixed for that convention shall have
passed.
At the same time I haje no hesitation in
admitting that you were entirely right in .
the belief which your letter expresses as to
my present opinionsThose opinions have
been already set forth by more than one of
your distinguished fellow citizens of Ne w
York, with a clearness and fullncs which
leave nothing to be supplied. I refer par
ticularly to the published letters of my valu
ed friends, Mr. Barnard and Governor Hunt,
which I have read with the greatest interest
and gratification. From their general vie ws
of public affairs and of existing political par
ties, I have not been able to withhold my
cordial concurrence andsympathy. Norcan
I easily escape from their conclusions.
You are doubtless aware that: I have nev
er associated myself with any branch or or
der of what is now known as the American
party. So far as their organization has
been secret, or their objects proscriptive or
intolerent, they have never had my appro
bation or assent. But I have seen no nomi
nation for the Presidency whieh rseeras to
promise so much of peace and harmony to
the country at large, and so much of assured
stability to-its institutions, under exist!.: j
circumstances, as that af Mr. Fillmore.
I certainly have not found myself zhla as
T 1