Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1837-08-26
From the Mississ ppidn.
TO THE pIJRI,IC.

have no ambition of occupying the attention
ormv fellow citizens In newspaper controversies
which are personal to myself. Those wac Know
rre will do me the justice TO bear Witness that
4 nave never been anxiods to thrust myself De-
Fore the public in any manner whatever
Iama private, obscure individual, neither
candidate for office, nor an expectant OF popu-
lar favor or promotion; yet q. w. Edwards,
one Of tho aspran,s TO the gubernatrl,l CHAR
oft1is .tate, has seen proper TO publish one OF
nv priys @, confidential letters, and in a lengthy
.iddres, to assa,l me in manner, whicn a
,snse Of duty and self respect, obIige me TO re-
nj His publication has excited n me no other
feeling, than that of eontemh; and did II not
abound in glaring miscellaneous of iacs' l
should let it pass t'r what II is'a neucus OF
Dubic ridiculc and derision.
MAJOR Edwards charges me in his address,
with being the "chiet organ" Of system Of
inscription against hlms'lt, and his claims to
The office to which he aspres. A brief nara
rive of facts, will show how far this charge is
entitled to credence'
M Ihave ns,ther the power nor the wish to pro-
scribe any man, who is entitled to public coni-
dence, or the political support Of the party to
whcn belong.
II On my return from Washngt, in April la st,
when assumed the control of this paper, there
were several gentlemen Of the republican party,
aspiring to the chief mlgisracy IT the state ;
anona the number, was Maj. Is. W. Edwards
ali. Of cours., could not be elected. As the
condu tor Of leading political Jnurnal, wishing
u for tho supremacy Of correct principles, my OBJ
Il ;eet wa. union. then believed either Of the
gentle men suggested, worthy Of support. Cen
eral RunneIs, who was my first chote, ID pos
itiyeIy refused 10 permit his name to go before
the people, rs the ca dlaic of the republican
Il marty. MY next choice, was Maj. Edwards,
N whom then believed to be thoroughly repuh-
can N all his political sentiments, aud for whom
| entertained warm, personai friendship. |
was of the opinion, III t he would more readily
unite tue republican party than ther of the OH
ar asoiran'.; and my friendship for HIN, induced
mo to ur 70 his claims with at least rs much z'al,
as bccn 10 me. Upm the republican members
of the egslatnre, then in session, urged the
propretv Of sustaining him. | new could get
more than four of tlem t. agree with me IN the
nronrirty Of sustaining Major Edwards was
continually answered, that "ne had once had a
fair trial before the people, and been beaten ;
and that, moreover his recent stop law notions,
had nsad him 10" The truth is, that if my
conduct was liable to any censurp, it was being
too active in ibis sentl'lpan's behalf Yet after
all this, Major Edwards has seen proper to cen
sure my course ia the following luguo''ouS
strains
"Iu commenting upon my late circular, adj
dressed to the people of Mississippi, you COM
mence as if much surprised, by expressing your
deep regret and modification at its Coz tents
Notwithstanding you must have long since been
apprsed of my political views, particularly up
on the subject Of national bank. Those opln-
ions were publicly expressed by me, previously
to, and during the sitting the democratic CON
ven,lon, more than two years since, and were
used against me, by some of NY political tr'ends
while a candidate for congress. They wrr,
likewise freely avowed by me during the late
called session Of tie legislature, often perhaps
in your presence, even beore became csndl
date CT g,vernor; and you cou'd moi have beer
unapprised Of the fact. Before was announc
cd in your paper. delivered speech at Ray
mond in your own county, in reply to Malo
McNutt, avowing myself decidedly in favor Of
new national bauk, of which you were well ap
prised. heard ofno objection then, on you
part, against me. Notwithstanding il was G. n
orally known, (and you could not have been g
norant Of ny that | was in favor Of such bank
YOU urged me to become candidate, and tx
pressing your conviction. that was mantestly
the choice Of the republican party, voluntari y
pledged yourself to support me, This you asc
avowed in the Mssissippian Of the 2sih OF Apr
last about the time consented to become !
candidate.
rIua few days after this, however, Major
L in
position to my humble pretensions, and YOU ther
declared nrutrality. This ynu affected to main
tain, until the publication Of the prensent mum
Der Of your paper, now before me, which con
siitutes the subject matter Of this address. WHY
you should have continued so long neutral be
tween Majr McNut AID myself, under al
thase circumstances why sill so warmly adj
vocate the claims Of Colonel Claiborne, VIII
avows himself with me upon the subject 1t .ih'
bank-and why now assail me with SO much
party zeal, upon this prrtext only, are mysierle
Of which leave the world to Judge"
wish, in the FIRST place, to settle this ques
tlon of.pedges, and distinctly disavow, eve
having given Major Edwards, or any other cas
didate, pedgp to support him. unless he wa
the candidate Of the republican party As III
conductor ola paper, could MT consistent.
do otherwise.
Ihe article 10 which 40 al!uies II tho abov
extract from tho Missssippian Of the 95'h Q
April, which was published the Friday prevl
GUS 10 the meeting Of the legislature, contain
the wh9lc extent cfmY pledges and assurances