The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-02-26
MR.. UPSHUR,S LETTER.
WAsHrscros, February II, 1912
APPENDIX b, CONCLUDED.

DEAR SIR: avail myself of the first moment al
my command to reply to the questions which you
PROFOUND TO me IN your note OF yeS,oluay q"
glad of the opportunity which is ahorded me Oh VIM
dicating the principles and purposes Oh great ana
patriotic party, with whom it was, and still is my
highest pride to have been associated This pleasure
will be enhanced if what may say shall be of any
vice to one who, when torrent Of ignorant preju-
dice was sweeping that party, had the moral
courage 10 stand up and yindlcate their principles,
and who did SO with an unsurpassed ability.
To your first question: answer, that, from the be-
ginning to the end of the notification controversy,
in the habit of the fullest and most confidential
communication with nearly all the leading men OF
the party, by letters In private consultation, and In
caucus, and that with one single exception, never
heard sentiment of unriendliness to the Union ut
tered ntimated. But, on the contrary, the con-
slant declaration of the utmost devotion to that
Union, and settled opinon-however mistaken IL
may have been-that the greatest guaranty Tor It's
perpetuty was to be found in the recognition OF our
principles There may have been individuals OF the
party who thought dissolution OF the Union " desl-
rable - i can only say that never met with such
an one confidently assert that, If there were any
SUCH they did not amount to one per cent OF the
party nd for this appeal to every member of
the party of any prominence IN the State. With the
admitted head of that party Mr.. Calhoun, my rela-
tions political and personal, were OF the most init
mate character Those relations are now totally
changed; and whilst trust that could not be in
duced repeat any thing to his disadvantage, which
| had heard from him during the existence of those
relations take pleasure in saying that, in the fullest
and freest conversations with him. for hours and
days at a time never had even to suspect that
he desired the dissolution of the Union. On the
trary | well know that he has always regarded such
an event as a great calamity-one of the greatest
know no more deeply impressed with the value
of that Union and whose opinions
strong and settled that it will be dissolved.
But sir is it for one moment to be supposed, that
the men who were most prominent in that contro-
versy whilst in all their speeches and public docu-
ments they professed an ardent devotion to the
Union, Were secretly plotting its destruction'
To your second question, | answer, that never
saw nor heard of any letter other communication
of yours with the nullifers of South Carolina except
the published essays signed " Locke" and Napier"
never heard that you were disunionst about the
period Of the re-estabshment of the Southern Re-
view nor at any other time and deny that DISCO
luton of the Union the object in reviving that
work The purpose was solely the vndication of
Southern literature and Southern political opinions
If any paper could be said to have been the organ
of the notification party it was the Charleston Mer
curry There were other papers which were ably
conducted amongst them the Columbia Telescope
with which Mr.. Johnston had some connexion, | do
not think ostensibly editor But do not hesitate
to say that whatever paper may have been the organ
of disunion party in South Carolina, such party
never numbered hundred members
Very respectfully, your obedent servant,
WADDY THOMPSON, Jun.
The Hon. A. P. UPsHUR.