The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-24
Com UNICATIO MS.

u ~ wi M u IN " n L " ~ o.
To lhe Editor Of the Union;
EX-GOvERNOR MORTON OF MASSACHU-
SETS.
The Charleston Mercury, and some other journ-
ais professedy democratic, have more than once
taken occasion TO animadven, in strong language,
upon the appointment of the Hon. Marcus Morton,
of Massachusetts,, to the colectorshp Of the port OF
Boston. Whether these attacks made upon
Governor Morton, as preliminary to general as
sault upon the administration Of Mr.. Polk, on the
principle that induces military men to try the
strength Of the outposts before charge upon the
main works, we will not undertake to determine.
Certain II is, however, that they are alike unjust
and unwise; and though we do not apprehend that
they can do any harm either TO Governor M. or
the administration, we have, nevertheless, thought
1t not improper to refer to the NATTER for the pu-
pose of correcting some false statements which
have been thrown before the public.
The first charge against Governor Morton which
we shall notice-and it is the one to which most
Importance is attached Judging from the manner in
which IT has been urged-is, that he ia abolition
lst That Governor Morton, in principle, is opposed
to the Institution Of slavery may be very true Born
and educated in free State-surrounded from child
hood by the influences of society which, years
before he came upon the stage, had abolished the
forms OF involuntary servitude it would be singular
if he were not. Northern men in this respect are
not educated like southern men, and we cannot ra-
tonally expect them TO have the feelings of southern
men. But while Governor M. may, in this view,
be opposed to slavery, to charge upon him any
thing like an approval of the abolition movements
In the North, is TO do that for which there is not
even the sembance of foundations and he may
safely challenge reference to the whole history of
his past life for q refutation of the calumny
Through the entire agitation of this question, Gov
M has uniformly, in public and in private, held
the institution of slavery to be State institution
and dad hat tha i,vt;o
guarantees thrown around the rights of the States in
this respect, as in every other, should be carried
in good faith and to their legitimate extent. He
took this ground in the earlier part of his life,
may be seen by reyerng to case tried before the
tribunals of Massachusetts--a case frequently cited
by the federal papers of the North for the purpose
ofsusiaining charge very different from that of the
Charleston Mercury. On the bench of the supreme
court of his native State of which he was for many
years distinguished member, he maintained the
same doctrines; and that he carried them into his
administration when called TO the executive chair,
is apparent from the fact that he withheld his sig
nature from sundry series of resolutions in refer
| ence to slavery, though they were passed by both
houses with great unanimity, and he was urgently
persuaded to accord them his approval by many
leading members of the party. Thus, by his public
acts he has manifested his hostility to any foreign
interference with the question; while in his private
correspondence-for the only letters upon the sub
ject which have found their way to the popular eye
private letters intended only for the perusal Of
intimate personal friends-not word can be found
approbatory Of abolitionism, of its measures its
men. Indeed we question whether in all New
England, there is public man more free from faint
in this respect, than Governor Morton; especially
considering the position he has occupied before the
peoplc-having been, during the whole period this
subject has been in agitation, until within one
two years, constantly subject TO inquiries TO his
views on all matters Of interest," a candidate for
the highest Office in the State. Even in the priici-
pal letter relied upon--the letter published in the
Charleston Mercury with such fourish--ihere IL
not word TO sustain the charge of aboonism
while the motive alleged Ivy that journal, as the
cause Of its production il shown be utterly alb
surd by the contents of the letter itself A man in
pursuit Of the support of political abotonis's
would not, most certainly, have begun his negota-
ton by avowng his decided hostility to political
aboli,ionsm; would he have denounced their
proceedings in the strong terms employed by Gov
| ernor Morton. The circumstances, too, under
which the letter was written confederate this. The
people had failed to make choice of chief magis-
rate the Legislature, upon which the duty devolved
was closely dividedthree aboitoniss holding, as it
was supposed, the balance of power. Governor
Morton was a candidate for the office. Under these
circumstances, in private letter to Mr. Whittier,
who was then an abolition candidate for Congress,
and the most influential man of his party in Massa-
chusetts, Governor Morton takes occasion to ex-
press his utter hostility to the movements of the
apOlltOniStS ana TO their organization as a party,
declaring that he is political abolitionist; that he
is constrained to believe that many Of the abolition
leaders governed by selfish and sinister designs;
and deploring their hasty action in reference to the
subject. II H. II seems TO us, quite absurd to call
man an aboliiionst, who, at such time, and under
such circumstances, did not hesitate to put forth
sentiments like theses and the fact that they were
uncaed for, weighs rather in favor of Governor
Nj. than against him. The assertion implicitly
made by the Mercury, that Mr.. Mortons election
subsequently, was the result this letter. is without
the shadow Of foundation. He did notreceive the
vote off single abolition member Of the house. He
elected by the strength of the democratic party,
and without assistance from any other quarter In
regard to the charge from another section that after
his election, Governor Morton instrumental in
the passage of certain legislative resolves in opposi-
ton to the annexation of Texas, we have only TO
remark that those who make it do so in the face of
facts attested by the public journals of the executive
department, over which he then presided. So far
from being instrumental in their passage, he refused
them his signature; and they went forth to the State
and the country ,cihout eren The sign Of his Approval
and they so stand in the Acts and Resolves" of that
year. as published by the secretary of state.
Thus much for the charge ofabolitionism, coniured
up by some personal enemy of the ex-governor, or
by some secret foe Of the administrations who is
seeking prctcnce for open opposition. We have
thought it duty to expose the fraud, and vindi-
cate the executive, thus covertly assaed, at the
same time that we performed but an act of simple
Justice to one of the longest-tred and most faithful
advocates and friends Of our common cause