Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-09-20
EAST PAscAGoULA, Sept. 4

EAST PAscAGoULA, Sept. 4.
Dear Sir :-Ou the 22J day Of May
lasl, | addressei you leIuer ex planning my
views in regard to various ma'Iers of pub
lie policy. lest my fellow citizens might be
misled by the many cunlr1dct"ry and con-
ficline statements in respect tu them which
appeared in the journals of The day and
were circulated throughout The county,
now find myself msrepresented and miss
understood upon another point, of such
Importance to myself personally. if not 10
the country al large. as 10 claim from me
a candid and connected exposition OF my
relations to The public in regard to The pen
ding presidential canvass.
The utmos, ingenuity has been expen
ded upon several letters and detached sen
lences of letters, which have recently ap'
pearcd over my signature, TO show that |
occupy an equivocal altitude towards the
various parties into which The people are
divided. and especially towards the Wing
parry as represented by the NaIional Con
venrion which assembled in Philadelphia
in June last. Had these letters and scraps
oc letters been published nr construed in
connection with what | have heretofore
said upon this subject, should NOT now
have tp complain OF the speed with which
my answers tn isnldted questions have been
given upt the capiious criticisms OF those
who have been made ny enemies hy a
nomination which has been rendered to me
without solicitation or arrangement ot
mine; or Df the manuer in which select
passages in some of my letters, written in
the freedom and carelessness OF conf
denlial correspondence. have been COM
municaed 10 the public press. But riven
from the conlexl, and separated from a Sc
ries of explanatory Eacls and clrcumsIan-
ces which are, in so far as This canvass is
concerned, historical, they are as deceptive
as though they were positive Iabrlcations.
| address you this leuer TO correct The in
Justice that has been done me, and The
public 10 the extent that am an object ol
interest 10 them, by this illiberal process.
shall moi weary you by an elaborate
recital of every incident connected with
the first presentation OF mynsme as cam
didate for the Presidency. | was then at
the head Of Inc American army in, The val,
Ieyof The Rio Graude. Twas surrounded
by Wings aud Democrats who had stood
by me in the trying hours of my life, ami
whom it was my destiny 10 conducl.
through scenes of still greater trial. Ny
di,ty2D that army, aud 10 the@lephblic.
whose battles we were wasing. forbade.
my assuming "A position Of seeming hos
lilly to any portion Of the brave men uns
iermy command-all of whom knew |
was Wing in principle. for made n"
cunceal,nent of my political sentiments or
predictions.
Such had been the whence nf party
struggles during our late presidential elec
lions. that The acceptance of a nomination
under the var,ous interpretations gwen to
he obligations of a candidate presented Il"
the public with GOrInulary Of political
principles, was equivalent almost TO de
cIaraion of unconpromisine enmi'y TO all
who did NOT sub scribe 10 its Iene,s. was
unwilling to hazard the elect of such re
lulionship towards any OF the soldiers un"
der my command when in front OF an en-
emy common TO US all. ii wonld have
been unjust in itself, and il was as repug
nan, 10 my own feelings as il was 10 my
durv, wanted unity in The army, and
lnrnorc any acl that mis ht sow the seeds
of dislrust and tliscord in lis ranks have
not my letters written at The time before
me, bu, !hey are all of one import, and IN
conformity wirhthe views herein expressed
Meanwhile WAS solicited by my per
sunal friends and by strangers, by wings
and Democrats. TO consent 10 become u
candidate. 1 vas nominated by The pe'
pic in primary as'emblies-by Wings.
Democrats and Natives. in separate and
mixed meetings. | resisted them all, and
continued 10 do SO ill led 10 believe thai
NV opposilion was assuming The aspect of
n defiance of The popular wishes, yield
ed only when it looked like presumplinn
10 resist longer. and event then l should
mol have done 50 had not the nominallnn
been presented to NE in form unlikely 10
awaken acrimony or Reproduce the bitter
ness of feeling which attends popular eec-
tons. say it in sincerity and truth that
a par, of The inducement to my consent
was the hope thai by gazing into The can.
vass il would be conduc'ed with candnr if
not with kindness. II has heea no fault of
mine ha, tits anticipation has proved
vain one.
After permitted myself TO be announ
ced for the Presidency, under The circum-
stances above no'iccd. nccep'ed nomina.
ZION after nomination in the spirit in which
lhey were rendered. They were made ir-
respective Of parties. and 50 acknow wledged.
No one who joined in hose nomluaions
could have been deceived as 10 my polli
cal views. From The beginning till now
| have declared myself 10 be a Wing on
all proper occasions. With this distinct
avowal published 10 the worl'l. did not
think hat had right to repel nonina-
tons from political opponents any more
than had rieh: 10 refuse the vote OF
Democrat a, the poll ard | proclaimed
it abroad lha, should MOI reject The prof
Tered support of any body Of my tell"w-
citizens. This was my position when 10
November last returned TO the United