Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1848-09-25
The Opinions Of a Democrat.

Bayou CROSSE TRrE, Sept. 20.
Mr.. Editor: I have been kindly permitted to CO.
py the following extract of a letter written by a gen
,leman residing in Washington city to a friend OF
his upon this Bayou. The gentlemen are both De-
mocrats, and the letter was not written with the ex-
p%ectation that it wonld meet the public eye. | am
hot permitted TO give the name; but you may rest
assured that a knowledge of the parties warrants me
in saying that implicit confidence may be placed in
the honor and veraclty of the writer. He has been
for several years residing in Washington, whereh his
standing and acquaintance with the leading men OF
all political parties, has given him an opportunity OF
obtaining correct information with regard to the
principles and opinions of those men, and of cor
rectIy Judging in whose hands the South can most
safely trust her interests in the present crisis of pos
litlcal affairs. Ionrs. &c,
"WAsHlNGroN, September, 1947.
y What are your politics as regards the
Presidency7 My opinion is. decidedly, hatthe South
ought to rote to a man for General Taylor. Ihave
seen enough here to convince me that the South
has nothing to e expect at the North from either Dem.
ocratic party. The politicians of erery party at the
North are united against us on the slave question.
I state it without hesitation, not as an opinion but
as a fact. that Cass is as thoroughly against us upon
that subject, both in principle and feeling, as the
most rabid abolitionist or wing in any of the free
States. am astonished that in South Carolina,
especially, there should be found a single public
man, with any pretensIons to intelligence, who
could think of going for him. The slave qaeslion with
us is, and ought to be, paramount to all others. and
in the recent language of Mr.. Calhoun, at Charles.
ton, we ought to remember that the Southern man
who is farthest from us in general politics, is closer
to us upon tina, subject, than the Northern man, be
he wing or democrat Cass has been a Wilmot.
provlso mamie has been opposed TO it. Every
word Mr.. Miller of the Senate, from New Jersey,
said absut him on that subject, l hnoU to be true
And now, to gain Southern votes, he wonld make
us believe he would veto it should Congress adopt
1t, in organizing California and New Mexico. In
fact, he is any thing and every thing, TO every sec
ton of the country. to gain bis election. | fear he
will be elected, (not OH account Of bis general poll
tics, for generally we agree and just so sure, as he
is the South will be sacrificed. A Northern man I
cannot trust upon that subject, and especially Cass,
for he has no fixed constitutional principles, and in
him | have no confidence, when his interest is con-
cerned. He has an utter contempt for Constitu-
tional restraints, when they oppose any of his che
rished projects. Nor I'M | wholly satisfied with
General Taylor, as a candidate to vote for; but if
upon the slavery question l am destined to be sac
rificed by a man of my choice (though he be one
of two evils, } in the name of God, let it be by one
of the same kit with myself. If the South is des>
tined TO be o~stracised from all the benefits of the
Union, let me have the honor of having it done by
one of her own sons. and save her the disgrace Of
blindly calling in the aid of a Northern man for the
c~onsumnation of the deed"