The Arkansas banner., 1849-08-14
LETTER PROn GENERAL CASS.
DETROIT, July I0s lB49.

Courier aud Enq uirer, publisted in that joarnal short time since and in which an effort is made by those papers 10 convict me of insincerity am sure yoa will bear me witness that have been here toiors pretty patient under similar attacks some ei ,hem as remarkable fer their viruence as Tor their faIuehooa--remaihable evsnin this country, where political Iavestigat ,as are % prone to degenerate ,n,o pernoaal abuse, and 1 had supposed, us the p,otive had passed away with the occasion, that .houId he allowed reasonable measure of justice by our opponents. even fl my opinions or course should be deemed worthy yOfezamiBalion. Bui the result shows that 1 have been deeeiVed; and as no considerations of proPrety connected with my po- sition now forbid me from defsnding my consistent cy. choose to do so in the present instance. moi ony because the charge Is peciously preferred hat heeauss it s calculated 10 place me in false posi-. ton before the public
 have delayed writing you forsome days, await. ing the return of Col. Webb. who hes gone on aa excurslea to the Upper Lakes, as did not wis. ie refer to him thus pubciy, without previous eon- versation with him; but he has not yet returned, nor do know when he will; and us am unwilling Co be subject to such imputations, without apply ing the proper corrective, I have determined to delay this answer no longer. ] have known Colonel Webb from his boyhood, and have nev- CT ceased io esteem him. Our personal relations have always been kind. Divided in politics, ws have not ceassd to be friends; and ha will be as pnch surprised as was at the disingenuOus efioris to convert his letter into the proof of my inconss tency--an idea, am sure, that never occurred 10 him. Nothing state in this letter will he called in question by Col. Webb; and may add, that Mr. Greeley's remarks are written in no unjust spirit; and though cannot commend his care to ascertain the truth do not condemn the spirit of his article. Whatever his brethren of the whig press may do, believe he is disposed to do me justice. re
 l am accused of inconsistency, amounting to dis f..tx oRtssn tarif internal improvements. and the extension of slavery The first shall dismiss very briefly, but very explicitly. The Baltimore resolutions contain my sentiments on inc subject of tariff. And nei- ther to Col. Webb nor to any ether man have ut tered word inconsistent with them. voted for the tariff of 1S46; and though there were some things should have been glad to see otherwise, land whore there not, in such complicated ques- tiensfl yet gave 1t my hearty support. ] never exchanged word with Col Webb on the subject of protective tarif in my life. Nor does he say did. Why he supposed favored Il. II know not.-- It Is enough to cay he is in error, all who form q similar conclusion.
 in the course of conversation between Col. Webb and myself, referred to the last presidential con- lest, and to the palpable injustice which had been doae me by the whig press and politicians in hold- ing up my letter 10 the Chicago Convention au evidence Of my hostility to all Improvements, how ever geherai aud necessary, by Congress- and to my letter to Mir. Nicholson evidence of my desire that slavery should be established in the territories cedod by Mexico to the United States. 1 called thess efforts the AKatsgs of the day, they were, aud must now be confessed to have been by every candid man. In neither of these letters is there o be found syllable favorable to the constructions thus put apon them. The letter to the Chicago Convention makes not the most distant allusiOn to the question of internal improvements. A person may be the greatest latitudinariau, or the stcest ccnstractouist and yet have written that letter with perfect consistency, simply because all it does is to decHe being present. on that occa sion. The letter 10 Mr. Nicholson examines and denies the power of Congress 10 pass the Wimot Proyiso, and ea- deayors to show that that measure would be mex pedient aud unnecessary even if it were consiitn- tional This Is its extent There Is not in if, from beginning to end, one word going 10 show my opinion that slavery would be established there, or my wish that it should be established there All this will surprise many good men who yet retain the impressions tbey received dnrlng period of ex- citement, and which they gained iroun the press. too often pursuing it's object without regard to the higher considerations of justice. Let him who doubts what say on the subject of these letters, turn to them aBd read for himself. To tho law and ls the testimony.
 l will now ask Mir. GreeIey--for respect his can dor-what has my letter to gentleman who invi- ted Ire to attend the Chicago Convention, to do
  proVementsl was asked to attend that conveu- ton; and that was all I was asked. answered should not attend; aud that was aii answerd. And yet this snswer, as l have stated, circulated from one end oT the Union to the other curing the late presidential contest, conclusive evdence of my hostility to any improvement by the general government, be the character of the object what Il might. had supposed the device had served its purpose, and was among the things that have been l nnf hat Onan nf ala.sf. i. intelligence and reputation for integrity whould re- vive this exploded charge, and would refer 10 thai letter as fnrnishing any index to my sentiments ou this subject, or any ground to convict mo of inco sstency in my acts or opinions. did not go to the Chicago Convention. because did not think any good would result from it's labors. l did not believe nor do believe, that such bodies in periods o political excitement-herhaps. indeed, at any peri od-either by the concentration of pnbiic opinio, by the diffusion of information, lead 10 an, useful plan of action. Invited. as the members that convention were. from every portion of th, Union, the sphere of operation was far too extensv, for wise and cautious deliberation and decision.- There were too many interests involved. If genera propositions only are to be laid down in such con venton, the object is not worth the effort; for 1T ;he divided state of the public mind upon the ques ton, whatever platform might Dc adopted. th, opinion of parties. and generally of individuals would remain the same.
 lfa general plan Of operations is 10 be proposed and pressed upon Congress, the objections are pal pable and grave. The members are under little re. sponsibiliiy; and each section of the country w have It's own objects 10 attain, these must be at. 'ained by concessions to the objects of others, and the result will furnish evidence of mutual spirit of accommodation. rather than a cautious regard fer the general interest Such an assenblage Is | very different thing from tine attempt 10 concen- trats opinion and action in favor Of any improve inent affecting particular portion of the Union where there is community of information and
 interest, and where there is weighing one project against another. nor any sacrifices to insure ,he desired result.
 And am fully confirmed in my previous antici- Paiions concerning the Chicago Convention. imagine the first man is yet to be found who will venture to say that any advantage has resulted from it's abors.
 But had another reason for declining to attend that convention did not like it's orign The earli. est notice of it which saw was connected with the names of some weli-known whigs, prominen, poli- iicians Of the city of New York; and l believed and have yet no to doabt that one great oh- lect was to injure the demacratic party by taking