The North-Carolina standard., 1849-08-08
LETTER FROM GEN. CASS. !
DErRo1r. Iu1x 10. 1919. 3

tracts you have sent me- and for calling my attention
to the remarks of some of the whig papers upon a
letter from the editor of the New FORK Courier and
Enquirer published in that journal short time since
and in which an effort is made by those papers to
convict me of insincerity. I am sure you will be.r
witness that have been heretofore pretty patient
under similar. attacks, some of them remarkable
for their virulence for their
even in this country, where political investigations
are prone to degenerate into personal abuse and
had supposed. as the motive had passed away with
the occasiou, that should be.alloWed reasonable
measure of Justice by our opponents, even, if my
opinions or course should be deemed worthy of ex-
animation. But the result proves that have been
deceived and considerations of propriety con-
nected with my position now forbid me from defend
ing my consistency, choose to do so in the present
instance, only because the charge is speciously
preferred, but because tits calculated to place in
a false position before the public.
have delayed writing you for some days, awaiting
the return of COL Webb who has gone on an excur-
sion to the Upper Lakes, did not wish to refer
to him thus publicly, without previous conversation
with him but he has yet returned, nor do know
when he will and as am unwilling to be subjected
to such imputations, without applying the proper
corrective, have determined to delay this answer
longer. Ihave known Col. Webb from his boyhood
and have never ceased to esteem him. Our personal
relations have always been kind. Divided in politics.
we have not ceased to be friends ; and he will be as
much surprised as was at the disingeneous efforts
his letter into the proof my inconsistency
an idea, l am sure, that never occurred to him.
Nothing state in this letter will be called in ques
tion by Col. Webb; and l may add thatMr. Gree
cannot commend his care to ascertain the truth.
do not condemn the spirit of his article. Whatever
his brethren of the Wing press may do, l believe
he is disposed to do me justice.
Il am accused of inconsistency, amounting to dis
honesty in my opinions concerning protective tariff
internal improvements and the extension of slavery
The first shall dismiss very briefly, butvery explicit
ly. The Baltimore resolutions contains my senti-
ments the subject of tariff. And neither to Col
Webb nor to any other man have uttered word in
consistent with them. lvoted for the tariff of 1916;
and though there were some things should have
been glad to otherwise, (and where they not
in such complicated questions y yet gave it my
hearty support. never exchanged word with Col.
Webb on the subectof protective tariff in my ife
Nor does he say 1 did, Why he supposed favored
it, know not 1t is enough to say he is in error as
are all who form similar conclusion.
In the course of conversation between Col. Webb
and myself referred to the last presidential contest
and to the palpable injustice which had been done
by the whig press and politicians in holding up
my letter to the Chicago Convention evidence
of my hostility to all improvements however general
and necessary, by Congress- and to my letter to Mr.
Nicholson as evidence ofmy desire that slavery should
be established in the territories ceded by Mexico to
the United States. call these efforts the humbugs
of the day. they were, and must now be confessed
to have been by every candid man. In neither of
these letters is there to be found syllable avora
BILE to the constructions thus put upon them The
letter the Chicago Convention makes not the most
distant alluson to the question of internal improve
ments. person may be the greatest latitudinaran,
the strictest coustruconist and yet have written
that letter with perfect consistency, simply because
all it does is to decline being present that occas
ion. The letter to Mr.. Nicholson examines and de-
nies the power of Congress to pass the Wimot Pro-
viso and endeavors to show that that measure would
be and unnecessary, even if it const
tutional This is its extent. There is not in it, from
to end, one word going to show my opin-
ion was that slavery would be established there, or
nv wish that should be established there. All this
will surprise many good men who yet retain the i'm
pressons they received during period OF excitement
and which they gained from the press, too often pr
suing its object without regard to the higher consid
erations of Justice. Let him who doubts what say
on the subject of those letters turn to them and read
for himself. To the law and to the testimony.
Twill now ask Mr.. Greeley-for respect his can
has my letter to a gentleman who invited
me to attend the Chicago Convention to do with my
opinions upon the subject OF internal Improvements
was asked attend that convention and that was
all / was asked. ] answered / should not attend
and that all / answered. And yet this answer,
as have stated, circulated from end of the
Union the other during the late presidential con-
test as conclusive evidence OF my hostility to any
improvement by the general government, be the char
acter of the object what it might had supposed
the device had served its purpose, and was among
the things that have been. Little did anticipate
that man Of Mf. Greeey's intelligence and reputa-
ton for integrity would revive hsex ploded CHARGE
and would refer that letter furnishing any index
10 my sentiments this subject, or any ground tol
convict me of inconsistency in my acts or opinions
did not 90 to the Chicago Convention, because
did not think any good would result from its abors
did not believe, nor do now believe, that such
bodies in periods of political exctement-perhaPs,
indeed, at any periodether by the concentration of
public opinion or by the diffusion of information, can
lead to any useful plan of action. Invited, as the
members of that convention were from every portion
of the Union the sphere of operation was far to ex
tensive for wise and cautious deberation and decs-
ion.-There- were to-many interests involved. Ii
general propositions only to belaid down in such
convention, the object not worth the effort; for
in the divided the public mind upon the ques
tom whatever platform may be adopted the opinion
of parties and generally of ndiviuas, would remain
the same. ~ ....s a-.vt izhl.I .z!v!D gIT Il
If general plan of operations is to be proposed
and pressed upon Congress, the objections are paPa-
bIe and erave The members under little respon-
sbilty and as each section of the country will have
its own objects to attain, these must be attained by
the objects of others, and the result
will furnish evidence of mutual spirit of accommo-
datou, rather than acautious regard for the general
interest. Such asseblage is very different thing
in favor of any improvement affecting particular
portion Of the Union, where there is community OF
infoFmaton and interest, and where there is no weigh
ing of one project against another, nor any sacrifices
TO insure the desired result. ri ,sy 90 uig 5Tsiz
And am fully confirmed in my previous anticipa-
tons concerning the Chicago Convention II inn
agne the first man is yet to be found who will wen
that ad @ has EesSltsd p from its
labofs.. ''" 'S x, 60. 4
i57B5t vet another reason for declining to attend
the convention did not like its origin. The ear
lest notice of itnwhich Z saw was connected with
the names of some well-known wings, prominent
politicians of the city of New York and believed