Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-07-30
THE INDICATOR.
sTAuNToN,
Letter from GEN. Cass,

i
CAss on the subjects of Internal improvement by
the General Government-the Tariff-the Pro
viso, &c., were the same as those entertained by
the Wings, and that he only advocated and sup.
ported these subjects from motives Of policy. This
statement was first made on the authority Of Col
WEBp, Of the n. Y. Courier and Enquirer, who
states that Gen. CAss so informed him, in recent
conversation had with that gentleman. The fol
lowing letter will show how much Col. WrBB has
mistaken the cha racter Of the man whose opinions
he endeayored to misreprese1t:
DETROIT, July 10, ls4s.
| Dear Sir am much obliged to YOU for the
extracts you have sent me, and for calling my
attention to the remarks of some ofthe wing pa
pers upon letter from the editor of the New
York Courier and Enquirer, published in thai
journal short time since, and in which an effor
is made by those papers to convict me OF insin
cerity. | am sure yop will bear me witness
that have been heretofore pretty patient nndel
similar attacks, some of them as remarkable fol-
their virulence as for their falsehood-
bic even in this country, where political inyesti
cations are so prone to degenerate into persona
abuse and had supposed, as the motive had
passed away with the occasion, that should be
allowed a reasonable measure OF justice by oul
opponents, even if my opinions or course should
be deemed worthy Of examination. But the re-
suit shows that have been deceived and as nc
considerations of propriety connected with my
position now forbid me from defending my con.
sistency, choose to do SO in the present instance
not only because the charge is speciously prefer
red, but because it is calculated to place in a
false position before the public.
| have delayed writing to you for some days
awaiting the return of Col. Webb, who has gone
on an excursion to the Upper Lakes, as did moi
vious conversation with him but he has not vel
returned, nor do know when he will; and as
am unwilling to be subject to such imputations
without applying the proper corrective, have
determined to delay this answer no longer.
have 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 disin.
genuous efforts to convert mis- letter into the proof
Of my inconsistency idea, | am sure, that me-
yer occurred to him. Nothing state in this let
ter will be called in question by Col. Webb; and
may add, that Mr. Greeley's remarks are writ
ten in no unjust spirit and though cannot COM
mend his care to ascertain the truth do not con-
denim the spirit Of his article, Whatever his
brethren of the Wing press may do, lbeieye he
is disposed to do me Justice
| | am accused OF Inconsistency, amounting tc
dishonesty, in my opinions concerning protec-
tive tariff internal Improvements, and the extern
sion of slavery, The first shall dismiss very
briefly, but very explicitly, The Baltimore reso-
lutions contain my sentiments on the subject of a
tarif--and neither to Col. Webb nor to any other
| man have uttered word inconsistent with
them ! voted for the tariff of 1916 and though
4 IL IL Il
see otherwise, land where are there not, in such
complicated questions y yet gave it my hearty
| support never exchanged word with Col
Webb on the subject of a protective tariff in my
life Nor does he say did. Why he supposed
| I favored it, know not. 1t is enough to say he
is in error. as are all VINO form similar concll-
sion.
In the course of conversation between Colonel
Webb and myself, referred to the last presiden-
tial contest; and to the palpable injustice which
had been done me by the Wing press and politi-
clans in holdingupm my letter to the Chicago Con
venton as an evidence of my hostility to all i'm
provements, however general and necessary, by
Congress, and to my letter to Mr.. Nicholson as
evidence Of my desire that slavery should be es-
tabshed in the territories ceded by Mexico to the
United States. call these efforts the humbugs
of the day, as they were, and must now be con.
| fessed to have been by every candid man, In
neither of these letters is there to be foand one
SYLLABLE favorable to the constructions thus put
upon them The letter to the Chicago Conven-
ton makes not the Hlost distant allusion to the
question Of internal improvements. A person
tay be the greatest lattudnarian, the strictest
constmctionist, and yet have written that letter
with perfect consistency, simply because all il
does is to decline being present on that occasion
The letter to Mr. Nicholson examines an denies
the power of Congress to pass the Wilmot Pro-
! yiso, and endeavors to show that that measure
would be inexpedent. and unnecessary, even il
were constitutional This is its extent. There
is not in it, from beginning to end, one word go
ing to show my epirIion was that slavery sMould
be established thereon my wish that it should be
/ established there. All this will surprise many
good men who yet retain the impressions they re.
ceived during period Of excitemeat, and which
they gained from the press too often pursuing it.
object without regard TO the highest considera
/ tons of Justice. Lethim who doubts what Isay
on the subject of these letters, turn to them anc
read for himself. To the law and to the testmo
ny.
candor-what has my letter to a gentleman who
invited me to attend the Chicago Convention, t.
do with my opinions upon the subject of inter
nal improvements? | was asked to attend thai
convention and that was ALL was asked. Ian
swered that should not attend and that was
all answered. And yet this answer, as + have
stated was circulated from one.end Of the.Unior
to the other during the al
conclusive evidence Of my hostility to any am
proyement by the general government, be the
character of the object what it might. Ihadsup
posed the device had served it's purpose, and wa.
among the things that have been Little did
anticipate that a man OF Mr.. Gseeleys intelli
gence and reputation for integrity would revive
this exploded charge, and would refert to that let
ter as furnishing any index to my sentiments or
this subject or any ground to convict me Of in
consistency many actsor opinions, did moi
go to the Chicago Convention, because j, did moi
think any good would result from its .labors.
did not believe, nor do now believe that such
bodies, in periods of political excitement
haps, indeed, at any period-either by the CON
centration OF public opinion or by the diffusion
Authorization, can lead to any useful plan ofac.
ton. Invited as the members of that convention
were, from every portion OF the Union, the sphere