The examiner., 1849-06-30

name, perhaps that would have been sufficient
Upright gentlemen seldom offer such La0igniiies
to others, especially the dead.
Now, sir, in my communication I offered no
indignity to the dead, except such as you have
conjured up in your Imagination Here is my
language: "In Louisville, some years ago, we
saw the effect Of church power in arranging
procession Of the Sunday school children. The
Presby terians stood at the head of it, in the per-
son Of my old friend, Abijah Bayless." Now,
sir, in using the name / alluded TO an angry cor
Tespondence that took place between him and
gentleman Of this city In the public DewsPa-
pers. The facts as stated them are religieusly
true; and 80 is the fact of your deeeiving and
beguiling democrats; and # you deny II, as soon
as harvest is over I will see IL l cant prove IT,
Yours, DoroLAss'
June 10th, ls49.
Mr.. James W. GTaham:-SIR: The editors Of
the Louisville Democrat have Informed me that
you are the author Of the violent attack on me,
in letter which appeared in that paper of the
l4th inst, addressed TO me and signed Douglass
Ii is not surprising that you were ashamed 10
put your name TO 1t. Some may think that
ought TO pay no attention 10 a rudeuess At once
so gross and so unmsnly, taking II for granted
that its author was one without feeling and
without character. But when | reflected that
decent men are sometimes betrayed into very
indecent acts, by their own bad passions, or
strong prejudices, or by unscrupu0us advisers,
deemed II proper 10 ascertain the name oi my
assailant, and, IL he were respectable pc rson,
to repel his false charges. ! understand that
you are reputed to be such person, aItc the re-
fore proceed TO my work.
You venture, in the first place, 10 make cer-
tain statements about me, as 10 which will
show presently, that you made them in that
reckless spirit which forgets TO inquire whether
the charges, whose utteTance 1t prompts, are
true, or else that you have knowingly borne
false witness against vour -i-hhur. Secondly:
Not content with rsvi.ihg The living, you pro-
ceed to assail the dead. HyeRa-like, you invade
the grave-and while you tread rudely on
ground that other men count sacred, with cool
effrontery you call its insulted tenant your 'old
friend." Is this your way of treating your
friendsi II so, shall the less regret being
counted by you as an enemy. I infer, from
your note Of the 10th inst, that you have be-
come ashamed Of your wantOn attack upon the
memory Of Mr.. Bayless, aud therefore will
say no more about it-indulging the hope thai
you may be brought 10 like cOntritiOn for your
injustice TO the living. Thirdly: You make
general assault upon all who favor African col
onisation-which oPons too wide a held Tor u
to enter Just now, although il may not be amiss
10 expose your lguordhCs du1 ihJ1SASe OH 'aiS
subject hereafter.
Let us 20 back to the beginning, and take up
your attack on me. You have thought u not
unworthy of yourself, to address me in terms
which amOGnt TO a charge Of wilful and delib-
crate faIsehood, resorted 10 for base purPoses--
You say, "In an article published in the Lou
isyille Democrat, some time since, over yOnr
name, without any qualification you use the
following language; Il am democrat;' and a.
Brunersiown, June ID, in your speech, you sta
ted you were Jeffersonisn democrat, without
qualifying 1t in any way. The serpent in the
garden Of Eden used language that deceived
and beguiled old Mother Eve. Your language
has had the effect, whether so intended or not,
to deceive and beguile democrats into belief
that YOU are democrat as contrsdishnguishec
from whig; when il is a fact notorious to those
who know you, that yOu are whig, Henry
Clay whig, and quite bitter whig, as parties
are at present divided. Mr.. Clay might say,
and with as much truth as yourself, l am
democrat, Jeffersonian democrat, buthe could
not deceive or beguile the democrats OF the pre-
sent day. He 10 known TO the whole public as
a whig. You are only known as a whig with
in certain circles. Now, ash is it fair, IS IL
honest, for you, minister Of the gospel, to de-
| ceive democrats for the purpose OF gaining po-
| liti al credit among themT
| Your allusion must be to my letter on the
"Plan Of Emancipation" In the Louisville
| Democrat Of February 2Oth, for cannot recall
! that have written anything else on this point
n have, YOU will doubtless be able to show II
I say there, addressing myself to the editors; Il
have not known what are your views on the
subject Of slavery; but being myself, In the old
| and proper sense Of that term, democrat, the
son Of democrat, nurtured in the faith OF my
fathers, | had hoped that the LOUISVILLE DEMO-
4 nd fo harf in n
that sacred and glorious cause; the justness oI
Its name indicated by its course; its influences
employed TO widen out, IL possible, the area ol
i freedom; nor will yet give up the hope"
i Now, Sir, beg you 10 do yourself the lustice
Il to look at II. You charge me with saying. tcifh
ant oualiAeation, and 10Th intsRt 10 mislegd, al
am demscrat;" whereas, / said that am, ''iE
the old and proper sense Of tAet term," demo
crat, &c. Sir, are more woros needed TO show
that your statements are not To De relied ONT
VIII Won please, to try to lock, full In the face
the first honest man you meet, and then LEI m'
know what you think Of yourssf2
| You saw further: cat Brunerstown, June I'd
/, In your speech yeu stated that you were JEFF
ferson onian democrat without qualifying it in an!
way" Your charge here is refuted by the yer!
!. terms in which you make it.. When l said tina
|. I WINS q JsfsrsoRian democrat, was not tina
, qualifying il enough / will not undertake q
repeat my very words on that occasion-bu
. the meaning which expressed was precisel.
J the same with that of the lang aage just eOnsid
cred. And so again in my discussion with MI
Bullitt tho other day, which understand yOl
/, heard-to- wit: that / am old fashioned dem
! ocraf of the school Of Thomas JsfersoR. said
!. on the latter occasion, that my father died II
my infancy, but that my venerable mother ha
reared me in these principles. II you knoS
, anything of the history Of your country, yo
|. are not ignorant that John Breckinridge, m
= honored father. was Attorney General OF tn
! United States in Mr.. Jefferson s administration
He was a democrat Of that school-and 30 sm
: nurtured as have been, in the faith Of m
~ father. On both Of the occasions referred To-,
: used such language 70 indicate my adherenc
e to those general opinions, touching the tru
. foundation Of government, and the natur'
|. rights of man, which were held by Mr.. JetfeI
= son, the head OF the great democratic party
this country, in his day. Sir, can you imsgir
= that desired to claim affinity with such ma
. a. you In principles, in manners, or In sPiri
). And can you imagine that thought that u
!. party now known by the name Of democra
: or any sensible man in 1t, would be drawn
N the support Of my views on the subject Of ST.
a very and emancipation, 5y the considerable
n that I was q democrat, either cid fashioned
). new, Jefferson or Jacksoni Sir, you may ha
a such an opinion Of the present democratic par
"A in Ksntucky-for myself, have greater resP'
!. for my fellow -citizsns.
- The name Of Mr.. Jefferson 10 so great nan
~-s~r~~~ Ill n