Columbus Democrat., 1849-08-11

sentiments on this subject, or any ground to con-
Wet me Of Inconsistency in my acts or opinions
did not 60 TO the Chicago Convention, because
did not think any good would result from its la.
bors. did not believe. nor do now believe,
that such bodies in periods Of political e1cite>
men,-perhaps, indeed at any period by
the concentration OF public opinion or by the diff
fusion OF Information, can lead to any useful plan
Of action. Invited, as the members Of that con.
venIion were, from every portion Of the Union,
the sphere Of operation vas far too extensive for
wise and cautious deliberaIion and decision.--
There were too many interests involved. If
general propositions only are to be laid down in
such convention, the object is not worth the eC
fort; for in the divided state Of the public mind
upon the question, whatever platform might be
adopted, the opinion of parties, and generally of
individuals, would remain the same.
Ifa general plan Of operations is to be propos.
ed ard pressed upon Congress, the objections
are palpablc and grave. The members are un,
der little responsibility; and as each section of
the country will have It's own objects to attain
these must be attained by concessions to the OBJ
jecls Of others, aud the result will furnish ovi
dence cf mutual spirit Of accommodation, rather
than cautious regard for the general interest
Such an assemblage is very different thing
from the attempt TO concentrate opinion and ac-
ton in favor Of any Improvement affecting par.
tcular porion Of the Union, where there is
community Of information and interest, aud where
there is no weighing Of one project against an.
other nor any sacrifice 10 insure the desired re.
suit.
And | am flly confirmed in my previous an.
tcipations concerning the Chicago Convention
| imagine the first man is yet 10 be found who
will venture to say that any advantage has yet
resulted from its labors.
But had vet another reason fof decininJ to
attend that convention. did like its origin
The earliest notice of it which saw was connect
ed with the names Of some well.known wings
prominent politicians of the city Of New York !;
and believed, and have yet no reason to doubt,
that one grcal object was TO inlarc the democrat.
ic party BY taking advantage Of tho excitement
which prevailed in certain portions Of the coun.
try in consequence of the failure OF two success.
i've internal Improvement bills. And have since
understood, though | cannot vouch for the fact,
that such was the actual intention, and that the
proceedings Of the convention would have as,
suned u party character, and been directed to
this object, had no, the design been frustrated
by the irmness Of the democratic members.
Now Mr.. Greeley will understand why | did
not attend This convention. But c ,nnot under
stand why he seeks my opinions on this question
in my letter, which is wholly silent Oh the sub.
lect, and not in my speeches and votes in the
Senate OF the United States.
Eminent wbig politicians whom | could name,
but that it would he iDvdous TO do SO, were invi
ted 10 attend the Chicago Convention, but neither
answered nor attended thought il due to the
gentleman who invited me to acknowledge his
attention, and did SO. And his act of courtesy,
which constitutes the only difference between
myself aud others, has been made the text book
whence my opinions are to be deduccd, and by
which my inconsistency is 10 be proved. On the
question OF the power Of the United States over
the subject OF internal Improvements, my seni.
ments are III accordance with those Of the great
democratic party, and are fully expressed in the
resolutions OF the Baltimore Convention. In
the words Of one Of these resolutions, heieye
"that the constitution does not confer on the gen.
eral government the power to commence and
carry on general system of internal improve.
mem" and no man living has the right to gain,
say this assertion. Bm at the same time have
never disputed the right Of Congress to improve
some Of the great harbors and rivers and lakes
OF tie Union, national in their character, and
important to the com nerce and some of them to
the defence ot our country. While the demo.
cratic party deny the power to devise and carry
on vast system OF operations ns--whose pocuniary
txtent no man can iorsce, aud what is still worse,
whose coruping influence, as well in the legis.
hturo as out OF it, cannot be viewed but with the
most serious apprelension-the great majority of
that party indeed nearly all oft, has advocated
particular appropriations justified BY the circum
stances Of position and Importance. Almost at
the same time that declared my adhesion to the
resolutions Of tho Baltimore Convention, | voted
with equal good faith for bills in the Senate pro
yldlng tor the improvement Of rivers and harbors
and lakcs,and advocated their passage inmy seat
and this is precisely the reason why accuse ma
ny ofthc whig papers and politicians Of dsingc
nuousness, or something worse, in asserting that
my Chicago letter which contained not a word
ON the subject, was proofof my hosityto all the
action of Congress, in the very face Of my official
course and Of my publicly. declared opinions
And my position was that Of most of the promi
nent men of our party, who while they held TO
the doctrines ofthe resolutions, held likewise to
the power Of special legislation, and voted for the
same bills. do not know indeed, that there is
a single senator who denies TO Congress all pow
er to legisIate over this matter. Certainly Mr..
Calhoun does not who adopts the wholesome doc.
trinc Of strict construction. ! lam aware it is df.
icutto draw practical line at all times between
objects that ought and that ought not to engage
the attention Of Congress, and think, therefore,
looking to the abuse TO which the whole subject
is liable, that the effort should be to narrow, and
not to enlarge, the circle Of power; and such
understand 10 be tho views of the democratic
party.
The other proof Of insinccrity, as have al.
ready stated is drawn from the fact that in my
letter to Mr.. Nicholson took ground against
the Wilmot Proviso, excluding slavery by Law
from the territories, and now believe that slavery
with or without the restriction, will not be es
| tablshed there. And the wonder Is grayely ex