The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-08-15
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LETTER FROM GEN. CASS.
DETROIT, july 10, lS49.

4 J
the extracts you have sent me, and for call
ING nv attention 10 some of the remarks o
some OF the Wing papers, upon letter from
the editor of the New York Courier and
Enquirer, published in that journal short
time since, and in which an effert is made
by those papers to convict me ofinslncerIty,
am sure you will bear me witness, that
have been heretofore pretty patient under
similar attacks, some of them as remarkable
for their viruIence as their falschood-re.
markabe even in this country, where polItI'
cal investigations are so prone 10 degener-
ate into personal abuse and ] had supposed
as the motive had passed away with the oc.
casion, that / should he allowed a reasona
bic measure of justice by our opponents
even if my opinions or course should be
deemed worthy of examination. But the
result shows that have been deceived ;and
as no considerations of propriely connected
with my position now forbdsme from defend
ing nv consistency, choose TO do so i'll the
in the present instance, not only because the
charge is spcciously preferred, but because
it is calculated to place me in false Pos'l'n
before the public.
have delayed writing you for some days
awaiting the return of Col. Webb, who has
gone on an excursion to the Upper Lakes,
as did not wish to refer to him thus public
y, without previous conversation with him;
but he has not YET returned nor do know
when he will, and as am unwilling to be
subject 10 such imputations, without applying
the proper corrective, l have determined 10
delay this answer no louger. have known
Colonel Webb from his boyhood, and have
never ceased TO esteem him. Our persona
relation have always been kind. Divided
in politics, we have not ceased to be friends;
and heswiIl be as much surprised as was,
at the flisingenuous efforts to convert his let
ter into the proof Of my inconsistency-an
idea, am sure. that never occurred to him.
Nothing state in this letter, will be called in
question by Col. Webb and may add,
that Mr.. Grceley's remarks are written in no
unjust spirit and though cannot commend
his care to ascertain the truth, | do not con-
demn the spirit of his article. Whatever
his brethren Of the Wing press may do, |
believe he is disposed to do inc Justice.
am accused Of inconsistency, amounting
TO dishonesty, in my opinions concerning a
protective tariff, internal improvements, and
The extension of sllvery. The first ] shall
dismiss very briefly. but very explicitly
The Baltimore resolutions contain my senti-
men,s un the sub iect of a tariff. And nei-
thcr to Colonel Webb, nor to any other man
have uttered a word inconsistent wlhthem.
voted for the tariff of 1916; and though
there were some things should have been
glad to see otherwise, land where arc there
not in such complicated questions J yet !
gave it my hearty support. ] never chang
ed word with Col. Webb on the subject Of
a protective tariff in my life. Nor does he
say did, Why he supposed | favored il,
| know not. 1t is enough to say he is in
error, as are all who form similar conclu-
sion.
In the course Of conversation between
Col. Webb and myself. referred to the last
presidential contest, and TO the palpable in
Justice which had been done ME by the
Wing press and politicians in holding up my
letter to the Chicago Convention, as an evil
dence Of my hostility to all improvements,
however general and necessary, by Congress
and to my letter TO Mr.. Nicholson as evil
dencc of my desire that slavery should be
established in the territories cedcd by Mexico
10 the United States. call these efforts
the humbugs of The day, as they were, and
must now be confessed to have been by eve.
nv candid man. In neither Of these letters
is there to be found one syllable favorable to
the constructions thus put upon them. The
letter to the Chicago Convention, makes not
the most distant allusion to the question of
internal improvement. Apcrson may be tho
greatest lalrtudinarian, or the srctest con.
structions, and yet have written that letter
with perfect consistency, SIMPLY because all
it does is to decline being present on that
occasion. The letter to Mr. Nicholson ex-
amines and denies the power of Congress to
pass the WIlmot Provlso, and endeavors to
show tha, that measure would be lnexpedI.
cnt and unnecessary, even If it were consti>
tutionaI. This is its extent. There is not
in it, from beginning to end, one word going
TO show my opinion was, 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 they received during period Of
excitement, and which they gained from the
press, too often pursuing its object without
regard to the higher considerations of justice.
Let him who doubts what say on the sub
iect Of these letters, turn to them and read
for himself. TO the law and to the testimo-
ny.
| will now ask Mr.. Greelcy-for l res.
pect his candor-what 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 to attend that Convention and
that was all | was asked. answered