Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-04-27
JUDGE SHARKEY'S LETTER.

JUDGE SHARKEY'S LETTER
After the preceding article had been prepared
for Thursdays daily paper, we received CON-
munication from the Hon. w. L. SHARKEY, Chief
Justice Of the Stale of Mississippisin vindication
of the action Of the Mississippi State Convention
held in October, in regard to the Nashville Con-
vention project, which we stated we should have
pleasure in laying before our readers. In saying
this, expressed the sentiment which, it is known
to every one who knows US, is natural to us, of
willingness to allow any one, who supposes his
arguments to have been misstated or misunderstood
by us, TO put himself right in our columns. We
are sorry to be obliged to confess that the sent-
ment of pleasure, which we anticipated in the pub
LEGATION of this Letter. has been turned to one
nearly allied to pain on the perusal Of it.
1t is impossible that we should not feel regret to
see gentleman Of Judge SHARKEY's high standing
descend from the dignity Of his station to cast mpu.
tations the motives Of adversary in argument,
such find no other justification in public
opinion than the heat of controversy, and would
not be tolerated from one counsel to another-we
will not say in the High Court in which he himself
presides-but in any Magistrates Court in the
country.
We publish his Letter, nevertheless, having en-
gagged to do SO, willingly leaving to the judgment Of
the Public not only the merits of the public ques-
ton discussed between us, but Of the manner in
which ii is discussed on either side.
As to the light in which we shall be viewed by
those g Southern Countrymen'' who are SO blinded
by zeal that they see merit, and scarcely any
honesty, in those OF the same Southern country
who differ from them in opinion upon any great
question-such as that of dissolution of the
Union, for instance as possible remedy for alleged
grievances-we very Indifferent. As for the body
of the People of the South, who are undoubtedly
sound upon that question, we have the happiness
to know that we enjoy their confidence 10 an ex-
tent which fills all our ambition. We shall take
care not to forfeit it by any misconduct of ours,
in affairs which concern their lives and their pro-
perry for the present generation, and the destiny of
their families and their posteri.y forever.
With these brief remarks we wish we could suf-
fer the Letter of Judge S. and the Address" from
his pen to 90 without comment to readers, being
not only willing but DESTROYS to spread before them
every thing that can shed light on the origin, the
motives, and the merits Of the Nashville Conven-
vention project.
But there is one point in the Judges Letter to
which mere selfdefence requires us to advert.
We have established the comparative innoxious-
ness of the Hartford Convention by the indisputa-
BILE records of history, showing that all its OBJ
iects, present and ultimate ,citin the Union,
and Submissive to the Consultation. With regard
to that Convention, reversing the position which the
Judge assigns to US, say that zoe judged the his
tory Of that Convention By its acts and aUo,cals,
and not by ,chat 1t did not do, and did not auo,O
and that we have judged the Nashville Convention
project by the auowals of its authors, and by what
they proposed to do. 1t was not necessary to 60
beyond those avowals and that proposed action,
when we had them from their own pens lying be-
fore us, in the Proceedings and Address Of the
Mississippi Convention, and in the Speech of the
great Southerner, who spoke as for the whole South
when he declared the existence of general discon-
tent in the South, under the influence of which the
sentiment had become almost universal among the
People that they could not remain in the Union
with honor.
The Judge can find no justification for turning
upon us, as he has done, in any ausion to himself
personally in this paper. Noreaection has been made
by it upon has integrity or his motives. We had no
reason to doubt them. When he could bring his mind
TO the conclusion that Mr.. MADIsoN's language in
" the Federalist' would justify an organization of
States for armed resistance upon any ground short
of actual " encroachments by the Federal Govern
ment on the STATE Governments" it cannot be a
matter Of surprise to those who differ from him on
this point, that he and his associates in this Nash
vile Convention movement should see no incon-
sstency between respect and attachment to the
Union, and concert between number OF States TO
accomplish measures not within the Constitution,