The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-05
GENERAL CAss's REPLY.l

"UNITEp STATES HOTEL, May "a, lS4S.
"DEAR SIR: did not receive your esteemed fa-i
vor until yesterday, and have been so much occu-
pied that could not answer it before.
81 had supposed that my sentiments upon the
subject 10 which you refer fully understood by
my southern friends; but you seem to desire in
formation, j enclose you my Nicholson letter, which
contains all that have to say upon the subject
"Respectfully yours, LEWIS CASs.
''To II. J. MOSES, esq.,
Should not that reply of General CAss to Mr..
MOSES have put the Southern Democratic
leaders on their guard2 DO not the facts we
have cited show concusively that these lead
ers. at most important conjuncture, wholly
failed to assert and maintain what then
allege to be the constitutional rights Of the
South? Did they not, in 1913, trfe with
those rights, and hold them subordinate to
the interests of "party2" Did they not aid
in nominating and electing candidate for the
Presidency, who had in a published letter,
enounced doctrines in regard to slavery in the
Territories, which the Democratic State Con-
ventions of Virginia and Alabama had branded
as being ''as indefensible in principle and as,
dangerous in practice" as the Wilmot proviso
itself-declaring, at the same time, that ''under
no political necessity whatever" would they
ever support either for the Presidency or Vice
Presidency any man who maintained them?
Having nominated and voted for man who
did maintain them, what right have they,
or any of them, TO threaten disunion in the
event of those doctrines being practically en-
b,. C,n,xr,..1 ~,
ventiOn with the Democrats of the North, and,
in conjunction with these, concocted ga platform
of doubtful construction" on the slavery ques-
tion--no, il was not even doubtful-but plat
form which did not touch by remotest reference
the great question of the day-which did not
assert directly, or by the most strained implica-
ton, the right of the Southern Shareholders TO
take their slaves into the Territories acquired
from Mexico-which left the Democrats of
the North wholly uncommitted with regard
to that right,-having, we say, been guilty
of these acts Of omission and commission,
the Democratic leaders of the South, it APP
pears to us, strangely misunderstood their
position, and altogether over estimate their
claims to the confidence of the people of
the South, when they undertake to lead the
latter into dsunion, in case Congress should
fail 10 provide for the due exercise, on the part
Of the South, Of the right in question right,
we repeat, which these leaders did not only fail
to assert in the Baltimore convention, but which
they virtually surrendered in nominating and
voting for General Csss foi the Presidency
The great mass of the people Of the slave
holding States will, we are sure, Indignantly
refuse to place themselves under the guidance
Of any snch leaders.
NoTE.-We are. Of course, indebted to the
newspapers Of the day for most Of the iorego-
ing details. In them we do not believe there
will be found the slightest error of fact. Should
such prove to be the case, however, We shall
be prompt in making the requisite correction.