Washington telegraph., 1851-06-25
col. JOHNSONyS LETTER.

Col. Johnson, the Democratic noni-
nee for Congress. previous to setting out
on his canvassing tour, defined bis posi-
ton, in letter 10 the Arkansas Banner.
Before entering, however, upon the JUS
tification Of his course in regard TO the
Compromise. he makes the following
pass at the Wings. He says
'To create false issuss--and seek thereby to
delude unsuspecting democrats into the support of
federal whg caAdidates-seems to be a policy of
the whig party settled and 6xed as is ihe hostility
Of that party 10 democratic principles"
How very nnsuspecting the Democrats
must be. to be thus deceived by false
issues. False issues: why, just look at
the little extract above and see if it con-
veys no fulse impressions. The Demo-
Gratis are spoken of as being de!uded into
the support Of Federal Whig candidates.
Here is an allusion to old party distinc-
tions, intended to reflect odium on the
present Wing party. The time and oc-
casion which called this term into exis-
tence, as party distinction. have long
since passed; hundreds and thousands Of
American citizens. who glory in the name
of Wing. can see no meaning in the term.
when applied to present party issues: and
yet the Democratic candidate for Con-
gress, upon taxing the stump, speaks Of
Federal Wing candidates for the evident
purpose Of arousing old antpithies and
creating false assae'
Again he says
ar the whig party by cloak of Unionism seek
10 hide from the people the odious deformity of
observation-disclosures atiens and round asser-
tions intended to prejudice tae minds Of the people
against me will be resorted to and heralded forth,
to divert their minds from the deUiee and
name by which and under which the enemies of
democracy seek to triumph Such methods Of
political warfare haye already been commenced in
this canvass. In one Of the organs Of the whg
party, find the following OF myself, to witt is he
not an ayowed disunionist, in feeling, in princpe7
Can these facts be denied in the face OF his open
avowal and unequivocal conduct for the last Two
years. They cannot be denied-Mr Johnson
does not deny it, and honor him for his bold and
manly tone in speaking out his real sentiments
this to be true, who wond not suppose that am
against this Government in toto, without reference
TO its action within without the constitution?
Accompanying this declaration and all others that
/ have seen from the source there goes out
not one word of the shameIeGs and continued ag-
gresson Of the northern States on the south, Of
their present successful organization for future at
tack upon US. not a word Of fair and adequate
PLANTATION with it, not Just word to show my
true position, to wit: that gross injustice tending
rapidly and surely to our ultimate destruction has
been Gone the South and must be made to cease,
that the South should have resisted unanimously in
Congress, to the bitter end, by every lawful and
constitutional means, end that at every hazard we
should have prevented injustice the greatest
lamity that could befal This Union. This is what
tho s.last two years" will show-and had we thus
acted that iniquitous batch called the Compromise
would never have prevailed-a Just settlement
would have attaned--the minds and hearts of
many Of our best citizens. would not have. been
alienated, but all would have been peace"
Here the Wing party is not exactly
charged with seeking "to hide from the
people the odous deformity of Federal.
ism," but still the idea conveyed Is that
all structures on Col. Johnson's course
will be the workings of Federalism Under
the cloak of Union. Although the ex-
preston is conditional, this amounts to
nothing; for to censure Col. Johnson
amounts to Federalism cIoaked.
This adherence to an old term of odium,
and the continued efforts 10 muster it into
service, is sure sign of weakness. A
good cause, strong and unblemished in
its principles, needs no such bostering up.
1t hourshes no condemned weapons. 1t
seeks no defenders but Truth and Justice.
1t has been customary for Democratic
leaders, when they have found their
course in relation to any public matter,
condemned. and issue joined upon it, be-
fore the people, TO call it Federal Whig-
gerry. in disguise. No matter what they
do it must not be made question dur
ing the canvass-the people must over
look things which Immediately and vital
Iy concern them, because, forsooth, Demo |
cratic leaders and aspirants choose to be-
stow upon such scrutiny the odious
epithet Of Federalism cloaked.
According to this mode OF procedure,
Unaonssna is now spoken of as a cloak
TO Federalism; and, no doubt, whatever
may be the issue before the people in
future political struggles as many cloaks
will be attributed to Federalism by the |
ambitious leaders of Democracy as they |
have political sins to account for.
The Colonel, however, does at last,
come to the point. and boldly maintains
that his course in regard to the Compro. |