Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-06-07
POLITICS IN THE SOUTH.

The political campaign in Mississippi, in which
Gen. FooTE and Gen. QUITMAN have been brought
into the field as opposing candidates for the office
Ex-Governor Of the State, has opened with an ear-
nestness and vehemence greater than the conse-
quence Of that Office would account for. In the
present contest, however, far more important
question has been put in issue-that OF Union or
Disunion; Gen. FooTE having been brought out in
favor Of the Union and Compromise Measures Of
last year, and Gen. QUITMAN as the advocate Of
what is there called ResistGce and in South Caro-
lima and elsewhere Secession, and Disunion. The
conflict between two such candidates. both Of them
of tried talent and practised speakers, in part
the country in which custom requires the candi- |
dates for public Office to canvass the State in per-
son-to meet face 10 face at stated meetings Of the
People and maintain their respective positions be-
fore them-cannot be otherwise than arduous and |
exciting, if not severe.
On very recent occasion, the consistency of
Mr.. FooTE on the great topic of the day having
been publicly questioned by one of the party Of
Mr.. QurTMAN, the former, in defending himself,
found it expedient to recur to the scene in the
Senate between himself and Mr. CALHOUN, on
the morning following the reading of the Speech
with which the great Carolinian may be said to
have closed his political life. That scene it be-
comes proper, though most of our readers have
doubtless vivid recollection Of it, to reproduce
here, from the late publication of Mr.. FooTE, to
enable the reader to understand the bearing Of the
new matter brought into view in this controversy,
and to insert, in connexion with IT, Letter re-
ceived by Mr.. FooTE from Mr.. CALHOUN about
six months previous to that scene, indicating and
strongly insisting upon course, on the part of the
malcontents in the South, directly contrary, in its
main feature, to that which was the burden of his
Speech; SO contrary, indeed, that but for this
disclosure, no one could have believed that so great
a discrepancy between Mr.. CALHOUN and himself,
within the short space of six months, was within
the range Of possibility.
The reader will find, in another part of this paper
the documents establishing this discrepancy, copied
from the Mississippi Flag Of the Union of the
23d of last month. They are too particularly and
intimately connected with the events of the last
and the preceding year not to be entitled 10 place
in our columns.
The appearance Of these documents forces upon
the Editors Of this paper task which nothing
but an irresistible sense of personal as well as
political duty could have induced them to under
take in reference to the following prominent pas
sage in the letter of Mr.. CALHOUN to Mr. FooTE
81 am obliged you for securing prompt admission
of my Address into the columns Of the Itegeacer Col
BEsroS has continued 10 get SO many jobs for that paper
that had my apprehension in their wish to keep fair with
him. that they would either publish ALL or delay ii so
long as to make the publication Of no value
If we, 1.-THE Editors of the National Intellgencer, J
in the course Of more than forty years labor in our
vocation, have in no other way entitled ourselves
to the public esteem and respect, we have a con-
seriousness of having deserved it by disineres.ed-
ness, as well as independence, in sustaining on
all occasions, to the best OF our judgment and
ability, the interest," the welfare, and the happiness
of the People and Government Of the United
States.
In defence of this character, it becomes our duty
to state that the assertions and the nnuendos Of the
paragraph which we have quoted from this Letter
are all, all, alike false and gratuitous. @
II is not true that Col. BENTON has gotten many
"jobs," or any one job, for " the Intelligencer."
But the converse Of this assertion would have been
true, had 1t been asserted. we are indebted to
COL BENTON, in his public capacity, for nothing
but the courtesies which, we presume, he extends
equally to all who are not in enmity with him.
Nor is it true, is insinuaed in his Letter, that
Mr.. CALHOUN, or his friends for him, ever had any
difficulty in obtaining admission into the columns
fthis paper in any form, and still less in the form
of Letters or Addresses to which his name was
appended. In the very case referred to, his Ad-
dress was in the hands Of our compositors for pub
LEGATION before the note of Mr.. FooTE requesting
its insertion reached this Office. Nor was any man
ever more indebted than Mr.. CALHOUN to the
National Intelligencer for his reputation and adj
vancement in the early part of his political career,
or for forbearance, when, in the controversies Of
later years, we have been thrown wide as the poles
asunder. AT no time in his life, indeed, was there
ever entertained in our bosoms aspark of personal
animosity to that eminent citizen. Nor, until this
moment, had we ever reason to suppose that his
breast was so full of malice towards us as TO
overflow even in the abandon Of private CORES
pondence.
The SECRETARY OF STATE returned 10 Wash
ington last evening from his excursion to the
North.