American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-08-04
Communicated.
HAristides.y &c.

"Aristides," &c.
MEssRs. EDrroRs Time has not hitherto per-
mitted me the opportunity of giving attention
to the communication of 'Aristides," of the
3lst ult, although but little has been required
ut my hands from him. In other words, his
concessions were 80 full that, but for one or two
remarks, / should not have thought the further
pursuit Of the subject necessary But Aris-
tides has either forgotten few things contained
in his first communication, as well as some facts
now matters of the political history of the coun-
try, or else he has inclined to dodge y some
what.
This correspondent AYERS, in his last article,
that g there need be no controversy between
me (him) and Michigan (myself) relative to
what Messrs. Cass and Buel did, or did not'
do in favor Of the retention of g Mr. Indian
Agent Sprague, the Abolitionist, in office" in
the State of Michigan. 1t may be SO, now that
q Aristides" has acknowledged that Mr.. Buel
has never written letters to the Secretary of the
| Interior for such retention, and by implication
retreats from his former assertion that Gen.
Cass has never done either
But his first charge that both these gentlemen
had written such letters, was the gist of the
controversy. And when he says that " Michigan
used the statement that those gentlemen had
interested themselves to keep Mr.. Sprague in
office, as coming from Mr.. Secretary STARTS de-
tenders, and ridiculed the poor excuse thus cited
for Mr.. Secretary Stuart's conduct, in retain
| ing such an Abolitionist in ofice''-I say when
Aristides" affrms this, beg him to 'srecol-
lect'' that in his first article charging Gen. Cass
and Mr. Buel with writing letters for the re-
storation of Mr.. Sprague in Office he did not
/ I1fJer nj NJ
defenders ~ere doing acih the alleged letters of
| these too gentlemen. Not aoord He made the
assertion by interrogation, and then sceat on 10
gtUe tie reason why Gen. Cass and Mr.. Buel had
written those alleged letters in order to 'sdiyide
and distract the Wing party of Michigan"
"Aristides" conceives still his structures
upon Mr.. Buels letter to have been legiti-
mate" 1 cannot conceive how, unless he ina
gines that Generel Cass has placed his reputa-
ton in Mr.. BuePs keeping-where / confess it
would be safe; thing which, | am sure,
Aristides" does not believe, if he knows as
much about Gen. Cass's way Of doing polti-
cal things" as he would have the public believe.
l know of but one man here Of high standing
in the political scale of this country, who has
ever allowed himself to be thus fcaged"-de-
putting his thoughts, actions and keeping to
others. ! will not now mention his name but
| if Aristides' viii revert back to the year 1S40,
/ Nnen II cerlalu wing Ueneral Oh On1O was q
candidate for the Presidency, he will know to
| whom ] refer. / doubt not General Cass does
not desire any person to deny, defend, or affirm
his conduct, who lives so near him that it
would be as much trouble for them to do so as
it would be to him. Mr.. Buell. then, as | re-
marked in my former article, spoke for himself
himself only further, as he correctly con-
ceived, he had no legitimate right to speak
No obligation, at all events rested upon him
to do so. And his denial of the allegation, so
far as he tOds concerned, | suspect is all that
the public" have asked at his hands. "Can-
dor" on the part Of the public, and Of Aris-
tides" should have asked nothing more.
As to what General Cass's course was in re-
lation to the various appointments Of the Presi-
dent requiring the confirmation of the Senate,
| know him to have acted upon the purest and
most patriotic grounds. The Compromise ques-
ton was, during both sessions of the last Con-
gress, as "Aristides" well knows, the great
question at issue. The President was hemmed
in by armies on both hands-by the fre-eaters
of the South on the one side, and by the Seward
faction of the North on the other-all opposed
to the Compromise measures. Between these
two extremes existed the patriotic conservators
of the nations, who for the sake of the Union
and its peace, became, for the time, divested of
party feeling, and who opposed any embarrass-
ment of the Administration in the performance
Of its functions: hence this conservative and
intermediate body of men, Democrats and
Wings, among the former Of whom, and most
prominent, too, stood Gen. Cass, who voted for
the confirmation of the nominees Of the Presi-
dent for the various Offices, among whom were
those mentioned by "Arstides" in his last
communication. 1t was the patriotic desire to
prevent embarrassment to the Executive head
of the Government in those dangerous times,
which prompted many of the votes confirming
nominations made to the Senate, and for these
noble motives no lash Of censure should be held
over men who thus, like true lovers Of the
Union, sacrificed party and personal feeling to
its peace.
| should have thought that "Aristides" would
have forborne to venture upon the slippery
plank which he has trodden upon, and against
which | warned him in my article Of the 30th.
But forgetting that "to be forewarned is to be
forearmed," he confidently steps upon it, and
pronounces the two Whig members OF Congress
elect from Michigan I" Union Wigs" If had
time, should like to discuss with 'Aristides"
the question of the title Of these two Wings
elect in Michigan to the noble cognomen OF
" Union Wigs" Mr.. Seward pronounoes HIM
self a"ITnioa man" So does K BalnweH
Rhstt The New York EIS.at and the Naah-