The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-04
A REMARKABLE CORRESPONDENCE.

The newspapers have lately been engaged in
commenting upon rare correspondence in rela-
ton to the holding of Democratic National
Convention, which first appeared in the columns
Of the New York Herald, TO which ex-senator
Westcott is kind Of editorial contributor. The
Herald asserts that it is authentic, and gives the
following account oft:
AT the National Democratic Convention, at
Baltimore, in lS4S, il was agreed that committee
Of one from each State respectively, should const
tute an advisory committee in reference to the
time and place for the National Convention Of
1852. This correspondence, it will be seen, is
addressed to several of the members of this gene
raj committee, and chiefly between them; and
that the most conspicuous among them-the con-
trolling spirits of them all-are MIR c. Donald
son, of Texas, and Mr.. Nathaniel Greer, Of Iowa.
It will further appear that, at the suggestion Of
Mr.. Treat, of St Louis, number Of the members
of this National Committee met in this city a
short time ago, quietly aud unobtrusively, that
neither the sachems of st. Tammany, nor even
our vigilant reporters, were aware Of and that
Baltimore was resolved upon as the place for the
convention. The time is matter Of more import
ance-it may be best TO wait until the Wings
have shown their hands--at sll events, the time
remains yet an open question, although Mr.. Don
aldou insists upon the first Monday in June next.
ain the aggregate, we repeat, those letters dis
close the preliminary movements Of deeply con-
certed plan for the nomination Of General Hous-
ton, on the Free-Soil or Barnburner platform.
TIE zszs.0f Prince John is only wants. i.1...
it complete. But, individually, in this matter-of
fact correspondence, there are many amusing and
apparently hopeless contrarietiesR -. ..
Mr. Donaldson, of Texas, and Mr. Greer, of
Ioxvo oonJuct tha oorrasnondanca and II 10 in TO
ply to their inquiries that the other letters were
written. They are quite interesting, and are
from Edwin Croswell NY; Samuel Treat, Mo-
B F. Hallett, Mass Geo. r. Riddle, Del; Hor-
ace Clarke, VT; c. II. Donaldson, Texas Gilbert
Hathaway, Indiana James M. Commander, s. C. !;
Patrick R Britain, Ala; Martin Van Buren,, N.
Y; Geo Paul, Wish; Salmon P. Chase, Ohio f;
VIM. R. King Ala; Sam Houston, Texas; Geo.
II. Browne, r. l.; VIM. F Richie, Va; Charles
Andrews, Me-; John w. Forney, Pa; E R. v.
Wright, N. j.; Harry Hubbard, N. H.; Levi
Woodbury., ~ H.; RObt Strange, N. c.; Joshua
r. GIddings, Ohio; John II. Eastman, Wish.
The fact that Messrs Chase and Giddings were
addressed, as if in regular standing with the
Democratic party, addressed, too, by Mr.. Donald
son of Texas, when be must have known their
incorporating views on the Slavery Question,
led us to suspect a trick somewhere. We did
not, and do not now, believe that these two gen.
tlemen were ever written to by Mr.. Donaldson.
That gentleman has written no letter at ALL or the
circular he prepared has been sent without his
knowledge to Messrs. Chase and Giddngs. This
was our suspicion, and we shall await further de-
velopments to confirm or remove it.
We shall publish, however, the letters of these
two gentlemen there Is nothing in them they need
be ashamed Of
But what we wish particularly to call stten-
ton to is the fact, revealed by this correspond
ence, that the lust National Democratic Conven-
ton constituted National Committee, with the
power to perpetuate itself, call Conventions and
prepare the way for the nomination of Presi-
Dental candidate How long since the Democ-
rscy of the United States agreed to surrender
their rights to an irresponsible, despoto com.
mittee, meeting and transacting its business in
secret2