Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-10-24
CoNEERsyILLE, Oct. IA. 1851

CoNEERs vILLE, Oct. Ia, 1851.
DEAR SIR my attention called to an article
(Editoria) in your Daily Sentinel of the 18th inst, in
which you say that l am "a Freesoiler, an enemy Of the
compromise measures, and q supporter of George W.
Julian for Congress" allow me the privilege Of placing
myself right on these questions before the Democracy OF
Indiana.
First, then, / am not a Freesoiler, but a DEMOCRAT,
having acted as such from 1910, the year | came to this
State, until the present time. In 1916 1 was the DEM
0cTatic nominee of Union county for the Legislature, and
was beaten by a Wing, because / was a Democrat and
a friend of the Democratic administration of Mr.. Polk
and the Mexican War.
In the year 1919 | was nominated for the Senate by a
Democratic Convention, composed oil the sterling De-
mocraey of Fayette and Union, when DIR. Trembly and
Major Watt were my competitors, and l am proud to
say / was elected by the same Democracy. My course in
the Senate is before the State, having there acted with
the Democracy in every Democratic measure and cleo
ton Except in the election of Judge Elliott as President
Judge OF my own Circuit, when, along with every
Democratic member from the Circuit except one, and
he a Freesoiler,) | voted for Judge Elliott at the re-
guest, and knowing him to be the choice OF a large ma
jorty OF the people as we'll as the Bar of that Circuit
which were represented by me.
That | am ian enemy Of the compromise measures, :"
such is not the fact. Believing that the several measures
passed by Congress TO be the best which could then be
done, | as o-Editor of the Chronicle" endorsed these
measures as a whole, although / objected to them as / still
do to certain provisions OF the act commonly called the
Fugitive Slave Law. | hold and have always held that
the North was bound by the Constitution, in letter and
spirit, TO deliver mp, or allow the recapture Of the fugi-
v ldDOT, (utdnln9 IA sidNe.J u ny ODlecuOnS
were that it operated against the free blacks as well as
the slave, preventing their being heard in defence of their
freedom, and making the certificate of the Commission
err conclusive against this right. The joint resolution
offered by me in the SenaIs last winter as an amendment
to that law, asked nothing more than the remedy Of this
evil, and did not seek a repeal Of this law as many un-
derstood it to do; and l am glad to say that the late de-
cision Of Judge Catron, and the course of decisions by
the other Judges Of the u. s. s. G. in the construction
Of this law, have done much TO remove my objections 10
it; a law passed by a bare majority Of the Senate, and
which divided the vote of Indiana in Congress, not one
of her Senators having voted for the same; certainhE
under these circumstances | ought not to be charged u
you as an enemy to the compromise measures.
That / supported George w. Julian in opposition to
Mr.. Samuel w. Parker for Congress, | freely admit, but
in doing so il was not because he was a FIeesoiler. Mr..
Julian was the choice of a large majority Of the Democ-
racy Of the District in which / lived and represented.
As the personal friend Of Mr.. Julian, I preferred him to
Mr.. Parker, and believing that he was with the Democ-
raey on many of the leading measures of the day as held
by them, to all Of which as a Wing Mr.. Parker was op.
posed, I was induced to use my influence and cast my
vote for this gentleman, and not because he was a Free
soier, as one wonld draw from your editorial.
By inserting the above in your paper at your earliest
convenience, You will confer a favor ON
Your most obt sery't,
JOHN s. ED.
Hon. w. j. BRows, indianapolis