The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-08-28

LINDESwALos July %, 1851,
| DEAR SlR: have to acknowledge the receipt Of
your letter upon the subject of the next Presiden
tial election, and the future harmony of the Demo
cratic party.
Although have not the pleasure of a personal
acquaintance with you, need no assurance other
than that which is derived from the character of
your letter, that your motives are entitled to my
respect and confidence. My voluntary participa-
on in party politics has long since been confined
to the regular exercise of the right of suffrage and
nothing could be further from my intention or de-
sire than TO change my position in this regard. My
reply your friendly letter must therefore be lin.
tied to approval of the liberal spirit which you
seek to infuse into the masses that compose the
Democratic party, as not only right in itself, but
we'll adapted to the eXigencies OF our cause and
country
! am, dear sir, very respectfully, your obedient
servant MARTIN VAN BuREN
c. H. DONALDSON, eco.
Here is letter, now, that is letter. Mr..
VAN buren, contemplated the probability of its
publication; and he therefore took good care
that it should show on its face that he has not
the pleasure of Mr.. DoNALDsoN's personal ac-
quaintance, and that he writes merely on the
faith Of what appears in his letter. He takes oc-
casion, moreover, 10 put on record that he was
not voluntarily Presidential candidate at the
last election, and that he has no intention of be-
coming any other than an involuntary candidate at
any future election. We regard this letter Of the
venerable Ex-PREsIDENT as pattern letter
for all gentlemen who are addressed by CORE
spondents with whom they have not "the plea
sure of personal acquaintance"
We now reach letter of different de-
scription, that of man who wears his heart on
his sleeve, and does not care who knows of
his whereabouts. Some one of the critics has
said that though the letters of eminent men
make very choice and curious reading, he
''should except the letters of celebrated war
riors;> which, for the most part, should only
8 be published in the Gazette" This is rather
sweeping exception, but our readers can Judge
whether or not the epistle of General Com
MANDER falls within it. The General, it
seems, thinks that the days of the Federal
Union are numbered, and assails the Admins
tration here as ''Free-soil Government" with
AS much fervor as the Democratic Coaltionists
in MASSACHUSETTS have denounced it as a
over, to '.expatriate" the Submssionists, and
suggests, as an ultinnatunl of SOUTH CAROLINA,
that Congress shall buy back CALIFORNIA up
to thirty six thirty, for which he "has nothing
to hang hope upon" But the Generals let
ter will speak for itself:
GEN. JAMES NJ. COMMANDER, OF s. c.
Sou1H Island, GEoResrowN DIST, S. c.,
July II, 1851.
DEAR srR; Your letter of the 2sth June was
duly received. The long delay of my answer
asioned by my having an attack of fever, fol-
lowed by the illness of one of my children, whose
life was long despared Of Having thus shown
you that there was intentional neglect on my
part, proceed TO answer your query. think
Baltimore the most suitable place for the Assem-
bling Of the Democratic National Convention, and
early in June proper time for the assembling Of
the convention. would myself prefer any time
In June TO May, did / expect TO be again a mem
Der. But, i'll my opinion, the days of the Federal
Union numbered; the northern presses are
misleading the people, Tor they themselves
deceived Internationally deceiving the people as
well az themselves, | fear. with regard to the
feeling of the of the South. In this State,
presume you aware that ninety nine one
hundredths arc disunonists-the only difference
Y.
In Georgia the resistance party is growing and
increasing in magnitude like an avalanche al
it ros; the Alabama Florida, and
Mississippi; even North Carolina ia aroused,
and prepared to resist any force that may
be sent by the Free soil Government at Wash
ington to coerce sovereign State. / mean the
people of the States / have mentioned, not the
leading politicians. The masses are rapidly cast
ing OIL their leading strings; they are beginning
to think and act for themselves. The politicians
who have preached submission to the outrages of
the Federal Legislature will be compelled at last
to swim with the strong current of Southern rights
or sink to rise no more, unless breathe out a
miserable existence among their Northern allies
forever expatriated from the sunny land that
gave them birth. The truth il, the people believe
that the institution of slavery is doomed, unless
they strike now for equal rights. We believe that
probably more outrages will be committed till
this Union, if it last SO long, shall number some
forty fifty States; then the North, having ample
power to alter The Constitution (now 60 little re
spected,) will not scrupe to do so, and in hour
we may be irretrievably ruined. Would to God
that the storm, almost ready to break over our
heads, and scatter into fragments the glorious
Union that have been taught to love and venerate
by my revolutionary ancestors, and to look Upon
the beacon light of liberty and equality to the
oppressed of the earth offering shelter and protec-
ton.
pray God TO avert what, in nay opinion, would
be the greatest calamity that could befall the world;
but if the hearts of rulers to remain hard
ened-f Congress- at its session, does not buy back
California up thirty-six thirty, and permit US to
carry slaves to that line through to the Pacific,
and give US sufficient guarantees that the insttu-
ton will never again be nterfered with, but left
entirely to those who alone interested in it, as
we'll in the District of Columbia as the Territories,
then one State at least will secede. Having moth
ing to hang hope upon that Congress will do this,
look with certainty to the secession ofSouth Caro-
lima next year, probably before the meeting Of the
Democratic Convention; in that event. as her child,
am with her long life lasts. know
have friends and sympathizers among the Deiao-
cratic party at the Northnot many, 'tis true. but
it is grateful to feelings there SUCH though
few in number.
am, dear sir, yours truly,
JAMES NJ CoMMASDER.
Hon. NATuANfRI Gurpa