The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-25
From the Southern Press.
Letter rross4 mar. woodward.

. Letter SreuA mE woodward.
This morning. for the FIRST time. have read the lesI
Of sY Governor Hamilton OF South Carolina, TO MIR
Chsves
Supposinx South Carolina TO have gone out OF the
Union alone Mr. Hamilton makes the following refec-
tons: @
the position In which South Carolina wond thus be
placed would once produce the assembly OF southern
convention headed by Virginia should regard i with all
risks ehssR purchased Ba, how stands o .E.n.,
pee but known place ourselves in this peril to
ihsm 10 come yesc1sl Mr. Woodward, member Of
Congress Soul Carolinaa gentleman Tor whom en-
tonan all due repecdeclared in letter or speech TO his
constituents that was wise policy Tor south Carolna to
S.is AID Nsrih carona isto o~ ,pDoi Mr.. Wood
wards csndor is certainly commendase; Inc ancients
had in their mythology image OF Wisdom, which was
represented with her finger on her ps-Mr. Woodward
adheres the much Christian pfecepl OF deceivng
neither our friends enemies fet when we have
The moral option OF being silent, should be hard to
vince that the best policy on all occasions 30 speak oS
even if il be the truth aud nothing but the truth"
Now il is mistake that in speech letter said
thai il would be policy Tor South Carolina to place
herself in such an attitude have ever expressed the
opinion both in public and IN private that 1t would be
unfortunate for South Carolina to be obliged to act alone
and tina, she ought not TO do long there existed
"a reasonable hope OF securing the cooperation Of
or more OF the other States" admit however, that did
when all reasonable hope Of such cooperation shall
cease South Carolina ought to secede alone believing,
sincerely do, that saying nothing Of furnished hon
or or violated rights" she could not place herself in
more perous situation than that Of remaining in what s
called the Union. Whatever may be the hazards OF
cesson. the dangers from the Union vastly greater
Nor il il true thai IN my speech at Columbia said
that South Carolina. by seeding alone, would draw into
her support the States OF North Carolina and Virginia
did however, say what supposed would be the
quence OF secession by lire Of States extending from
the Atlantic to the western frontier 10 wit: the States
Of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama. Mississippi, and
Arkansas But no disrespect was intended to North
Carolina or Virginia It was not meant that they any
other State would be coerced TO do anything contrary
their ideas OF propriety and sound policy sup
posed that those States, having suffered the same wrongs
as other southern States and being conscious OF that
fact would Join southern confederacy formed in
preference 10 uRion with the free States And in
saving | only repeated what commonly said at
Washington Mr.. Hamilton has said the same thing Of
Louisiana, the supposition that the other southern
States should secede Nor did speak spirit OF AFRO
gance boasulness; but, on the contrary, with the
view afford consolation and hope to my injured
and illuminated State.
With reference to another portion OF the extract from
General Hamilton's letter. will remark that my speech
at Columbia was made in the spirit OF free conference
with friends and constituents, and composed of such
remarks would have been addressed to dozen friends
at hotel. And If there was error in not deceving my
enemies" any than my friends, that is not
be laid TO my charge. had reason to suspect. and
did not suspect that any portion Of the speech would 90
to the press And seeing in one OF the Columbia pa
per brief and imperfect sketch, FASTENED disavow,
10 general terms, many portions OF it, assent to the
suggestion Of Gen Hamilton that there is wide differ
ence between the virtue OF candor and the folly, not 10
say vice. Of inconlnen babbling Those who know me,
against any insnuaon that the vanity OF gasconade and
braggadoca had made more useful 10 enemies than to
friends
One additional remark My speech at Columbia was
not published by than one newspaper IN South
Carolina, in consequence, perhaps, OF my having dis
av0wed. in general terms, many portions OF the report
And any extracts appeared in papers out OF the State the
public could have known but that those very extracts
the object OF my disavowal. say nothing of the
little credence ,hais usually given 10 the assertions OF
hostile papers concerning political adversares But any
rteW . thuo tha nj Nnn
may have had against the consequences which my i'm
puted ndiscetion calculated TO produce has been
entirely destroyed by the publication OF General Hamil-
tons letter And is somewhat remarkable that one so
Impressed with the folly OF always speaking out and
never deceiving either our friends or our enemies"
should have selected for publication and advertisement
that portion of my supposed speech which was best cal
cuaied to do deirment to the southern cause by Offend
ing the pride and seresPect OF those two States whose
strength and geographical position give them the greatest
control over the South. say is somewhat remarka-
ble upon the supposition that General Hamilton is not
himself one OF those enemies whom ought to have de-
ceived.
remark, made publicly, that other States would be
forced to do thus and thus have reprobaled it, how
not much account OF any mischief was cali
euated to do because 10 dsrespec,fu and discour
teous to speak thus OF State. cannot suppose that
any nconsiderse remark OF mine, or that the Indeco-
rous vaporings Of any number OF political swaggers 10
n Of na ~ OF
and Virginia But II be mistaken IN this, then have
to lament that mischief which the obscurity Of my
speech disabled il from doing is destined to be fully
developed by the advertisement OF General Hamilton
No reasonable expect that anything contained
in letter such his will fail 10 appear in the columns
Of every newspaper South hostile to South Carolina
The only hope left is that those who publish that
letter will also insert this. And, from what know oil
Gen Hamllon's character a man, entertain no doubt
that he himself would bespeak this justice on my behalf
think what we may OF each other as politicians:
j. A. WOODWARD
WASHINGTON, Jan. IS.
From the Penn yani