The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-08

II there 70 any member OF Congress VINO served IN
that war other than myself, am not acquainted
with the fact.
FSwthiy. voted for the bill, which paused the
House of Representatives few days since, de-
creasng, very materially the present rates OF post
this bill because, under the present high rates Of
postage, more revenue 10 yielded than ID necessary
to support the Post Office Department, and also
with the view Of cheapening the means OF social
and commercial correspondence among the people,
and to render accessible TO the poor class OF
people the newspapers and periodicals OF the day:
l have advocated and voted for sundry other bills
and propositions Of utility to the country, not ne
ccssary 70 specify at this time, as have not space
to do It. i will say, however, that among these
were bills establishing new and important mail
routes in the district represent. Through my In.
strumentality there has been great number Of
new post offices established among you. which
will, doubtless, contribute much 10 your conve.
nienceas well as happiness; ] have also procured
daily mails to be established where semi and W
weekly mails were previously carried; and tri-
weekly mails to be established where weekly mails
were previously carried. To be brief on this
point, have labored assiduously to give you cheap
and increased facilities for the acqurement OF news
and knowledge for the benefit Of yourselves and
children.
Although il was not strictly my duty so to do. as
a member Of Congress, yet have promptly attend
tions of my fellow soldiers for bounty land and PEN
sons, to the proper departments Of the Govern
ment, and, for many OF them, have justly and
properly procured pensions, and the warrants Tor
land will very shortly issue TO all those soldiers who
applied, and who entitled to Land under the law.
have also attended to and transacted avast amount
Of private business for my constituents, and others
all Of which have done in addition 70 my official
duties free of any charge, because believed in do
ing these things for the people was only repaying
them, in small way, for the exalted favors they
had conferred on me.
am still at my post of duty, doing all in my
power to elevate your condition. and promote the
prosperity and glory Of my country; and whatever
can do that is valuable or good, during the brief
remainder Of my official term, will be DONE. +
Fellow countrymen however unnatural and in
credible it may appear to you, permit me to assure
you, if you not already convinced OF the fact,
that within the United States, yea, within the Old
Dominion, there are many. very many, persons VINO
giant towering Republic. How strange il is that
Virginia, honorcd mother, the mother of the inn
mortal Washington. who laid the foundation of our
liberties and free and who the chief
workman in rearing thercupon the best govern
mental fabric ever devised by man, and. whose
bones are now housed up in her bosom, should give
birth TO sons SO reckless to humanity, common
prudence, and all that ia great and glorious in
EARTH as to wish for, and to seek in open day, the
overthrow and downfall of the greatest and best
country upon which the light Of the SUN ever shown
Many Of these men, under false names and garbs,
have crept into power and high places, and others
are seeking most energetically, in the same man
ner, after the same object. Let me invoke you, in
the name of your country, to beware OF such de-
COVERS ana lmpO2tOrb, lest tney Tear d6uuucT INC
temple of your liberties when you not suspect
ing it, Remember that the immortal Jefferson
once said, that "eternal vigilance is the price OF
liberty"
As anation-united, we will stand; but divided,we
must fall. In the language Of Gen. jackson, "the
Union must be preserved Our own future hap
piness and enjoyment, and that of countless gen.
erations to come, depends on the preservation OF
the Constitution and Union. Our country is now
among the grcatest on earth; her laws are q sure
shield to and our rights at home, and her flag
certain protection to us abroad.
repeat, am candidate for your suftrages Tor
reelection to the honorable post now occupied
by me. But it has been proclaimed, by the editors
OF certain paper published in East Virginia, that
must be defeated at every cost. Why, fellow-citi-
zens, has this mandatory bull, this tyrannical and
kingly dictum, been issued for your government
and guidance, commanding you to execute me on
the block, where those guilty of treason and murder
have suffered the of their crimes! What
have done that renders me so peculiarly odious to
the editors of this paper? Ianswer, first, because
advocated and voted for tho Compromise measures
before mentioned, and thereby rendered some
humble assistance in avcrting the dissolution of
the Union. Secondly, because soon after the pas
sage of the bill by your State Legislature, provid
ing for calling convention for the purpose Of
amending and reforming our State constitution,
took bold stand in some of the public Journals OF
the country, by letters against the celebrated Nash
vile convention Of Hartford fame, and in favor of
the white basis of representation in your State
Legislature, and against the mixed or negro basis,
anu ulbO III IdVOE VI cAcCtlHB 8OSCtHOt diAu
other officers Of the government by the people.
The editors of the paper to which alude are in
favor of the mixed or black basis and by favoring
its adoption seek to rivct upon you and your chill
dren that political degradation and inequality
which you have been forced to endure thus far
through life. If these official and private acts,
which look to with greater pride than all the acs
ofmy life, render me worthy Of political death In
your judgment, will freely endure and suffer the
penalty. Disunicnists threaten me with defeat i'll
supported the Compromise measures OF which have
spoken, and in compliance with their threats they
motives for prosecuting me, and plotting and de-
vising my political downfall. In practising their
consummate cunning, they will doubtless call me
fcdcralist, tory, Sc, and call on my Democratic
friends in the district, who have heretofore stood by
me in prosperity and adversity TO desert and leave
me, in this important crisis, upon party grounds.
Fellow countrymen, they may call me whatever
and it will not affect in the least the merit
of the public private acts of my liie have been
in public life mostly since arrived at the age Of
maturity, and challenge any and every honest
man to scan with the scvercst scrutiny all my pub
lie acts, and cay ain tory or a fcdernlist.
have stood up for my country in peace and in war,
and dcnounce such epithets, when applied to me,
as being ungcncrous and without shadow OF
foundation. am willing to make up an Issue
with my enemies, but il must be correct issue
and upon the true subject OF controversy; and the
true issue s, cmphatically, Did do right and re.
Compromise measures passed during the session Of
last Congress! Here 10 the great question, and
should it be my misfortune to be defeated, no mat
ter on what grounds. il will be proclaimed, with
great boldness. by the opposcrs Of the Compromise
and friends Of dsunion, that you decided at the
ballot box by your free suffrages that did not rep
resent your sentiments truly in voting for the
Compromise measures, and that you are in favor Of
dissolution Of the Union. This would be hcralded
through many parts of the Union with great eclat,
and with an injurious effect to the country. am
in favor of standing by, and preserving unaltered
the whole Of the late Compromise measures, and
enforcing them strictly.
i have confidence in the wisdom and patriotism
of the present administration and will give it my
humble support in all just measures of policy
recommended by it, SO long as the President and
his Cabinet maintain the prominent stand which
they have taken against slavery agitation, and in
favor Of the Union. But If they desert that noble
stand, (Which do not anticipated then they can
no longer receive my support, either as member
of Congress private citizen. You have seen,
by this time, that place the preservation of the
Union in importance, far above all political party