Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-28
POLITICS OF THE DAY.
LETTER FROM Mn. STEPHENS.

We need scarcely remark that the subjoined letter
from the Hon. A, H. STEPHENS, in reply to one
from gentleman in the interior of the State, and
which we are authorized to publish, affords sin
cere qualification
1t is Just such letter as we expected from him,
ON the questions which it discusses with SO much
point, force, and ability and cannot fail to command
the respect Of if it should not carry conviction to- all
classes Of readers.
WAsHINGToN FEBRUARY Z, 1852.
Ny PEAR SIR: Your esteemed favor of the ID instant
was received yesterday You ask what think of the late
movement of friends in Mledgeville In reply say
briefly and plainly that far ii may be considered
indicating the expression of opinion favor of sending
delegates to the Baltimore Convention, utterly OPP
pesed 10 IT,
The first and second Of the resolutions of that meeting
have my cordial approval The first reairms the prin
cipes Of the Constitutional Union party, and reiterates
determination adhere them The second provides
for the call of Convention in the State at suitable
time hereafter take into consideration the subject
the Presidential election and to adopt such in
ation to it duty and patriotism may then dictate as
proper. This is all right And while cannot concur
with in believing that the third resolution in
tended by those who adopted it to bear the construction
which has been put upon it. to wit that It'll object was to
commit the party, in advance, to send delegates to the
Baltimore Convention still mean simply to say that if
such the intention, Tam anqaalyedty opposed to
The organization in Georgia called into exist
upon extraordinary crisis in public affairs.
That crisis has yet passed by Those who think 50
draw different conclusions from the signs Of the times from
what do The present (apparent) calm is but tempo
rary suspension of the dangerous elements which then
ragged SO furously. That party was formed upon the
principles forth and embodied in tie action of the
State Convention in December 1850. Those principles
need not repeat to you. They sucl large
prIfy of Tho larfEa
think essential to the maintenance of the nights of her
pie and the union of the States They were moreover
not sectional either in their character objects They
were and broad the Union and as wide as the
limits of the jurisdiction the Constitutions and in the
organization of that party which formed by an
abration and remuneration of all old party names and
Affiliations by all who entered into it. offered to unite
with any and all men, irrespective of past party disnc
tons, in every section Of the country whether in the
South or North, who would make these principles car
dinal point in their creed The POSITION we still
hold As yet no party at the North has given any such
assurance The Baltimore Convention has not been call
ed with any such view object far firm it, many of
our bitterest assailans, at the South rel the
North have already been duly appointed MEMBERS of it.
Gould any idea be preposterous than The project of
sending delegates to Convention of opponents for
fear that they not conduct their proceedings accord
to liking? Such would certainly bsa novel course
in political tactics
If those members of that Convention fom the South
who lately so loud in their denunciaon of all men
at the North and who particularly censorous Of
put themselves upon principles and sail purge that
body of its reesoa clements and shall alsopresen the
country good candidate for the Presidency, it will be
time enough for ourselves with their action
after they shall have given us these evences of their
being entitled to confidence and cooperation good
candidate standing principles andput forward by
an organization standing upon the principles, is all
g want
Whether that Convention will come up these requisi-
tons of the problems that future Developments only
solve My apprehensions that it willnot Upon what
at loss to conjecture Is it from the fat that COL Folks
resolution rejected in the Congressional
beginning OF the present session the fact that
Mr.. Bartlett whose appears the commit
tee who called that Convention elected to the he
holds in the House Of Representatives open and
ayowed Freesoa? Is it from the fact that Mr. Ranou
the champion and defender Of that unprncpled Of
all coalitions in the annals of political prohigacy Mas
sachusetts, is Of the members of that Convention
Or is from the fact that the Union newspaper in this
city puts down the most ultra Of the South and the
most rabid Freesoers at the North in Congress-
all good Democrats, and equally entitled to membership
and fellowship in the great party Of which il processes to
be the sole organ?
If So have only to say that these and other indca
tons which might mention have quite contrary effect
on me- That Convention therefore, called and so
suted well all other National Conventions whether
Democratic Whig be put right on the record as
condition precedent before looking any support or
countenance / speak only for myself The Consttu-
tona Union party speak for itself when its Conven
ton assemblies. But can any doubt that the moral
and influence of position upon the action Of the
Baltimore Convention would be much greater outside than
inside of its deberations Would they be less likely
comply with our demands from fear ofsour defiance in
case Of REFUSAL than to be controlled by wishes after
voluntary surrender If 20 into their organization
without NE condition precedent Of recognition and endorse
ment Of our principles, shall be in the condition
OF veteran troops begued and betrayed unarmed into
camp OF the enemy The idea of thus situated
sg on terms simply ridiculous; captures may be allowed
to oeg for quarters but who heard of them demanding
eoneess,ons2 And is this the time for party put
itself IN such humiliatng position The extraordi
nary EFFORT that now being made to ncucate the opinion
that nothing can be done bya separate organization upon
the principles of that formed in Georgia am perfectly
aware Of But does it not with bad grace from
those who thus speaking but repeating their croak
ings Of twelve months ago? Then we were told as now
that the new organization n failure because it did
not meet with favor from the political quers of this city
Some went SO far as to say that the party dead and
could not be guaranteed into existence.
But what have we not accomplished since then Geor-
ga mas Spoken with majority before known So
has Mississippi And Alabama has shown that her people
are not to be bound by the shackes of party when pn
pes are at stake Has single election been lost where
the issue made But not only this last winter the
Georgia organization met with nothing but opposition from
the two great parties, they are called here These
parties have since both been brought to pause They
want nothing now so much truce Their opposition
has been changed to modest request that bygone may
be bygone. Shall we grant them even O truce 2 viii
they not thereby be enabled to rally their dsorpanized
forces Is this the time, then for disband? Should
we desert our standard when the enemy every where is in
fight before us Should rather hold our ground
until triumph is complete in forcing an acknowledp
ment Of principles? This attempt to create the inn
zatio has