The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-24
The Union Party In Georgia.
LETTER FROM MIR STEPHENS.

We need scarcely remark that the subJolned
letter from the Hon. A. III. STEPHENS, in reply
To one from a gentleman In the interior OF the
State, and which we authorized to publish,
affords us sincere qualification.
II is Just such letter as we expected from
him, on the questions which it discusses with
50 much point, force, and ability, and cannot
fail to command the respect of, if 1t should not
carry conviction TO, all classes of readers.
WAsHNGroN CITY, February 7, 1852.
MY DEAR Sir: Your esteemed favor Of the I'd
instant was received yesterday You ask what
think of the late movement of our friends in Mil
ledgeville In reply say, briefly and plainly
that go far it may be considered rs indicating
the expression of opinion in favor of sending
delegates to the Baltimore Convention, am utterly
opposed oft
The first and second of the resolutions of that
meeting have my cordial approval The first
affrms the principles of the Constitutional Union
party, and rcierates determination to adhere to
them. The second provides for TIE call of con.
venton in the State at some suitable time here
after, to take into consideration the subject Of the
Presidential election, and to adopt such in
relation to it as duty and patriotism may then die
take as proper. This is all right. And while
cannot concur with some in believing that the
third resolution was intended by those who adopted
il TO bear the construction which mas been put upon
it, to wit, that its object to commit the party
in advance, to send delegates to the Baltimore
Convention-still l mean simply to say. that if
such was the intention, am unqualified opposed
to IL.
The new organization in Georgia was called into
existence upon an extraordinary crisis in our pub
lie affairs. That crisis has not yet passed by
Those who think So draw different conclusions from
H. N,tT 4 Nh,
sent lapparenD calm is but temporary suspen
sion of the dangerous elements which then ragged
SO furiously. That party was formed upon the
principles set forth and embodied in the action Of
the State Convention in December, 1850. Those
principles need not repeat to you. They were
such as a large ma ority of the people Of Georgia
then thought and still think essential to the
maintenance OF the rights OF her people and the
union of the States. They were, moreover not
sectional either in their character objects. They
were, and are, as broad as the Union, and as wide
the limits OF the jurisdiction OF the Constitution;
and in the very organization OF that party, which
was formed by an abjuration and remuneration OF
all old party names and affiliations by all who
tered into it, offered to unite with any and all
men, irrespective OF past party distinctions, In
every section OF the country, whether in the South
or North. who would make these principles car
dinal point in their creed. The same position we
still hold. AS yet, no party at the North has given
any such assurance. The Baltimore Convention
far from it, many of our btterest assalants, at
the South as well at the North, have already
been duly appointed members of it. Could any
idea be more preposterous than the project OF send
ing delegates to convention OF our opponents, for
fear that they may not conduct their proceedings
according to our liking? Such would certainly be
a novel course in political tactics
If those members of that convention from the
South who were lately so loud in their denuncia-
ton of all men at the North, and who were par
ticuarly censorious of our position at home, shall
acknowledge their errors and put themselves upon
our principles, and shall purge that body OF its
FreesoI dement's and shall also present to the
country a good candidate for the Presidency, it
will be time enough for us to connect ourselves
with their action after they shall have given
these evidences of their being entitled to conf
dence and cooperation. A good candidate, stand
ing our principles, and put forward by an
ganzation standing upon the same principles, is
all we want.
Whether that convention will come up to these
acquisitions, is of the problems that future de-
velopments only can solve My apprehension is,
that it will not. Upon what indications others
found moro favorable expectations, am at loss
to conjecture Isi from the fact that Colonel Folks
resolution rejected in the Congressional eau
at the beginning of the present session? Is it
from the fact that Mr.. Bartlett, whose name ap-
pears one of the committee who called that con-
vention, was elected to the seat he now holds in
the House of Representatives open and avow
ed FreesoIer? lie il from the fact that Mr. Rantoul,
the champion and defender Of that most unprinci-
pied Of oil coalitions in the annals OF political pro
lligacy in Massachusets, is one Of the members OF
that convention? Or il ii from the fact that the
Union newspaper in this city puts down the most
ultra men OF the South and the most rabd Free
soilers at the North, now in Congress, rs all good
Democrats, and equally entitled to membership and
fellowship IN the great party OF which 1t PROCESSES
to be the sole organ!
II 80. have only to say, that these and other in
dications which might mention have quite con
trary effect That convention, therefore, so
called and so constituted well as all other
nal hot arn IL
must be put right on the record condition PIE.
cedsnt, before looking To me for any support
cuuntonancc. speak only Tor myself. The Con-
sttutional Union party speak for itself when
that the moral power and influence of our position
upon the action Of the Baltimore Convention would
be much greater outside than inside of lie delibe
rations? Would they be less likely TO comply with
our demands from fear OF defiance in case Of
refusal than 10 be controlled by wishes after
voluntary surrender II VIC go into their organi-
cation without Hc condition precedent OF recogni
ton and endorsement of our principles, shall
not be In the condition Of veteran troops begued
and betrayed unarmed into the camp OF the enc
my The idea Of men thus situated insisting
terms is simply ridiculous; captures may be allowed
to beg for quarters but who ever heard of them de
handing concSssio1i2 And is this the time for our
party to put itself in such humiliating position?
The extraordinary effort that is now being made
to inculcate the opinion that nothing be done
by n separate organization upon the principles of
that formed in Georgia, am perfectly aware OF.
But does il not come with n bad grace from those
who. in thus speaking, but repeating their
| croakings of twelve months ago, Then we were
told, as now, that the new organization fail
/ urc, because il did not meet with favor from the
political infriguers of this city some went far
as to say that the party was dead, and could not
/ be gaiuanired into existence.
But what have we not accomplished since then?
| Georgia has spoken, with majority never before
known. So has Mississippi. And Alabama has
shown that her people arc not to be bound by the
shnckles of party when principles arc at stake.
Has a 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 called here. These
| parties have since both been brought TO pause.
! They want nothing now so much as truce. Their
opposition has been changed to a modest request
that "bygdno may be bygonc." Shall we grant
them even truce? Will they not thereby be ena-
bed to rally their dsorganized forces9 Is this the
time then for to dsband? Should desert
our standard when the enemy everywhere lie in
flight before usY Should not rather hold our
ground until our triumph lie complete in forcing
| acknowledgement of our princplesS This attempt
to create the impression that the new organization
has failed in its objects, and that everybody must
4 II -. Al - Al