The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-28

pect to carry water la o seiye. When aided
In the appointment Of delegates to Baltimore
convention, 1t was that they should 90 into
council in good faith, and that they should en-.
deavor to procure such nominations as we could
confidently and cheerfully support--not intend
ing to deprive them of all influence by pledge
to support whatever ticket should there be
formed thus rendering the will Of their constit.
uents matter of no importance TO the conven.
ton. The power Of the South is most felt in
Presidential election, and If properly exerted,
may do much to protect our constitutional
rights and secure US from future aggression.
That influence should be used, neither abused
nor abandoned. When say must approve
the man whom would support candidate for
the Presidency, for my country's sake hope
the sentiment is not peculiar. We NAV some.
times be reduced to the hard necessity Of choos-
ing between two evils, but he would be. wofuly
negligent, or sadly blind, who whould run to
the brink of such precipice. Party consul.
tation and party organization are the means,
not the end Principles alone can dignity
party, and party allegiance can rghtfully claim
no more than the just application Of principles
to measures and men. Freedom Of concience
and freedom Of. suffrage are the birthrght of
THE American citizen, and if party required the
sacrifice Of both, or Of either, il would be the
instrument Of despotism, rather than the means
of preserving liberty.
In 1874, | had the honor to be placed on the
electoral ticket of this State; il Mr.. Van Buren,
had been the nominee of the Baltimore conven-
ton Of that year, | should have declined TO
serve Subsequent events have not made me,
as Southern man, less tenacious ofour rights,
less watchful OF our interests, or less cautious
in The selection OF those whom we ought TO
trua oil nd Il:
cause the Democracy to meet in the national
convention, and justify the expectation Of Joint
action in The Canvass 1t was not only untrue,
but absurd to represent me as having announced
that | would not support the nominees of the
Baltimore convention, when by that body only,
could hope those would be nominated who
would be acceptable to me.
have endeavored to show that the state
ment OF the gentleman of Noxubee, did not
support the accusation, and upon that point, will
here add that have received letter from Ma.
con, Noxubee county, dated January 24th, 1852,
in which twelve gentlemen, two of them signers
of the statement TO which Gov. Foote invites
special attention, come forward to contradict
the report that ! had said in speech at that
place, that would not support the nominees Of
the Baltimore convention. That was the Sian
der, which because of the mischievous purpose
manifested by it, noticed in my speech before
the convention.
Ny letter has expanded much beyond the
limit ] expected to give it, and probably still
more beyond that justified by the subject.
do not deem it necessary to reply to an attack
on the abstract right of secession, by one who
was formerly its most noisy advocate, who then
quoted Jackson and Jefferson for it, as con-
tidently as he now quotes them against il, who
once announced III Congress were to repeal
the Fugitive slave) aw--if the government re-
fused to enforce t-then we should peaceably
secede;" but now admits no remedy for an az
grieved State except an appeal to the higher law
of force, the right which might confers If his
political position Of to-day be not answered by
those of yesterday, We may safely wait for the
answer tomorrow will bring. II is only to be
regretted that the station which gives force to
his vituperation cannot endow him with the Dig
nifty which would induce him to abstain from il.
Very truly, your friend, &C.. &C.,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.