Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-09-23


wrong on the path behind it, which the wis
est OF mankind, of their own set purpose
could never have found The way TO rectiy. :
Whatever contributes to the great cause o
good, contributes 10 all its subdivisions an(
varieties; and on this score, the lover of his
race, the enthusiast, the philanthropist O
whatever theory, might lend his aid 10 put ;
man, like the one before us, into the leader
ship Of the worlds affairs"
In The following extract. Mr.. Hawthorn,
gives his version of the Atwood overthrow
in 1850, which has furnished weapon O
assault to the enemies of Gen. Pierce evel
since, with what justice our readers will
now have a better opportunity of judgn.
than they ever had before.
&c In October, 1850, democratic conyen
ton, held at Concord, nominated Mr.. Al.
wood as the Party's candidate for governor
The Compromise, then recent, was inevita
bly prominent element in the discussion.
OF the convention; and series of resoIu
iiors were adopted, having reference TO thi:
great subject, fully and unreservedly endors
ing the measures comprehended under If
~
mocracy OF the state was about TO engage il
the gubernatorial contest. Mr.. Atwood ac.
copied the nomination, acceding TO the plat
form thus rendered him, taking exceptions tc
none OF the individual resolutions. and. OF
course, pledglng himself 10 The whole by the
very act OF assuming the candidacy, which was
predicated upon them.
lhe reverend candidate, we should conceive
is a well-meaning, and probably an amiabIe
man. In ordinary circumstances, he would
doubtless, have gone through the canvass trium-
Phanlly, and have administered the high office
to which he aspred with no discredit to the
party that had placed him at its head. But
The disturbed state of the public mind on the
Compromise question rendered the season q
very critical one and Mr.. Atwood, unforlu
nately had that fatal weakness of character
which, however respectfully it may pass in
quiet times, is always bound TO make itsel
plllably manifest under the pressure of a crisis
A letter was addressed 10 him by commit
tee, representing the party opposed to the Com.
promise, and with whom, ii may be supposed
were Included those who held the more thor.
0ugh-golng degrees of anti-slavery sentiment
Ihe purpose of the letter was to draw out ar
expression of Mr.. Atwood's opinion on the alb.
clifton movement generally, and with an es.
pecIal reference 10 the fugitive slave law,
and, whether, as chief magistrate of the
State, he would favor any attempt for its re-
peal. In an answer of considerable length,
The candidate expressed sentiments that brought
him unquestonably within the free-soi pale,
and favored his correspondents, moreover,
with pretty decided judgment as 10 the un-
constitutional, unjust, and oppressive charac-
ter of The fugitive slave act
During space of about two months this
very important document was kept from the
public eye Rumors of Its existence, however,
became gradually noised abroad, and necessa-
rliy attracted the attention of MIR. Atwood
democratlc friends. Inquiries being made, he
acknowledged the existence of the letter, bu,
aVerred that 1t had never been delivered, that
1t was merely rough draft, and that he had
hitherto kept II within his own control. with a
view to more careful consideration.
In accordance with the advice of friends. he
expressed determination, and apparently in
good faith, to suppress the letter, and thus to
sever all connection with the anti-slavery par
W. lhis, however, was now beyond his pow
er. A copy of the letter had been taken j,
was published, with high Communications. in
the antl-slavery newspapers; and Mr.. Atwood
was exhlblted in the awkward predicament Of
directly avowlng sentiments on the one hand
which he implicitly disavowed on the other
OF accepting nomination based on PRINCIPLES
Numerically opposite
The candidate appears to have apprehended
this disclosure, and he hurried to Concord and
sought counsel of Gen. Pierce, with whom he
was on terms of personal kindness, and be-
tween whom and himself, heretofore, there
had never been shade of political difference
An interview with the General and one or two
other gentlemen ensued. MIR. Atwood was
cautioned against saying or writing word
that might be repugnant to his feelings or his
principles; but, voluntarily, and at his own
suggestion, he wrote, for publication, second
letter, IN which he retracted every objectiona-
bic feature of his former one, and took decided
ground in favor of the Compromise, including
all lis individual measures
Had he adhered 10 this latter position, he
might nave come out of the affair, if not with
the credit OF consistency, yet, at least, as a
successful candidate In the impending election.
But his evil fate, or rather, the natural jnfrm-
lty of his character, was not so to be thrown
OFT. The very next day, unhappily, he fell
into the hands of some of his anti-slavery
friends, to whom lie avowed a constant adhe.
renee to the principles Of his first letter, de-
scrlblng the second as having been drawn from
him by importantly, in an excited state of his
mind, and without full realization of its Dur.
port"
''lt would be needessly cruel to Mr.. At
wood 10 trace, with minnteness, the further
details of this affair. 1t is impossible TO with.
hold from him a certain sympathy, or to avoid
feeling that very worthy man, as the worlC
goes, had entangled himself in an inextricablt
knot of dupiiclty and tergiversation, by an ILL
advised effort 10 be two opposite things a
once. For the sake of true manhood, we glad
y turn to consider the course adopted by Gen
Pierce
- The election for Governor was now at a
distance Of only few weeks and it could moi
be Oiherw lse than most hazardous movement
for The democratic party, at So late period, Il
discard Candidate with whom the people hat
become familiar. 1t involved nothing les.
than the imminent peril Of that political su
premacy which the party had so long enjoyed
With Mr.. Atwood, as candidate, success.
might still be considered certain. To short
sighted and weak man, II would have ap
Pedieu 'ho op'ious Poiioy W Pdtch up tne Oil
hcuty, and at all events, TO conquer, unde
whatever leadership, and with whatever allies
But ii was one Of those junctures which ties
the difference between the man of principle
and the mere polllcan-the man of mora
courage and him who yields 10 temporary ex-
pedlency.
General Pierce could not consent that hi.
party should gain nominal triumph at the
expense of what he looked upon as its real in
tegrity and life. With this view of the mat
ter, he had no hesitation in his course; no
could the motives, which otherwise woult
have been strongest with him-pity for ths