The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-03
letter Of Hen. Mr.. clemens, II Alabsms.
~ WAsHrNeros. Jan. 26th, 1852.

it was written, You and have been something
more than ordinary friends, and it would not be-
come either Of us to withhold from the olner
any opinions We may entertain You say that
ii have been appointed an elector for The State
\ Mt large by the Union convention recently held
4 in Moutgomery, and ask it this was done with
INV consent, never heard Of any such purpose
until after II had been executed, and doubt il
any member Of the convention had thought of
II previous to the meeting in Montgomery. You
Ask also il intend to accept it. lanswer, that
PfApends upon circumstances. have not seen
the resolutions, and do not know what kind Of
ASlatform they have erected. Moreover, it is i'm
Possible to tell at this time what course circum-
stances will render il proper for the Union men
in Alabama to pursue. To be effective, what
ever we do should be done in conjunction With
Georgia and Mississippi United, these three
States can control the Presidential election and
doubt not this fact will soon become 80 aPpa-
rent as to induce attempts to effect an organiza-
ton upon common basis We will then be IN
position to secure any just demand made by
the South, without war, without bloodshed, ana
without dsunion; for no party dare nominate
candidate with the certainty Of having our votes
cast against him. In that case shall certainly
accept the nomination for. elector, ana devote
whatever energy possess to the cause.
There are other contingencies in which yon
will wish to know what my action will be. II
General Cass, or any other Democrat untarnist-
ed by ffeesoil or secession heresies receives the
nomination at Baltimore, | shall airport him;
and so, / believe, will the Union Wings OF the
South, unless, indeed, they have presented TO
them a man Of their own party equally unob-
fashionable. If any man who owes his selection
Ia freesoil or secession influences, is nominated,
| shall not support him, no matter what personal
sacrifice 1t may entail.
have now stated to you my position freely
and frankly. Let me refer as frankly to your
.own. You are an old jackson Democrat-a
believer in the doctrines of his procamation--a
warm admirer of his farewell address. Has It
not occurred to you that you have recently been
found in strange company!
In the resolutions Of the so-called Democratic
convention, especial pains were taken to omit
all mention even of the name Of the Sage OF the
Hermitage. Not one Of his acts is mentioned
with APPRECIATION: not one Of his opinions is en-
dorsed If YOU should be at any loss to account
for the omission, you have only to look to the
constitution ofthe body of which, to my regret,
Won were member. In the first district they
selected as a Democratic elector gentleman
who opposed the removal Of the deposites, OPP
posed the sub-treasury, and at the last election
refused to vote for General Cass.
OF the three elegates to the National Con.
yention, all are believers in the right OF seees-
sion. In the second district a secessonst is
made elector, and three secessionists are the
delegates. In the third district the same thing
has been done. In the fourth district a seces-
sionists is an eector, two OF the delegates are
secessionists; and so believe is the other, but
do not know his opinions. In the sixth dis
trict there is one secession delegate. In The
seventh district the elector and all the delegates
are secessionists. When | use the word seces.
sionist mean believer in te night OF seces-
s;on--a right which you and deny and which
ali the saees of the republic have denied before
ms. Il is not Surprising that such body should
have avoided all mention of the name Of An
drey Jackson with as much care as they would
avoid the fangs of the rattsesnake. | observe
also that You were not without small eaven
of whippery--secession Wings of course-thai
being the only mantle which, in the opinion OF
the convention, was broad enough to cover eve
W si. Admirable opponents these Of Jackson
democracy
have no wish to deny that the convention
contained many good and true Democrats, as
well as warm and decided friends Of the Union;
but they were in a lean minority, and gave no
color to its proceedings. Il was rever intended
they should. The thing originated under seces.
sion auspices, and its fruits are such rs might
have been conjectured.
You saw that the Democratic parry is now
completely recognized. did not know that
the Democratic party proper had been disorgan-
ized. A few restless spirits during the last sum-
mer set up false gods, and tried to compel the
rest of us to worship them. When the August
elections dissipated the mental mist by which
they were surrounded, they found it to their in.
terest to Indulge 10 lamentations over the dis
tracted state Of the Democratic party, and tried
TO obtain credit for patriotism by loud profes
sions Of anxiety fer the welfare of party which
no one had injured but themselves. twas thus
that you and others were drawn into this reor
ganization scheme, which means, in plain Eng.
lsh. giving the control of the State 10 the seces.
sionists. The action of that convention has
lone more 10 destroy the Democratic party than
N other causes combined The people were
not represented Its action does not reflect the
uopuar aill; and when an appeal Is taken 10
hem. as Il will and shall be, the cobweb bands
woven by the small wire-pulIcrs about Mont.
Somery will be snapped into thousand pieces.
DO YOU doubt this! Take your own csse, and
AZ me ask you, in all kindness, what right did
action OF such bodyl None. You did not
reflect the sentiments Of one.fifth Of your con
stituents. | am willing 10 belieye--I do believe
that YOU and other Union men acted from the
best motives. know you sought only The good
of the party to which you are attached Tut,
take my word for il, you will soon find you have
only given strength TO desperate faction, and
warmed viper in your bosom For appearance
sake, few OF you have been placed in respon-
sible positions, but they have retained the con
troll Of everything in their own hands and the
fine Is coming when you must either abandon
your cherished principles, or submit to be ostra.
cised by the very men you have saved from
present political deSth.
I should regret il, Major-how deeply need
not say--if after long years Of the kindest in
tercoursc. IL should become necessary for you
and me 10 part; but there can be no peace be-
tween me and that faction which sought 10 des-
olate the lard with civil war. II were mean
enoughto seek q reconciliation, they would re-
iect Il. | had no inconsiderable agency in de-
featinp their reasonable schemes, and they hate
me with an intensity which will not tolerate