Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-29
THE CONFERENCE.-THE PRESIDENCY.
SPEECH OF Mr.. CULLOM,
OF TENNESSEE,
In THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, MAY IL, 1852.

In THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, MAY IL, 1857.
The House having resolved itself into a Committee Of
the Whole Territorial business
Mr.. CULL0M said: Mr.. Chairman, regret that / feel
constrained upon this OCCASION from Of duty to the
Wing party less than to myself maintaining the at
tude which do and have done from early life in that
party, and maintaining do certain relations toward
certain movements of that party regret say, that
feel constrained in order that my position may be under
stood, here and elsewhere in relation to the exciting
questions to which the public mind is directed to depart
from what has my settled purpose in relation these
questions / had not intended, Mr.. Chairman-and my
silence upon this floor viii attest the sincerity Of this
ayowal-on taking my seat here MS member Of this
House, TO the public time, the time legitimatey
belonging to the business Of legislation upon the great
teress Of the American people, in expressing opinions
or in designating to my constituents and to the country
who, in my opinion, would be the suitable candidate Of
the Wing party for the exalted Office Of President Of this
Republic But sir in the progress of events proceeding
with the legitimate business for which purpose have
been sent here by generous constituency, when the
Wing Representatives in Congress called upon
codng to custom and their recognised province and duty
to meet in to recommend the time and place for
Che meeting Of the Wing National Convention it
red and regret the occurrence that the part took In
that assembage has been the subject Of misrepresentation
and, seemingly Of misrepresentation here and for augh
know with many OF my constituents whose intei-
gence and opinions hold in high esteem and by whom
Il right and proper that my position upon all matters
Of public interest should be correctly and fully under
stood.
What Mr.. Chairman was the legitimate object Of that
caucus 1t called by the Wing chairman for the sole
purpose Of designating recommending the time and
place for the meeting Of the Wing National Convention
This, and this alone, its object Other gentlemen
thought acted II they thought il had another and
extended object and province in connexionto do
what the people have assigned to the Convention to do
namely to prescribe certain rules in part platform for
the party in the coming campaign and regret deeply
and express IL here that should have had occasion
that meeting TO differ with any portion Of my Wing bre
thren viii call them brethren, because have stood
side by side with them for years.) With them have
fought for the glorious and cherished conservative prnc
pies Of our common partythe principles which involve
the veal and pcrpeuity Of the institutions Of great
and prosperous, and happy country have been With
them in victory and defeat but sir, have been
called upon publicly from Of duty to differ with
any respectable portion Of the Wing party until the
sion alluded to-
come now, sir, to review the circumstances which sur
rounded me and them upon that occasion / shall still