The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-07
WASHING TON, July 8, 1862.


To prevent all mistake and misapprehension
we, the undersigned, members of Congress
adopt this method of making Joint statement Ia
our constituents, respectively, and to all who
may take an interest in the subject, that we car
| not and will not support Gen. Scott for the
| Presidency, as he now stands before the Amer
can people, for the following amongst Other
| reasons:
| He obstinately refused, up to the time of his
nomination, to give any public opinion in favor
of that series of measures of the last Congress
known as the compromise; the permanent main
tenance OF which with us is question Of para
mount Importance Nor has he since his nom
nation made any declaration of his approval OF
| those measures as a final adjustment of the is
sues In controversy
1t is true the resolutions of the convention
that nominated him are as clear and ms explicit
upon this subject IS need be; bnt Gen. Scott.
In his letter of acceptance, WHICH contains all
that we have from him on that matter, does no,
give them the approval of his judgment. This
he seems studousy to have avoided He &C.
cepts the nomination, "with the resolutions an
nexed." That is, he takes the nomination cum
onere, as an individual takes an estate, with what
ever membranes it may be loaded with. And
the only pledge and guaranty he offers for his
adherence to the principles of the resolutions
are !" the known Incidents Of long public
ife," &c.
Amongst these " known incidents" Of his life
there is moi one, 80 far as we are aware of, in
favor of the principles of the compromise In
one, at least, of his public letters he has ex
pressed sentiments inimical to the Institutions of
fifteen States of the Union. Since the passage
of the compromise he has suffered his name to
~ ,ll kof th. Al - Al
States as candidate for the Presidency by the
open and avowed enemies of those measure.
And ia the convention that conferred this nomi
nation upon him, he permitted himself to be
used by the Freesoilers in that body, to defeat
Mr.. Fillmore and Mr.. Webster, because of their
advocacy of these measures, and their firm ad-
herence to the policy that sustained them.
To Join such men, and aid them in completing
their triumph over, and sacrifice of, the true and
tried friends of the constitution, and the faithful
discharge of all its obligations, is what we can
never do. The dictates of duty and patriotism
sternly forbid it.
We consider Gen. Scott as the fauorifs can
didate of the Freesoit wing of the Wing party
That his policy, if he should be elected, would
be warped and shaped to conform to their views,
and to elevate them to power in the administra-
ton Of the government, can but be considered
"a legitimate and probable result. And, be-.
ieving as we do, that the views of that faction
of mischievous men are dangerous, not only to
the just and constitutional rights of the Southern
States, (Which we represent in part,) but to the
peace and quiet of the whole country, and to the
permanent union Of the States, we regard il as
the highest duty Of the well-wishers of the
country everywhere, whatever else they may do,
to at least withhold from him their support.
This we intend to do.
ALEXANDER II. STEPHENS, of Ga.
CHARLES JAS. FAULKNER, Of Ga.
w. BROOKE, of Mis-
ALEX. WHITE, Of Ala.
JAMES ABERCROMBIE, of Ala
r. TOOlBS, of Ga.
JAMES JOHNSON, of Ga
For reasons to some extent indicated in
speeches and addresses heretofore made by the
undersigned, they deem 1t to be their duty to
withhold their support from Gen. Scott "a a
candidate for the Presidency. If it should seem
TO be necessary, we will hereafter, in some form
exhibit more fully to our constituents the facts
and reasons which have brought US to this de.
termination.
M. P. GENTRY, Tenn.
G.. H. WILLIAMS. Tam