The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-06


justice, although had rsason to complain of some
OF his official acts in regard to myself officer
OF the army.
"A Wing gentleman present, having remark ed
that the apprehension was that Scott would be
controlled by Seward and politicians of his stripe,
smiled and said: You mistake the character Of tie
man. The danger lies in the opposite extrsms. Al.
ways accustomed to command, General Scott
prides himself specially upon the infaibity Of his
own Judgment He rarely asks or takes advice.
Tic i0tA De controlled by no man. not the toho!e IVhig
party. against his 0scn conpictions.
"some allusion having been made to his mill.
tary reputation, and my opinion asked, / said it
would be unwise in Us (the Democratic party) to
deny to him the highest military distinction. That
his Mexican campaign, from the frat gun at Vera
Cruz to the fall of the capital, Of the most
brilliant on military record. Its lustre was dim.
med by some blemisbes-about which would not
now speak-but that when the history Of his victo
rious march. from the soa-board to the national
palace, shall DO faithfully detailed and popular
lied, it will greatly add 10 the high military fame
be at present enjoys, not only in America but
abroad. ,n
1.-The conversation casual and desultory. !
have merely endeavored to present my share in it
correctly. It is known that, in private converse.
ton. am in the habit Of expressing my opinions
frankly, without looking TO political conseS uences.
every respectfully, you're,
~. A. QUITMAN"
This letter exhibits General QuIrMAN's
attitude towards General ScorT. Another
episte, written six days before the date of the
above, gives his views Of the policy of the De-
mocracy and the nature of the support which
General PIERCE may expect from consistent
politicians Of the Southern Rights school, In
this Observation-Disclosures to the PIERCE
committee of Jackson, Missssippi-Genera
QuITMAN declares his determination "not to
8 take prominent or active part in the pend
ing Presidential canvass" "The ill-judped
act of the convention" in endorsing the Com
promise and declaring it finalty, have, he
says, created objections which to him are in
superable, and as with him the matter Gin
wolves not only political consistency, but idel-
ity to principle" he is unable to render any
thing like cordial support to General PIERCE.
We take an extract from that portion of the
letter which relates particularly to the Com
promise:
ut was my, opinion, and is now, that the spirit
and the letter of the Constitution was violated in
the admission of California; that the power TO
admit new States was, in that instance, abused
Tor the purpose OF excluding slavery from her
broad limits. 1t was my opinion then, and ia now.
that the unprecedented means used to bring about
Acknowledgement of Texas grew out Of DISPOSE.
ton to curtai the territorial of slavery. be-
leved, and still believe, that the bill to suppress
the slave trade in the Federal District, and which
also asserts the right to emancipate slaves therein
makes an insulting discrimination bet ween the in
situations OF States that, by the Constitution and
bond Of Union, equals in rights, interes and
dignity. ] believed, and still believe, that by
these oppressive measures fatal blow has been
struck at States rights, and that, under their in
fuence if not averted by Providence, the institu-
ton OF slavery must perish, or the Union OF these
States be dissolved. believed, and still believe,
that the Fugitive Slave law, paced mainly by
southern votes, and worthless, unless sustained by
public sentiment in the free States, was merely
permitted to become law blind to hide the
vast sacrifices demanded Of the South.
"Ot such material is the boosted Comp romise
How fallen from her high estate is the South, when
she can ask its maintenance, an extreme conces-
sion, from the North !! For myself, as an humble
citizen, reject the terms.
CAS- it is easier to guard fortress against an
open daylight attack than to guard against the
secret approach Ut the sap and lhe mine, 30 have
less fears OF the open war Of abolition and free.
soilism than the more slow and insidious but not
less dangerous, effects of compromises that take
away, but never Civ. l regarded thesc aggrcs.
sons 80 eerious as to require extraordinary action
on the part Of the agsrieved States to ward of, if
possible, the impending peril.
"Thcsc views and opinions were formally and
without reserve communicated to the public in
my message to the special Legislature of 1851.
Subsequent events have impaired my confidence
in the reso' uions of meetings, conventions, and
even legislative bodies. but they have not dimin-
ishcd my apprehensions of the tendency Of these
measures. Painful as these conclusions are, they
are the convictions of my Judgment, founded on
the history OF the past. devoutly pray that my
gloomy hnticiPatons may never be realized. While
they exist, however would be fahleas to my section
of the Union were to sustain these acts. Yet such
pledge is required from the supporters of the plat
form adopted by the Democratic Convention at Bal
tinore. The record of the proceedings of the con.
venton does not furnish with sufficient reason
why the support of measures so obnoxious to large
majority OF the Southern Democracy was engrafted
into the Democratic creed. The object, probably,
was to commit the northern Democracy to the exc
cution OF the Fugitive Slave law. But the terms of
the resolutions go further. They require that
States Rights Democrats, on their part, shall not
disturb, or even complain of, measures by which
they believe that the South is virtually excluded
from all share in the common territory of the States
and by which the STAKEHOLDER 10 DISTINGUISHED in
the Federal District If there be any meaning in
these resolutions, they constitute contract be-
tween the Democracy. North and South, that the
former will abstain from repeating the law for the
restoration of fugitive slaves; and the latter, ad.
hitting the right and justice of the precedents es-
tsblis. ed by the admission Of California the dis
memberment Of Texas, and the bill to abolish the
slave trade in the Federal District will adhere to
and abide by them; in other words, 60 far as the
Democracy is concerned, to make the 'Compro.
mice n 'fnality'
" " these measures dreso benign to deserve a
place IN the Democratic creed zoe should raise affairs
to those Dho planned them and put them in operation.
IL they are not, we, who opposed them, should not
stultify ourselves by formal pledges to maintain
them Ms elementary principles Of party faith. Az
believe the principal measures of the miscalled
Compromise will be fatal in their results to the
southern section of the Union, cannot, even for
the sake oil attaining a temporary good, pledge