Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-09-25
TO MY OLD CONSTITUENTS.

some of its aspects, you also.
have Just returned, after absence of four
weeks, three of which were passed in the North,
ern and Eastern States, to find myself the object OF
assault by most of the Wing Press of the State
unprecedented under all the circumstances for Its
coarseness and vruence for its violation OF all the
decencies of social life, all the refinement which
should characterize gentlemen, and IN some lnstsh
ces its reckless disregard of truth.
The pretext for this warfare upon me, is state
ment made by me in note to the Boston iost
written in Boston, that the Democratic party q
NeaO England is as sound upon the comPToillSe
question, and the Constitutional rights OF the oouth
as the South itself. This opinion snail Pfoceeu
hereafter to vindicate by statement OF the ictS
upon which it is founded. At present my prlncl-
pal purpose is to call your attention to IT, as the
pretext hollow and hypocritical, for the warfare
upon me, and to the disgusting conesSlon' on Clle
mart of nv assailants, which that warfare involves
The country has been agitated to its centre, and
our institutions brought to the very brink OF rum
nv the enemies of the South, the reckless anti
slavery agitators of the North. The struggle re-
suited in the adoption of the compromise and the
preservation of the Republic. But the hendiSh
spirit of the agitators was not appeased. DlsaP-
pointment made it more black, and the rePose OF
the country was torture to it. The work OF agta-
ton was renewed and here it charged that the
political parties of the North were ALL and equally,
unsound This was if true fearful state OF things
for- the South. Under these circumstances, having
been confined to the city for several years without
ever leaving it for purposes of recreation or pleas
ure, l made short trip to the North, and, While
there had the opportunity Of seeing the democrat
jc party assembled from all parts of New Eng land,
in meeting of $4,000 persons, at Hillsborough in
New HAMPSHIRE, and afterwards the democratic
party of Boston assembled in very large numbers
in Faneuil Hail. Out of sheer courtesy to me, as
stranger, and not as political companion, but
with the knowledge that was not one, was IN
vited to a seat where could see and hear we'll,
without the fatigue OF standing. AVowedly Tor
those reasons, and after some hesitation, accepted
it. When the account of the last meeting was
published, | was enumerated among those present,
and dicnitied with a title which did not belong to
me; and, as l was there upon the spot where 1t
was DONE deemed it my duty to correct it. not
ouly because did not choose, by my silence, to
display contemplate appetite for empty title, and
make, what otherwise an innocent mistake,
fasehood by my connvance but, because L knew
the mean and low malignity of some OF my enc
mics here, and knew as 1 told friend while L
wrote the note in the parlor of the Revere House,
that if | failed to make the correction, they would
after their fashion Tor years past, ascrbe to me
false motive for it-enemies, [ take leave to say,
not because 1 ever did them wrong, or ever sought
to do them wrong; for there does not breathe the
man who can say that truthfully OF me; but be-
cause WOulu HOG dDdSe SCH III
party politics.
In making this correction to the Post, l express
ed the opinion before mentioned, and hence this
terrible warfare upon mel The candid and dis
corning have been at much loss am sure, to trace
the connection between the cause and the effect,
and must have recoiled with loathing from the as
sailants, when, through their f1insy disguise, the
motives which have made the cause so potent have
been discovered. 1t will be remarked, that said
nothing of party politics nothing against any
party or politician. 1 simply said that one party
was sound, which it fair to presume every pat
riot in the land would be glad to hear-and if the
Wing party of the North is sound, and my assail-
ants had either wit patriotism, they would not
have assailed, but thanked me, and said, then
both parties are sound, and the South and the
Union are safe" They would have rejoiced to
find that the South had many friends where before
it was believed she had only enemies. And why
should any man wish this truth suppressed, unless
it be because its development deprives him of the
chance of trading upon the falsehood? If there
be such one, have nothing to say to him; l
pity his weakness and detest his vice.
But my assailants seem to suppose that 1 am
their slave or the slave of their party, and not as
am, free-born Virginian; and they make much
uproar about my party obligations. l have not the
time now to go fully into that view, as imperious
personal engagements compel me to 60, without
delay, to the town of Hampton. Upon my re-
turn, will do so, however, and at the same time
present all the grounds of my opinion, that the
of Gen. SCOTS party at the next election,
will be most disastrous event for the country and
especially the South.
Yet that just respect for the opinion of the pub
lie, which every man of any sense has, and, yet
more, the regard which every man of any heart
has, for the good opinion of his neighbors and
friends, make it proper that should state at once
what my connection with the present canvass has
been. In the first place, as far back as 1845,
told Gen. Scott, that Notwithstanding nv personal
regard for him, and admiration of his great quail
ties as military commander, could not vote for
him while he held the opinions which he then and
now holds; and, at his own house last spring, 1
told him that I could not vote for him, unless he
would come out and publicly place himself upon
the ground occupied by Mr.. Fillmore, and even
then, l should consider it duty to support Mr..
Fillmore against him. When the Wing Conve1l-
ton met here, avowed the same and even strong
er opinions in full caucus of the party in the Cap
itol; and when the delegation of the Richmond
district met at the Odd Fellows Hall on the last
night of the Convention, to nominate its delegates
to Baltimore, and district elector and was pro-
posed as the elector publicly declined it, stating
that feared, from the signs around me, the re-
suit OF the nomination, and would not take any
place involving trust and responsibility, because
would not pledge myself to support the nominee
at Baltimore. From that meeting went to the
African Church. and found the Secretary reading
" the platform" reported by the committee and I
stood IN the aisle, near the gallery, until he was