Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-10-02
LETTER OF HON. WILLIAM 4. GRAHAM.

LETTER OF HON. WILLIAM A. GRAHAM
AT Wing Mass Meeting held on the 10th ultimo,
in Statesville, North Carolina, among a number of
letters read was the following from the Hon. VIM
A. GRAHAM, the Wing candidate for the Vice
Presidency:
HILLsBoRoUGH, SEPTEMBEK A. 1852
GENTLEMEN; gratefully acknowledge your favor Of
the 10Th ultimo, inviting to meeting of
political friends in that part of the State Statewide
on the 10th instant in honor of the nominees of the Wing
Convention at Baltimore for the Presidency and Vice
Presidency Of the United States.
You pleased to add that this assemblage has been
appointed at the site of the old Statesve Academy not
very distant from the place of my birth and whittier
was sent, when first left my parental home to pursue
that of education which was to determine my des
tiny in fe and that the friends of my youth and
ciates and acquaintance of maure years. will be there
in large numbers to offer friendly greeting
Few events, beg to you, could afford more
qualification than to comply with this atterng and COR
dial invitation 1t awakens recolectons dear to my heart
and adds the charms of personal friendship political APP
probation Confidence has been said to be plant of
slow growth. After life, now past meridian, and for
nearly twenty consecutive years connected with public
affairs it is to me refreshing be treasured that as re-
CARDS myself it is yet fresh and unbroken in the soil
where it first took root
You likewise suggest that the occasion will be an APP
propriate one to indicate the great with whom lam
associated in this election from charges of hostility the
South and infdety the Compromise Of the last Con-
gress.
1t is of the shaowest and devices of
party find what is odous dstasteful the
prevailing sentiment Of country section, and impute
that its opponent This charge of favoring abolition
or heinz under haan standing
ton at the South against every Wing candidate for the
Presidency for the last sixteen years alleged
against Harrison whose competitor has been the abolition
candidate for that high station against Clay whose
cessful competitor approved the Oregon Territorial BILL
nhibtng slavery therein against Taylor whose rival
declined to vote for the Fugitive Slave law because it
did not provide jury trial for the returned fugitivein
the Federal courts of course. 1t alleged against Mr.
Webster long he stood chance for the nomination.
and his most patriotic speeches. advising acquescence in
the Compromise garbled and criticized to substant
ate it and it freely imputed to Mr. Fillmore by the
opposition press of this State after he had
all the Compromise measures and had issued orders for
the execution of the Fugitive Slave law by military force
if occasion should demand it. And had he Mr.. Web
ster been the nominee of the Convention instead of Gen.
Scott there would have been, far regards this OBJ
econ if may judge Of the future by the past but the
change Of aname The tale would have been repeated and
probably with more emphasis While the people of the
South will be vglant and firm in the maintenance Of their
just rights Ttrust they will be med by idle camor
After agitation of many years matters connected
with slavery, there has been an adjustment in which
am persuaded the mass of the American people has
quiesced The authors and friends of that adjustment
sure, will be the last to reopen the controversy
So far as may depend me, the charges against Gen.
Scott to which you refer have been already negatyed
and that In manner indicating stronger conviction
my part than any reasoning / can employ Bound to
North Carolina by every tie Of interest and affection
which attaches other men, am under the additional obi
CATION of gratitude for her highest honors repeatedly be-
slowed IL could consent TO compromit her interests
or honor in matter vital to the South and the Union,
by any combination association adverse her. should
be untrue not merely to the impulses of patriotism but
to the instincts of nature When therefore accepted
the nomination for the Vice Presidency (which your de-
legates in the Convention will bear witness had not
sought knowing what principles had been declared by
Convention and that Gen. Scott my associate for the
Presidency, by that act proclaimed my confidence in
him more emphaticaly than | can now do in words.
had known him Familiarity for twelve years. and init
matey associated with him during the trying period
of the Compromise when its fate suspended in doubt
full scales knew that he had been the friend Of these
when they stood in need of friends that indie
pendently Of his iustrious services and worldwide
fame which will place him in American history side by
side with Plutarch's in the republics of antiquity,
and which forbid any petty sectional acous views to
be entertained by him. he committed to the Compro-
mise Of its effective supporters the time
its adoption. And to me, who have been in position
since observe the progress Of in connexon
with this subject and whose it fell to issue the
ders for the execution of the Fugitive Slave law by mill
tary force if necessity should require it, within forty days
after its enactment It has been gratifying to observe how
opposition to the Compromise has given way, and many
who stood out in opposition long after its passage have
become its ardent supporters. II its enemies have be-
its friends ii is for rejocing but let them
not be permitted to transmute its friends into enemies
regret that it will not be in my power to be present
at your meeting is my expectation to address popu
lar assemblies in this but could not refrain
from saying thus much in reply TO your cordial and obg
ing letter.
beg you to believe me, gentlemen with great respect,
your obedient servant VIM A. GRAHAM.
To Messrs w. P. CALDWELL, r. H. PARKS,
JOHN DAVIDSON r. REID, and MILTos CAMPBELL, Com.