Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-02-20

On the occasion of a recent visit made by Mr. Bu-
chanan to Richmond, Va. the Democratic members
of the Virginia legislature rendered him the compli-
ment of public dinner, which he declined. The
following is the correspondence:
RICHMOND, Feb. 18th, 1852
To the Hon. James Buchanan:
SIR We have heard with pleasure that you are
expected in this city to-day, and desire to seize the
opportunity to testify, in some suitable way, our
high appreciation OF your private worth and public
services and especially of that elevated patriotism
consistent with the previous history of your life, with
which you lately employed your great talents and in
fuence at home in defence of the Federal Consttu-
ton and laws. We therefore tender to you hearty
welcome to the Metropolis of the Old Dominion and
request that you will accept public dinner to be
given on any day that will suit your convenience
With sentiments of profound esteem and admra-
ton, are, sir, your ob't servts..
Signed, S. F. Leake, Prest. Senate and 90 Others
RICHMOND Feb IL. 1852
Gentlemen On my arrival in this city, last even
ing, received your very kind letter welcoming me
10 the Metropolis of the Old Dominion and tender
ing me the honor of public dinner. Tregret, deep
ly regret that my visit to Richmond will necessarily
be go brief cannot enjoy the pleasure and the priv
Hedge of meeting you ALL at the festive board. In
tending merely to pass a day with my valued friend
Judge Mason, my previous arrangements of such
a character that must leave here to morrow,
the latest, on saturday morning.
But whilst cannot accept the dinner | shall ev-
er esteem the invitation from many of Virginias
most distinguished and estimable of the
proudest honors of my life. Your ancient and re-
nowned Commonwealth has ever been the peculiar
guardian of State ri ghts and the firm supporter of
constitutional liberty. of law ard of order. When,
therefore, she endorses with her appreciation any of
my poor efforts to serve the country, her commenda-
ton is guarantee that these have been devo-
ted to righteous cause.
You are pleased to refer in favorable terms to my
recent conduct at home, in defence of the federal
con tiution and laws This an easy and agree
able task because the people of Pennsylvania have
been loyal and faithful to the Constitution.
the Union, and the rights of the sovereign States of
which it is composed as the people of the ancient
course in my native State would, therefore, have
been to resist the strong current of enlightened pub
lie opinion.
| purposely refrain from discussing the original
merit of the Compromise because ! consider it, to
employ the expressive language of the day, II
naty,' fixed fact, most important enactment of
law, the agitation or disturbance of which could do
no possible good, but might produce much positive
evil Our noble vessel of State. freghted with the
hopes of mankind both for the present and future
generations has passed through the most dangerous
| breakers which she has encountered. and has
trumphantly Ridden out the storm. Both those
who supported the measures of the Compromise as
just and necessary, and those who regarding them
sake of the Union: have arrived at the conclu-
sion-that it must and shall be executed. They have
thus for every practical purpose adopted the same
platform and have resolved to sustain it against the
common enemy. Why then should they wrangle
and divide and waste their energies not respecting
the main question: which has already been definitely
settled but in regard to the process which has brot
them though from different directions, to the same
conclusion Above all, why should the strength of
the democratic party of the country be impaired and
its ascendency jeoparded for any such cause? We
who believe that the triumph of democratic prnci-
pies is essential only to the prosperity of the Un-
ion but even the preservation of the Constitution,
ought reciprocay forget and ifnced be to forgive
the past, and cordially unite with political breth
rem in sustaining for the future the good old OF
democracy. 1t must be a source of deep and lasting
pleasure to every patriotic heart that our beloved
country has so happily passed through the late try
ing and dangerous crisis The volcano has been ex-
tinguished, trust forever and the man who would
apply frebrand at the present moment to the COM
bustibe materials which still remain, may produce
an eruption to overwhclm both the Constitution and
the Union.
With sentiments of high and grateful respect
remain your fellow citizen,
| JAMES BUCHANAN.
Shelton F. Leake, Esq: and other gentlemen.
A correspondent of the New York Times writes
from, the Mexican canital that Santa Anna contem