The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-27

pect TO carry water In ssivs. Whs~ aided
In the appotntmess u dlsgaass - baltimore
convention, u wAs that they should 70 into
council In good faith, and that they should en-
dcavor to procure such nominations ~ we cosA
confidently and chc-sfsIIy suppo1L--nct Intend.
ing 10 deprive them Of I'll influence bv pledge
to support Whatever ticket should thsss be
formed. thus rendering the will of ssssr sonssa
uents matter Of no imporLsncs To The eossvn.
ton. The power Of the Sosth IL most f%lt in a
Presidential election, and IL properly ~xsrt~d.
may do much TO protect oar constitutional
rights and secure IA from future aggression.
That influence should be osed. neither abs.si
nor abandoned When ] say ] ma.t approve
the man whom would support . candidate fcs
the Presidency, for my countsy's sake hope
the sentiment is not peculiar We may come
times be reduced to the hard necessity OF choo~-
ing between two evils. but he would be- wofaliy
negligent. or sadly blind. who whouId run to
the brink OF such precipce. Party cor.ui.
tation and party organization arc the means,
not the end. Principles alone can dignity
party, ana party allegiance can righifuiiy claim
no more than the just application Of principles
to measures and men. Freedom Of COINCIDENCE
and freedom Of suffrage arc the birthr,sht Of
the American citizen, and il party required IN.
sacrifice OF both, or Of either, it would be- the
instrument of despotsm, ra her than the means
Of preserving liberty.
In 1874, had the honor to be placed on IN.
electoral ticket Of this State; IL MIR. Var. Burrn
had been the nominee Of the Baltimore conycu-
ton of that year, | should have declined 10
serve. Subsequent events have not made me.
al a Southern man, less tenacious OF our rights,
less watchful OF our interests, or less cautious
in the selection of those whom we ought to
nat M.,f.o H..
cause the Democracy to meet in the national
convention, and justify the expectation Of Joint
action III The canvass. 1t was not only untrue.
but absurd to represent me as having announced
that | would not support the nominees Of IN,
Baltimore convention, when by that body only,
could | hope those would be nominated who
would be acceptable to me.
| have endeavored to show that the state.
ment of the gentleman of Noxubee, did not
support the accusation, and upon that point, will
here add that have received letter from Ma
con, Noxubee county, dated January oath, 1852
in which twelve gentlemen, two Of them sgners
Of the statement to which Gov Foots invites
special attention, come forward to contradict
the report that had said in a speech ut that
place, that would not support the nominees Of
the Baltimore convention. That was the Sian.
der, which because of the mischievous purpose
manifested by it, noticed in my speech before
the convention.
My letter has expanded much beyond the
limit expected to give it, and probably still
moro beyond that justified by the subject. |
do not deem it necessary to reply to an attack
on the abstract right of secession, by one who
was formerly its most noisy advocate, who then
quoted Jackson and Jefferson for it, AZ con-
fdently as he now quotes them .anst it, who
once announced if Congress were to repeal
the Fugitive save) law--f the government re-
fused to enforce it-then we should peaceably
secede;" but now admits no remedy for an ag-
grieved State except an appeal to the higher law
Of force, the right which might confers. Ii his
political position Of to-day be not answered by
those Of yesterday, we may safely wait for the
answer tomorrow will bring 1t is only to be
regretted that the station which gives force to
his vituperation cannot endow him with the Dig
nifty which would induce him to abstain from Il.
Very truly, your friend, &C., &C.,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.