Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1852-11-27
TO THE PEOPLE
OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

FELLOW CITIZENS
In this season of comparative Tepose, when th
dust and smoke of the Presidential campaign ar
rapidly disappearing, and the whole national hear
of the country is evidently beginning to acquiesc
in the elevation of those noble spirited and con
servative democratic statesmen, Franklin Pierc
and William e. King, to the two highest office
in the Republic venture to address you upon ;
subject which | cannot but regard as deeply in
volvng your happiness and honor,as the citizens o
free enlightened and patriotic commonwealth
1t is, / assure you, under sense of indispen
sable public duty, that proceed to lay before you
in'stricty temperate, forbearing andcourteous Ian
guage, the views which entertain upon certain
topics connected in greater or less degree with
scenes of animated and even of unkind controver.
sy which have unfortunately had their progress
among us within the last two or three years. In
the whole course of this address, not a word or
syllable will be Intentionally employed calculated
in the least degree to nfct serious wound up
on individual sensibities, or to cast the faintest
shadow of discredit upon the character of any
human being. | rejoice in believing that the
time has at length arrived when it is clearly in
my power to defend my own reputation as pub
lie man without calling in question either the
motives or acts of Others 1t is my firm deter
mination, at any rate, as a sincere friend to the
public quiet if | cannot save myself from unmer
tied odium without doing disparagement to the
characters of such as may have chosen from va.
rious motives heretofore to become my political
traducers patiently to sink under the burden of
unprovoked prejudice which has been heaped up
on me by the hands of those who have so long
and so pertnaciously striven to bring about my
political degradation. All that ask at the hands
of my countrymen, is a fair and impartial exami-
nation of my conduct as public servant whilst
laboring for their happiness and safety in the high
civic station to which their unbiased voices ele-
vated me six years ago. If they shall then con-
denim me, no indecent murm1rs of complaint
will escape from my lips, nor shall | even seek
the dubious consolation of revenge upon those
who may appear to have been most efficient in
my overthrow.
You are aware, fellow-citizeens, that it was my
misfortune two years ago, to be the subject of
grave and deliberate ceasure at the hands of the
assembled Senators and Representatives of the
Mississippi Legislature, on account of the course
pursued by me touching the Compromise measres
of 1850, whilst those measures were yet under
consideration in the U. s. Senate; and you have
been already informed as suppose, that the reso
lutions of censure, adopted at period of remark
able excitement, and without thorough knowl |
edge, as have conectured, of all the trying cir
cumstances which surrounded mein Washington,
remain yet unrepeaed upon our Statute Book
the resembling resolutions introduced week or
two since in the House of Representative, and
so triumphantly carried through that body, having
afterwards been defeated in the Senate, mainly by
the votes of gentlemen representing counties
4. A. 81
Compromise in the September election of last |
year, and which afterwards, in the contest of No
vember, awarded to me, as a candidate for the Of
fee of Governor such generous and decisive
support as any man in the Republic might well
be proud of receiving. 1t is scarcely necessary
that should specially bring to your notice the
fact, that in consequence of certain Legislative
proceedings of recent occurrence the State of
of Mississippi will be constrained to rest satisfied
with the services Of single U. 5. Senator almost
for the full period of twelve months after the 4th
day of March next though, as | have elsewhere
said: sin the mean while, new administration is
to come into existence; a new cabinet to be or
gained; almost the entire mass Of Executive pat
ronage to be disposed of; various important trea-
ties with Foreign Powers, either TO be ratified or
rejected; and grave questions both of war and
peace, IN all probability to be definitely acted up
on" shall not now urge upon you the obvious
proposition that il was the duty Of the Mississippi
Legislature, at their last winters session, to elect
a Senator to occupy the place which will then :
become vacant by the expiration Of the term of
Hon. w. Brooke nor shallI insist upon the high
grounds which have been long ago
occupied by Others, and which it would be so easy
10th to specify and to maintain by irrefutable ar
yuInent. Neither shall press upon your atten- I
bon the plain statutory regulations which apply I
% the case, and which would seem to have been
Ooked upon by majority Of the members of our
state Senate as Of no validity or binding whatso-
sver 1t is sufficient for my present purpose. that
be question of electing T. S. Senator has been i
ormally rs-submifted 70 the good people of the a
State Of Aississippi, for their isaf decision IN c
forenaber nert-as | viii presently show 10 be t
he case-andthat have once more an opportunity {
accorded to me- Of being tired, upon the charges p
preferred against me, BY those to whom | have B
sver delighted to acknowledge my responsibility.
md 10 be either acquitted or convicted by aseD. n
'ocording to the showing which may be made a
ather in my favor or against me Allow me here I
o say, that were inclined to do 80, it would be d
tuite easy to prove, by such evidence As no pru-
lent man would think for moment Of contest n