Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1852-02-21
LETTER FROM MR.. CLEMEXSOF Ala.
WAsHINGroN, D :.
Jan. 2S,h, 1892. \

answer it in the SANE kind silrIt in which II was
written. You aud have been some'hlng meie .
than ordinary friends. and Il would not become ,
either OF us 10 withheld from the other any opla- (
ions we NAV entertain. You say that have been /
appointed an eecior for the Stare &, large by The I
Union contention recently held in Montgomery,
aud ask If this vas done with my consent. nev
er heard OF any such purpose until after it had been
executed. and doubt # any member hal thought
nf it PREVIOUS 10 The meeting in Montgomery
You ask alsn { meud to oeccPt IL answer
tha, depends upon circumstances. have nm
seen the resolutions aud du not know Whist KIND
of platform they have erected. Moreover II Is
impossible TO tell At his time what course cir /
cumstances viii render it proper lor the Union
msn in Alabama to pursue To be effective
whatever we do should be done in CONJUNCTION
with Georgia and Mississippi United these
three States can control the presidential elections
AMI doubt not this fac; will seen hecome SO APP
parent as 10 induce attempts TO effect an oganl'
cation upon common basis. We will then be
IN position to secure any Just demand made by
the South. without disunon; Tor no parry dare
nominate candidate with the certainty of hay-
inc our votes cast against him. In that case
shall certainly accept the nomination Tor elecier,
aud devote whatever energy ! possess to the
cause.
There are other contingencies in which you
will wish To know what my action Will be. It
| GEN. Cass, OF any other deInocrat, uniarnished
\ by free soil or secession beresies, receives the
nomination a, Baltimore, shall support him;
aud so | believe will the Union wings OF the
South, unless indeed they have presented to them
d man { their own party equally unohJectona-
/ be- Ii any man who owes bis selection TO Tree
soil or secession Influences is nominated, snall
no, support himj no matter What PERSONAL sac
rihce il may entail.
have now stated YOU my position freely aud
4 frankly. Let me refer as frankly 10 your own.
You are an old jackson democrai--a believer in
the doctrines Of his proclamation IA warm adj
mirer of his farewell address. lia, i not &C.
cured 10 you that you have recently been found
in strange company
In the resolutions Of the so,called democratic
Convention, especial pains were taken to omit
all mention even Of the name OF the sage ot the
Hermitage No. enc of hisacts is mentioned
with appreciation; not one Of his opinion. Is en-
dorsed. II YOU should he at any loss to account
for the omission, you have only 10 look to the
constitution of the body Of which tony regret,
you were member. In the first district they
selected as democratic eieclor a gentleman
who opposed the removal Of the drposltles op-
posed the s0b.reasury, and a, the last election
refused to vote for Gen. Cass. OF the three
delegates 10 The National Convention, are all be
levers in the right Of secession. In the second
district sccpssionist is made elec,or two o
the delegates are secessonisls; aud SO ! believe
is the other, but do mol know bis opinions. II
The sixth district there is one secession delegate
In the seventh district the elector and all the del
crates are secpssionisls When use The wore
secessionist, mean belief in the right of So
! cession-a right which you and deny ant
which all The sages Of the republic have deniet
before US. II Is not surprising that such a bod
should have avoided all mention Of thu name o
Andrew Jackson with as much care "a they con''
avoid the tangs Of the mttlesnake. observe
also that you were not without small l'ayen Q
whiggery--spcession wings Of course-that be
ing the only mantle which ia the opinion Of III
, convention. was broad enough to cover ever
sim Admirable opponents these q Jackson de
!, mocracyl
have no wish to deny TINT the eonyen
lion contained many good aud true democrats a
well as warm and decided friends Of the Union
but they were in a lean minority, and gave n
color to its proceedings, II was neve' iniende
they should The thing originated under secess
ion auspices, and lis fruits are such as mgf
have been copectured.
You say that the. democratic patty ia nos
!, completely re-organized | did no kno'
!. that the democratic party proper had bee
dsorganzed A few restless spirits during tn
last summer set up false gods and Tried
! compel The rest Of rs 10 worship them. Whe
the August elections dissipaird the mental mist b
: which they were surrounded, they found tito ibe
interest 10 indulge 10 lamentations over the Dis
+ tracted state Of the democratic party, and Irie
I to obtain credit for patriotism by loud profession
Of anxiety for The welfare Of party which =
7 one had injured but themselves. Il was thi
= that YOU and others were drawn into the rrOrgdr
izafion scheme, which means, in plain Englsl
!, giving the control Of the state to The sfces-iot
: ISIS The action Of that convention has don
: more 10 destroy the democratic party than .
!, others combined. The people were MOI repre-
= senied. lls action does moi reflect The populi
y will and when an appeal is taken 70 them, I
:" il will and shall be- the cob-web bands woven |
7, Tho small wire .pullefs about Montgomery vi
y lie snapped into thousand pieces. d. y
= doubt this Take your own case and let u
> ak YOU, 10 all kindness, what right did you ha'
10 pledge Madison county 10 abide The action
y" such bodyl None. Youdid mol reflect the SCI
a tments Of one fifth Of your constituents.
= am willing 10 brIeve--l do belieyr--that y
and other Union men acted from the best m
60 lives. knew you sought only the good Of 4
party to which YOU are attached, but take q
word for It, you win soon find you have On
IL given strength to desperate faction, and war
e I'd a viper in your bosom. For appearance
.ake, few Of YOU have been placed in repo
cr sibIe position, but they have retained the cont
Il 4 everything in their own hands. and the tlr
b. is coming when you mus. either abandon 70
w. cherished principles, or submit TO be osiracs
He BY the very men you have saved from presf
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