Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1852-02-19
HENRY sTTTH, EDITOR & PROPRIETOR.
NUMBER 43.

dS~1j -1LSSa 1SA
When say must approve the man
whom would support as candidate
for the Presidency, for my coun,ry's
sake hope the sentiment is not pecu.
liar. We may sometimes be reduced
to the hard necessity Of choosing be-
tween two evils, but he would be wo-
fully negligent, or sadly blind, who
would run to the brink of such a pre-
cipice. Party consultation and party
organization are the means, not the
end. Principles alone can dignity a
party, and party allegiance can right
fully claim 20 more than the Just ap-
piication OF its principles to measures
and men. Freedom of conscience and
freedom of suffrage are the birthrigh,
of the American citizen, and if party
required the sacrifice Of both, or of eth
er, il would be the instrument of des-
potism, rather than the means Of pre-
serving liberty.
in 1874, had the honor to be pla-
red on the electoral ticket of this
State; if Mr.. Van Buren, had been the
nominee of the Baltimore Convention
Eof that year, | shonld have declined to
serve. Subsequent events have not
made me, as Southern man, less te-
nacious of our rights, less watchful Of
our interests, or less cautious in the
selection of those whom we ought to
trust. Mutual confidence and COM
mon objects cause the Democra-
cy to meet in the National c Convention,
and justify the expectation of joint ac-
ton in the canvass. 1t was not only
untrue but absurd to represent me as
having announced that | would not
support the nominees of the Baltimore
Convention, when by that body only
Icould | hope those would be nomina-
ted VINO .wodld be Acceptable 20 me.
| have endeavored 10 show. that the
statement OF the gentlemen of Noxu-
bee, did not support the accusation, and
upon that point, will here add that
have received letter from Macon,
Noxubee, county, dated Jan. Oath 1852
in which twelve gentlemen, two of
them signers of the statement to which
Gov. Foote invites special attention,
come forward to contradict the report
that had said in a speech at that place
that ] would not support the nominees
OF The Baltimore Convention. That
was the SANDER, which because of the
mischievous purpose manifested by it,
| noticed il my speech before the con-
vention.
Ny letter has expanded much be-
yond The limit ] expected 10 give it,
and probably still more 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, as confidently as
he now quotes them against 1T, who.
once announced 'If Congress were to
repeal the Fugitive slave) law-if the
Government refused to enforce it--th en-
we would peaceably secede; but now
admits no remedy for an aggrie we'd
State.exceptan appeaito the higher law
offorce, the right which might confers
If his political positions Of to-day
be not answered by those of yesterday
we may safely wait for the an
swer tomorrow viii bring. Its only
to be regretted that the station which
gives force to his vituperation cannot
endow him with the dignity which
would induce him to abstain from it.
Very truly, your friend, &C. &c,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.