The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-03

[ooEcLUsIoN.1


Gov. Foote was at Jackson when | arrived
there, and remained after | departed.
But how does il happen that these convictions
which he now announces were not declared in
my presence when the matter was new, ii as he
so vauntingly sffirms he is merciful 70 the alb
sent, and harshest to his antagonist when most
near? Why has this grievance festered in Sc
cret until he reached his "present official Gth-
tude 2" we'll remember when the resolutions
censuring him, reached Washington, copies hav-
ING been sent both TO him and myself, that he
came to me and said he wished TO present them,
and agreed with the understanding that he
would do so with the respect due to the legisla-
ture. He did present Them but in so churlish
manner, that | had to call for their siding, and
move that they should be printed. heard no.
thing then of his considering me responsible for
their inception or contents i cannot now per-
ceive why he should have gone beyond the
journal of the legislature 10 find reason, both
for their introduction and passage. There he
would have found the series of resolutions
which he was so eager to bring to public notice,
that he borrowed an unauthenticated copy which
had been sent to me, and used it in speech he
delivered in the Senate of the United States,
March 2lst, 1850.
Those reolutions were reported by the com.
mittee to whom :" was referred the special mes
sage of the governor, with the letters of our
senators and representatives in Congress, on the
subject of the admission of California into the
Union as a State" One of these resolutions
declared that the admission of California un,
der the circumstances recited, would be an act
of fraud and oppression on the rights Of the
people of the slaveholding States; and it is the
sense of this legislature, that our senator's and
representatives should, to the extent Of their
ability, resist it by all honorable and constitu-
tional means.n He who used every means to
find some by path by which to escape such plain
instructions, sought too by himself, and sug-
gested in a fully discussed thrice written letter,
might have expected censure, and in my opinion
deserved il, whatever might have been the
merits of the question.
He asserts that my avowed objection to the
appointment of members of Congress as dele
gates to the Baltimore convention, was "a sug-
gestion evidently thrown out to discredit the
appointment recently made by the Union Dem.
ocratic convention of Mississippi Of our three
Union representatives in Congress" Is he
blind, and like the Cyclops, raving in his blind
ness. If he did not, Others will see the contra
diction presented in the two articlesrto which
| am replying in one. In the first article when
his object was to show that had not been an
efficient and active laborer for Mr. Cass's cleo
ton in l848, he introduced an extract from
what he asserted was an accurate report of
speech made in Jackson in IS4S, The extract
begins thus: @He" ID referred to his" (my)
repeatedly expressed views in 1874, as to the
improperly, and evil tendency of members Of
Congress interfering with Presidential nomina-
tion," &C., &c. In the second article when he
haA Hfffararf ba &c
erence to and renewed expression Of my former
opinion against the appointment ofmembers Of
Congress as delegates to the Baltimore conyen-
ton, and says, "this suggestion is evidently
thrown ont in order to discredit the appoint
ment recently made by the Union Democratic
convention of Mississippi, of our three Union
representatives in Congress" Thus does he in
one article falsify what he had affirmed in
another, but few days before. And though
he had found in an old Wing paper sketch Of
a speech | had made in l848, and produced il
as a report of unquestionable accuracy, when he
found that ], not knowing what he had done,
had renewed the expression of this opinion, he
noticed il in his second article thus aThis Is
certainly quite amusing to those who know that
Col Davis, during the whole winter and spring
OF lS4e, though Senator Of the United States
nc the time, was more actively concerned than
any other person In Washington in all the
political management then In progress in con-
nection with the nomination Of the Baltimore
convention" II he meant 10 say lS48, those
who heard his secretly, but industriously circu-
lsIy Islander that was then in the Wing coun-
ciAmyA kept apart from those who were intent
on the nominations Of the Baltimore couven.
ton, must mark this new phase OF his story
with no little surprise.
His statement is utterly unfounded, false
hood so low and malicious, that | cannot stoop
10 answer il, otherwise than characterizing il as
have done. II Gov. QuitmAn entertains the
opinion attributed 10 him, that have prevented
his nomination 10 rbe Vice Presidency, he could
probably assign no other reason for Il than that
il had thus been represented TO him by Gov
Foote.
In former article stated the fact that Gov
Foote had asssiled me in the United States
Senate when ! had ceased 10 be a member Of
that body, by accusations which he had never
availed himself Of the abundant opportunities
he had possessed 10 bring forward in my pres
ence To this he replies:
q When enjoyed any opportunity Of contro-
verting with him face 10 face, within the last
twelve months, Il Is possible he may have Il in
bis power 10 explain; or at least he may show
iohy II was that never found him upon any
field OF controversial warfare where I CHANGED
10 be doing battle for the Union cause
have the power, and have no objection 10
using u. His article appears in the Flag of The
Union Of the 4th OF February. Twelve months
from that date we were both in the Senate, the
very place where the attack was made after 7
had left H. IN the month Of May last I heard
when in Madison county, that he had a short
time before made n speech there, in which N
denounced a @certain Senator from the South
80 one who bad refused 10 give the President
the necessary power 70 execute the fugitive
slave Law, and 70 prevent The recurrence OF such
scenes AZ The Boston riot; and had made such
insinuations that a friend Of mine asked n he
alluded 10 me; and that he refused 70 answer
the question. came on 10 Jackson the Union
Convention which Dominsted him for governor
was then In session. At the time when IL was
announced he would speak attended and took
seat directly before him, that might distinctly
hear what he would say Of me. He said, sub
stsnfislly, that he had no issue 10 make with his
II