The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1853-11-11
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE
ABOLITIONISTS.

ABOLITIONISTS.
The administration of President Pierce has
been guilty of some acts, which have led to
the belief in the minds of many that the lead
ing spirits in the Cabinet had strong Free Soil
aflinities, and were laboring to strengthen
that troublesome faction. But the following
letter from Attorney General Gushing, pre-
sumed to be written by the consent and to
speak the sentiments of the President, will
go far towards removing many of the suspi'
cions of his soundness, and to renstate him
in the estimation of those who were begin
ming to lose confidence in his patriotism and
in the sincerity Of his sentiments rs express
ed in his Inaugural. If these are his views
expressed below, and he stands square up to
them the country will sustain him:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 90, 1853.
DEAR Sin u perceive that IN several
counties of Massachusetts coalition senatorial
tickets have been formed of associated demo-
Gratis and free-soiIers Ny judgment is, that
the Democrats who have participated in this
have done worse than to commit fatal error.
They have abandoned a principle which is
fundamental.
To support or vote for free soiers of Mas
sachusetts is to give cOuntenance and power
to persons engaged, avowedly, in the persist
ent agitation of TIE slavery question, and
therefore hostile, Kthe EXTREMIST degree, to
the determined,pocy of the administration.
The President entertaiqs immovabe conyic-
tons on this point, rs have had occasion to
express to you heretofore; and all of us
whom he has called TO the public service here
most heartily and zealously sustain his views
on the subject, as being the only ones consist
ent with our personal honor, the success of
the Democratic party, the general welfare of
the country, the integrity of the constitution
or the permancncy Of the Union.
If there is any purpose more fixed than
another in the mind of the President and
those with whom he is accustomed to con-
suit, it is that dangerous element of aboli-
tonism, under whatever guise or form it may
present itself, shall be crushed out, so Gar as
this administration is concerned. This the
President declared in his inaugural; this he
has declared ever since, at all times, and in all
places, when he had occasion to speak on the
subject. While he does not assume to Judge
of the hearts Of men who publicly avow
sound principles, he only needs overt acts TO
show where they are, in order that his settled
policy in the conduct Of the affairs of the
government shall be unequiyocaly mani
tested
Those who have apprchcnded hating or
hesitation on the part Of the President in
treading any path in which truth and patriot
ism open to him will find themselves greatly
mistaken. He is up to this occasion. His
policy was not hastily settled; while he occu-
pies his present position it will never be de-
parted from. The constitutional rights OF
all the States of this Union are rs dear to
him rs the rights Of New Hampshire. ! have
perceived from the outset that this great prn-
cipe of the constitutional rights of the States
is fastened in his thought as the cornerstone
of this UniCS ~ Send upon it, no matter
mI' subscriber ever gi pt"u Tner bo 1' Nc
Mlspectfnly solcits the cont" ~ T r, III
customers and the public genei ms ''Ie l'Ne
H. p. REDDING, o'TnS,'"''sH
b. F. DENSE, Superintendent, wo,Llc may
py to wait on his old friends at the progress
ION Hall. H