The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-02-01
Letter from Mr.. S,moaton to DIR. Chase

An of inadverence my part seems TO have sub
jeced the charge OF procuring the publication Of the
with the that signed by msjoriy OF the
re sen,aiives f,om Ohio deem duty you
the circumstances under which the mistake for which you
certainly responsibe- occurred
Leaning accidentally that address the subjec,
about be published solicited the lavor of prooisheets
Tor publication IN New York Daily Times,
Of much interest 10 large proportion OF The eedng public
Win dicply ob aimed them, aud they
mitted New York before any signatures had been
pended before It had been deaitey decd ded whether
address would be offered for general signature OF mem
of Congress iom OHIO, would be issued as the adj
of the independent dem in Congress the
The do:unent fret reached the public through the col
the Times. The evening before 1t appeared you
sent s 9e seHd 'nf Rs Is Y NV w r5
proper place. that there might be no nisakng The
quarter iron whence The document emanaed regret TO
say ha failed to telegraph unul 10 clock AZ ngn wnen,
as i subsequently, appeared TIE htst form o. he paper
had gone press That form, unfortunately, contained
the address In question and my despatch 100 a,e 70
accomplish It's object Ia the absence OIL any sshsoies,
the editor had appended note stating that The address
Ohio" He did this. suppose, on an inimanon had
previously given him that such an address was aoou 10 De
for that s,aemenl aud did not intend TO maze ~ ex
cept expression OF opinion. The error, Whlch was
very patura one, IL will be not committed by
you, your suggeston on the contrary IL occurred In
the very face OF your efforts to prevent IL ,
IL al one will take the trouble 70 look into the Daily
Times OF the 2ih instanhe issue which contains this ad
dresshe will find upon the editorial page the names OF
each OF tue gentlemen who did sign that documen-those
names taken, doubtless, from my despatch. lhus Tue ef
committed on the page containing the address IS rec-
appeal these independent democrats 10 made to the peo
pie of the United States"
ines errors aud all and be e doubt that The
erroneous publications elsewhere had the same origin.
The Evening Post of the 25h contained the address WIN
the proper apton and signatures
Tiustng this explanation may be of service In removing
the i'm pu alton which has been made,
am respectfully aud truly yours,
JAMES w. slMoNToN,
Washington Ed N. Y. Daily Times.
Hon s. p CHASE.
Mr. SUMNER Mr. President, before the Senate adj
ourns crave single moment. AS one OF The sRners
OF the address referred 10 by The senator from liii-
nois, fNr. DoUCLAs,l | accept now openly, before
the Senate aud the country, my full responsibility Tor
il, and deprecse criticism upon IT from any quar-
ter. that document was put forth 40 The discharge
of high public duty, on The pfeclptate lntfoduc-
lion into this body OF measure which, as 1t seems
to me- is NOT only subversve OF ancient landmarks,
but hostile TO the peace he harmony ana ine oes,
ged the act and not its author. only the
mou. proposition, and nothing OF the senator
than tbe ex,gency required Here isa measure which
everses the time bonoed policy OF our fathers IN the
stricton of slavery which aside the Mssouri Com
promise solemn compact by which all the territory
ceded bv France under the name of louisiana was
ever consecraled TO reedoU-snd which violates, also
the alleged compromises OF s50 and all this is to open
an immense territory 10 the ingress oil slavery. Such
measure cannot be regarded without emotions too strong
for speech I, cannol be Justly described IN common Lam
guage. Ii is souess, eyeless monser-hornd, un-
shaeely and vast-huy pictured IN the verse o the poet
'Nionstrum houendun, iniorrne, ingons, eui lumon
ademptum,"
and this monster is now let loose upon the county.
Allow me one other word OF explanation Ii is true
that desired that The consideration OF this measure
should not be pressed at with indecent haste, as was
proposed even before The Senate could read the bill in
which il was mbodied. | had not forgotten that the
Missouri bill, appears from the journals oil Congress,
when first introduced in December, Sl9 was allowed to
rest upon the table nearly months before the discus
sion commenced The proposition to undo the only part
OF that work which in any degree within the reach
OF Congress should be approached with even greater
caution and reserve The people have right to be
heard this monslrous scheme; and there s no apol-
ogy for that driving, gaopipg speed which shall an
tcpae their and IN s consequences, must despou
them Of this right.
On motion by MIR. SEWARD,
The Senate adjourned