Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-04-08
Nh. CLEMENS's LETTER

see Mr.. CLEMENss letter, which occasoned the cor
respondence between that gentleman and the PRE-
sIDENr Therefore, as Mr. G. has made his letter
public property, we place it in our columns.
WASHINGTON, FEBnUARY %, 1854.
MY DEAR Sin: have received your letter. in which
you say that Of friends surprised the po
son have assumed upon the Nebraska question: andde
sire to be made acquainted with the grounds upon which
my opposition was based
had determined not to be forced into the political
arena by any thing enemy might say but that rule has
no application to the misapprehenson of friends. am
opposed to the bill of Mr. DoUaLAs because is support
ed upon the ayowed ground that the people Territory
chie remains Territory, may regulate the subject of
slavery for themselves. This, you will remember was
the doctrine of Gen. CAsss Nicholson letter. which was
repudiated by the entire South in 1913. The Wings
charged upon him grieveus political offence and
the Democrats evaded the issue by placing different
construction upon the letter. Subsequently, at the
sion of 1S49 $50, when Gen. Cass ayowed that the
Northern construction of his letter the
it at dscaimed by the whole body of Southern
Senator's Including the present Secretary Of War Judge
Douglass in audng the letter. stated that the doubts
entertained by the then Senator from Mississippi (Co
DAVIS had caused him to be lukewarm in his support Of
Gen. Cass Col. Davis instantly replied ~ had doubts
fears, and apprehensons which reached to conviction
that the Senator (Gen Cass) wrong upon the ques
on of the power of the Territorial nhabitnts yet sir
took him choice Of evils. say it in terms Of
disrespect The Senator from Michigan knows thought
it was wrong doctrine SC. COL Davis was warmly
sustained by Judge Butler; and Col KING emphaticall
declared that he did and never could subscribe to
the doctrine held by Gen. Cas- There disagree
ment that Of among all held that it was
dangerous doctrine and which efectually ex-
cluded from the Territories the Wlmot proviso it.
self Let add that such is the opinion entertained
by the President Of the United States himself But few
days SINCE in conversation with Northern Senator and
myself he gave it his decided opinion that Douglass
bill " proposition in favor of freedom !" and added
that If should pass although absorb the whole
of Mexico not another slave State would into
the Union He expressed great surprise the opposition
it met with from the North and equal surprise that the
South should be willing to take it. / agreed with him
fully, and could help recurring to the straagem by
which the Greeks effected the destruction Of Troy
| The only quotation Mr.. Calhoun known to
make was, meo Danaos ct dona trenes;" and if ever
there time when it should be repeated warning
the South it Is the present. ANorthern man. unasked
and unsolicited brings forward proposition proessedy
for benefit but in re..lity nsdious attempt to
steal away from all the fruits of former trials and
struggles. The citadel, which has resisted every open
assault is about to be destroyed by the foolish confidence
of its defenders in delusive gift which only
| convey the enemy within the walls. :. ..
In 1850 the doctrine of the South was Let alone
We asked nothing from Congress we wanted nothing
The emphatic language Of Judge Butler heartily
sponded to every where: "All ask is that you will
keep your hands off. We want extension Let alone
This is all we ask"
hold to that doctrine yet; and that is the substance
of my late letter Mr. Van Buren, about which so much
has been sad but which has yet attempted
lyze and refute '..n
have other objections to Sr. Douglass bill which
insuperable of themselves 1t provides that foreigner
who has merely declared his intention to become citizen
shall be vested with the right of voting and thus places
in the power Of foreign paupers and criminals to deprive
American citizen OF his property drive him from
the Territory with his slaves. do not speak for any
mans constituents. There may be communities who will
DIN "
their rights but if there be pity the deuson under
| which they are laboring.
| The bill states in substance that the compromise Of
1920 repealed by the compromise of 1885, Now this
is either is not If true where is the necessity
of repeating it agau? 1t is anomaly in egisa-
tion to repeal statute which is already repealed What
end can be attained except that of placing dangerous
weapon in the hands of Northern agitators 1t gives
them opportunity to deceive the ignorant and untbnk
ing by representing the South fahless by asserting
that seized the FIRST moment Of power to repeal
solemn compact and that reliance be placed upon
any compromise may make. They will assert that
one compromise is sacred than another that as
we have repealed the Missouri restriction, they may and
ought to repeal the fugitive slave bill and thus will be
revived that dangerous agitation which oil good men
hoped was happily at an end. know the common
to this view of the subject but it is false one and
it should impose upon our people it will not upon the
North We are told that Northern violated the
i compromise Of 1920, and longer bound by It,
This is misconcepton The Missouri compromise ap-
piled to the Territory Of Louisiana, and that clone
other Territory. The contract complete and bound
neither party in relation to territory thereafter to be
quired. SO far as that compromise concerned we
might without apy violation Of its provisions have
carried slavery into new territory high the 49th
parallel of latitude, if had the power or they might
have excluded it as low the Equator, if we would
submit. In 1850 we proposed neu compromise that
is to the line to the Pacific. This was merely an
extension Of the old contract to which they could agree
disagree without any breach of faith They rejected
it; but this refusal to enter into arrangement
cannot justify in violating the first mention this
however, merely to show the view which will be taken Of
the subject North and do not to elaborate it.
have said that if the legislation Of 1850 did in point
of fact supersedc the legislation of 1920 then the nser-
ton of such provision in tho bill not only unneces
sary, but mischievous If it is true then the bill
ought not to pass, because bears alsehood upon its
| face.
The value of any compromise depends upon its naly
If when party has the power it may repeal the part
which disastefu TO them when the other party has the
strength why they also repeal that part which
dsagreeahle to themselves And thus the whole compact
will be ahrogaed and oil hope of destroyed by
the knowledge that neither rely upon the good faith
Of the other hold it to be good rule that ought
be careful how we make compact but made to
abide by them firmly, fairly, and honestly.
This letter has been written in haste aud amid constant
interruptions, but hope have furnished you with suf
fcent to justify my or thing need
not assure you and that is, whether right wrong
influenced by but honest motives. Seeking nothing,
asking nothing confning myself exclusively profess
si0nal duties, am at least free from the temptations
which often beset the politician and less liable error
except such may arise from defect Of judgment.
# JERE CLEMENS.
MICH. DAVIS, Jr., Huntsville, Ala.
LITERARY IsTELLIGENcE-We understand that the first