Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-18
SuMTERvILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA,
- January Ii, 1854.
Hon. HENRY s. FoOTE:
WASHINGTON Cry, Jan. 16, 1854

lear tSF: L our very KIND and compliment
tary note of the 18th instant is before me, and
hasten to respond to its contents. should
rejoice most heartily to find it in my power to
comply with the request made by you in be-
half o. the committee of the citizens" Of Sum
tervill., were it even possible for me now to do
so. But in a few hours shall set out for New
York, ndshall sail for San Francisco, on Friday
next; and in the mean time shall be necessarily
occupied with preparations for the journey and
the interchange departing ciyilities with beloved
friends, whom | may never again see. You,
and those whom you represent will therefore,
has been asked at my hands in relation to the
poor address delivered in Sumtervie on Fri
day last Allow me though, my dear sir, to
express the gratitude which / cannot but feel,
for the spontaneous and wholly unexpected
kindness displayed by my fellow-citizens Of your
enlightened and patriotic vicinage, towards
one who was, until the other day, personally,
an absolute stranger among you; whose visit
to your city was so purely accidental, and
whose conduct and character as public man,
have been for several years past, favorite sub
ject of complaint and of denunciation through
out your noble State.
Little did think when urgently invited to
address your citizens, upon questions of great
delicacy and magnitude, that it would be my
good fortune to find those in whose hearing
was to speak the words of unalloyed frankness,
both in regard to men and measures cordially,
and apparently unanimously, concurring in
opinions and sentiments declaration of
which, had elsewhere called down upon me
bitter revilement and coarse vituperation.-
Little did / expect that the poor harangue, deliv-
cred so hastily, by one who had not been allowed
to enjoy even a single nights repose for the
space of four days, and whose wearied and ex-
hausted condition, rendered it almost impossible
Tor him to endure the physical exertion neces-
sariy attendant upon the task to which he
found himself so suddenly called, would be so
favorably appreciated and that copy Of it
would be demanded with view to its per-
mdnem preservation. Most honestly holding
this same harangue to be altogether undeserv-
ing such honor, still am rejoiced at receiving
this decisive testimony, from the bosom of the
chivairous and patriotic State, where slumber
the remains Of SO many illustrious heroes, ora
tors, and statesmen, in proof of the important
tact that, upon the citdt and stirring questions
nor pending, in all their scope and amplitude,
the views enunciated by me on Friday last,
were such as to command the sanction and
support OF my fellow.ctizens of South Carolina
without regard to the party lines which have
heretofore separated them.
Abundantly and intensely do / rejoice that
inc citizens OF your yicinage, in approving my
ADDRESS to them last week, have shown that
,ney are united 70 a man in sustaining the no.
pie Dickinson, Bronson, O'Conor, and the hun.
dred thousand yalorous consociates in the I'm
pre- state, against the atrocious attempts which
nave been recently so unpardonably made 70
crush them beneath the weight Of oi1seiai gos
rondge, and thus REASONABLY 70 destroy tbs
only nope OF future Justice TO the south .bjis'
would be reopened anew those scenes N fear,
iui commotion which we're so happily brought
:, Q. an END by the measures Of cOmprDHiss IL
ieoo shall hereafter delight 10 rec0lIeetiHg