Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-15
JUDGE BRONSON AND THE Me-
M GIS RII.I.. -----

We do not see the New York Euening Post,
for it does not exchange with us; but we are
informed by reliable gentlemen who do see it,
and also learn from journals containing quota.
tons from it, that the Post, within the last few
days, connected the name of Judge Bronson
with the Nebraska BILL in a manner that occa-
stoned universal astonishment. 1t represented
him as being hostile to that wise and great
measure. The authority vouched by the Post
was letter of Judge Bronson's, from which it
quoted garbled extract. When the article of
the Post, with the accompanying extract, ap-
peared it occasioned much joy among that
gentleman's enemies, and much modification
among his friends
1t affords us great pleasure to have it in our
power to relieve Judge Bronson from the odium
which has been sought to be cast on him, and
to brand as base fraud the charge preferred
against him by the Post. That paper ransacked
the past and almost forgotten correspondence of
Judge Bronson, and found an old letter, from
which the extract to which we refer was taken.
1t was written some years ago-long before the
Nebraska bill was in existence-long before the
repeal of the Missouri compromise, with the
view Of establishing on frn basis the doctrine
of congressional non.intervention, was proposed
or thought Of The Post did not give the date
Of the letter, but represented it as being called
out by the Nebraska bill, and as being an en-
phatic protest by the author against that mea
sure. Such conduct is base and unprincipled,
and almost beyond belief If not much mis-
taken, we made that letter the subject of ex-
tended comments several months since, and do
not think fit to say more in regard to it.
We are gratiGed in being able to place this
whole matter beyond all doubt or cavil, by the
following letter Of the date of 9th of February,
1854, written by Judge Bronson to Senator
Douglas, the distinguished author of the Ne
braska bill. This letter was spontaneous trib-
ute from Judge Bronson to the patriotic course
of Senator Douglas, and in it he takes occasion
to express his entire, absolute, and unqualified
approval of the Nebraska bill. II do not see
writes he] how it can be doubted, especially
by my sound democrat that the measure ought
to be adopted
Judge Douglas has kindly furnished this
letter to us for publication, after having, by
Geographic correspondence, first obtained the
! consent Of Judge Bronson.
What will be thought of this fraud7 What
must be thought Of the Posts We forbear to
characterize the conduct of that journal as it
should be characterized The facts establish
ing the fraud are so strong that they need no
further comment. The letter is as follows:
New York, February 8, 1854.
DEAR SIR: Allow me to say that have read
with great satisfaction your very able speech
on the Nebraska bill, now pending before the
Senate and l should have said as much some
days SINCE if my engagements had not pre-
vented You have placed the measure upon
the broad and safe foundation of excluding the
slavery question from Congress, by referring
it. as we'll as other questions Of selfgovernment,
to the decision Of the people of the Territory.
This fully accords with the spirit OF our insti-
tutions. If Congress had never attempted to
legislate concerning the domestic policy Of the
States and Territories, we should have escaped
the slavery agitation, which at one time threat
ened the stability Of the Union. The sooner
we retrace our steps and allow other people to