Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-25
MIR. wINTHROP,s LETTER.

Scarcely day passes that some grim old
Wing leader does not come scowling from his
retirement to scold the Fusionists, and to
stir up the honest old liners As in the South
many of the Wing leaders refused to coop
rate with the .know-nothings, so at the North
many of them refuse to act with the Fusion
lists. Even in Massachusetts, that sink-hole
OF political iniquity, we are happy to see some
old Wing leaders denouncing the Black Re.
publican" organization.
With Mr.. Winthrop's politics of course we
can never agree. Leaving other things out of
consideration, he is radically wrong on the
slavery question. Mr.. Winthrop is a Free
soiler. Yet Freesoiler as he is, Mr.. Winthrop
has the good sense to condemn the mad move
ment Of the Fusionists and Black Republi-
cans In reply to an invitation to address
Wing meeting in Boston, he has written let
ter Of considerable length in which he ex
presses with great freedom and frankness his
opinions on the present relations Of parties
We present some extracts from this letter.
LETTER OF HON. II. c. WINTHROP.
Extracts from Mr.. 'WintFrop's Letter 10 the
Wing EzecutiUe Committee IN Massachusetts,
But we are urged to abandon our old colors
| and rush wildly into the promiscuous ranks Of
one-ldea party in order to promote some grand
result connected with human liberty. Let us
look at the new party for single moment in
this particular light and see what claims il has
TO our confidence.
Beyond all doubt great and grevious wrong
was perpetrated by the passage of the Nebraska
bill. united with others in protesting against
il at the outset and have no words of pallia-
ton or apology for il now. 1t was an act Of
character to put toys Of desperation" into all
our brains, to tempt US for the moment to break
from all our old relations, and to plunge into
any policy which might hold out ever 50 delusive
hope ofredress. But sober second thought
may lead US to inquire what more can the Wings
| of Massachusetts do on that subject than they
have done already Their representatives
| opposed it at every stage Of its progress by
| argument and by vote, while the very men who
are now clamoring most loudly for their aid
and alliance manifested their appreciation Of
such fidelity by lying in wait to undermine and
overthrow them at the earliest moment.
And how happens it. by the way, that Mr..
Wilson and his compeers have reserved their
zeal for "the paramount issue to so late a
| day? They tell us that the Wing resolutions
Of last year were superlativey excellent and
they seem never tired Of rehearsing them with
ecstacy at all their own meetings now. Why
did they not recognise their goodness little
earlier? Why did theynot give them an honest
support at the time they we're passed and help
to re-elect those who had been true 10 them
Why was not my old friend, julius Rockwell
who Is now fit to be their governor, fit then to
be their senator? He had Just returned home
from faithful support Of every northern right;
and yet, instead Of rallying TO support him,
they united to supplant him and strike him
down in the dark, and with him all the other
Wing representatives who had stood firmly at
his side. That was the greatest blow to the
honest cause Of freedom il has ever received in
this Commonwealth, and we see where il came
from; we see by whom il was dealt, and for
what end. You would not have heard word
in favor Of this fusion project from that source
if certain men had been still out Of Office. Did
vote against the Fugitive law or against the
Nebraska bill-did the most uncompromising
fidelity TO "the paramount issue" ever satisfy
them while their own ambition was ungrati6ed2
But now that they are fairly, or unfairly, seat
ed in the Senate or the House, they are quite
willing to fortify themselves in their position
by drawing around them the very gentlemen
whom they have ousted, and some Of these gen
tlemen are polite enough TO fall in al the word
OF command
And this brings me to my principal objec-
lon 70 the new party-and that is, its eminent
adaptation to defeat the very ends at which il
proieHsedly aims, ] am one Of those who be-
leye that the utraism and rccklessness Of some
ofthese old freesoil leaders. who are now call.
ing.on the people to sustain them in the Offices
which they have gained by every degree Of in
direction and indecency, have been the oeca.
sion Of not few Of those very aggressions
which they are 50 yociferous 10 condemninp.
and are destined TO be the occasion Of still new
ones, if they are TO be encouraged and strength.
ened in their fanatical career. No class Of men