Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1855-01-06
HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVES,, I
DEC 18Th iS5A

which | extract the following sentences
relating to myself, and to sentiments W hici
you suppose avowed in the House on ths
debate on the Resolution of H1r. Sollers 0
! Maryland.
si."Is it not effectual dlssipated by the pro-
position OF Mr.. Letchtr OF This State, who
boldly ayows his disapprobation Of the ap-
pointment Of foreigners as the representa-
| tiyes Of this country abroad ? Mr. Leteh-
er, If We recolrci Alright goesYsven step
further. He declares it iiapolitic and dan
gerous to ALLOW even natiyehern Americans
to stay too long abroad, tor the reason thai
they NAV became too much 4orei gniae9 ant
cease ia be lit Representatives, Of or gov
efament, and ef the feelings and interest;
sf or p.e.. Lac, as ~, Tay Whig q
Know Nothing taken sseii h;sh ground
in behalf of the American parly' II so.
we are not aware Of the fact Yet DEM
ecraf Representative in Congress from VAR
GINA has dared 10 utter the sentiments re-
ferred to, "out Herodinga III practice even
the Know Nothing Themselves, and has he
been censured, admonished CT treated 10 3
curtain !rcturt by our indeiatigable Argus
eyed martial law neighbor OF the Enqui-
rer."
have italicised the portion to which
refer, and take occasion to say that ] have
avowed no such sentiments, as ate imputed
to ne. These sentiments were expressed
bv another member Ill debate referred to-
but not myself. My remarks on that oc-
easion, as they were reported at the time
and published in the Globe, are here pre-
scented, and although made upon the spur
OF the moment, in an excited debate,
have nothing O withdraw OF to qualify.
They are as follows:
"Mr hetrher, | shall vote for this reso-
luton as it stands, and should vote Tor 1t
il something more were added to it. am
satisfied from The tene Of the patic jour
Hals Throughout the country, iom CONVEX
sation with intelligent citizens among my
own constituents, that there is distrust
TO somesextent OF our Minister 1t Madrid.
And as lar as | am concerned, desire that
the facts shall go before the country, in or
der that If that distrust be unfonnded he
may lave Tire benefit Of the yindieation
which the publication of these papers will
give him: and If il be well founded, then
the county ought lie know il.
Il am, therefore. for procuring the ne-
cessafy information TO enable ne TO eide
how this thing is. But, says the gentle
man from Alabama MIR. PnILIFs, you
ought never tocail for such information on
light occasions imagine from what /
have seen ofthis matter that i is about.
as serious an occasion, about as important
la movement in reference te calls fer i'll
formation as any resolution that | have
heard directed to the President siaee have
been a member on this floor. We had
during the last session, aad we have bad
during preceding sessions, various calls on
the Executive for correspondence and lu-
formation, and not one of these calls, in
my Judgment, was as important as this
Is.
"But the gentleman says we ought not
TO call for information on the mere ground
of suspicion. Well, now, | have known
men and / have known parties to be very
seriously injured by suspicious alone. In
fact, il IS about as sure mode 70 do Injury
to men to excite general suspicion against
their character or conduet-pariieulafly il
any attempt be made to conceal the facts
have given rise.to the suspicion. Perhaps
it is the very best mode ofinnicting injury
to character that can possibly be adop-
ted. a .sssAf.sF
Now, so far as Mr. Soule is concerned
nv relations with him have been pleasant
esteem him as a gentleman. But at the
same time in the discharge of my duty
here. when an issue Of this sort is madr
say what honestly, believe aud say
that | do not think Mr. soule soHghteyer
to have been. sent abroad and ! believe
that the interest Of the country would be
promoted by bringing him home. So far
as present light is concerned, we do not
know how this thing is. lfhe is wronsed
by this suspicion, which | entertain II
common with others. no one viii be more
ready 10 repair that wrong than / viii By
1t may perhaps be as well TO say here
that have On all occasions, expressed II
conversation, the same opinion, in regard
to the appointment Of MI Soule, which is
contained in my remarks in the House o
! representatives.
That the error into which you have fal,
len, was unintentional on your part, an
perfectly satisfied, and have no doubt thal
YOU viii cheerlally give the correction al
insertion in your paper.
Your ohetlient servant,
]. LETCHER