Washington telegraph., 1855-12-26
DIR. Breckenridge.

= A = b Z il L = T. T.
DR.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, has
written another scorching letter, reviewing
with great power and severity, the disunion-
ist and reasonable doctrines inculcated by
Wm. Fl. Seward in his speech at Buffalo
This letter is published In the n Y. Times,
but we have space only for some of its more
pOinted passages, which viii give the reader
a very clear idea Of it as whole. The
areh-agitator provoked the letter in question
from Dr. Breckenridge. by a somewhat
taunting reference to the opinions expressed
by DR.. B. in the one he addressed some
time ago to Senator Sumner. He therefore
accepts the issue rendered him by Seward,
in spirit of chivalric deflnce. as the fol-
lowing opening paragraph viii show:
Rich. Uhig
Il hardly know {he says) whether you
designed it as peculiar distinction TO me.
or as a punget reflection on Mr Sumner.
that you should have deyoted paragraph
to me- If it was the latter,-for which you
lave obvious and characteristic reasons, the
implied taunt for his prudent disdain to
wards one whom you judge worthy of being
specially assailed is obvious enough. If it
was the former. | accept it as a slight token
Of the only bond which ever existed between
us-siight as that wss-and turn II over to
those classic halls in which both Of us might
lave learned wisdom in our boyhood, at the
feet If that great teacher. EIiphalet Mott
Sir, we are both much changed since then
Nor could the sum of the grand result to
which the struggle of nearly forty interven-
ing wears has brought us both. be more dis
tiuctly expressed. than by saying that we
stand face to face. you to trifie recsles>ly
from the high places of the earth. with the
peace. the union. and the glory of that eoun-
Try which has honored you SO highly I, to
plead from the depths of retirement for the
reH0Wn, the advancement, AID the happi-
Ness Of the same country. at whose hands
never asked. never desired. single. Nkea
to Distinguish me from the humGest of her
sons, We have both deliberately. ch9ses
cur career. 1 shall not shrink from any
duty which mine may impose"
Upon the ostenta:ious titles, such as ''The
Contest and its Crisis is'-'.The Politics of
Justice. Equality and Freedom
which Seward heralded his speech to the
world, Mr. B. comments In language of Sc
we're ridicule:
4 confused struggle for power Che sayS)
between six or seven factions, on the arena
Of New York politics, scarcely deserves to
be called the crisis. even of Politics, much
less Of Justice. Equality and Freedom ):
aud while great latitude may be allowed to
factions IL assuming such names as suit
their fancy. an educated man in high posi-
ton should set some limit to his pandering
TO that which is at once false and ignoble
Why. sir. Equality fraternity le-
gend of your friends, the old Jacobins, was
briefer, more intense. and less turgid than
yours; and no one. after reading your speech,
can be sure that Its being. thus far. more
bloody. makes it less 10 your liking Rhet-
eric has Its decencies as well as statesman
ship; and he who processes his inability to
speak otherwise than sthoughtlessly. sincere
y. earnestly ought to be the last to violate
them all"
In reply 10 the question put by Seward
where, either In the ethics of Government
OF Christianity. authority could be found to
heid three millions of men in bondage. to
Promote the welfare and secure the safety
II twenty-five millions of other men-Mr
B. says:
Is it so, that any conceivable end of gov
eminent. much less the grand and immedi-
ale ends of it truly held By the American
people, demand that slavery. as it. exists
among Us. shall be abolished in defiance of
the 'Felfare.' and in. utter disregard of the
safety of the nation! Do you mean that !
50 understand you l so understand Mr.
summer That understand to be treason
against. if not under the Constitution; and
what Is verse. treason against the country
And the end of it must be that the North
must sweep your great Republican party
with the besom of destruction, or We must
settle your ethics of government with the
sword
y In regard to the repeal of the Missouri
compromise which affords Ceuard and aoi-