The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-08-29
From the Boston Courier.
Hon. Rufus ChOate Om the Pres
EdeneiaI Question.

EOtEakAAA SGEECstzOEa.
The Wings of Maine held a grand mass meet
ing in the town Of WatervilIp yesterday. Hon.
Rufus Choate was invited to be present, but be-
ing unable to attend, he sent letter, IN which
he defined his own position on the Presidential
question: and avowed his intention to vote for
Mr.. Buchanan. We give it below.
BosToN, Saturday, Aug. 9, 1856.
Gentlemen: Upon my return last evening,
after short absence from the city, found yo0r
letter of the 30tb ut., inviting me to take part
in the proceedings of the Wings Of Maine, as
sem5led in mass meeting.
Iappreciate most highly the honor and kind
ness OF this invitation, aud should have had
true pleasure III accepting it. The Wings OF
Niainr composed al all times so important dl-
vision Of the great national party whaeh un-
der that name, with or without official power,
as responsible administration or as Only an or
ganlzed opinion, has done so much Tor our
country-onr whole couutry-and your reSpon-
sibiitieS al thiSmomrnt are so vast and pvcu-
liar, that | acknowledge an anxiety to see-not
wait to hear-with what noble bearing you
meet the demands Of the time. If the tried
lsgions, to whom it is committed to guard the
frontier of the Union, ialter now, who, any,
where, can be entrusted!
My engagements. however, and the necessity
Of cxpediency of ab<taining from all speech re-
quiring much effort, viii prevent my being with
vou Md vet, invited to share in your coun-
sells, and grateful for such distinction, / cannot
wholly decline my own opinion on one of the
datirs of the Wings in what you we'll describe
as ''thp present crisis in the political affairs OF
the country" | cannot nov. and need not,
pause to elaborate or defend, them What |
think, and what | have decided to dn, prrmit
me IN the brieirs and planest expression TO tell
you.
The first duty. then, Of Wings, not merely
as patriots and as rns,-iovInZ, with large
and equal lose our whole native d,-but as
Wings, and because We are Wings, is to unite
with some organization Of our countrymen, TO
defrat and dissolve the new geographical party,
calling itself Republican This is our iilSt du-
~. 1t would more exactly express my opln-
on TO say, that at this moment, II is our only
duty. Certainly, at least, il comprehends or
suspends all others: and in nv Judgment, the
question for each and every one of US is, not
whether this candidate or that candidate would
be our first choice not whether there is some
good talk in the worst platform, and some bad
talk in the best platform not whether this
mans ambition. or that wGn s ServiIity, or bold
ness, or tanaticisn, or violence, is responsible
for putting the wild waters in this uproar -
but Just ths,-hy what vote can DO most to
prevent the madness Of the timrS from working
lis maddrst act,-ihe very rcStacy OF rs mad
ness,-the permanent formation and thr actual
present triumph Of party which knows one
half Of America only TO hate and dread il from
whose unconSecratrd and revolutionary banner
fifteen stars are erased or have fallen in
whose national anthem the old and endeared
airs Of the Eutaw Springs, and the Kings Noun
tain, aud Yorktown, and thosr, later, OF New
Orleans, and Buena Vista, and ChapultePec,
breathe no more. TO this duIv, to this queS-
ton, all others seem to me- to stand for the pres
ent postponed and secondary
And why Because, according TO our creed,
il is only the United mrrica which can peace
fully, gradually, safely, improve, lit up and
bless with all social and personal and civil
blessings, all The races aud all the conditions
which compose our vast aud various lamily-lt it
is such America, only, WHOSE arm can guard
our flag, drvelope our resources, extend our
trade, and fill the measure OF our glory and,
brcausp, according TO our convictions, the trl-
umph Of such a Party pots that Union in dan
ger. That is my reason. And for You, and
for me. and for all of Us, in whose regards the
Union possesses such value, and 10 whose fears
ii seeu,s ucnaced by such danger it's rea-
son enough. Believing the noble ship of state
10 be within halt cables length Of the lee
shore of rock, 10 gale of wind, our first husl-
ness is TO put her about, and crowd her oil, INTO
the deep, oprn sea. That done, we can regu-
late the stowagc OF her lower tier Of powder, and
select her cruising ground, and bring her ottl-
GERS TO court-martial at our leisure,
If there are any in Maine-aud Among the
Wbigs of Maine hope there is not one-but II
there are any, in whose hearts strong passions,
vaulting ambition. Jealousy of men or sections,
unreasoning aud inpatient philanthropy, or
whatever else have tnrned to bate or GOODNESS
the fraternal blood and quenohtd the spirit oi
national lif+ at its source with whom tbe I'M
ion of slave States and free States under the ac-
tual Constitution is curse, a hindrance, re-
proach with these Of course our view OF our
duty and the reason of il, are stumbling block
and ioolishnesS. To such you can have Moth
ing to say, and from such you can have moth
ing to hope Bat If there are those again who
love the Union as we love it, and prlze II as we
prize il who regard it as We do, not merely as
a vast ins,rumentaiiy for the protection oil our
commerce and navigation and for achieving
power, emnence aud name among the soVer-
eigns of the earlh--but as means OF improving
the material lot, and elpvating the moral ana
mental nature, and insuring the personal happ'-
ness ofthe millions Of many distant generations