Butte record., 1856-10-11
The WhIgs of Maryland.


Thomas G. Pratt, in an address to til
Wings of Maryland, says:
"You are aware that this Republican par
tp, which we all agree must be put down a
all hazards, is opposed by two other part.
organizations the American, headed bl
Messrs Fillmore aud Donelson; and the Dem
ocratc, led on by Messrs. Buchanan anC
Breckenridge.
You will recollect that Mr.. Fillmore. pri
or to his recent visit to Europe, abandoned
the Wing party and became member of tht
| former of these organizations. which boast
ed that it had risen upon the downfall Of
| the Wing party, which proclaimed that the
corruPtons Of the Wing and Democratic par
ties constituted the necessity OF its existence
You know that he and Andrew Jackson
Donelson have been nominated by this party
(not by the Wing partly for the Presidency
and Vice Presidency, and you will admit
that the principles Of prescription because
OF religious opinions, ard other reputed ten
cts OF this new party, are IN direct antago-
nlsm with the principles OF that good old
Wang party to which 1ce are still attached,
and which has been abandoned by NJ. Fill
more. 1t is rot my object, in refe ring to
the facts, tu deny to the American party,
since the secession ofits Abolition adherents,
a fair claim to nationality; nor to deny the
patriotism and virtue of Mr.. Fillmore, nor
ms eminent qualifications for the office of
Clet Magistrate But do deduce from
them the necessary conclusion that,as Wings
we owe no party allegiance to Messrs Fill
more and pOnelson, members and nominees
OF the American party deducc the CON
clusion that, rs Wings, we are not only at
III b.,t . hat ri, a-r nd
by every obligation to our country and pos
terity, to throw aside on the one hand the
feelings of hostility which Mr.. Fillmore's de
sertion of our party would be calculated to
engender, and on the other hand, to forget
for u time our former battles with the Dem.
ocratic party, and to ask ourselves but one
question-lchich of the tlcO national organi-
cations offers the best guarantee Of success
IN crushing out of existence this new and
monstrous sectional party, which threatens
the life Of our country | do not propose to
examine the relative claims of the two ma
tional parties or their nominees to our sup
port. 1t is not, in my judgement. permss-
able in the present crisis TO interp0Se our
individual dt ference Of opinion upon miner
questions. 1t is sufficient for US to know,
hat the election Of either national nominee
W ,uld secure the Union; and the only ques
ton permitted by patriotism is, whether our
support of the one or the other would more
cert4inly prove successful?
deem 1t then, to be nly duty. as well as
that OF all who believe with me, that the |
81 cton of Frem mt would be the death knell |
Jf the Union, to unite in the support of Bu-
,hanan and Breckenridge; and shall sus-
tam their eiecti, n to the best of my ability. |
W hilst | concede that there are certain prin |
ciples hitherto professed by the party which |
nominated them that cannot receive our
;uI port, yet on the great issues Of the con-
titutional rights Of the South, the platform
IN which they sand meets my cold dial ap |
Droval, and is in accordance with that of the |
party which | now address, and to whose
Kind favor | owe the honor of holding the
seat now occupy, and which | shall cease |
10 hold after the 4th of March next, by the |
lat of that party to which Mr. Fillmore has |
!, tached himself, and which is now dominant
n the legislature Of my native State.
Let Maryland Wings remember that the
political battle now being fought, is one OF
he deepest interest to them; that the main
enance of the constitutional rights of the
South is the issue rendered to the American
people by the Democratic party, and (as the
Wigs have no candidate) by that party |
lloue; that upon this issue the Republican
,arty have staked the Union; and in such
battle, upon an issue, they must be true
o those who are doing battle in our behalf
t would be indeed sad, if in such a contest,
he conservative strength of the country
hould not be united it would be as strange
IS sad if, in such contest, Southern men
houId not be found battling shoulder to
houlder for the maintenance of their own
constitutional rights