Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-10-16
Two of Jackson's Secretaries for
Fremont.

Francis 2. Blair, the confidential adviser ot
Jackson, and the editor Of the organ of his
administration.
At Republican meeting in Philadelphia
on Monday last, letter addressed to the
meeting by Samuel D. Ingham, who vas
Secretary of the Treasury under Jackson
was read by the son of AIR. Ingham, in
which letter that gentleman takes firm
ground with the Republicans.
Mr.. IRghan says that he long since cees.
ed to take an active part in politics. and
that the infrmities o. age prevent his at
tendance upon the meeting in compliance
with the invitation, he says:
In the momehtous issues now presented
| should be unfaiihlul to the dictates OF my
judgment, and the conscientious convictions
OF solemn duty. if withheld any aid that
might be thought useful in the trial on the
great cause now before the American peo-
pie.
On one side Of the great issue before us
the right to hold slaves in all the rerrito-
res of the United States is claimed by vir-
tue of the Constitution Of the United States.
This claim suggests a constructive power
not in the class of those necessary and pro-
per for the execution OF the granted power;
nor have It's advocates persisted in an at
tempt 10 derive from it an expressed or i'm
Piled term or meaning of the Constitution.
They saw clearly that this would be irn-
possible, and have now rested their lain
on "higher law" endeayoring to prove
that ''slavery is the natural and normal con
dition of the laboring man, whether white
or black" ant 'tt at the great evil of Nor
thern free society, is that it is 5urdened with
a servile set of mechanics and laborers, un-
fit for selfgorernment; master and slave is
a relation in society, as necessary as that
of parent, and the Northern States will vet
have to produce it; their theory of self-gov-
ernment is delusion." Such are the doc
trines and principles now at work UNDER
mining the very foundation of a political
system devised by some Of the best and
wisest men tie world has ever seen; to pro-
mote and secure the happiness of all within
its domain.
Mr.. Ingham then goes on to show that
the election of lS52swas carried on under
compact from both political parties, that
there should be NJ future agitation of the
slavery question:; that Pirrce was elected
under the influence of this imposing CON-
pact" and that the President elect, "when
about to make his appeal to God as wit
ness to the sincerity of his oath of fidelity to
his trust, pledged himself to the whole
American people that his power would be
exerted to prevent all further agitation of
This distractng and dangerous question"
The words of Ingham should burn int,
the soul of Pierce, as he reads what that
old Jackson veteran says of that VOW and its
viola ton, to wit:
Can any one conceive of pledge more
solemn, or that could have been made more
irrevocaby binding, than this, voluntari-
ly agreed upon by all parties. and univer-
sally approved as a great measure of pub
lie good and great national blessing.
The promise Of harles to maintain the
right of petition, the violation of which cost
m his bead, could not compare in impo-
sing selemnity with that which Presi-
dent Pierce made on the 4th of March,
1858.
Can the history be credited which will
record The fact that, in less than nine
months from that time, he had engaged in
to accomplish, in its most OBJ
noxious form, what he had thus promised to
resist! That he not only used his off
cial power to effect the repeal of the Mis-.
souri, Compromise, and carry slavery into
Kansas by lawless violence, bu, that he en-
tered into conspiracy for that purpose, is
susceptible fincontrovertible proof.
Mr.. lnyham then gives a succinct and
scathlng history of the repeal Of the Mis-
souri, Compromise; Atchisoa's movements
in Kansas in denonncng Reeder, and of
Pierce's removal of tina. Governor in obe-
dience to Atchison's demands; the removal
Of ole Territorial Judge and the appoint
ment OF Lecompte, "whose name will
BILL niche in American history similar 10
the one occupied by the notorious Jeffreys
in English history" the passage of laws
which, like those of Draco, might be sad
to be written in blood; Pierce's denuncia-
ton of the Topeka constitution as treason
able, although adopted by the same usage
under which the people of nine territories
have organized State governments; the ar
TEST and Imprisonment for months of some of
he inhabitants of Kansas, refusing them
bail under false charge of treason; the
authority given Shannon to employ United
States forces to make s'the arbitrary arrests
1 ter the manner of those who one filled
The Bastile of Paris" the employment of
foreign brigands under the masked title of
enrolled militia" to blockade the great
highway Of the West; the indictment and
destruction of printing Offices and a hote',
IN act "done in imitation of the Draco, who
sentenced statue to be banished for having
fallen upon man." the aeking of Law
'ence; the robbery. Punishment and murder
If the Kansas settlers by the prowling bri-
yands from the Blue Lodges; the insult of
The President in replying to the remon-
'trances Of these settlers, by telling them
~ Will W" II ouSihSSo obo NV hANNuaS
10 much with those .'sacred laws" &c, &c.
These facts, (says Mr. Ingham) c9nsti-
ute but small part of the indisputable
'vidence that might be adduced to establish
he charge of the conspiracy of certain high
of our national government, to
nterpolate new and false construction of
he Federai constitution, upon a point Of
earful and vi.al interest: 10 accomplish
which solemn pledges have been violated,
nd means employed in which the great
principles of Democratic government have
cen wholly contemned and disrngaraed,
nd an actual coup d'etat attempted, more !
bhorrent to freemen than anything we have
cen taught from infancy to condemn in the
chevements Of the old world
Mr.. lngham then concludes as follows:
Mr.. Buchanan stands upon the same plat
Drm with Frai kl n Pierce, and is SO pledged
y his supporters to carry out his measures, +,
nd especially the plot of the conspirators,
D use the Constitution o. the United States
D carry slavery into and drive settlers out