The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-09-03

uuifCIsdiiy huoWu dS Ouc Vi tue dDleSt, 1
not the very ablest lawyer in the Unitee
States. In Webster's time he was, b,
many, regarded as his equal, and since thu
death of Webster, no one has attempted
to despute Choat's claim to the title o
the first statesman in the Wing party
No less than eight of the very flowers o
that party who have served in the U. S
Senate, that We can name, are the friends
of Mr.. Buchanan; FIVE are now in the
Senate But to the letter:
Letter from Hon. Rufus ChOate tt
the Wings of Maine.
BosToN, August 9, 1856.
GENTLEMEN - Upon my return last
evening, after short absence from the city
I found your letter of the 30th ult., invi
ting me to take part in the proceedings
Of the Wings of Maine, assembled in mass
meeting.
appreciate most highly the honor and
kindness of this invitation, and should
have had true pleasure in accepting it,
The Wings of Maine composed at all times
so important division of the great ma
tional party, which under that name, with
or without official power, as a responsible
administration or as only an organized
opinion, has done so much for our country
our whole country-and your response
bilities at this moment are so vast and
peculiar, that I acknowledge an anxiety
to see-not wait to hear--with what noble
bearing you meet the demands of the time
Ifthe tried -legions, to whom it is commit
ted to guard the frontier of the Union,
falter now, who, anywhere can be trusted?
My engagements, however, and the ne
cessity orexpsdiency of abstaining from.all
speech requiring much effort, will prevent
|my being with you. Aud yet, invited to
share in your counsels, and grateful for
such distinction, cannot wholly decline
to declare my opinions on one of the du-
ties of the wings in what you will describe
as "the present crisis in the political af-
fairs ofthe country" Icannot now, and
need not, pause to elaborate or defend
them. What I think, and what I have
decided to do, permit me in the briefest
and plainest expression to tell you.
The first duty, then, of wings, not mere
ly as patriots and citizens-loving, with
a large and equal love our whole ma
tive land but as wings, and because we
are wings, is to unite with some organiza-
ton of our countrymen to defeat and dis
solve this new geographical party, calling
itself republican. This is our first duty,
1t would more exactly. express my opinion
to say, that at this moment tits our only
duty. Certainly, at least it comprehends
or suspends all others, and in my judg-
ment the question for each aud every one
of us is, not whether this 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 man. IS
servility, or boldBess, or fanaticism, or vi
olence, is responsible for putting the wild
waters in this uprear-but just this-by
what vote can Lido most to prevent the
madness of the times from working its mad
est act--the very ecstacy of its madness
the permanent formation and the actual
present triumph of a party which knows
one-half of America only to hate and drea
it; from whose unconsecrated and revolu-
tionary banner fifteen stars are erased or
have fallen--in whose national anthem
the old and endeared airs of the Eutaw
Springs, and the Kings Mountain,
and Yorktown, and those later of New
Orleans, and Bnena Vista, and Chapul-
tepec, breath no more To this duty, to
this question, all others seem to me to
stand for the present postponed and Sec
ondary.
And why? Because, according to our
creed, it is only the united America which
can peacefully, gradually, safely, improve,
lift up and bless with all social and per-
sonal and civil blessings, all the races and
all the conditions which compose our vast
and various family--itis is such an Ameri-
ca, only, whose arm can guard our flag,
develop our resources, extend our trade,
and fill the measure of our glory; and be-
cause, according to our convictions, the
triumph ofsuch a party as puts that Union
in danger. That is my reason. And for
You, and for all of US, in whose regards
the Union possesses such value, and to
whose fears it seems menaced by such a
danger, it is reason enough. Believing
the noble ship of state to be within half a
cables length of a lee shore of rock, in a
gale of wind, our first business is to put
her about, and to crowd her off into the
deep. open sea. That done, We can reg
+ulate the stowage other lower tier of pow
der. ard select her cruising ground, and
bring her officers to court martial at our
leisure.
Ifthere are any in Maine -and among
the wings Of Maine / hope there is not
one-but if there are any, in whose hearts
strong passions, vaulting ambition, ieal-
ousy of men or sections, unreasoning and
impatient philanthrophy, or whatever else
have turned to hate or coldness the fra
ternal blood, and quenched the spirit of