Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-07-15
COL. tREA1ONT'S LETTER OF
ACCEPTANCE.


GENTLENgS You call me to a high response
bilitv by placing me in the van Of great move
mcnt of the people Of the United States who
without regard to past differences, are unitingin
a common effort 10 bring back the action of the
Feyeral Government to the principles of Wash
ington and Jefferson. Golnprehcnding the mag
nitudc of the trust which they have declared
themselves willing to place IN my hands, and
deeply sensible of the honor which their unTe-
served confidence, in this threatening position
of public affairs implies, feel that cannot bet
ter respond than by a sincere declaration that
| in the event of my election to the Presidency,
should enter upon the execution of its duties
with single hearted determination to promote
the good of the whole country, and to direct
| SOLELY TO this end all the power OF the Govern
ment, irrespective of party issues and regard
less of sectional strifes. The declaration of
principles embodied in the resolves of your con-
vention, expresses the sentiments in which /
have been educated and which have been ripen-
ed into personal convictions by personal obseT-
vation and experience. With this declaration
and avowal, think it necessary to revert to
only two of the subjects embraced in these
resolutions and to these only because events
have Surrounded them with grave and critical
circumstances, and given to them especial i'm
portance.
concur in the views of the Convention de-
preciating the Foreign policy to which adverts.
The assumption that we have the right to take
from another nation its domains because we
want them, is an abandonment of the honest
character which our Country has acquired. To
provoke hostilities by unjust assumptions, would
be to sacrifice the peace and character of the
| country, when all its interests might be more
certainly secured and its objects attained by just
and healing counsels, involving no loss of repu-
tation. International cnbarraSSIncnts are main
" the results of secret diplomacy, which aims
to keep from the knowledge Of the people the
operations of the Government This system is
inconsistent with the character of our instita-
tons, aud is itself yielding gradually to more
enlightened public opinion, and to the power of
free press, which, by its broad dissemination
of political intelligence, secures in advance to
the side of justice the judgmcntof the civilized
world. An honest, firm and open policy in onr
foreign relations, would command the united
support of the nation whose deliberate opinions
| it would necessarily reflect
Nothing is clearer in the history Of our insti-
tutions than the design Of the nation, In assert
ing its own independence and freedom, to avoid
giving countenancc to the Extension Of Slavery.
The influence of the small but compact and
powerful class of men interested in Slavery
who command one section of the country, and
WELD vast political control as consequence
in the other, is now directed TO turn back this
impulse of the Revolution and reverse its prin
ciples. The extension Of Slavery across the
Continents the object Of the power which now
rules the Government; and from this spirit have
sprung those kindred wrongs in Kansas so truly
portrayed in one of your resolutions, which
prove that the elements of the most arbitrary
governments have not been vanquished by the
Just theory of our own.
1t would be out of place here to pledge myself
to any particular policy that has been suggested
to terminate the sectional controversy engender.
ed by political animoSitieS, operating on pow
erful class banded together by common inter
est A practical remedy is the admission OF
Kansas into the Union as Free State. The
South should, in my judgment, earnestly desire
such contamination. 1t would vindicatc its
good faith. 1t would correct the mistake Of the
repeal; and the North, having practically the
benefit of the agreement between the two sec
tons, would be satisfied, and good feeling be re-
stored. The measure is perfectly consistent
with the honor of the South and vital to its in
tsrests That fatal act which gave birth to this
purely sectional strife, originating inthc scheme
take from Free Labor the country secured L,
IL b a solemn covenant, cannot be too soon dis
arm ID of its pernicious force. The only gchin
gslon of the middle ATTITUDES LEFT to the Emf
grants Of the Northern States for homes cahfo
Sc conquered from the Free Laborers who ha7s
long considered L as set apart for them frsou