Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1856-07-23
Letter from Gen. Saunders.

Having learned that Gen. r. NJ. Saunders had
been invited by Committee in Maryland to address
a mass meeting to be held by the Democratic party
Of Frederick, and understanding that he had declin
ed to make speech, but had responded to the nvi.
tation by letter, we applied for a copy of the
letter, and have been kindly furnished with it for
publication.
Gen. Saunders only purpose is to do justice to
faithful public servant, and to vindicate the truth
of history" This he has done, calmly canddly, and
in the most conclusive manner The opinions and
statements of such man. on any subject, would be
entitled to respect but in this instance, his long
sociation with MIR. Buchanan, his knowledge of his
public and private character, together with his own
experiences and advanced age, and his indispostion
to engage in political strife, all urte to give what
he says peculiar weight We invite the attention
of the country generally to this letter In relation
TO the vital question Of slavery he shows the record
of Mr.. Buchanan to be without a blcmish aud he
is equally clear and satisfactory to the bargain
and corruption" and in regard to Cuba and the
much misrepresented Ostend Conference:
RALEIGH, July Is, 1856.
GENTLEMEN: feel highly hattered by your polite
invitation to attend and address "A Mass Meeting"
to be held by the Democratic party of Frederick on
the 7th of August. 1t would afford me pleasure to
be present OH the occasion, and to comply with your
wishes, but that feel restrained by my position at
home from attending any public meeting of polit-
real character. Yet, as the Committee pleased
to say, from my long association and connection
with Mr.. Buchanan in the public service, my testi.
mony as to his course would be received with inter-
est and qualification, l see no mproprety in my
thus responding to your request; and | do so the
more cheertuly as my purpose is to do justice to a
faithful public servant and to vndicate the truth of
history.
My acquaintance with Mr.. Buchanan commenced
in December. 1921, when We both. for the first time
entered Congress as members of the House of Rep
resentatives We acted together for six years, when
retired, leaving Mr.. Buchanan active and eff
cient business member until 1881, when he was
transferred to the Senate. / returned as a member
of Gen. Harrisons called Congress in 1S4l and con-
tinued member four years. found Mr.. Buchanan
still in the Senate and though acting with such
men Us Clay and Calhoun, Webster and Silas Wright
fully sustaining his high reputation in debate. On
Mr.. Folks accession to the Presidency, he entered
his Cabinet Secretary Of State, and Minister at
the Court of Spain intercourse and correspon-
| dence continued for the next four years. So that
| can say, with propriety, I have either acted with
| him. or been in a situation to know his opinions
and to form judgment as to his public course, for
nearly quarter of a century; and can sincerely
| and truly say, that know of no public man North
of Mason's and DiXons line, whose record exhibits
SO Just and consistent a course all questions con-
sdered by us of the South involving our Consti-
tutional rights, as that of James Buchanan's The
Journals Of the House and Senate show that he has
uniformly acted in opposition to all measures look
ing the abolition Of slavery in the District of Co.
lumbia. In February, 1886, being the first session
Of the 9th Congress, at period of great excite
ment and when both Houses Of Congress were
greatly harrassed by the introduction of abolition
petitions, Mr. Buchanan had the boldness and indie.
pendence to move that the prayer Of the petition
ers be rejected" and said the occasion. his mo-
ton was to reject the prayer of the memoralists,
and thus to decide promptly that slavery ought not
to he abolished within the District of Columbia He
had made the strongest motion he could make con-
sistenr with the right Of petition, and the respect