Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-05-21

Todd) continued to vote for me during the next
thirteen ballots; and then commenced with a ma
j0rity of our delegation to vote for the present
Speaker, and had voted for a week before / ad,
dressed the House, and was followed by his extra
ordinary declaration. had no previous acquaint-
ance with my colleague met him here for the
first time, and he viii do the justice to say, that
in 10 interview of ours had announced any senti-
ment or opinion different from that at the meet
ing stated. ---.
had said-no more in the House than had said
to him out OF 1t. and after which be continued bis
support of me- yet he rose in his place, and made
that most remarkable speech, preferns mutilation
and physical Acknowledgement to the dread alternative
of having voted for me.
had hoped that with the close Of the contest
the necessity Of further explanation had ceased also
But gentlemen, from some real or supposed necesv
sity OF their own, have felt themselves called W on
to inquire into my past history. A convenient iB-
strument at home found ready and willing, as
a volunteer, to stretch drsg.net over my State
and district, TO ascertain if in the unsuspecting
rankness of private correspondence, or in the con
hdence personal friendship bad not written OF
said something which might be employed to my
prejudice. His ''patient search and vigil long, was
rewarded by the discovery of an ancient manuscript
now widely known as the Saxton letter. ! ind N.Y.
self charged here, by the public press and in var
Gus letters addressed by congressional gentlemen
on the 18th day of August, ls49, to one B. f. Sax
ton soliciting the Freesoil nomination for Canal
Commissioner of Pennsy lvans, declaring myself to
be "a Wimot-proViso man up to the hub, and ut-
terly opposed to the extension of slavery"
This letter pronounce here publicy-as have
done elsewhere privately-G forgery / do not
know, and never knew, any by the name of
| B. +. Saxton. / did know a Mr.. F. Saxton, law
yer in my district to whom did write private let
ter in reply to one received from him. This letter,
according to Mr.. Saxton's own statement which
have here was stolen from his possession, fraudu-
lenty altered, and then Published. So far from
Letting Freesol nomination, as am charged with
having done, the particular object of my letter
to induce MIR. Saxton to exert himself to prevent
any nomination, whatever, and the language ascrib
ed to me, of being Vilmot-proviso man up to the
| hub nowhere appeared in the letter. This letter,
| thus surrepttousy obtained, and by some person
| to me unknown, was reconstructed by putting toe
gether half sentences and the manufacture of whole
| ones; and thus, reproduced was pamed upon the
| public. The fraud was exposed at the time and it
sunk of itself into years Obivion-for all this
happended seven years ago, and, TO my knowledge,
has not been alluded to since, until month or two
| ago, bitter and INSCRIPTIONS enemy at home re-
| issued it genuine.
have here Mr.. Saxton's letter, written at the
time OF It's publication stating the theft and pro.
! nouncing the published letter to be forgery.
| have the letter of gentleman who my letter
! before il mailed, and have letter from gen.
1 tlemen who saw it after it was received. But to
complete the proof, and to clinch this fasehoOd
and quiet it forever. / have, most fortunately in
my own handwriting copy of my letter to Mr.
Saxton. These letters the hour allowed me will
not permit me to read, but they shall 60 forth with
| the publication of my remarks.
| l. of course, exonerate honorable gentlemen here
who have made of this letter from all knowledge
:. - A..
the original letter, in my handwriting and over my
signature, is here for exhibition in case of my
denial Of the authenticity of the published letter.
That letter surreptitiously obtained from Mr.. Sax
ton is, doubtlessly, in the possession of some per
son who could, and would be, willing to produce it,
if it will sustain the allegation made | here, and
4 now, challenge its production Let it be brought
forth, and it will prove the one published to be a
! forgery. | here and now deny its authorship, de-
nounce it as a forgery, and defy its production.
now come to the next charge in the bill CT in
dctment against me, which is that on the 29th day
| OF September, l849, made a speech in Allegheny
City, in which l declared that it was the duty OF
northern ito insist the earliest practical alb
clifton of slavery" / deny the utterance of any
such sentiment. The facts these: | then
a candidate for Canal Commissioner, and did address
a meeting 10 that city at the time stated. / re-
member it well. 1t at night in the market
house There was a large crowd and much shout
ing. Some lovers Ofmschiei sprung a cry of fire.
which disturbed and came near breaking up the
meeting. The good people, with that instructive
OF preservation of self and property natural to
US all, began TO separate; the alarm, however prov
ed to be false one, order restored, and pro-
ceeded to the end Of our speech. There were nc
reporters present, nor any accommodation for them
so far as / saw. The following day / remember to
have what purported to have been a report Of
my speech, but in language and sentiment much
stronger than any had uttered that really did
not recognize it; aud remarked as well as remem.
ber this fact TO the publisher of one of.he journals
in which the report appeared. He informed me
that it had been written out from memory, and moi
from notes taken at the meeting. II / know my,
SELF have never entertained or expressed any sen
tment in favor OF northern interference, to secure
the abolition of slavery
So far from uttering sentiments hostile 10 the
South, and endeavoring to excite an uniayorable
sentiments to it in the North, have always advo
Gated the cultivation of good feelings aud kindly
relations between the two sections Of the Union
That did so, at tins particular time, have the
strongest assurance for, on examination ofmy note,
prepared for my addresses in Allegheny CITY
and Pittsburg, find myself TO have held the fol.
lowing language: II believe, among our brethren Of
the South, there is as high sense of honor a.
noble spirit OF patriotism, much Of self-sacrifc.
ing devotion to country, is TO be found any where
/ cherish with pride the recolections of our early
history. | believe in a strict adherence to all com
promises Of the Constitution. The Constitution re.
cognizes slavery, and guarantees its existence
That Constitution was itself compromise, made a
time when an Independents existence could moi
have been secured without it. / say, then, If the
people of the South are still disposed to cherish
this institution, let them Il is their right to do So
These were my views Of constitutional duty then
as they now are. That expressed myself adyers,
to slavery shall not deny | may nave expressed
/ myself strongly on that subject but not in language
OF reproach towards the South. | may hav,
said, and would say now, with Henry Clay, 9Th,
Searcber of all hearts knows that every pusaton o
my mind beats high and strong in the cause Of civil
liberty. Wherever it is safe and practicable de
sire TO every portion Of the human family in tn,
enjoyment OF IT, But prefer the liberty ofmy owl
country to that Of any other people, and the liberty
of my own TO that Of any other" True il is
/ am Pennsy lvanian-ready, trust 10 do BATH,
in her behalf l am northern man, sharing th,
opinions aud sentiments of my people, and ready
70 contend for my section; but in relation 10 nv feI
low-eitizens in other parts Of the country, | vii
treat their feelings with respect and make no wa
upon their constitutional or legal rights. In time
past, and 10 the ardoF of Controversy. NAV. with
out reflection, have expressed myself in a manns-
which cooler judgment would condemn. / had theI
no expectation thas anti-sIavery agitation wou,
erect itself into formidable element for politica
power. Nothing could have been further from N,
thoughts tnan that which has since taken place
and is now being realized-shas efforts should 81
far succeed in creating belief that there is such
a real difference Of local interests and views TO or
ganizs any considerable party upon biographies
basis. Errors of opinion have doubtless enter
tanned and expressed upon many subjects VIII
has not? have no such pride Of consistency, N
such obssinancy OF opinion as Sould induce me u
cling to mistaken views, and refuse to embrace th
truth when persuaded that ha1been In the wrong
1 Standing amidst the mist Of former errcrs, we ma
well exciaim with Ajax, when battling in ID
| cloud
"Dispel this cloud, the light Of Heaven restore
Give me 70 see and AjaX asks no morel"
But i am charged with having an "Obiivious