Washington sentinel., 1856-08-02
Hon. y. ID. Drtght's Letter.
TO the great Democratic mass nseetiagat Indian
apolis on the l7th July.
WAsHrScroN, July IL, 1856.

WAshiNOIcNi July IL, 1000.
DEAR SIR: have seen Senators Cass, Doug
las, and Brown, and Representative Cobb, Of
Georgia, and sgreeably to your request, have
invited them in behalf Of the State Central
Committee" to attend the mass meeting of our
friends at Indianapolis on the I7th instant. Mr..
Cobb has assured me that he would be present.
but the other gentlemen feel that they cannot,
consistently with their pressing duties here, be
absent for the length of time such visit would
necessarily require, and they beg to be excused.
For myself, nothing would afford me more plea
sure than to unite on the occasion with the
democracy of our State in ratifying the nomi-
nations of that experienced and profound states.
man, James Buchanan, for President, and the
equally worthy and gifted young son Of Ken
lucky, John c. Breckenridge, for Vice Presi.
dent, but my official engagements here are of
such character as to forbid my leaving at this
time.
avail myself, however, Of the opportunity to
say to you, and to the mass gathering of our
friends, and TO my constituents generally, that
so soon as my duties here will permit, shall
hasten home with the intention of visiting as
many counties as time will allow, and holding
converse with the people, face to face, on the
absorbing questions of the day. If there ever
was a time when the constituent and his rep
resentative should be brought close together to
commune with each other freely, tits the present
The systematic effort that is being made to
array one section ofour country against another
upon purely local question, and to infame the
worst passions Of men by misrepresentation
and falsehood, is calculated to alarm those who
love the Union and desire its perpetuity. Against
the dangers Of sectionalism we were early
warned by the Father of his Country; yet the
tendency of the public mind for the past few
years, led on by men sometimes designing, and
always fanatical, has been toward that result,
until now we see for the first time in the
history of our country, formidable sectional
party, presenting sectional candidates for the
highest Offices in the nations gift, and basing
their claims to election upon purely sectional
grounds. 1t is appalling to contemplate the
consequences which mustresult from the success
of such party; for it can end in nothing less
thar the jismemberment of that glorious Union
the work of our revolutionary patriots-the
bequest of our revolutionary sires-to which
we are indebted for our security ut home and
our consideration and dignity abroad.
The Union had its origin in the wants and
necessities of the whole people and Of the
several States, and every year Of its existence
has afforded fresh proofs of its utility and its
blessings. Under its benign influences, agri-
culture, commerce-every industrial pursuit
have hourished in an unparalleled degree and
we have grown, in the short period of three
quarters of century, from an inconsiderable
power to be one of the mightiest nations of the
world. One might well pause to consider
whether it would be wise to throw all these
advantages away for the very illusory, unsub
stantial gains which sectionalism will furnish
For myself, 81 have not" in the language of
the immortal Webster, "coolly weighed the
chances of preserving liberty when the bonds
that unite US together shall be broken asunder.
have not accustomed myself to hang over
the precipice of disunion to see whether, with
my short sight, can fathom the depth Of the
abyss below; nor could regard him as safe
counsellor in the affairs of this Government
whose thoughts should be mainly bent on con-
sidering, not how the Union should be best
preserved, but how tolerable might be the
condition of the people when it shall be broken
up, and destroyed. While the Union lasts we
have high, exciting, gratifying prospects spread
out before US, for US and our children. Be-
yond that / seek not to penetrate the veil.
God grant in my day, at least, that curtain
may not rise. God grant that on my vision
never may be opened what lies behind. When
time, the sun in heaven, may not see him
shining on the broken and dishonored frag-
ments of once glorious Union-on States
discovered, dscordant belligerent-on q laud
rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may be,
in fraternal blood. Let their last feeble and
lingering glance rather behold the gorgeous
ensign OF the republic, now known and honored
throughout the earth, still full high advanced,
its arms and trophies streaming in their orgi-
nal lustre, not a stripe erased or polluted, nor
single star obscured, bearing for its motto
no such miserable interrogatories as /" What is
all this poyth nor those other words of de-
lusion and folly, Liberty first and Union qf
teroards; but everywhere, spread all over in
characters of living light, blazing on all its
ample folds as they aoat over the sea and over
the land, and in every wind under the whole
heavens, that other sentiment, dear to every
American heart, LIBERTY AND UNION, NOW
AND FOREVER, ONE AND ISsEPARARLE."
A firm believer in mans capacity for self
government, will not allow myself to suppose
that the people OF Indiana, hitherto devoted to
the Union, will become so blind and led away
by passion and prejudice, as to be willing TO
hazard the stability of a government that has
afforded them SO much Of security and pros
perity, for the sake Of removing supposed
evil that exists without their borders and with
which, politically, they have no concernment.
will rather believe that they will adopt and
adhere to those true principles-on which
alone can this community Of States be lasting
that the people Of each State and Territory
shall be left free to regulate their own domes-
tic concerns in their own way, subject ouly to
the Constitution of the United States. In this
way, each community attending to its own
affairs and leaving others to do the same, we
may look forward with confidence to long years
of continued growth in everything that makes
a nation prosperous, happy, and great. But
if, instead Of this, each community shall under
take to decide, not only what is for its own
good, but what is for its neighbors also, then,
indeed, shall "we have fallen upon evil times"
and the days of the Union may be said to be
already numbered.
have not the time now to elaborate these
views, but If shall have the pleasure Of meet
ing my fellow.citizens through the summer
will attempt it then.
Mr.. Buchanan is eminently national man,
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