Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-01-31
An American Letter from Hon. Jacob
Broom.
HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVES,, U. s.,

nousk OF REPRESENTATIVES, u. S., Il
Washington, Jan. IA 1855.
MY DEAR SIN: Intending to comply with your
| invitation on behalf Of the committee of the Ma
honal American Club to attend their festival and
ball on the 9Th instant / had made every arrange
ment to be absent few days from my public du
ties here, when, on the 9th instant / was by tele
graphic despatch, summoned most Unexpectedly
to the bedside of my dying mother. When /
reached home, / found that her existence here was
at an end, which fact together with my being
blocked up by Snow drifts on my return, will am
ply account for my failing TO make an earlier suit
able acknowledgment.
You will be pleased to convey to our national
brethren assurances of the sincere regret expert
enced in not being ablet to be with them on the in
teresting occasion of their festival.
The times are portentous Of evil and it well be-
| comes those who are national in their sentiments,
and patriotic in their attachment to the Confede-
racy, and to the glorious Union founded by our IA
theirs in true national spirit to unite themselves
in association, and by all proper means, to eyince
the unison of their devotion to the great landmarks
OF our national existence.
Irejoice to witness the fact that the people in
the North are not wholly sectional in their politi-
cal aims, and do sincerely hope that, in their
suing elections, they may rebuke that spirit which
seeks to agitate the American mass, without any
other prospect under the San than to create jar
and discord and weaken the heart-ties which unite
us as one people. Indeed, am well satisfied that
in the patriotic reflection Of the people oursafety
nation exists and that in their action sectional
ism will be found, heretofore, confined to very
small minority. l cannot believe that the people
in the Northern States could ever sanction de-
termined effort to force upon the people Of the
Southern States, by the exercise of a sectional
power, any measure, (even the election of Speak
er of the House of Representatives deemed by
the latter TO be oppressive. They certainly will
not set themselves up to be wiser and more phi
lanthropic than were our fathers and, therefore,
it Is reasonably to be hoped that, nasmach as the
question of slavery Is now where they left it, Tex
cept the single act of lS50,) the present genera
ton will be governed by the same national spirit
by which their fathers were actuated and abide
by the compromises which they expected would be
observed In all future time
The agitation of the question is and must be
fruitless, except in the evil effect of arrayipg one
section ofthe country in hostility against the other.
Experience has taught us that party spirit viii not
permit compromises to remain in force, nor in its
present disregard Of them, can we expect that any
can be entered into. Therefore, the most ration
oil and patriotic means of getting rid of the subject
is to leave to all States hereafter to be admitted
the exercise of their unquestionable sovereignty
over the matter, and not to seek, by aly legisla-
tion to deprive men of the Southern States OF the
same right to visit and occupy the Territories Of
~,
enjoyed by men ofthe Northern States with theirs
The Territories are the common property of the
people of the United States, and to the people Of
neither section ought there to be allowed any
exclusive privileges. .al
Do not let me be misunderstood / am not an
advocate of slavery. On the contrary, I most
deeply regret its existence at all upon our soil
But, opposed to it as am, in all the depth of my
nature, deem it beyond my reach, without dis
tlrbuO the Con afitutau and TTp;n and
dangering the peace and tranquility of our posteri-
ty. For the sake of the Union, and our own Free
dom, am ever ready and willing to surrender all
other questions of policy and philanthropy, and
proud to do so when am conscious that I stand
upon the national platform Of the noble fathers OF
our republic, and am struggling, in patriotic spirit,
to maintain and abide by their action and agree
ment
But do not concede to others greater share
of philanthropy than possess myself feel as
much concerned for the condition of the free blacks
OF the North, as they feel for the slaves of the
South. / am unwilling that, after being liberated
from slavery, they should be left to suffer all the
miseries OF destitution and want, entirely unknown
to those who are the property of Others and which
results from the fact that foreigners are permitted
to supersede them in the labor of those free States
So vast and extensive has been, for many years.
the immigration to our shores of the destitute of
other nations, that not only the white but also the
| colored have been edged out of employment and
| even precluded from the benefits and advantages
Of the eleemosynary institutions of our country.
| would, therefore, most emphatically impress
| different phase of philanthropy upon those who
seem to think that the possible extension of slave
ry is the only greatest evil to be apprehended-
philanthropic consideration for our descendants ;
philanthropy for the suffering condition of our
| own countrymen; the continuance Of philanthrop-
| c action towards those free colored men of fhe
North, upon whom the work of philanthropy, by
the abolition Of slavery in the States is not hall
done; or, II considered completed is no phan.
thropy at all; and, finally, philanthropy for all
mankind, by an earnest, close, and vigilant deyo-
ton to the institutions of Republican Freedom, as
founded by the valorous and wise men of the
struggling period of'76--the last hope of monar-
/ chy-ridden mankind.
/ But It has been urged as impolitic in me, in a
personal point Of view, so freely to express any
sentiments in the face of the Northern agitation on
the subject To this have but one answer, and
/ thatis that am an Americans national American
will allow no personal consideration to prompt
me, nor to interfere with what conceive to be a
| public duty. Such understand to be the position
| of every member Of your National Club, and that
each and every one is ready and willing, at all
times, to meet any sacrifice for the honor and con-
dition of our native land. We come not under the
appellation of Northern men with Southern prin.
ciples, but under that other prouder denomination
Of dDericdn men soih american pyincipLss--with
the motto our country, and nothing short of o,.r
phoLe country and up to the entire spirit and
letter of the glorious maxim of the immortal Web
ster, Liberty and Union, now and forever, one
and inseparablel"
With sentiments Of profound veneration for our
country and our cause, / am most truly,
Yours, &C., JACOB BRooM.
i III. v. LOWELL, Esq., Sec'y Com Invitation