The true Democrat., 1856-03-25
Letter From Hon Samuel Caruth
 CTS, of Missouri

fUt o| p07tleS.
 To MY CONSTITUENTS: During my short Congressional career, have never before had occasion to especially address you by letter. l have hitherto been content to rest upon the ! reasons for my action, declared on the floor of the House, or stand silently upon the record 3 had made by my votes.
 The reasons for doing so now arise from the breaking down of the old wall which divided
 parties-the new elements which have been mingled into our national politcs-the alarm ing isnas now distinctly formed in the country , the peril that threatens the very existence of eur institutions, and that solemn duty which rests upon every representative who would deal fairly with the people, to declare, frankly, his present positions and future intentions. 1 should be unworthy of the high trusts you have conhded to my keeping-unworthy of the kind ness and confidence you have so generously lavished upon me-unworthy of my native State-unworthy of the regard of good men, if 1 should shrink from the performance of this duty now.
 We have had a most exciting and protracted struggle in the organization of the House. 1 have voted uniformly for the democratic nomi- nees for the speakership For this 1 am charged with the betrayal of the whig party, and with an abandonment of the principles upon W hich was elected. And who is it that makes these charges? Is it the old-line whgs? 1 have not heard of an oldAine whig, either in my district or elsewhere who does not endorse my course. These charges are made by the Know Nothing press of my State, and by anon ymous Know Nothing scrlbblers the latter of whom never having had an honest motive themselves have no conception of the thing in others THEY charge ME aoitb betraying the a0hig partyi They, who decoyed it into their councils, and assassinated n sn the dark-they, who come forth from their concaves with their hands dripping with its blood-tey, who met at Philadelphia in convention, and vauntlngly pro- claimed its death-with pharisaical atfectation of party, declare that they are not irresponsible
 or its obnoxious acts and vtolated pledges;" that it has 'eleuated sectional hostility into postive element cf political poaoer, and broogt our institutions into peril.'' Yes, while l stand mourner at the grave of the whig party, they are rejoicing at its death and calumniating its life! Yet these men have the unbushing har- dihood to t,oat me with abandonment of that once noble party! Was ever impotence more gigantic and more absurd
 But 1t is sometimes softly and gently whis- pered that the American party is the whig party in disguise. If this is so, they have so-
 emnly declared he in their conventions, and it is a cheat and .fraud upon the democrats in the order. So H.ey haUe either abandoned ttejr party, and have no right to abuse me, or are engaged in fraud which makes ule5r G6Use compliment. l tell these gentlemen that they have slain msy first toue. and left me political tcld0loer; and l have perfect rlght to marry another party if 1 see proper!
 1 am charged with having abandoned the principles upon which 1 was elected. Does not every man in my district know that the Kansas Nebraska question was the controlling issue in my last canvass? Does not every man know that it my position on this issue that gave me my large majority in democratic dis trict? Does not every man know that 1 ob- tained as many democratic votes as l did whig votes? Does not every man know that l de- clared my principles, in speech delivered in the House of Representatives, on the 7th of April, 1854? To stop the mouths oi my accu- sers 1 will give an extract from that speech said then, speaking of the kansas-N ebraSka bill, that
 | I will not pause long to dwell upon its par ty effect; for, in my opinion, the questions in volved override all party considerations. It Is true, this bill is presented to Us an adminis- tration measure. It is true that 1 am here as whig; but am not here to give this administra- oPPOo4NlOAi oppose any measure brought forward by it. l am here, uncommitted to blind opposition or blind support, to follow to the end the die tates of my own judgment and conscience, and the will of those who sent me.
 In this instance 1 believe the admlnistra- ton has taken high national ground; thatit has planted itself upon great American principle the principle of self government; principle involved in none of our party issues; principle dearer than any party considerations; prlncl- pie upon which all sound national men of all parties may meet and stand, as upon ground alike cherished and alike dear It was this principle ingrafted in the compromises of 1850, that commended them warm y to the Ame rican heart; it was this principle which was rat fled by both parties in their conventions at Baltimore, and it is for this principle that l speak to day.
 "Sir, this is DO war between the administra- ton and its opponents-no war between wings and democrats as such; but disguise 1t as you may, d is C aoor bet,0een .treesoliisn1 on tue one ham, and the right of tue people to se.goUernnoent 1 on He0tler."
 Upon these declarations went into the can vass. 1 was elected then, declaring that the princir les of the Ka sas Nebraska bill "acere dearer than ony 2arty considerations ns'--"a prln- cipye upon aohict aU good naen cf al parties might meet and sarad as upon ground alike cherished and alike deor;" that they "oUerride aN party consid erations" Being thus elected, when 1 came to cast my first vote for Speaker, I found that neither the "South Americans nor the black republicans had laid down any platform-they were fqhting sby, runninq Uith margin. The democrats had a platform, and it was this: 1 "Resolued That the democratic members of the House of Representatives, though in a tenn porarv minority in this body, deem this fit occasion to tender to their fellow citizens of the whole Union their heartfelt congratulations on the triumph in the recent elections ln several of the northern eastern, and western, as well as southern States, of the principles of the Kansas N ebraska bill, and the doctrines of civil and religious liberty, which have been so vlo- lently assailed by secret political order known as the Know Nothing party. And, although III minority, we hold it to be our highest duty to preserve our organization, and continue our ef- | forts in the maintenance and defense of those principles, and the constitutional rights of every section and every class of citizens, against their opponents of every description, whether the so-cailed republicans, Know Nothings, or fusionists: and to this end we look with con- fdence to the support and appreciation of all good and true men-friends of the constitution and Union throughout the country"
 It will be seen that there are only two blanks in this platform. The one, in favor of the principles of the Kansas N ebraska bill-tne very principles upon which ] was re-elected,- and the other against the proscriptiveness of Know Nottingham. Bear in mind the fact that when was elected, there were no Know Nothings in my district-that l was not one. And now, may I not ask, if there Is single honest and intelligent man in my district who believes that have abandoned the principles upon which was elected ?" Or if, in view of these facts here is any one, but an intentional calunaniator, who will ever again assert it?
 Again: It is said that I should have voted for Henry M. Fuller for Speaker-that he was good enough pro-slavery man; for Kennett, Lindley and Porter voted for him; and there cAxA q sor,n uise nnlitical teachers, arnna thnt