Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-03-22

LETTER OF SAM'L CARUTHERS
TO HIS CONSTITUENTS,
eat position and the position Of parties.

Congressional career have never before
had occasion to especially address you by
letter. | have hitherto been content 20
rest upon the reasons for my action, de-
clared on the floor of the House, or stand
silently upon the record | 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 nation
al politics-the alarming isms now dis
tinctly formed in the country-the peril
that threatens the very existence Of our
institutions, and that solemn duty which
rests upon every representative who
would deal fairly with his people to de-
clare frankly his present positions and
his future intentions. should be un-
worthy of the high trusts you have con-
fided to my keeping-unworthy of the
kindness and confidence you have so gen
erously lavished upon Noteworthy of
my native State unworthy of the regard
of good men-if | should shrink from
the performance of this duty now.
We have had most exciting and
protracted struggle in the organization
of the House. | have voted uniformly
for the Democratic nominees for the
Speakership. For this | am charged
with the betrayal of the Wing party,
and with an abandonment of the princi-
pies upon which l was elected. And
who is it that makes these charges? Is
it the old-line Wings? | have not
heard of an old-line Wing either in my
district or elsewhere, who does not en-
dorse my course. These charges are
made by the Know-nothing press of my
State, and by anonymous nothing
scribblers, the latter of whom, never
having had an honest motive themselves,
have no conc anton of the thing in others.
They charge NE wiM betroying the W g
party! They who decoyed it into their
councils, and dssaSStnated It ia tie dark
they who come forth from their con-
claves with their hands dripping with its
blood---ttey who met at Philadelphia in
convention, and vauntingly proclaimed
its dedth-with a pharisaical affectation
of party, declare that they are not ore
SponsiUe for its obnoxious acts and Uio-
lated ptedges;," that it :" has eIerated sec
tional hostility into positiuc element Of
political power, and brought oT inStitu-
tions into peril" Yes; while / stand a
mourner at the grave of the Wing party,
they are rejoicing at its death and calum-
mating its life! Yet these men have
the unblushing hardihood to twit me
with abandonment of that once noble
party! Was ever impudence more 81
gantic and more absurd?
But it is sometimes softly and gently
whispered that the American party is
the Wing party in disguise. If this is
so, they have solemnly declared a LIE in
their conventions, and it is a cheat and
fraud upon the Democrats in the order
So they hare either abandoned their party
and have no right to abuse me, or arc
engaged in fraud which makes Hei,
abuse a compliment ] tell these gentle
men that they have slain my first tore
and left me political 'cidorer and
have perfect right to marry another
party if | see proper!
l am charged with having abandoned
the principles upon which / was elected
Docs not every man in my district know
that the Kansas-Nebraska question wa,
the controlling issue in my last canvass
Does not every man know that it was
my position on this issue that gave mt
my, large majority in a Democratic
district? Does not every man know
that I obtained as many Democratic votes
as / did Wing votes? Does not every
man know that | declared my principles
in speech delivered in the House o
Representatives on the 7th of April
1854? To stop the mouths of my accu
sers / will give an extract from tina
speech. ] said then, speaking of tn,
Kansas-Nebraska bill, that
81 will not pause long to dwell upor
its party effect; for, in my judgment
the questions involved override all party
considerations. 1t is true this bill il
presented to us as an administration mea
sure. 1t Is true that ! am here as ;
Wing; but | am not here to give thii
administration factious opposition. =
| am not here to oppose any measure
brought forward by it, merely because j
is brought forward by it. | am here
uncommitted to blind opposition or {
blind support, to follow to the end thu
dictates of my own judgment and con
science, and the will Of those who sen
me.
q In this instance ! believe that Tho
administration has taken high nationa
ground that it has planted itself upon
great American principle-the principle
of self-goyenment--a principle involved
in none Of our party issues-a principle
dearer than any party considerations
principle upon which all sound nationa
men of all parties may meet and stand
as upon ground alike cherished and alike
dear. 1t was this principle engrafted in
the compromises of 1850 that commend.
ed them so warmly to the American
heart; it was this principle which was
ratified by both parties in their conven-
tions at Baltimore. and it is for this
principle | speak to-day.
"Sir, this is no war between the ad.
ministration and its opponents no wal
between Wings and Democrats as such
but, disguise il as you may, it is wal