Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-08-30
r.t.er from Hon. Rufus Ch0ate to the Wings
Wings Of Maine.

Att from HON. HUIU8s CHD6tS ~ INC " nap
Wings of Maine.
The Wings of Maine held mass meeting in the
town Of Watervle, recentlg The Hon. kulu 1s
(,hoate was invited to be- being unable
to attend, he sent the following letter. in which ne
ayows his attention 70 vote for Mr.. Buchanan
,BosToN, Aug. 8, 1856.
GENTLEMEN: Upon nv return last evening" after
short absence from the city, found your letter OF
the 30th ult, inviting me to take part In the pro-
ceedings of the Wings of Maine, assembled IN mass
meeting.
appreciate most highly the honor and kindness
of this invitation, and should nave nao true peasu.e
in acceptine it. The Wings of Maine composed at
ali times so important division of the great nation
nj marty. which under that name, with or without
official power, as responsible administration or as
only an organized opinion, has done so much Tor
eur country-our whole country-and your resPon-
sibilties at this moment are vast and peculiar,
that acknowledge an anxiety to see-not wait to
bear-with what noble bearing you meet the de-
Inands of the time If the tried legions, to whom
it is committed to guard the frontier of the Union,
falter now, who, any where, can be trusted?
Ny engagements, however, and the necessity or
expediency of abstainng from all speech requiring
much effort will prevent my being with you. And
vet invited to share in your counsels and grateful
for such distinction, can not wholly decline to de-
clare my opinions on one of the duties of the Wings
in what you we'll describe as the present crisis in
the political affairs of the country" can not now'
and need not, pause to elaborate or defend them-
What think, and what have decided to do, permit
me in the briefest and planest expression to tell
you.
The first duty, then, of Wings not merely as pa,
triots and as citizens-loving, with large and
equal love our whole native land-but as Wings,
and because we are Whigs is to unite with some
organization of our countrymen to defeat ana as
publican. This is our first duty. 1t would more
exactly express my opinion to say, that at this mo-
ment it is our only duty. Certainly, at least 1t
comprehends or suspends all others, ana IN my
Judgment the question for each and every one OF US
is. not whether this candidate or that candidate
would be our first choice; not whether there is some
good talk in the worst platform, and some bad talk
in the best platform; not whether this mans amb-
ton or that mans servility or bodness, or tanat
cism or violence is responsible for putting the wild
waters in this uproar-but just this-by what vote
can do most to prevent the madness OF the times
from working its maddest act-the very ecstacy OF
its madness-the permanent formation and the ac-
tual present triumph of party which knows one
half of America only to hate and dread it; from
whose unconsecrated and revolutionary banner Ill
teen stars are erased or have falien-in whose ma
tonal anthem the old and endeared airs OF the Eutaw
Springs, and the Kings Mountain, and 1orktown'
and those later of New Orleans, and Buena vista,
and Chapultepec, breathe no more. To this duty,
to this question: all others to me to stand for
the present postponed and secondary.
And why? Because, accor ding to our creed,i
is only the united America which can peacefully,
gradually safely improve, lift up and bless with all
social and personal and civil blessings all the races
and all the conditions which compose our vast and
various family-it is such an America, only, whose
arm can guard our flag, develop our resources, ex-
tend our trade, and fill the measure OF our glory
and because, according to our convictions, the trl-
umph of such party puts that Union in danger.
That is my reason. And for you, and for Inc, and
{or oil af rhncnr cards no nj
such a value and to whose fears it seems menaced
by such danger, it is reason enough. Believing
the noble ship of state to be within half cables
length of lee shore of rock, in gale of wind our
first business is to put her about and to crowd her
off into the deep open That done, we can reg
ulate the stowage of her lower tier of powder, and
select her cruising ground and bring her officers to
-court-martial at our leisure.
If there are any in Maine-and among the Wings
of Maine, hope there is not one-but if there are
any, in whose hearts strong passions, vaultng am
bition, jealousy of men OF sections, unreasonlng
and Impatient philanthropy, or whatever else have
turned to hate GOODNESS the fraternal blood, and
suenched the spirit of national life at its source;
with whom the union of the slave States and free
States under the actual constitution is curse,
hindrance, reproach; with those of course our
view of our duty and the of it, are stumb-
ling block and foolshness. To such you can have
nothing to say, and from such you can have nothing
to hope But if there are those again who love the
Union We love it. and prize it as we prize it who
regard it as do, not merely vast instrument
talty for the protection of our commerce and navi
CATION; and for achieving power, eminence and name
among the sovereigns of the EARTH but means of
improving the material lot and cevating the moral
and mental nature, and ensurng the personal hap
pness of the millions of many distant generations
If there are those who think thus justly of it-and
yet hug the fatal deusion that because it is good it
is necessarily immortal; that it will thrive without
care; that anything created by mans will is above
or stronger than his will; that because the
and virtues of our age of reason and virtue could
build it, the passions and stimulations of day of
such phrenzy cannot pull it down if such there
among you, to them address yourselves with all the
earnestness and all the eloquence of men who feel
that some greater interest is at stake and some
mghtier cause in hearing, than ever yet tongue has
pleaded or trumpet proclaimed. If such minds and
hearts are reached, all is safe. But how spacious
and how manifold are the sophisms by which they
are courted!
They hear and they read much ridicue of those
who fear that geographical party does endanger
the Union. But can they forget that our greatest
wisest, and most hopeful statesmen have always felt
and have all, in form another, left record
their own fear, Of such party? The judgments of
Washington, Madison. Clay, Webster, on the dam
gers of the American Union-are they worth moth
ing to conscientious love of it? What they dread
ed as remote and improbable contngency-that
against which they cautioned as they thoug ht, dis
tant generations-hat they were so happy as to die
without seeng-is upon us. And yet some men
would have US go on laughing and singing, like the
traveller in the satire, with his pockets empty, at
present peril, the mere apprehension of which, as a
distant and bare possibility, could sadden the heart
of the Father of his country, and dictate the
and grand warning of the Farewell Address.
They hear men say that such a party ought not
to endanger the Union that, although it happened
to be formed within one geographical section, and
confined exclusively to it; although its ends and
aims are to rally that section against the ether on
question of morals policy and feeling on which the