Washington telegraph., 1856-05-14

garQ 20 the "tecuQaI 4uoAsusAoAs anu
General Pierce's Views Concerning the
Same.
Perhaps no feature of the opposition
which is urged against our candidates,-
our opponents can only attack our platform
by vague generalities, which refer not at all
to its real nature and provisions lis the
avidity with which they seize upon and
make public, letter which MIR. FILL
MORE wrote eighteen years ago. When Mr.
Fillmore wrote the letter referred to, and
gave the answer therein contained, which
is deemed so very Objectionable, he reserv-
ed to himself the following declaration,
as unmistakable and overwhelming testl-
mony, that in acting In whatever matters he
might be called on to participate In, where
rights, general OF particular, were concern
ed, he would act with due regard to whatev-
er legal or constitutional principles might
be involved in the premises. And that testi-
mony is good at the present day. 1t tisper-
feet, unimpeachable, and cannot be rebuff
ted. He added to the extract from his Erie
letter, which, in its garbled condition, is
given to the public through the columns
of the supporters of Pierce, Douglas and
other prominent aspirants to the Presi-
dency:
81 would, however, take this occasion to
say, that, in thus fTankky giuing nay
opsasiou, l would not desire to haze 1t
understood I'm The nature Of q pledge
At the same time that / seek no disguis-
es but freely give my sentiments on any
subject of interest to those for whose suf-
frages [ am candidate, am opposed to
giving any pledges that shall derrice me
hereafter of au discretionary pos0er.-
NV own character must be the guarantee
for the general correctness of my legisla-
tive department Ga every important
subject, I am bound 10 dcLiberate before
I act. and, especially, as legislator, to
possess myself Of al tie antormatiOn,
and listen TO erery srsunse7at that can
be adduced by nsy associates, before I
;giUe final rote If | stand pledged to
a particular course of action | cease to be
a responsible agent, but [ become a mere
machine. Should subsequent events show
beyond all doubt, that the course had be-
come pledged to pursue was rulnous to
my constituents and d.sg:aceful to myself,
L have no alternative, no opportunity for
repentance, and there is no power to alb
solve me from my obligation. Hence the
impropriety, not to say absurdity, in my
view, of giving pledge.
[ am aware that you have not asked any
pledge, and | believe | know your sound
Judgment and good sense too well to think
you desire any such thing. 1t was, how
ever, to prevent any Misrepresentation on
the part of others, that have felt it my
duty to say thus much on this subject" +"
And at thss early period Of his politi-
cal career, surrounded as he was by infu-
enees, which, to him, indulging in honor
able aspirations for distinction among his
fellow-men, would, had be been less pure,
patriotic, constitutional and honest than
he is, have demanded and received from
him an unconditional surrender of his
right to think, and an acquiescence in
views and measures which he never failed
signally to rebuke while President, he but
foreshadowed that lofty integrity Of pur-
,. pose and soundness of character which,
at this day, makes him the most distin-
guished man in the whole Union He,
intelligently considering the case before
him, doubted the constitutionality Of mea-
sures which his friends and admirers ex-
pected him to support. He, grown ripe
in years, and elevated by the respect and
confidence of the people to the proudest
political eminence on earth, vindicated
himself in the judgment of the people
and from all forced suspicion and idle i'm
| putations, by recognizing, as paramount
to his former personal views and the at
tempted policy of a powerful party, the
r constitution in Its purity, the obligations
2 imposed by the constitution, and every
measure framed from those obligations
upon which he was called upon to pass
= his opinion, or sanction as the Chief Ex-
ecutive of the nation. Who can gainsay
these assertions? The history of the
r country, and the record of his Admins,
, tration prove them true-and every feeble
effort of the opposition to disprove them
only makes the contrast between his bright
and glorious career, and their outrageous
endeavors to darken its record and calum-
Mate him, the more evident, to the un-
prejudiced examiner of the facts in the
case.
r But if statesmen are to be judged Of
their sOundness or unsoundness upon the
question of slavery, by an appeal to what
ever personal opinions they may have at
any time expressed, we opine that the
remarks from President PIERCE, which
we present below to our readers, especial
ly when received in connection with some
of the most prominent and conspicuous acts