The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-10-22
Letter from Hon. John McQueen.
PINEwooD CorrArE. near J
nnettsvil'e, Sept. 10Th 1856.

Bennettsvil'e, Sept. goth 1856.
GENTLEMEN: II had the honor TO re.
ceive your kind invitation to the Brooks
80 Dinner on the 3rd proximo, and would
he greatly more than gratifed, were it in
my power to be present, as well to con.
tribute my mite in doing honor to your
distinguished Representative, as to form
the acquaintance and enjoy the well
known hospitality OF his generous constit.
nents; but l am denied the pleasure by
circumstances too urgent to be well over.
come, After an absence of nearly 10
months at Washington, with a recent ex.
enrsion among portion of my friends
anu constituents, | am but for few days
at home, where find = large proportion
OF my fields swept by freshet, and nv
private interests greatly impaired must
therefore, deny myself the pleasure, |
would otherwise so highly enjoy. We'll
may you, however, thus GO honour to Your
Representative, who has trumphanty sus.
tanned and vndicated your honour, with a
head, heart and hand, that should not
only endear him to YOU and to Lis Stale.
but to every Southron, whose impulses
are true to the memory of his ancestors.
and TO the land that gave him birth.
When his State and his venerable and
distinguished relative, than whom. no no.
bier spirit, or truer heart, ever adorned
the counsels of our once happy confedcra-
cy; were ruthessly assai!ed with an assas
sin like slanaer at the hands of crazy
and libellous fanatic, your Representative
at the right time, in the right place, and
IN the right manner, administered to him
an argument, the only kind in my judg.
ment, that will now avail against impu
dent, arrogant and mad fanaticism. that
regards no truth, no right, no Justice. no
honour, no law or compact; And when
the lire OF black fanatical fury and revenge
were kindied around him at the hands of
an unscrupulous majority, and the shaft of
PERSONAL fnsult, WAS teebly attempted TO
be hurled at him, he met it with firm.
ness, and repelled it with promptness
that would 10 honor to Roman, as they
well entitle him to the admiration of eve.
Iy one who is at all endowed with true
feelings ot manliness the duty could have
fallen in no better hands.
We lave arrived at period in the af
talrs OF this Republic as portentous AS it
Is trying and insulting to the South, and
!hose, even, who DO not wish to, NAV as
well understandit. Ambition has looned
up with progress and rapidi,y, recently.
that those of us who were most apprchen-
sive, were scarcely prepared to witness -
It's now strong and arrogant enough, to
control the most numerous branch of Con.
gress, TO elect speaker who would not
decide whether we, or our negroes are the
superior race-to clog the wheels of the
Federal Government, at will-to engage
IN open rebellion and war, aud murder
our trends for daring to claim equality in
the Territories purchased with our monev
and our blood, and more Than all. t, nom.
mate an ordinary Lieutenant of the army
tor President Of the United States, with.
out even desiring or asking the co.opera.
ton OF single Southern State, with the
determination, to subduc tue South below
the condition of province, to DESTROY
her honour and rights, and ultimately, to
reduce us TO equality with our slaves, and
authopze them to claim, (as now by Law
In Massachusetts, TO associate in our
families and marry our children. If,hev
succeed in this elec,ion,I trust all will agree
wit',me that the Union is dissolved and
ought 10 de diSSOLred, for there can no
longer be union OF interest, cf RIGHT. of
property, Of sentiment, of honour or equal.
Ity, and the election Of Fremont will pro.
claim 1t 10 the world. Should Buchanan
be elected, the Union may survive for
time, and possibly be preserved, provided
Democrats be Democrats and Statesmen
maintain their position and administer the
government according 10 their professions
and the Constitution, and look, much less
to Offices and plumber. In my judgement
the year 1860, in any event, will settle
the matter, and | think it our duty to
await the result Of The pending election
watch web the signs of the times, and he
prepared to act as becomes meu capable
OF approaching their rights and honour,
and With the spirit to maintain them AT
any aud every cost. If forced by the
North into Southern Confederacy, |
have no gloomy apprehensions either for
our honour, our happiness or the instita-
tion Of slavery. Indeed in view of tho
fate OF the Roman Republic and the his
tory Of our own Government to the pres
ent moment, / am doubling more and
more, that n republic can well exist with
out the institution of slavery. A very
large proportion oc the North constitutes
now but mad fanatical rabLle, with all
the wicked isms of which man can con.
.ceive--repudiaring God, the Bible, the
Jaw, marital rights or the constitution,
and II were not for tho extraordinary
extent Of territory in which their wicked.
3ess may be diluted, and The conserva-
ton OF the South, they would ere this,
have been consumed by the Internal fires
Of their own denominations. Truly NAV
u De SAID OF them, with all proper hon.
durable excepiions) those whom God
yoold destroy, he first makes mad,v but