Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-06-17

once that it is out of my power to attend it.
must beg you to excuse me, also, from being
named as one of the Vice Presidents of the
meeting, having long since resolved not TO
| render myself responsible for the doings or say
| ings of any meeting at which there was no
chance of my being personally present.
| trust that il is not necessary for me to go
to Faneuil Hall in order to be believed when
say that no one deplores more deeply than my
self the distressing occurrences which have
recently taken place both at Kansas and at
Washington, and that no one would more
gladly assist in relieving the personal sufferings
and redressing the public wrongs which have
resulted from them. Especially would CO.
operate with the utmost eagerness with those
who may be ready to propose and to sustain
any just, practicable, and constitutional mea-
sures for arresting the progress of civil war IN
Kansas, and for restoring to the sons and
daughters Of Massachusetts, and of every other
State, in that devoted Territory, the security,
peace, and freedom which they are entitled to
enjoy | must be perfectly frank in saying,
however, that / have no great hope that vio-
lent speeches, angry resolutions, or infamma-
tory appeals will do any thing towards accom-
plishing such result 1t is no time, in my
humble judgment for INDUCING in sweeping
denunciations, indiscriminate and insulting
reproaches, or clamorous challenges and de-
fances towards other sections Of the Union
On the contrary, beyond almost all other
periods in our history, since we had history
as united nation-unless we are willing to
see that history brought to bloody close and
the volume shut forever--H IS a time for the
calmest, wisest, most collected, and best con-
i1ered words Of which any man is capable.
But unfortunately, though by no means UNI
naturally after the agitating events which
have 80 recently occurred and which are still
in progress, we are hardly in condition either
to utter anything or to listen to anything which
is not angry, violent, and vndictive | am
not sorry under these circumstances, that it
has not been in my power to speak at all in
relation to them. There may be time for
juster views and wiser utterances, while as to
any taunts to which silence may have subject
ed me, they pass by me like the idle wind of
which they are composed
/ am by no means disposed to reopen the
issues of other years; but cannot help think
ing that if the gallant veteran who ought at
this moment to have been at the head of the
nation, and who is still at the head Of its army
whose presence has almost as often been
the pledge of peace in scenes of strife as it
has been Of victory on the field of battle
powers to command and enforce cessation OF
lawless violence and conflict, and to put down
the reign of terror in that region, the dangers
which now threaten the peace of the whole
country might still be averted. But if nothing
is to be attempted but to send more men and
more money and more munitions of war int
that Territory, in heated and furious compe
ttion between the North and the South, you
and /, my dear sir, may not live to see the ter
mination of struggle from which nothing
but disaster and downfall to republican liberty
and to human liberty can result.
But forbear from entering upon topics on
which have neither time nor heart to enlarge.
Let me only express my fervent hope and
prayer that the meeting at Faneui Hall may
not fall short Of the exigencies Of the occasion
in the moderation and wisdom of its counsels
and that a spirit of comprehensive and Chris
tan patriotism, rebuking everything Of public
violence and personal wrong, and bringing us
all back into temper of mutual forbearance,
forgiveness, and good will, may speedily re-
assert itself in all quarters of our land.
Believe me, my dear sir, respectfully and
truly, your obedient servant,
ROBERT c. WINTHROP.