Washington sentinel., 1856-08-05

an experiment? Who can doubt that our po
litical fabric wonld be shaken to its very foun-
dations by this election OF President being
thrown upon the present House Of Represen-
tatives? On the othes hand, is it not certain,
beyond the contingency Of doubt chat the
the vote Of the States Indicated for Mr.. Buch-
anan, when added to that of the other Southern
States, would secure his election aud the con-
| sequent safety of The Union 1t is obvious
| that in this condition OF the canvass, the only
serious contest is that between Fremont and
buchanan; that the only possib result that
the most sangupe Of the friends Of Fillmore
and Donelson hope to attain is to carry
the contest into the House of Representatives.
VINO can conceive anything more fatal 70 fhe
peace OF the country, more insane in political
action, than such course of condncl leading
to such result? Suppose. Mr.. Fillmore 10
reach the House of Representative with The
votes of four or FIVE States, This utmost posi-
BILE strength,) no man can seriously contend
that he would be elected President ard as
suredly few will be found bold enough 10 as
sert that, under such circumstances, he ought
to be- The ouly effect, then, of giving he
electoral vote of any portion of the South to
Mr.. Fillmore would be 10 transfer the contest
between Mr.. Buchanan and Fremont from the
hustings TO the House of Representatives and
the danger to our country. sufficiently
menacing would, in that event, he appalling
indeed. Who can contemplate the occurrence
OF such contingency, without feeling that he
would be a traitor to his country. if he failed
to exert every possible effort TO avert SO awful
q calamity?
deem it, then, to be my duty as well as
that of all who believe with me that the election
of Fremont would be the death-knell Of the
Union, to unite in the support Of Messrs. Buch-
anan and Breckinridge; and ! shall sustain
their election to the best of my ability. Whilst
concede that there are certain principles
hitherto professed by the party which nominated
them that cannot receive our support, yet on
the great issues Of the constitutional rights Of
the South the platform on which they srt,'d
meets my cordial approval, and is 10 accor-
dance with that Of the party which now address,
and to whose kind favor owe the honor of
holding the seat | now occupy, and which |
shall cease to hold after the 4th Of March next
by The fiat Of that party to which Mr.. Fillmore
has attached himself, and which is now domi-
nant IN the Legislature of my native State.
Let Maryland Wings remember that The po-
litical battle now being fought is one Of the
deepest interest TO them; that the maintenance
Of the constitutional rights Of the South s,fe
issue rendered 10 the American people By the
Democratic party, and (as the Wings have no
canddate) by that party alone; that upon this
issue the Republican party have staked the
Union; and in such battle, upon such an
ISSUE they must be true to those who are doing
battle in our behalf 1t would be indeed sad
if, in such contest, the conservative strength
Df the country should not be united; il would
be as strange as sad if, in such a contest,
Southern men should not be found battling
Ihoulder to shoulder for the maintenance of
heir own constitutional rights
In thus accomplishing what | believe. 10 be
. duty, shall be inexpressbly gratifed if
shall find myself sustained by the approval Of
ny fellow-W Wings, who have refused to abandon
either the party or the principles j. support
Of which we have so long aud 50 tai.hiuly
united, and which we shall remain nj Ia.rlecy
liberty to reorganize soon oar common
efforts shall have succeeded in averting The
perils that now threaten our beloved country.
THOMAS G. PRATT