The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-08-08
DuNELsoN's REPLY.

1Jis ils W. iNoiAcht VI iatC
State Convention at Macon, has received and
forwarded us for publication, the following
reply to his letter informing A. J. DOnelson
of his nomination TO the office of Vice Presi-
dent, by that body. 1t breathes the right
spirit and will be perused with pleasure by
every real patriot:'
TULIP GROVE, July 18th, 1856.
Sir. Your letter of the 18th inst, inform
ing me of nv nomination by the American
party of Georgia as their candidate for the
Vice Presidency of the United States, has
been received, and with 1t, the declaration of
principles adopted on the same occasion.
For this mark of respect and honor, beg
leave TO present my grateful acknowledge
ments. In accepting this nomination, | am
but adhering to the obligation assumed,
wheh Welded TO the wishes of the National
American party which placed me previously
in nomination for the same Office. The prin
ciples avOwed by the two conventions are
substantially the same. They are the princi-
plies taught to us by the Fathers Of the Rev
olution. and, if faithfully maintained, will
make our Constitution and Union invulnera-
bic to the assaults of all foes, whether coming
| to us from foreign land or springing up in
our midst ms factiOnists and traitors.
The people of Georgia have doubtless some
recollection of the support which | gave to
| the compromise measures of 1850 as final
settlement of the slavery question. A strong
effort, both in the North and the South, was
made to compel Congress to .etrace its steps,
and the cry was that acquiescence in those
| g., e tota
rights. In that crisis believed that the old
doctrines of Democracy might be relied upon
to arrest the dangers resulting from the irri-
tatons which marked the discussions of the
day, but the influences which controlled Presi-
dent Pierce satisfied me that this party had
lost its vitality as n national one, and that no
course was left for the disciples of Washing
ton, Jefferson and Jackson but to seek in a
new organization the aid of the people in re.
wing the naxms of the pure days of the
Republic, and Topping off the excrescehces
which had been fasteaAd upon our system by
factions and SECTIONAL controversy.
Before the election of President Pierce,
prominent men in the South, as well as the
North, blamed me for insisting that the Penn
ocratc party WAS the safest organization for
securing the reforms necessary to trnnquilize
the public mind, yet these same men now
| traduce and calumniate me for not acting with
them when they are notoriously in alliance
with those who oppose these reforms. They
desired me MS an old Jackson Democrat to
quit the party when there was hope of its
being brought back to its original doctrines,
but when the proof became conclusive that
the power of this party had passed into the
hands of the freesoiler and nulli6er, they as
sail me with the bittcrest epiihets.
When endeavored to show that the Dem
ocratic party was more sound than the Whig
on the sectional issues, there was reason to
hope that the disciples of the Nashville South
ern Convention and the Buffalo plssIorm
would not gain possession of the Federal
| Government. Now it will scarcely be denied
by any candid man that the politicians who
have given dangerous direction to the
| heresies of these two schools are not only
acting with the Modern Democracy, but are
really shaping its policy and dispensing its
patronage.
Then, too, Il was a constant reproach to
me, as being unfaithful to The cause of State
rights and the cause of the South, that did
not denounce in terms of unmeasured abuse
such men as Mr.. Van Buren and Mr.. Benton.
Now the fact stares us in the face that this
modern Democracy has made nomination
for the Presidency which calls forth voice
of applause and appreciation from Mr.. Van
Buren and Mr.. Benton rs loud as was ever
heard in favor of Jefferson or Jackson, and
this too when it was bat yesterday that we
were threatened by this Democracy with a
dissolution of the Union on account of the
| dangers to which we were said to be exposed
by the doctrines of the Buffalo platform.
1t belongs TO the people to say what ought
to be the judgment on such inconsistency, and
whether we should still place power in the
hands of those who have made the Demo-
cratic party compound Of the isms which
have arrayed one section of the Union against
another. As members of the American party,
and, as good citizen, we can only do our
duty, refusing to concur in measures that are
fatal TO the public peace and contributing by
all the legal means in our power to the resto-
ration of those old fashioned doctrines which
made us so long happy and prosperous peo
pie. Under the influence of such doctrines,
we shall hear no more of squatter sovereignty
or mob tribunals, but may hope to see Con-
gress performing again its constitutional duty
us the guardian of the rights of the South as
well rs the North in the settlement of our
public lands, and in the admission of the in
| habitants of the Territories TO the sovereign
rights of States, with or without slavery, as
they NAV determine for themselves, when
forming a State constitution.
But il is not perhaps proper for me to enter
! into discussion of the causes which have
constituted us, withoutreference to our ante.
cedents as Wings or Democrats, new party.
refer to them only in connection with the
patriotic declaration of principles made by the
Convention at Macon, in order that You may
see how complete is my concurrence with
them, and how great is my appreciation OF the
honor you have conferred upon me by an as
sociaton of my name with that of Alr. Fill
more in the noble effort TO check the excesses
of party. spirit, and effect reformation as
important as that OF 1913 and 1900. once
did great injustice to this eminent patriot and
statesman by holding him responsible Tor
what considered an attempt to merge the
Wing party of the North into sectional op-
position to the rights of the South; but when
| saw him rise superior to such local preJu'
dices, and prefer the interests OF the whole
country to that of the section in which he
happened to be born, made all the amends
in my power to offer, and declared publicly
Tong before knew of the existence OF the
American party, that he ought to be called
again by the united voice of the people TO the
chair OF the Chief Magistracy.
am very respectfully
Your obedient servant,
A. J. DONEl.SON.