Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-10-16
From the Charleston Mercury.
Letter from Gen. Hamilton.


called upon to declare publicly whether if elected to
the Senate of the United States, would The
terms of this call are so kind and complimentary that
delicacy orbds my being instrumental in making it pub
ic The partially of other friends has also brought my
name before the good people of South Carolina,
columns of your paper and the Charleston Courier as
fit successor to the lamented Butlera vacancy more
easily filed than his place can be adequately supplied
Believing that the Kansas complication may precpi
tate the country momentous issue, conjunction OF
circumstances may arise which, in the service of the
State would involve an obligation equally imperative
her defence in case of public To avoid all mis-
construction of my position if the State thinks proper
elect to the high and honorable post IN question:
shall feel it my duty to obey her mandate
beg leave, however, to avow, that regarding the OF
fee as one that may be declined, but never solicited
under no circumstances make myself candidate.
will solicit mans vote; will oppose no mans cleo
ton. enter into canvass no combination, no con-
federation with Others simply stand in position of
entire quiescence and neutrality ready to obey the I'M
solicited wishes of the Legislature if calls upon me to
represent the sovereignty of South Carolina In the great
council of confederated sovereigns which event VIII
repair to my post with all possible DESPATCH prepared
with uncompromising zeal and fidelity to promote her
interests and sustain her honor. Ii my past history IN
connection with the public affairs of South Carolina at
crisis of intense interest and public peril gives me no
claim to be trusted then must submit to the verdict
of public sentiment and remain in retirement IN which
have many private duties to perform, and many sour
ces of contenment to cultivate. think it due to can
dor however to declare that have desire to serve
beyond the remaining term of the late incumbent. L
should 60 into the representation of the State under
belief that the issue must up within the next three
years. whether the South can consistently with her IN
terests and honor, remain in the Union.
This question being practically solved would then
seek retirement so well suited to my own ncnatons,
penetrated with deep and memorable feeling of graft
tude to my native State which, in times past has Law
ished upon many of her public honors, and what
of far ncalculabe value, much OF public conf
dence.
belong to past generation-to confederation of
men who have passed from the strs and contentious of
this ftfu and feverish world to an Immortality Of hap
piness. When think of those companions OF my then
comparative YOUTH and associates in glorious struggle
"my heart grows liquid as write and could pour it
out like water hope that I, the humblest of the
throng, may be permitted to place poor garland on
their graves. They rise unbidden to my memory in all
the strong lineaments of life.
There stands Calhoun, in all the grandeur OF his
genius and the sOlidy Of his immovabe integrity What
inscription of praise does he need beyond the utterance
of his name?
There stands Hayne all the mild radiance of his char
acter-wth an ability of the highest possible compass,
with all his transcendent powers for government and adj
ministration-pure, spotless and undsmayed.
There stands McDuffe, with his robust intellect and
stern honesty exerting powers of analysis and argument
which made him of the first dalecticians of his time,
and with Roman patriotism which burned even IN the
caverns of the tomb.
There stands Turnbull, whose head gigantic
his heart was incompatible with his fine Grecian
face disclosed the great qualities of the race from which
he sprung-burnng enthusiasm, intense genius, and I'M
comparable courage.
elgence which God confers the most gifted of his
creatures-simple artless with subugated selfove.
OF the leaders of the Old Guard but two of are
eft-Preston and the humble individual who addresses
you. Preston, who having been sorely smtten by the
hand of infrmty, survives, thank God, in renovated
health and usefulness. 1t said by distinguished
contemporary, that association contained great
and extraordinary variety of taenta place for every
man. and every man suited to his place; and that no
country was ever better prepared for revolution than
South Carolina in the efficiency of her public agents.
Preston emphaticaly your orator. and the first
orator of his time The varegated richness of his i'm
aginaton-the purity of his taste-his power Of argu
ment if he had never cultivated aught but the
faculty of raocnation-and all he flung the dra-
perry of most attractive mOdesty, and private char
acer without reproach. An association with such
however humble my sation) each of whom was fitted
for empire full measure of honor without my looking
further for distinction If South Carolina is destined
for another revolution may she find such ready for
her service.
shall say but little of the present crisisof the duty
it will impose upon our members to Congress-because
it might be regarded covert artice of eectiOneer
ing for Office, which, if it at ALL must
without solicitation but must be permitted to make
declaration If aggression does not revolution
must ensue; but, for One must be permitted to de
claFe give us tne CONSTITUTION, anu as us DeSI COue-
ary the Government of the Union for the first thirty
years after it went into operation, and we are content
The South should ask for nothing more, and take
nothing less without, indeed she is basey recreant to
herself and her pOsterity.
There is a sentence in Junius y full of beauty and
wisdom, adapted to the present crisis" No measure
are likely to be sustained with much rmness those
which commenced in moderation" We owe this
moderation to allies in the free States Think of
the earthquake shout of that majority of twenty thousand
reemen in the city of New York at the last autumna
election who declared that institutions not to
be invaded and what owe to their gallant leaders,
who conducted the people to such victory! have as
entire confidence in the administration of Mr. Buchanan
have in his spotess integrity and fine talents, and
devoted loyalty to the best interests of his country but
STILL he and his Cabinet may be overruled and overrup
by ncendiary horde bent the ruin of their
try. Then the great issue must come up. Wehave no
alternative The crisis is inevitable and the catastro-
phe not to be averted.
sad in relation to the revolution in England of 1868
revolution prevented rather than made''-a revou-
ton which, in despite of all fasehood and false doctrine
resulted in the establishment of the opening to the prn-
cples of free trade trust am not too old to contrib
ute to the making of another equally certain and far
more glorious in its result-the emancipation of the
South from the most Odious and detestbe of all tyran-
MES, the despotism of base and hypocrtica anatcsm
but say of the Constitution and the Union they
came from the hands of their ramers este perpetual
have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your
obedient servant J. HAMILTON.
BLUFFToN, S. c., October g. 1857.
Improve your Time.
Time a.! how swiftly it glides away, yet how few are
there who appreciate it. How many idlng the gold
Ion hourc n That T INV Iox hot