The Washington union., 1857-06-06


that murmur requiem over the great statesman, or
TO linger around the grassy hillock at Ashland,
where repose the remains Of the great imbodment of
the whig party he would hear the warning voices and
catch the inspiration which had led the OF the two
great wings upon the path that he was pursuing.
With the American party he had acted for time; he
had served it in good faith formed as 1t had been, prn
cpay Of his political friends he had hoped at one
time that in il might be the barrier to the aggressive and
agrarian doctrines which beginning to prevail at the
North but il had proven itself utterly Intellectual The
very influences which he had hoped it would overcome
it had suceumbed to- it had become ackrepubcanized
to so great an extent at the North longer TO be
called pay had died of the very epidemic it hoped
il would have controlled Nothing national could be
peced from il; IL poweress even to effect what
its sole, distinctive ideaa reform of the natualia
ton he could not magnify that into question
momentous TO oyehadow the great issue of slavery
faction might survive for while, but party could not
live upon basis 80 narrow
There who could not be brought TO under
stand how change of circumstances could alter the
laons of men, and produce change Of position who
sought solution for such fact in themselves and found
it only in sordid and unworthy motives. He not
surprised that such should charge him with ambition If
it true, his ambition had sought its graca
ton by unworthy it had never sluked in the by
paths of intrigue used detracon as means to its
end 1t had been honorable ambition, seeking openly
and winning fairly all that it had obtained for him
1t would be well for some of those who charge him with
turning soersa to recolect that 1t was allowable for
every to turn in his life he assured them he
would turn it backwards seat in Congress, which it
is said he desired, would add new honors to him he
had enjoyed long as he wished it, and declined
il when he might have retained it, 1t was folly to
charge him with asking the democracy for 1t their can
ddae was already in the field he had their confidence
and would receive their support His letter was address,
ed mainly to his old friends. Many of them had written
to him desiring him to become candidate. He had
been assured by of themone of influential among
themthat he might have obtained unanimous nomna-
ton. He felt ii due to them to himself, to write his
letter, and courteously decline such contest He had
frankly told them that he should support Mr. Buchanans
Administrations and could not be opposition candidate
Should he have waited until after he had nominated him.
and then have avowed his intention They might then
have well charged him with practising deceit upon them
Had they nominated another and his letter then been writ
ter might with plausibty have been attributed to
chagrin and design to impair the party prospect for
But written when the democratic candidate was
already known when the Americans had named no one
and he requested to rum it had seemed to him time
when he would be least liable to misconstrucon and his
towards his friends who desired him to for Con-
gess would be readily recognised as fair and cour
teous He thought it not improbable that they would
to his position and determine to give to Mr., Bu
chanans administration support and run no opposition
candidate The time selected by him for the publication
of his views he conceived to be the most propous for
calm consideration. The excitement of last year had
died away there not wave upon the political sea
But his letter had produced unwoned excitement why
it! His opponents alleged they did not assil him
for personal or local considerations then they must ele
vate what he had written to the dignity of principles
Why had his letter produced sensation not confined to
this locality or district, but extending elsewhere
you go to the foot of the Alps in winter when
all nature is held in chains OF ice, and only the glaciers
glow in the sunlight above you the explosion of park
of artillery will not shake of them from its place
stir fake of the but go again when the Spring
has spread her garlands at its base the genial
warmth of the has penetrated its ice and thawed
the motonless torrents that winter had suspended
headnd the shout of single voice will bring the crush
ing ayalanches laundering down. So when the preu-
acuf,icb pff
paed and returned to thaw their minds and dis
solve the party chains that bound them the voice
of one like himself produce such manifestation Of
popular feeling overwhelms those who oppose it, and
leaves them crushed beneath its force. 1t because
his ettor had produced the effect designed to have
that he bitterly assaed Whatever might be the re-
suit to himself in the depths and soudes OF his own
consciousness he felt that he had performed his duty to
the country.
He desired to undivided South not for sectional
purposes but to destroy that seconaism which threat
ened the South 1t the weaker section, dependent
upon the constitution for its protection in the Union
Its construction of the constitution had been pronounced
correct by the highest judicial tribunal Of the country
The administration in power avowed the same
struction in advance of its judicial determination Two
branches of the federal government were thus secured
1t lacked but members of Congress to have an
entire harmony in the government in sustaining us.
Should upon local. temporary and comparatively
important issues engage in dssensions destroy moral
strength by internal controversies, assa those who
supporting U.S. weaken them in the perpetual contest
they wagng, excite just suspicious of our fidelity to
friends and give confidence to our enemies Should
we permit pride of opinion recollection of old antag
onisns, obstinate adherence to party designa
tons, to prevent availing ourselves Of the OPP
portunity which presented of consolidating par
ty which, having for its base undivided South,
supporting and sustaining the true of the North
would present array irresistible to our enc
mics He felt that he was but in advance of his for
mer friends; that the unselsh and rejecting would
move up towards his position He well remembered that
in 1885, when the tariff under discussion, the pain
with which he felt compelled to differ with his party He
knew that he would be subjected to anmadversion that
sinister motives would be ascribed to him but he had
to adhere to principles, which mscad
while the paths of policy toruous, and betray to
wrong and he had voted alone of all he rings IN The coua
Tn for the tariff of 1896 1t made many friend grow
cold for time towards him, and he would have met with
opposition then but that the democracy magnanmousy
sustained him He appealed to the people of the district
and they then endorsed his The result has JUS
titled his judgment and tariff which the best nancer
of the whig party, George Evans Of Maine had said
would produce thirteen millions of dollars had brought
surpue into the treasury, and led to further
reduction of the taxes of the people So he confident
that time would avenge him his enemies by forcing
them more to adopt his position He only lead
ing the vanguard of army of southern men, who, even
in the last contest recognised the democracy allies
and would fraternize in their camp set against the
black republicans.
There but the two parties in the country, and
even If the Americans opposition should elect mem
Der of Congress from this district what would be his posi-
ton Destitute of support he could accomplish nothing
The first question that would up would be the cleo
tion of Speaker Would he support the Administrations
the black ckrepublican cAdidaef Certainly the former
n ba lint h. ln,