The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-09-05
THE pREslpENrs LErrER.

geaesr take exception to our calling the cergyInen
who were parties to the correspondence published in
the Union, day or two ago, reverend and mperti-
nent Intermediates = and they think that it is no
less dsparagng to the President than to the gentle
men thus inculpated, since it places the former in
the attitude of paying undue heed to manifesto
which lie would, ON the theory supposed, have bet
ter consulted his dignity by leaving unnoticed
We take leave, most respectfully, to differ from our
venerable contemporaries The President did right
to answer them, and to answer them as he did He
appropriate to his high position, and to the
nature Of the charges which they had prefer
red against him. For, assuming that there was
impertinence, and even factiousness in the pa
per which they presented to him, it was clearly
most BETTING and proper that he should have re-
piled to it, just as he did But our position and
functions were wholly different As the conductor
Of a free press, had right to judge of the mo
tives which prompted such procedure, and to
criticise with freedom the propriety Of the con-
duct Of its authors and the character Of the spirit
which melted them to action. We characterized
them by the of very strong term, but not
stronger than their own conduct had made applica-
Bile and true. They had laid aside their clerical
robes They had Invested themselves of their saeer
dota character. They made themselves not merely
partisans but parties to contest which threatened
to involve the country in the most bloody and disas
trous consequences. They directly charged the
President with classifying his OATH with 'levying war
on portion of the people of Kansas which they
intended definition of treason-and endorsed the
memorial thus sent, in these words The memorial
of forty-three citizens Of Connecticut deoucg the
acts of Gov. Walker of Kansas, uPhoidmg the id,rs
ofhe legislature" This is their opinion and en-
dorsement Of their act. They censure the Pres
ident and deao,p,ce Gov. Walker for endeavorng to
execute laws which lawful Legislature had passed
which Congress had approved, and which the fed
eral Executive had sanctioned, and yet the hteui-
gsaeey twits us because We cali them impairment
Intermediates" We are quite sure that sound
public opinion viii justify in what we have said,
and as proof Of it, we refer to the following ex-
tracts from few Of the exchanges that have already
reached us
The Pennsylvanan says: 1T is strong, sensible
paper setting forth clearly the points of the in
controversy, and applying the law and the constitu
ton to them in such manner as cannot fail to con-
vince all those who are not determinedly blind
upon the merits of the controversy, After an able
and elaborate review Of the memorial and letter the
Pennsylvania concludes
There is total absence of all partisan decn-
nation in this paper of the Presidents He properly
Dukes the illegal and dangerous tendencies of the Topeka
convention but that is done impartial judge,
who looks only to the evidence for his facts and the law
for his guide The deep feeling of reverence Tor the
constitution which is manifested in every line Of this
ser Mr. Buchanan contrasts most forcbly with that
want of proper regard for the faithful administration of
law which forms the basis of the memorial Of Prof
Silliman and his colleagues Mr. Buchanan has thus
early in his administration put on record most power
full rebuke to that spirit of pharisaca superiority which
unerlics the whole abolition movement in the country,
and at the time furnished another evidence Of his
intention preserve the rights of the States and the in
egty of the Union from the open attacks of traitors and
the secret Vaccinations OF protesting friends.
The Press says
public man who is fortunate in his friends is OBJ
ect of envy his opponents But Mr. Buchanan is for
tunate in his enthusiastically fortunate, in that they
have furnished him opportunity of appealing against
insane sectionalsm at critical period ike the pres
ent, to the whole country. The Executive is com
PEELED both by custom and by courtesy to be silent
in the midst Of calumny. He must stand by and
see his motives mpugned and his sincerity suspected
and refrain from the utterance of that word which,
spoken from him, would blow his asssliants into the
air. But there proper exceptions to every general
rule. and in this the exception enables good man
to rebuke In the language Of the simple truth, most
unwarranable and grauitous ndignity himself and
gross libel upon history We do not think that the
mails of controversy furnish complete reply to
iogmatic assumption of superior patriotism and pety
than that contained in Mr. Buchanan response to these
Connecticut meddlers The country owes them thanks
for the first time in many yearsthanks for exposing
their vain and vapd sopkisy to the irresistible artillery
the Presidents oldashioned Pennsylvania logic and
common sense
The New York Herald says:
II Is mastery production and must have astonshed
sthe forty clcrgymen little when they received it,
They evidently off hacock in setting forth their
charges against the President and his rebuke
their of charity is not the less cutting for being
clothed in courteous language. Mr, Buehanan's expos
ton Of his duty the first magistrate of the country is
most mastery and the clear and forcble manner in
which he cites the laws that bind him under his oath of
Office viii carry conviction to every unprecedented mind
OF the unlawful character and utter folly Of the aitaors
in Kansas His position toward the Topeka convention
is precisely similar to that Of President Madison toward
the old Hartford Convention and he win follow that pre-
cedent that has been sustained by the good of the
whole country for than forty years. He will take
no notice Of the proceedings of such illegal and danger
Gus combinations until they shall perform that
will bring them in actual collision with the constitution
and then 'they shall lie resisted and put down by the
whole power Of the government This is said with the
force OF Jackson and we think the whole letter will
form subject Of deep rejection to the forty clergyman
and receive the hearty asen. Of the people Of the United
States.
The following IN from the Albany Atlas and Ar