Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-08-07
July 9th. 1857.

July 9th, 1857.
DEAR SIR: Many of your old politi-
cal associates, and others who are your
personal friends, though they have not
been identified with you as party men,
desire to present you as an independent
candidate at the coming Gubernatorial
election.
The political condition of the State
seems to favor such course. The
american party, as it is called, succeed
ed in the late election, not by its own
strength, but by the assistance of many
who did not belong to the order, who
disapproved of its system of secrecy, of
oaths, of religious prescription, &c, and
who now see that it is a short-liyed par
ty, not united throughout the United
States, and utterly without national
character In the North it is closely
assmilated to, or merged in black re-
pulllcanism, in the South and West, it
is ID feeble and declining minority,
and even in Maryland where il is strong
est, its conference is secured, for the
time, chiefly by the interest connected
with the coming election.
The Democratic party, it is believed :
do not wish to nominate party canGi-
date Of their own, but are willing to east
their votes for an Independent candidate,
who has just constitutional views on the
great question, which mainly influenced
the Presidential election, who does not
belong to or cooperate with the Ameri-
can party, who was consistent and
firm, but temperate wing, while the is
sues which divided the old parties were
the subject of contest; but who, when
new issues arose and separated old
friends, was found standing with con-
sentative democrats, and with many pa
triotic old wings.
Not to make any offensive discrimina-
ton between those true wings who differ
ed in regard to this, and thought it their
duty to support Mr.. Fillmore, it is suili-
cient to say, that with your view of the
contest as narrowed down to Mr.. Buch-
anan and Mr.. Fremont, the strictest
wing could not object to your support Of
the former.
We know, sir, your position. as 10
which there has never been question
You were a wing during the whole per-
iod of that party's separate organization
When it was abandoned, and the party
broken to fragments by northern whigs
going into union with the abolitionistf
and republicans of that section, and
southern wings uniting with know-noth-
ings, more from the difficulty Of co-opc-
rating with old political adversaries,
than because Of their sympathics with
the new, secret, and dangerous, because
secret and oath-bound association, you
remained free from such sympatbies, and
when crisis came which in your opin-
ion required all good men TO unite in
resisting principles and party to which
the great mass Of the national democrats
were not more opposed than you your
self were, you did not hesitate TO throw
away all political prejudices and disrc-
gard all personal considerations. You
gave your support to the nominee Of a
national party, which seemed TO you to
be both able and willing TO resist the
dangerous heresies which bound together
portions of the wing and democratic par
ties with free soilers, and combined them
in the new party which calls itself re-
publican.
We know that you have never sought
Office, but have rather avoided it. Now,
however, when great numbers Of the
bes citizens Of Maryland are willing to
forego all mere party considerations,
when the democrats are willing 10 cast
their votes for you, not as n democratic
leader, but as an independent man Of
sound constitutional views, Of temperate
and liberal political feeling, harmonizng
with them in common with many other
wings, in what they deem Of the highest
Importance TO the maintenance 81 the
aud the Union when old
wings who are not content 10 fraternize
with tho American party, because they
can sec no public good to result from is
success, Or who think that party so fec
bic, and wanting in unity and rationale
ty az to be incapable Of ayerting tb1
sectional dangers which threaten, : ~
all desire you to allow yours, - -
presented as an indepen1e-' ~. NV,
and believe that you VIZ receive a most p 5,
aattering support rom good men oil az
olJ norties 9s>nopc that you will give
youI oongo.e With The same disintcrcstcd
1ynblie gpirit, which prompted you 70 SUE
iai~ a former political adversary for the
The result cannot be inja-
rinna 10 your reputation, and probably