Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-06-01

LA FAYETTE, Nav 81, 1857.
GEErLEMES:-l have had the pleasure and honor
of acknowledging the receipt of your official note
OF the 18th ult, informing me of my unanimous
nomination by convention Of the American party,
held at Hartsvile, Sumner county, as the American
candidate for the Office OF Floater to represent the
counties of Smith, Sumner and Macon, in the next
General Assembly of our State. / answered your
communication on the 4th oftbis inst, and directed
it to my friend Gen. Pickett of Carthage. 1 did not
then indicate to him that desired il published;
hence, l suppose it has not been done. And in
order that my friends generally may know the facts
OF my position in the matter, again take the priv
lege of responding through public paper.
For the fattering manner in which you stated to
me the proceedings of the Convention, l ask to be
permitted to return 10 you and the Delegates my
most grateful thanks. l hope that duly appre-
ciate the importance and justice of the cause We
plead as party, for the perpetuity, prosperity,
glory and honor of our beloved country.
And 1 would feel proud in thus being permitted
and honored to stand up, with whatever ability l
may have, feeble as it may be, and vindicate the
principles of the party before free and intelli-
gent people. For, our Cause, like Truth, is mighty
and ought to succeed, and l think will prevail.
Though surge upon surge of Fansticism, Disunion-
ism and the erroneous and odious principles Of this
latter-dsy, Pseudo Democracy, may for time seem
to darken our political horizon, yet the time is not
far distant, hope, when truth will prevail over
error the last rampant of opposition be yielded up,
the sound, national conservative princpl of the
American party prevail and this, "the land of the
free and the home of the brave" be, therefore, the
happest and most prosperous Nation the world ever
saw.
l, consequently, under any ordinary circumstan-
ces, would be willing to sacrifice all minor consd-
erations, and 'forego all personal inconvenience"
and yield obedience to your call. But it has been
for sometime past, and is now my fixed determina-
ton to change my present location during this year
And, in so DOING will bid farewell to the place Of
my maturity, the land of my ancestors land hope
long to be the happy and peaceful abode of many
friends OF pure souls and warm hearts, as it may be
their choiee3o remain,) proud, cbivarous, noble
Tennessee, hat stands out in bold relief amid the
greatestights of civil and religious liberty.
My contemplated change of locality, like the in
telig snce YOU standardization brings, produces on
me mingled emotions, regret upon my part that
can not remain, and therefore, that cannot serve
you, and on the other hand, it gives pleasure to
thus know still have the confidence of my friends
| am then, gentlemen, under the necessity of de-
clining the highly honored privilege rendered me,
of becoming your standard-bearer in+the ensuing
| political contest for Floater-We have many i'm
ortant National and State elections coming off this
| year; and while 1 remain, you herein have are-as-
surance of my warmest support to our respective
candidates.
| Permit me again, Gentlemen to tender to you my
sincere thanks, and through you, to the Delegates
of the Convention, my most grateful recolections,
for the high manifestatiqp e your aud their conf
dsnce in me, once glcsieusly realized by me, and
twice indicated by you and them. And be assured,
it is engraven as with asdiamond upon the tablets
OF my memory, and as well embalmel in my heart.
Hoping that you will soon find one more worthy
than l, to take the field, remao, very respectful
lH Yours, &C.,
VIM II DEWITT.
To Hons. JOHN A. FIFE, 10. G. Pickett, D. c.
| DOUGLASS, w. S. BABER, JOSHUA WILSON, JOHN