The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-24
THE WASHINGTON UNION

the meanness Of snpprcssing that fact aud allowing mis-
representation TO do il work IN my absence.
FOR the wretch Who is doomed 10 go through the
world bearing personal jealousy personal malign
~ which renders him incapable Of doing justice and
studous OF misr presentation, only feel pity and
were IL possible 10 feel reyengefu could consign him
no punishment than that oil his own tormenlors
the yipers unused in his own breast.
But long have delayed what is my chief purpose 10
speak to my friends, the whose good opinion Is
Inc OF Importance only second to the approval OF my
conscience So far they have misunderstood me il is
pleasure to set forth the true meaning of both my
words and my deeds 10 my traducers have no expla-
nations To offer and apologies for any If State
rights men IN the excess OF their zeal have ccnsured
nave no feproaches for them, but cheeruly bear the
burden which may be imposed upon by zeal in the
cause TO which my political life has been devoted and in
imitation OF Job would bless the State rights democracy
OF Mississippi ii the object of It's vengeance
Though he would Slay me, yet will trust in him"
II had been asked what Interpretation might possibly
DC put upon the published sketch of the remarks made
by me at sea the Fourth of July last speculation
would have been exhausted before il would
TO that my State rights friends would consider them
selves described under the head of triiing politicians
who could not believe that the country would remain
united TO repe insult to flag it had recently been
on the occasion OF the attempt TO exercise visit and search
In the Gulf OF Mexico under the pretex checking the
African slave trade The publisher of that sketch has al
ready announced that II not report and that for its
language could not justly be considered responsible.
10 this it is needless that should add any thing But
have treated it, and viii treat it, in the view necessarily
taken by those who construed il before such denial was
made.
During The period OF greatest adversely in the hour OF
gloom and defeat the State-righs democracy had no
cause 10 complain of my ealty We struggled together
fell together rose together, and to them indebted
for whatever Of consideration position possess En-
deared TO by common suffering grateful them
for the steadast support with which they have honored
accustomed to refer with pride to my identity with
Them it would have been strange indeed it, when sepa
rated from them under circumstances which turned my
eyes with than ordinary anxiety towards my home
should then have sought occasion to heap reproach
ful language upon them.
Often it has been NY duty repel the accusations of
Others who sought to attribute to the State rights democ-
racy opinions not their own and to mpute them the
purpose to agitate for the destruction of the government
we inherited As one of the State-righs party, deny
that the language published is picture of me or my
class and have little disposition at any for
time to separate myself from the body of the party
with which have long acted, which rejoice to see
in power at home and daily more and more respected in
the other States
have thus defined who were not meant and will now
tell who meant First they the noisy agita
tors who were constantly disturbing the public peace
and procaimng that slavery so great an evil that
the preservation of the Union is subordinate the pu
pose OF abolshing it they who object to any pro-
lection on the high seas elsewhere being given to
slave property by the government Of the United States
who would rejoice in any insult Offered to the national
flag If borne by vessel sailing from southern port
and who have been for time back circulating pc
tons Tor dissolution OF the Union the ground of
the lhconlpaublnty OF the sections. And to these
be added the few, the very few of southern men who
fncyng that they would have advantages out of the
Union which they cannot possess within it, however fully
the compact should be observed and State equality
maintained, desire its dissolution and taking counsel OF
their passions, decy the abors all who seek to pre-
serve the government fathers formed it, and to de-
yelop the great purposes for which it ordained and
established
The other phrase which has been the subject of com
ment was, and this great country will remain united
How " united is set forth In the language to which this
clause was conclusion, united TO protect national
flag whenever foreign power presnnng on our dome5
tic dissenson should dare to insult it The unanimty
with which OF all parties in the houses of Con-
gress rallied to support the Executive in maintaining the
rights OF our flag, had been the subject of my common
dation Upon that fact the idea expressed rested AT
worst it could but have eyinced too much creduty and
trust may die believing that whenever the honor Of
flag shall demand it, every mountain and valley and
PLAIN VIII pour forth their hardy sons and that shoulder
to shoulder they will against any foreign foe which
shall invade the rights of any portion of the United
States
And here permit me duty to you and an obliga-
ton upon myself to pay the tribute which believe to
be due the northern democracy. Having formed my
opinion OF them upon insufficient data have had octsl
sion, after much intercourse with them, modify it,
believe that great reaction has commenced how
will progress do not pretend say, but hopeful that
agitation will soon become improbable to political ira
ders in New England and this hope rests upon the high
position taken by the northern democracy upon the
increased vote which in of the States under the
dates have received You may now often hear among
them not only the unqualified defence of yonr eonsti
tutonal rights, but the vndicaon of your institutions
in the abstract, and in the concrete.
Ia the town of Portland just preceding the election
democrat, OF large and extensively engaged in
commercial transactions and city improvements adj
dressed the democracy arguing that their prosperity de
pended upon their connexon with countries the pro-
ducts of which dependent upon slave labor and
the future growth and prosperity of their city depended
upon the extension Of slave labor into all countries where
it could be proftably employed He showed by sta
tstica statement the parayzng effect which would be
produced upon their interest by the abolition of slavery
The back-republican papers of abused him. and
compared him to Davis and Toombs but his sound views
were approved by the democracy and far as could
judge no gained consideration by their manly utterance
generation had been educated in error and the South
had done nothing in defence of the abstract right of
slavery. Within few years essays have been written
books have been published, by northern rs well as by |
southern and with the increase of information there
has been susidcncc prejudice and preparation of the
mind to receive truth Our friends still in minor
iy 1t would be vain to speculate to the period when
their position will be reversed Whether sooner or later
never they still entitled to our regard and respect
few years ago those who maintained constitutional
right and to IL voted for the Kansas and Nebraska
bill, went home to meet eproach and expulsion from
public employment.
Even their social position effected by that po-
cal act The few years, however, which have elapsed |
have produced great change. They have recovered /
all except their political position. That BILL which was
considered when it was enacted southern measure for
which northern bravey sacrificed their political /
prospects, has of late been denounced at the South as
cheat and humbug-a poor return certainly, to those
who, conscientousy maintaining rights