Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-09-27
From the Washington Constitution Of September 2
rhe WING Generai Committee.

There are few, a very few, respectable old gen.
tlemen in the city Of New York who form what they
call the 'tWhig General Committee" and VINO from
time TO time assemble in a small room at the cor
ner Of Broadway and Stb street, and rescue them
selves from utter oblivion by the passage of resolu
tions on political matters expressive OF their Tm
conviction that outside the Whig party there is DO
virtue or purity, and that measures must be taken
to organize thst party, and 60 TO work immediately
to perform the great and patriotic task Of saving the
/ country.
This selfadmiring self satisfied, and self-import
ant little society held a meeting OF their "head-
Quarters" on last Friday evening. We are told thai
the eQuuoetia storm did not shake or damp their ar
dor 1.-THE attendance was very good" and Mr..
/ Hiram Ketcbum presided. Il appears that the ut
most energies Of ''sub-eommittee 40 get the ex
ecuive committee together" were wholly unsuc-
cessful; that the executive committee couid not be
induced to unite under any circumstances and that;
| although the Subcommittee exercised their I'M
doubted privilege to call ''spirits from the vastly
deep" the executive "spirits" would not come. II
may be that the reason for this failure was similar
to that given by a German hotsl-keeper 10 an in
quiTng traveller who expressed desire to see the
cavalry of little German pTincipality, but was
told that his desire could not lie gr6thed, because
''he died yesterday" The Subcommittee, however,
did not 'giye it up so; they usurped the functions
Of the contumacious or defunct executive commit
tee and ook measures, by resolution, TO call upon
the wings and the friends of wbig principles TO sup
port such principles by sf5scIl PfloHs IL must have
BEEN highly gratifying to these sel-Possessed subs
TO fnd that their boldness asapproVed by the wing
general committee and by MIR. Hiram Keebum, and
thLt their report was accepted aud filed"
The great effect of the evening was made by the
venerable J. Depeysier Ogden, who not only pro-
posed resolutions, but made remarks and read let
ters being obliged doubtless by the weakness of the
trOUps to perform these various functions His chief
ufi va . IN 4
TO carry out the veWs, and if possible I've approve
and commend the reservation give practical effect
10 the sentiments and priL cples of letter writ
ten by Mr.. Edward Bates, Of Missouri, excnsing
himself for not taking part in g jubilee OF " the
opposition " recently in Memphis, Tennessee, to
celebrate " triumph Of the opposition" in that
State which consisted in The overwhelming success
Of the Democratic party, the election Of the Demo
cratic candidates fer Governor and both branches
of the Legislature
We have already expressed opinion Of this
epistolary effort of Mr.. Edward Bacgs. tie New
York TT5une's candidate for the Presidency Of the
United States. We pronounced it to be most re-
prehensible and presumptuous document, filled with
Wilful MISREPRESENTATION and scurriloUs charges
against the present Administrations, unsupported
by the most indstinct tile OF evidence. We pro
nUnuced it TO be unworthy q any man who iAys claim
to the favorable consideration Of honest men, and
VIC stated that, although We never Piaet any high
esimat the men al powers Of Mr. Bates, or suo-
posed that he had any but very subordinate poll
teal position IN the country, We nevertheless be
lieved that he tad too much regard for decency
prupriey and sefrespeCt 10 desceld " the level OF
the abandoned political wire Fulera Of The oPposl-
ton who, havinZ character Of their Own 10 lose
and thErefoTe none 10 maiujHi are always T'aty l.
per eJnate any iniguity ard after any SANDER p0
Vided that they eau effect al object.
Tuis is the letter which Mr.. Hiram ketchum AMI
his dozen obsolete followers received with applause
a.. .1-AF lrlo
Of Ning the country. The union Of the Oppo-
sitien''-" Democrats, Wings, Americans, and Re
pHblicans"-is the leading idea Of Bates, aid this
union which is to be eff .cted by The abandonment
Of very vesige of principle which these fragment
airy factions still possess, is TO be the source from
which purity and honest principle are to spring
The WING general committees share thus opinion
II they were strong enough OF themselves TO regen-
crate the country, they would prefer to undertake
the task alone. But they not. They must join
some other party, and therefore, by the advice Of
Bates and the New York Tribune, they are ready to
join the lame the halt and the bliEd of all parties,
vino call themselves the Opposition and whose sole
principle is the abnegstion Of every principle Tor
which they have ever commended
There was 8 gentleman OF the name Of Tallmedge
pre- ent at this little gathering of he wing general
committee. He was modest, unObirusiVe, and eau
tiOus in his demeaDor and sentiments. he did not
want TO oppose the resolutions, remarks and letters
of MIR. Ogden, OF the sentiments Of Mr.. ketchum,
or the opinions of the other couple Of gentlemen
who constituted his audience; but he merely sug
gssted that he thought that it might reasonably be
remarked that the appointment of committee Of
sixteen to carry out the Bates programme was rah-
er premature and that they had better wait little
longer in the hope of the ilustrious Mcawber that
something would tmn up. Mr.. Tallmedge wanted
to wait until the whig committee could " look down
on sll other political parties" and think that it
is much to be deplored that his desire not com
piled with, since it must be admitted that suspen
sion Of its vitality until the specified time should ar
rive could not the lesst damage its interests
or these of any other party in the country. If Mr.
Edward Bates would join the party Of expectants, |!
and give up writing impuient letters until he and |
the Whig COMMITTEES could "look down on all other |
political parties" Ne are sure that it would be bet
ter for him. and that the country would be perfectly
content at his relapse into that obscurity which he
ought never 20 have quilted