Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-10

General Committee nj its session ON tho 4th in
.taut, nj New York. Tho sentiments expressed
will meet the hearty endorsement of the conscrva.
tive men o the rurntry.
letter tom H5u UWidm 4. Graham.
lllls suoRo,uu. n. g. Feb 25tl, 1859.
G0H',mcn ! regret TINT my absence from
home and indispensable engagements have thus
long drlnyci the nehmnwlclg lgrmrnt Of your letter
oi the ,lh Instant, transmitting resolution nf tho
Wing Grucral { tommlticc ui the city al New York,
aud requesting my hlCws on the present aspect ot
political affairs. | st,ll moro regret the want of
leisure nj ulesent, which would enable meto res
pond 10 tins request III Il hritting manner. You
10 me but Justice, grntcmru, III chasing mo in
the "Dld Guard. Which WAS wont to be marshall
cd under tho lead Il lay aud cl,,er. and which
III ever, time oi public emergency and national
danger, has appeared itself the hc guard of tho
Constitution aud II Constitutional Union, which.
whether IN or ont 81 power ma party sense, has
ever been loyal tothr gp,crnmcn, aud relied ulon
tn rNrlrntc II from ih" nutagni,sm oi factions
and settious NJ heartily do CONCUR with
your committee, that lhcrc sh uld he end of
agitation On thr Nul l"ct "l slavery. In TIN Con
tll,urion formed l., our lotcathers. they mutually
agreed to Strunttona on thls topic. which IN the
first hall century al the republic wcrc rarely mis-
Understood. pun successive cnlnt gemcnlsui our
borders AMI the institution ut New States mud
T"lt,teuc-, II gave rsc t. divisions If the most
serious character. Ihrse. upon two memorable
"rcn,,ons. were conlpuscd under the auspices of
Henry CLAY; nul II ia" settlements thus made
were not approved hy all. they were ntquiesccd
IN aud regarded ~ final hy the great majority of
the Amcr,cuu people. Without designing To ccE.
sure those entertaining aud nc,ug on different
opinion, | more than doubt tho wisdom of reopen
my this controversy, sucr the comprom se "l 1850.
II has hccu productive "i nu results but violated
factions and d,sSracriu cuut"ntinns III the distant
! Territories and sectional alienation among tho
Stntps II pxrltpu ltntN A the Soutl uuu fpnrS
the north whlrh have been Mike disappointed
and which never can he realized. The law of soil
mud cmutc turns ont To be- nearly the same in
cilrc, with the law pcuncll BY tIny Practically
therefore, there ls no longer nn existing cause Of
discussion this ,rNcl question, and agitation
must die out, unless new fuel shall be found for
the tlnmo. The political organization which may
aspire To guide the future dcstInics OF the nation
must consequently appeal Ia public sentiment on
top lcs mur" rNpnnst" and general than oppos-
ton to- 2oa Ior, the establishment Of slavery in
II territory winch must soon become State, and
lclmNtc it, institutions. Tho Period is
,nsscd when this issue. like the rod of Aaron, can
lr pcrmittcd to swallow up all questions oi polit
ltal policy, to obstrne' IA Tor years 1t has done,
the attention "i Congress 10 the national interests,
aud to- prescribe as unworthy ot trust all who do
not subscribe the tests Il political orthodoxy set
| up hv extremists either side. In view of this
approaching calm iii the pnblle mind, cannot but
regard the quiekcuel appetite for tho acquisition
| oftuba, and the very extraordinary measure rec
commended To oltain it, new party doyico,
having for it, ert to Introduce n new test of par
| ty fcntv instead oi TINT which il about to expire.
| Ii should ever be borne in mind that the extcn-
| sion Of these territories was not Of the objects
| for which the people Of ,le niled States entered
! INFO the FrlrrnI non. II a true that in the
! progress Of our history magnificent domains have
been acquired, adding greatly 10 the national com,
merrc aud power, but always of territories contig-
t,,n tb, land ,I fIn I'M
hv treaties made with the psscnt Of the mirsovc-
! reign, for reasonable equivalent, or by conquest
| IN war.
| These, however, have been but incidents in our
| c ursc, and "to form more perfect union csab-
ish Justice, increase domestic tranquility, provide
| for tho common defence, promotes the general
welfare, and secure tho blessings of liberty to our
sel,c. nnd our Iostcrity," still remain the great
| purposes for Which the Government was establish
| ed. ] do not know that under all circumstances,
| should say with Nh Calhoun Lat ito us Cuba
| i forbidden fruit 'vtllc time may come when il may
! he rxpelicnt and necessary TO enlarge our boun
| ari,4, nnI even ia coyct islands Of the sea. But
let all >nch events he The result of time and ne
! ce.sty AID effected without IN ustice loss of
! nntional character The administration Of Mr.
! Fillmore promntlv refused the overture of England
! aud France for stipulation TINT neither of the
PARTIES would acquire this Island, aud at tho same
| time declared that the United States would never
consent t. its transfer from Spain to any other
! Iuruurn power; and the enforcement of that dec
hration is all that interest or honor require.
| The present limits of the United States com
| prehcnd mn Empire Of sufficient magnitude to sat
/ isfy every Just aspiration for national grandeur,
! and care should be tnkcl neither to sully good
name nor to bnrthcn the present population of
! tha country with cxactons oihundrcds Of millions
to purchase lands, 10 the end that we may
! boast more extended domains And when we
know of certainty thnt Cuba is not for sale, and
. thnt propositions for s purchase are offensive to
its proprictors it is not only idle, but mischievous
to appropriate monies for its purchase an! there
! fore seizure in tho event Of refusal. Wing policy
centemen is founded on no idea, which may
may form the sub leet Of II temporary excitement,
| cxpendng all its energies now upon Kansas, and
now upon Cuba. 1t builds its structures on no
narrow platforms, formed to be interpreted in diff
ferent sections with different meanings; but it
looks TO all the great interests of the nation conf
ded to the Federal Government, and seeks to ndorn
| them by the means committed to its power
| While abstaining from the cxertion of powers de-
MED, it contempates the free and benefcsnt
else of those conferred for the public good. 1t
endeavors to allay sectional excitement and to
! promote sentiments of harmony and union by
doing justice to all sections. Economical in fact,
not in idle railing boasting, it estimates the
amount required for an efficient public service and
appeals to an intelligent people for its contribu-
tions-not by direct taxes, but by duties distinctly
| levied and honestly paid on foreign imports, with
discrimination when necessary, in favor of Amer
lean and against foreign interests. When last
! invested with authority under the mild and just
rule of Fillmore, it gave due attention to all the
national interests at an annual cost OF S52 200OoOO
although there an over1owng treasury
| which it constantly but vainly besought Congress
to reduce, and the complaint then made IN
| higher quarter that this amount Of expenditure
was extravagant, calling for tho Intervention OF
.t,n