Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-08-28

/ power OF the AepuOllcs anu tD0So men, aS well q
Others we're but the feather aut the cork upon th
surface Of the mighty current. No man understood
i these issues At the time more thoroughly .han Gen
jackson himself, for in full interview with him
about Goth August, 1874. he showed himself al
| though feeble with disease, profoundly master o
all points, and in which be spoke freely of Mr.
1 Bentons course in unmessured terms, and deepl,
regretted Mr.. Van Buren's. BY an accident, di'
not reach Nashville quite soon enough for the pro
ceedngs of the great convention, but think ther'
were two sets Of representatives at itfrcm Missouri
one from the friends CT Col. Benton, called th'
Hards," and one from the other portion Of th'
Democratic party called the Softs." And IL
mistake not, Gen. jackson sent special message 4
Col. Benton by Judge, who was member Of thu
Convention aud particular friend of Col. Benton My
/ friend Judge Catron Of the Supreme Cour may rets
lect the particulars, for he went with me the day
! spent at the Hermitage. mention this merely Il
show that every person took the deepest interest il
the exciting issues before the country, and fell
great concern for the future. And If We had no
succeeded, where now would the Repabhc have
been thrown back half century in its power snC
ascendency over great and mighty events which ar,
working out The elevation and benedt OF mankind
No man whose heart beats with pride for hIs coun'
try, can help feeling glow Of exutation as ne eou
templates the gigAntis strides cur eontederacy o.
free Republics has made towards power and empire
amongst the nations Of the earth, snce the great out
lines of policy were inaugerated inthe canvass enC
election wkieh brought Mr Polk into .pOwer-
ssald havs bat poar consiisration for m3sflk, If
could hare ooofned the object Of M visit "a 1874
| to the email aud narrow views which Mr.. Bsntoa:
book makes the oal5 ''eoHdsfioH 10 South CsroiinS
voting for him. True, an organ for the asmnistra
tion was spoken Of, bat it was only incidental C
| the other great questious We knew aHt felt tha
Mesfr5. b air aid Riyes could not te continued
because they had adhered TO Mr.. Van Buren in his
J oupoaifiou Ia ths-anrn nvaff.u of Texas and uD1u
this very point he had been overtbrown by the par
ty at the Baltimore Convention, and Of course Il
would have heen suicidal and weak in the last de-
gree to have chosen an organ that was opposed Il
the administration on the most vial part of Us
policy, part upon which all other points turred
No man was suggested as an organ at all. 1t wss
only understood hat some one sound on the annex
alto question and the tariff was to be selected.
made secret of this. In fact, afterwards wrote
or informsd Mr.. Rises CT it, and that ne and Mr..
Blair were obliged to be overthroEp. TWAS essen
tial to the great policy of the ADMINISTRATION most
particularly SO, when their identity aad intimate
connection with Col. Benton vas known, and when
il was felt By all that he was the Ajax Telsmon oi
opposition to Texas.
As to the $50 600 Col Benton speaks of. (psgl
$685. being used by Mr.. Cameron, Of Pennsylvanis,
in the purchase for Mr. Ritchie, and afterwards by
Hon. K. J. Walker, when Secretary Of the Treasury
know nothing whatever of it, never having heard
of it until l read it in his book. True. it was ad-
mitted to be important that MIR. Tyler should be
Withdrawn as a candidate, for his running would
divert many votes, particularly in Virgins and
elsewhere, aud might produce great confusion and
endauger the results very much. II was calculated
that We could carry the election, even if we lost
Tennessee, but MIR. Tyler running might endanger
all
The only other point of the slightest consequences
mentioned, was in relation TO the ultra movements
II l. -
called ''the ufton Rssolu ions" Some excited
persons, under patriotic impulses, who had felt
deeply grieVed by the Wrengs OF the Fedaral G 1V-
ernment, had indicated that this State, at least,
ought 10 organize for separate action and resistance
without waiting events or concert Of action. They
looked only At question, the tariff, and did not
consider the complication Of our position at that
peesliar juncture, AMI the other great questions
made IL was important IN other Staies that the
fIeuds Of Mr. Polk should be relieved from eOnnee-
tiOn or identity with this local and ultra move al
that period. With that view, / wrote Col Elmore
from Mr. Polks, that il was Of great importance he
should call meeting and introduce resolutions in
Charleston, regulating what were called the
''BlutftOn Resolutions" aud TO indicate they were
not the concerted move Of the State think be did
so. Now these sra eaadidly and frankly ali the
subjects touched on or spoken of in that nteryieW
which Col Benton 50 mysteriousiy introduces as an
important point ia the political history Of that pc
ricd OF course, | am fully aware that it vas no
part Of his object to DO any Injustice to little
known as myself, but only to use me fer the pur-
pose Of making it appear in history, by inference,
that Mr.. Calhoun was capable OF very small in
trigue against two editors, who had occupied very
conspicuous position in the partisan conflicts Of that
day, and thar he was willing TO make South Caro-
lima play the contemptble part Of casting her vote
for the important Office Of President merely to graft
fy his personal vengeance. At page 65l, he says
the South Carolina vote was disposable by the pol
itieisns and had been habitually disposed CT by
them Mr. Polk was CERTAIN of the vote Of the State
if he agreed to the required conditions, and be dil
so." do not know now Col, Bentcn obtained his
information to what was ''Gg7ssd to-" l only
wrote 10 Col. Elmore and TO Mr. Cslhsun from Mr.
Polks TO the questions and issues presented, and
our understanding of them
But justice TO Mr.. Calhoun first, and then to Mr..
Polk, against whom, also, NJ. Benton very severe
his structures. aud in the nferences to be drawn
from his statement of apparent facts, requires that
| should make the statement have maze, went
there very reluctantly, and only because / was
urged to do so un1er the belief it might be Of bene
ft On important points, and | now disdsin TO have
any disguise about the matter l never addressed
any convention or assembly in Tennessee, until
had full interview With Mr.. Polk 6rst, As TO The
entire length blr Calhoun went at that time on the
Texas question, do Lot deem it st all necessary 10
say any thing further. His celebrated letter. writ
ten Secretary Of State, 10 Mr. kicg, our minis
ter at Paris we'll as bis taking he House resoIu-
ti)ns, The last night of Mr.. Tyers administration
instead of Col. Benton's, which looked to negotia
tion if Mezico interposed armel opposition, and the
sending Mr. Dones0n, the former intimate private
Secretary OF Gen. Jackson, Immediately down 10
Texas EE these resolutions, all illustrate his views
fully at that period The only point desire to draw
attention TO at present is, that there were much
greLter questions anu much greater Ohec in view
than merely to overthrow one Government organ
and build up another. l well know thst the Gov
ernment printing, connected with the Government
organ, has often been made the pivot upon which
extensive party arrangements have been made to
turn, snd great party combinations have been enter
ed into, but in this instance there were questions
far above all this, and it is doing great rustics to
the conntry TO suppress entirely Gbe Iaore import
ant issues. Bat for these issues involving vital
principles, Mr.. Clay never could nave been defeat
ed for at that particular uncture he had the most
Intellectual AID devoted party any man ever had,
a1d upon the old issues of 1910, Mr. Van Buren
sad the Democratic party had been nearly aRnihil>
q ed
If, after reading Mr.. BsntOn's book, which from
its great labor well as his wide spread repu-
tation, is destined to be viewed history, | we're
to remain silent, it might be taken in after times IS
a full statement Of all l had in view and all re-
uuired, to control the vote Of South Carolina in
great election AhVOibLnB II llS EsSuHs PtluSiPleS
which will produce profound impression upon the
destiny of the Republic long after so humble per
son as / am shall be entirely unknown. do this
further, in justice to the memory Of two great men
now dead, whose general principles upon ali lead
ing constitutional questions were alike, and who
we're still more alike in the exemplary purity Of
their private characters. W. PlCkENS.
ST PETERSBURG, April -, 1859.
SALE OF A NEGRO.
virtue of decree OF the Circuit Court Of the United
states for the Of Middle Tennessee 10 Of