Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-07
Hon Hiram .Ke,chum. Chairman, Of

Hon" Hiram .Ke,ch,m Chairman of The NJ y
Wing General Committee.
My DEAR SIR-Your communication of the
23d ult. reached Boston just as was leaving
home on ajoUrney. from which have but re-
Gently returned As am now making prep
arations for still longer absence from home
and country at an early day. am constrained
to reply TO your inquiries less formally and
less fully than l might otherwise have been
disposed to do.
Indeed, | would willingly have excused
myself from answering them at all, if my ST.
lence were not liable to he miscOnstrued eth
er into want Of respect for the Committee,
OF which you are the organ. or into want
| OF sympathy with their general views Re-
tired, as i have been, for some wears past,
| from all political connection, and without an
aspiration Tor anything which party can be-
stow. am sensible bow little importance can
be attached to what may say or leave I'M
said. And, though have no cause for con-
cealing any views which entertain, shall
not be sorry y this communication should re-
main among the unpublished correspondence
Of your Committee.
You submit to my consideration a Resolu-
tion in the following words:
.'ResoiUed, That, in the judgment Of this
Committee. II is not exp, dient at this time.
| further TO dhcuss or agitaie the question of
the Slavery of the African race in this cOun-
| try;-That IL be respectfully recommended
| to every citizen to vote and act according to
his convictions OF right and duty; but those
who, with us, believe that sufficient has been
said and written for the purpose of sxplana-
| ton and elucidation will forbear further dis
cussion of the subject of Slavery. aud turn
their attention 10 other topics of general i'm
| portance-sUch as our Foreign relations. in
GLIDING the question of the extension of Ter
| ritory;- building of Railroads for Nation
al purposes; the Improvement of our Harbors
| and the Navigation of our Rivers to facili
tate internal Commerce; the subjects of Cur
rency and Tariff of duties, and othermeans
| for developing our own internal resources
| and the Home wealth, and binding together
by the ties OF interest and fraternal feelings
the various parts and sections OF our widely
extended Republic
The sum shd substance Of this resolution,
asI understand IL, is the expression OF an
earnest opinion that local and sectional ques-
! tions should no longer be suffered to absorb
| the whole time and thought of our Represent
| atives and Rulers, but that the attention Of
Congress, ard of the Executive OF the country
| should once mere beserously turned TO those
| great National interests. which the Constitu-
| ton OF the United States was established TO
promote. EEAA
To such q resolution give my cordial as
| sent and appreciation. i believe il To be one
which ought 20 command, and will command,
the concurrence OF all true Patriots. There
may he roetn, indeed, for differences Of opin-
ion, in different parts of the country, as to the
precise extent 10 which this or that policy Of
National improvement, suggested ia the Res
oIution, should be carried. At moment
hen there Is so much well grounded appre-
hension that the old purity OF administration
aud OF legislation, which characterized the
earlier peri,ds of our Republic. is becoming
obsolete there may well be some caution 10
instItuting q general system OF Internal I'M
proyements which could open sill wider OPP
poriunitirs for corruption. But with this OBJ
vious qualification. cannot doubt that vast
| majority OF the people of the Union could
| they be fre,f 10 express their opinions, anin-
huenced by party, and unawed by patronage
and power--would give their hearty support
| to the views which this Resolution embodies.
We have goodly heritage 10 manage for
| ourselves aBd 10 transmit to our children.
| Greatly any OF US may regret that II did
| not come down to us from our falh,rs with
out ineumbrances or drawbacks OF any sort.
we have yet enough TO be thankful for,
enough 10 be proud of, enough 10 occupy
our most ,iiligent aud devoted attrnlioa,
| without "btgging trouble irom subjects over
which We have no control rs a Nation.
Nobody l,retends that there Is any Consti-
| tntional pssxer in the General Government
over the institution OF African Slavery A. u
exists in the Southern States, aud nobody
weald kno,r what TO do wifh such power
TOMORROW, eli bestowed upon tue Nation
| Tie States la which that Institution exists
| have sufficient weight OF responsibility IN
regard isiL without belsg sexed aud giaa'
ed hy f.,Fsi 20 in.vrvs nlou; a.s1 The inls4ves-
| tion al the ksre States GA this subjvel : for
eiga iateFseatioa as much q. u ~ we're that
| of Grsai Britain or n ancr.
Incidensal issues mnst, indeed. OCCASIONAL
~ arise. as they have srisea, sh,eh ofihg The
whole sahlect intsd isrussion, aud apon which
Tie councils OF he nltIon mas b. csmpslissi