Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-03-17
LETTER FROM j. E. BOULIGNY.

by the telegraph. 1t will be seen
that our Representative comes out
very plain y in favor of Douglas:
| AsH1NGroN, Feb. 30, 1860.
! Gentlemen: Your letter of the
18th instant has just reached me,
in which you ask my views on
the state Of parties and what, in my
intercourse with leading men in
Congress and at the seat of fed
eral authority, isdeesnedtl'e wisest
and best coursefor the Southern
States to pursue,as the period for
selecting chief magistrate to src-
ceed Mr.. Buchanan approaches
shall briefly rel to your ques-
tion in the spirit OF frankness and
perfect candor which has always, ]
trust governed my course in poll
As.'
Thedisquietude and uneasiness,
which you allege prevails in the
public mind is not uncalled for; it
would, indeed, be marvellous were
it otherwise. Never, in my Judge
ment, was the Republic environed
with such perils as now encompass
1.-THE times never looked SO men
acing-the duties of patriotism
were never so stern in their de-,
mands.
So long as the sectional organiza-
ton known as the Republican par
ty continues in the political field
contesting for the Government,
there can be no peace and quiet.
In existence as party is stand
ing declaration Of war against the
rights Of the flaveholding States Of
the Union. How this party can be
defeated and destroyed is now the
problem that engages the attention
OF all who love their country and
value the preservation of its insti
tutions. The stake of the comm.
contest rises to the level of the in
tegrity Of an empire-no1hing
less.
l see but one party in the arena
which seems to be able to cope with
this great enemy of the National
Democracy, with which however
policy: yet candor compels me to
say, is now the only conservative
organization which appears to have
sufficient power to defeat the Re-
publicans. And with this party l |
unhesitatingly urge my friends to
cooperate in the approaching strug-
gle.
In regard to its prospects of sue
cess, much, if not every thing, in
my judgement, depends upon the |
choice OF the Democratic party will |
make at Charleston FORTS candidate, !
At present l believe that, with
Stephen A. Douglas, victory is Ger.
tain; with any other man, the con-
test is at least risk. Presented
by the almost unanimous acclaim
of every State in the Northwest,
which, with its ten millions of peo-
pie, has never yet had a President,
his friends insists that, ifnominated,
he will carry every State west Of
the Ohio river. l confess that the
facts and reasoning which they Of
ferin support of this opinion inclines
me to the belief that they do not
exaggrerate bis strength. I may
be deceived, but my conviction is
that should Douglas be nominated
at Charleston. he will succeed Ly
an overwhelming majority.
/ am aware that he is objected
to by great many gentlemen in
the South for his views on the Ter
question and some 20 so far
as to stigmatize him as untrustwor-
Thy generally ou the slavery issue.
My Impression is, If we in the South
cannot trust Douglas on the negro
question, we do not deserve to have
defenders ofour rights at the North.
For twenty years he has been un-
1inchingly the most gallant ad-
,ocate Of the Constitutional guaran-
ees that the South have ever had
n the free States, and has risked
more in their defense than any {
,ther statesman in the land. To day,
regard him as the soundest and
most reliable friend of the South at
he North and his votes, speeches &