New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-09-11
GEN, mII.T.soN.s LETTER..

The Hon. John S. Millson of Virginia was, we
believe, the only Democratic member of the House
of Representatives from the South who voted
against the Kansas Nebraska bill. His reasons for
so voting were given in able speech delivered
IN Congress, and were, to great extent, the same
which impelled Mr.. Bell and Gen. Houston to vote
in the same way. Gen. Millson went against his
party on that occasion, but time has shown that he
was not so far wrong as was supposed. Certainly
his constituents, instead of finding fault with him
have since returned him to Congress- at every
election, by increased najorities.
4 Gen. Malson has recently made speech before
his constituents in which he expressed his prefer.
| ence for Mr.. Douglas as the Democratic candidate
Besides that, he has written letter. which we find
| published in the Norfolk Herald, wherein he dis
cusses, with uncommon ability, the dissensons in
the party, deplores their existence, and denies
that there is any sufficient cause for them. We
have room only for the concluding paragraphs of
Gen. Wilson's letter, as follows:
For this separation (of the party see no justi-
demned by the whole people of Virginia for even
| the friends of Mr.. Breckenridge have publicly APP
proved the course of the Virginia delegates-and
they, it will be remembered, refused to consent to
/ the separation. If they afterwards connected
themselves with the seeding members, it appears
4 to have been from some discomfort at the settle
ment Of certain claims to seats in the Convention
Ihey doubtless supposed these points of difference
were enormously settled; and whether they were
| or not, 1t would be little profitable to inquire.
But did they demand the disruption of that great
historic party, whose successes have been re.
neeted' ior 50 many years, from the pages of our
statute books? Did they justify the dangers to
the Union, which these gentlemen believe will at
4 tend the election of Mr.. Lincoln now, by these
very acts, rendered 50 probable. Must the peace,
4 the happiness, the safety of the American people
Il lima n
1 testants of seats in nominating Convention?
4 We have maintained, for some years past, a
herce controversy with the Republican party,
| upon issues relating to slavery 1t has now pene-
| trated our own organism, separating and estrang
| ing its members. The truth is, both quarrels re-
late rather to speculative differences of opinion
| wellfounded apprehension. I allude, of course,
to evils and dangers resulting from federal egisa-
| tion And yet the quarrel has never been fiercer
| than now. The explanation must be sought, not
in history, but in psychology: it is, that there has
| never been so little to quarrel about. Since the
establishment of the Republican party the object
| proclaimed as the bond of their association has
been pronounced, by the highest judicial author
lty, to have been placed beyond their reach by
the Constitution. We might well, then, have been
tranquilized by this assurance of our safety; and
even those who think it prudent to trust the de-
tense OF slavery to political party, should have
confessed the wisdom of reconstructing the Demo
cratic party, upon its ancient principles and
measures This opinion l expressed in Congress
some years ago.
But instead Of doing 50, we have only been more
ingenious In deylsing and more importunate in ex-
acting, new tests of Democratic orthodoxy, in
some OF the many relations of the slavery question
Has there been nothing in all this, of willingness
10 perpetuate diseord rather than to restore har'
mony! Is there no latent purpose to throw the
southern mind into state Of morbid irritability,
that would make dsunion possible, if not easy? i
much fear there Is. j am sure the Virginia MEM
bers had no such purpose, and were moved by no
Of fha,r,
hIDlted q more compacents willingness to adapt
their course to the views of others, than may be
altogether approved. could wish, at least, that
they had adhered to their objections to the pro-
posed additions to the creed of the party.
That there is purpose to accomplish the de-
struction of the present Union, have much reason
to fear. How extensive it may be, / have no
means Of knowing. Most of those who are parties
to this design, would withdraw from the Union, at
once; not for what may be, but for what has
| been, and now is. They complain that we are not
/ q harmonious and homogeneous people. l fear
| they have never eomprehended the sublime philo-
sophy Of our national Union. We never have been,
/ and never can be Homogeneous people, 1t is be-
cause we are not homogeneous people that our
4 Union was formed. 1t is Union--a Confederation
4 of NATIONS each controlling the customs and
social habitndes off own people, and all together
ordalnipg grand system of free trade and inter-
national Intercourse and pedging reciprocaI mo-
lection against foreign and domestic violence. Had
n we been one people-one in climate and produce
ton in manners and opinion, in interest and pur-
suit, in religion and social relation our present
Union could never have been formed
4 But tits feared the Covenant of this Union NAV
pc broken. ruthless majority may trample upon
this Constitution. subservient Senate and I'M
scrupulops House Of Representatives, encouraged
and supported by dishonest President may snap
4 asunder the oaths that bind them to their duty
| and threw down the guarantees that hedge our
1 safety. An obsequlous judiciary may refuse to
raise its strong arm for protection and then
then will come the dread realization Of our dismal
i forebodtngs
When such Thoughts from the visions of the
/ night come upon men, is it strange there should
be an image before their eyes-ike the spirit that
\ passed before the face Of Ephaz, which made the
hair Of his flesh stand up, and of which, though it
! stood still, he could not discern the form.
we cannot reason with the passions. Love,
hatred, Jealousy, revenge, fear, cannot be touched
| by argument. If we will indulge timorous appre-
| tensions, Iknow not how they can be removed by
any process OF reasoning. Yes all these dreaded
evils may come; and they may not come. In the
lifetime OF this Government, now more than
seventy years old, they have not yet come. No
| act affecting slavery that was ever complained of
as wrong has eyer yet been done, except by the
| consent Of the South. The legislation of 1907 and
| 1910 against the slave trade, the Missouri Com.
promise, the Oregon restriction the Compromise
/! acts oil 1850, were all favored and supported by
Southern statesmen. What may come hereafter,
i We cannot tell Our present safety is not less as
sured because remote evils are possible Per-
haps posterty may be relied on to guard its own
/ welfare.
Why SiIuutu " ny LuOuBhl mat the Constitution is
too weak to protect us from aggressons attempted
| in the Union Why mnst we escape from the
faUnion to find remedies from the wrong What ia
| the Union, but tile Constitution what the Con
stituton, but the Union? All the relations of the
| Union are relations only Of the Constitution
the rights and powers Of the Constitution are rights
and powers also Of the Union. III in the Union
then, we suffer wrong, it is the Union that supplies
the remedy. It is the Union that provides a Sen
ate, House OF Representatives a judiciary, and
every other safeguard u onr rights and interests
tits the Union that is wounded and suffers with us
| from every blow struck at the Constitution; and
| those who counsel secession, on the bare appre-
hension of injustice, forget that to flee from wrongs
committed against the Union is to flee from RENE.
dies provided by the Union.
| For my own part, i have never dreamed of sub.
mitting to any aggression have never been will
ling to surrender the least right have rejected
all compromises and repealed every encroachment.
But should as little deserve the confidence which
my constituents have SO long fenosed in me, if i
sought to disturb their tranquility with groundess
alarms, as if failed to warn them Of impending
| danger.
| 4 am, yors respectfully ypws
JOHN S. MILLsoN.
| FATAL CAsuALrY.-on Indian Creek, in Wash.
| lngton county, NO., Benjamin f. Smith, a highly
respected, influential and energetic citizen. was
suddenly struck down by a most shocking and IN
mentable accident. On Friday, 3lst August nj i |
O'CLOCK Il. NJ, while nupaued in la IL, IL,