Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-22
Hu1sRoRo,. n H. June %. 1860


My DEAR SIR: Your letter from Baltimore direct
ed tome at New York and forwarded thence to Con-
cord, has at last reached me here, and will not lay
it aside without saying word in reply. Your re-
lection delegate was, IN my Judgment clear
violation of right but it must have gratiied your
friends on the spot as it has me since to observe
that the wrong perpetrated in your exclusion was
not more palpable than your yindication of sound
principles and of your claims to a seat conclu-
sive and triumphant
1t was vain TO hope for harmony after the action
of the majority upon the report of the Com
mittee on Credentials. II could hardly have
failed to have been understood generally that
such action must terminate the existence OE
the convention q body representing the De-
mOcracy of the Union, and eyentuGte in the pres
ent condition of the powerful and patriotic organza-
tion which has so long upheld the equal rights and
indicated in peace and in the common honor of
these cOnfederated States There has been, in fact,
no nomination made in conformity with the estab-
lished and recognized usages of that organization
and hence sound and faithful men will find nothing
in the proceedings so far as the nominees con-
cerned to bind their party fealty. Under these cir
cumstances it would crafty me exceedingly if our
friends in all sections of the land could unite earnestly
and cordially in the support of Mr. Breckenridge
and Gen. Lane, and thus insure for signal
victory; but this cannot even be hoped for What
then is to be done with result repugnant to our
wishes? 1t is of less consequence to discuss who
were right and who were wrong upon the question
mine how the Democratic party, which united is in
vincibe can avert the calamity of an rrecOncilabe
breach ~ sF sF
If division is at present inevitable, it may be well
to inquire whether it is to be permanent. Is devo
ton to principle to the equal rights of the States
and to the integrity of the Union TO be sacrificed to
any object of personal ambition, or what is worse,
if possible to the blind control of passion, of which
we have already had too much? Have the doctrines
and sentiments of sectional fanaticism which eul-
minated last year, in the armed invasion OF sister
State with the avowed purpose Of exciting nsurrec-
ton, ceased TO be dangerOus2 Where is the evil
dence of change in the direction of sounder and
more conservative opinions? l do not preceive it.
IL certainly is not to be found in the want of
cert apparent among the great body of our coun-
trymen who are opposed to the principles and policy
of which Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Hamlin are now the
representative men.
While it would be cupable weakness to intermit
effort the for right there is neither wisdom nor cour-
age in turning from a full view of the embarrass-
ments which beset our party and the dangers which
threaten our country. The only manly idea upon
which to act is, Things are bad and NAV be
worse, but with the blessing of God we will try
to make them better" At all events it is no time
for elimination and recrimination among those who
expecthe after need and &c have each the support
of the other 1t cannot mend the past-cannot help
the present-and cannot fail to be disastrous to the
future. He who takes different view and acts
upon it. will only accumulate harvest of regrets
by utterng sentiments to be explained. qualified
recalled unless indeed it is already at the haf way
house." (where so many have stopped temporarily
before,) only to resume his march and take his
place in the ranks of those whose opinions and
tons have been in direct antagonism with his own.
N am not without hope that sthe sterling Democ-
rscy of the Keystone State viii be able untedly to
support the electoral ticket already nominated by
them without regard to the preference of the iDdi
vidual nominees, but with satisfactory under
standing as to the manner in which the vote of the
State shall in certain contingencies, be cast and
that their exsmpe may be followed by other States,
and thus something like unanimity be yet Sc
cured. Should policy like this, at once concihs-
tory and just be pursued. we may well be animated
by fresh hope and confidence.
expect to be in Boston next week, when we can
interchange thoughts more fully and satisfactorily
than it ~ possible to do by letter. In the meantime.