Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-04-20
AZ SIM IA
To Messrs. JOIN W. HARRIS,
DAS'I. ID. ATCElS0S,
!. CAROL SMITH,
As. RUTHyEN,

DAN l.. d. ATcEISQNi | UalVeslon,
j. CAROL SMITH, Texas.
As. RUWyEN,
Gentlemen Your letter Of January Goth was receiv
ed in due time but owing to press OF official duties,
have been unable answer 1t until the present moment
Aud In fact this time such IS the complex atu
ic of our State affairs owing 20 the Indian troubles on
our border and the condition OF our Treasury that VIII
not be able 10 devote that attention 10 II which would
desire
In YOUR letter YOU desire to know, whether IrH per-
nit fy name TO be used cdad date tor me FfeSi-
Rsr.y before the Charleston Cy1eatiyH, and solicit
frank oppression IF mV rors mer0pon and VIII STATE
ha. numerous letters from various parts OF tie Union
have reached me- making the same inquiry.
Disposed at al. times give free expression TO my
views shall candidly NEE, tue question before me-
Nor will il be ams- in 70 glance AZ the presen! con
d.-ion of our politics their tendencies and results.
The glaLd idea OF parties as maintained by the great
mon of the mast has been destroyed AL those absorb
inc questions Of finance and government, which rallied
around Jackson and Clay the patriotism OF tue country
differing as 10 the best mode Of advancing the national
interests We; all striving accomplish that end are lost
sight Of We are drifting onward in the march of OK
rrv~iace and corruption That which pertains TO the
whole country commands scarcely passing thought
while that which pertains to each individual section Is
theme OF distinction.
The Democratic party, which eight wears ago carried
It's candidate into the Presidency by az overwhelming
majority is divided by factions. Coalitions, torme. with
men Of more ambition than patriotism nave broken down
the old landmarks. National mcn have given place 10
sectional agi4iors. Practical national questions nave
given way 10 distractions. Slavery agitation has been
renewed in Congress and the great wo-k o. the pIcllca
Tors of 1880 has been uudOne. SecuOnli,m has bceu
the canker-worm which has Toasted on the party until
its vitality has been well nigh consumed.
Il is needless define, at any length the various be-
resieg which distract the country, each claiming Tor IT.
self the OF Democracy. They each nave ueif pc
cusr advocates and are suited to peculiar sections OF
isrus Whether known by the name OF "oqu-uer-Soye-
rgnty" or a Congressional save Code TOR the IerH-O-
res thew are alike opposed 10 the true doctrine oil
non-iuteryentou aud calculated to renew and keep
alive the dangerous agitation OF the slavery question
which both the political parties were pledged 10 resist
"i.dr ,rbqerer color or shape IL IS presented Then
come all the shades Of dsuuion a. the Soutl-men who
have been the advocates OF reopenmg the African slave
Trade-mcn who sustain the secession OF dlsumon scheme
proposed by the Legislature OF south Carona-who have
ooiussed extreme measures for more than quarter OF
century and who in the garb of democracy, have
used ain their energies promote the work OF d-Gnln
and prepare the way for the erection OF Southern Con-
iederacy, upon the ruins Of our Constitutional Onion
The Charleston Convention is TO behold these elements
-"blick spirits and white red spirits and grey, con
rlomcrated-Geu who have devoted their hNes 10 the
service of the Constitution and National principles are
10 behold the hUmlting spectacle and their sentiments
and counse arctic be tramped under foot by those who
90 committed TO doctrines subsersye OF the Government
and the rights Of the people Of the States,
In OIl1u times there Mcit ~ NbuNNHpae' pe t'lOo'
designed to form organic systems Of government As
men became more aspiring and less scrupuous with re-
gard to the impulses of patriotism, and determination
was evinced to sacrifice great principles m general
scramble for place and power, desire was manifested
70 adop, some means by which public opinion could be
concentrated upon certain individuals calculated to be
ia opponents The caucus system was introduced Alter
lis practice for bre period Us tendencies were dscoy
cred 20 load 10 the absorption of political power in the
hands of few TO the prejudice OF the public veal 1t
was repudiaed and the spontaneous VIII oil the people,
after being fairly led into action, placed Gen. Jackson
i'm the Presidential chair lie had denounced everything
like caucus dictation as degrading to American feeling
He Wa elevated the second time, when the hrs attempt
at the Convention system wa= made and Mr. Van Buren,
nominated as Vice President on Gen. Jicksons ticket.
Gen jackson refused TO allow lis name TO be submit
ted 10 the Convention peierring his election to come
from the people This was the first ndoctrinaton OF
national politics with the system OF Conventions and
platforms Ii has obtained from that time until the pres
eut and has been subject to continual degenerating
process.
At that period, WAS not resident OF the United
States After the annexation OF Texas TO the Union,
while member of the United States Senate, was, III
common with my colleagues in congress instructed, in
lS4S by the Legislature Of the State TO attend at Ba!li-
more as delegate to the Convention, which there as
sembed aud vote the sentiments of the State We acted
in accordance with Instructions From that time to
the present NV name has been used before Conventions,
both in this State aud Baltimore by the direction OF
the State Legislature without any Continuance of mine,
or without nv having been consulted on the subject.
Nv reason for acting in the Baltimore Convention,
was that represented the Democratic party the party
to which had ever been attached aud with which bad
consistently acted As my views were national and my
politics embraced the Union, when sectionalIsm began
10 absorb all national issues, set my face against H. and
when in violation Of the pledges the Democratic party
had made the country the Nebraska and Kansas bill
introduced as Democratic measure, refused to vote
for it. For this was prescribed and my held up
to censure The of Democracy was invoked, with
she patronage Of the Administration and the denuncia
ton of every demagogue North and South arrayed against
me as traitor the South. and an Gbclitionist Upon
that have no reflections make. The past and pres
ent unhappy agitation the slavery question and the
dsrupon Of raerna feeling between the North and The
South would seem 70 manifest that was not blind 10
the consequences Of that in my resistance TO its
adoption Since then have deplored tie misforunes
of the country and that legislative construction was sub
siituted for judicial action. Ny earnest hope is that as
no possible benefit resulted 20 the section which repre-
sented no ultimate evil will beiG the whole coantry from
its adoption.
have in the past acted with and stood by the Demo
cratic psrty but il was national party. With the trick
cry and schemng the bargain and sale Of Conventions
have had nothing TO do The evil effects to the country
of sreg lrding public opinion aud putting forward the
choice of politicians has been seen and fe by good
men of all parties At first something was due Conven'
tons because they extent represented the peo
ME They have degenerated into assemblages, the ma
orty of which represent nobody but the hangerson OF
while the bone and sineW of the country are led
TO acuuesce in their action under the pressure OF the
sectional question which now divides the country.
Nor are these evils less apparent 10 host OF zoe ma
tional men, who form minority Of Conventions, They