Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-11-24
Blair VS.. Douglas.


haps more of an open Abolitionist than Doug
las, but better and more Trustworthy man in
all respects, although any comparison with
Douglas will do him injustice
There was man in New York, named
Daniel Pratt, who was insane on the subject
of the Presidency, believing that he was a
prominent candidate for that high office, and
certain to be elected. There was also anoth-
er person, named George Washington Otis
Mellen, who was afflicted with the same in
sanity. This Presidential monomania, like
the cholera, appeared to be moving from the
East to the West, and had recently seized
upou Mr.. Douglas, of Illinois, who was now
pcrambulatng the country under the delu-
sion that he was running for the Presidency,
when 1T Is clear to every sane man that he
cannot get electoral vote When this
unfortunate monomaniac came to st. Louis.
certain mischicvous ways, intent upon their
own amusement, and apparently regardless
of the cruel sport they were making of him.
by treating him as if he was seriously can
didate for the Presidency, asking him a
series of questions, in which my name was
used. The questions, whether he had ever
had conversation with me in which he de-
clarcd that his object in proposing the Kans
as-Nebraska bill was to destroy slavery in all
the Territories and that he intended to leave
the Democratic party and unite with the Re
publicans; and that he desired to give me
jim. Green's place in the Senate? Mr..
Dougas replied to these questions without
using my name; but no person who read the
Bulletin newspaper, in which the questions
were asked, can doubt that the following cx-
tract from his speech was intended as a reply
to them
We omit the extract, and continue the words
Of Mr.. Blair:
1t is only necessary for me to say that if
Douglas intended to imply, by the language
OF the above extract, that | ever sought a
private interview with him upon political
subjects, and furnished the Breckinrdgc pa
pers with charges against him, based upon
that conversation, and sought to have myself
called as witness to prove the charge, he
is guilty of gross and wanton falsehood
and | can produce the most conclusive ev-
dence to prove it upon him TIoud APP
Plause In the first place, l never sought
an interview with him upon political subjects,
but on the contrary, | can prove by Mr. Col
fax, OF Indiana, and Burlingame, of Massa-
chusctts, and others, that Mr. Douglas sought
the interview with me and sent pressing in
vtatlon to me to come and sec him, SAYING
that " he wanted to hayc talk with me, and
wanted to give me Jim. Green's seat in the
Senate from Missouri" dislikcd Mr. Doug
las on account of his completely with the
Missouri nullficrs, and histatcd to 90, but
finally went to see him, to hear what he had
to say.
| never furnished the Brcckinridse pa
pcrs, nor any one else, with charges against
Douglas based upon what he said, as Mr..
Douglas we'll knows; nor did communicate
with any one upon the suhjct, except in ac-
cordancc with his own views and suggestions,
and to forward his wishes. 1t is not my
purpose to detail any portion of what did oc-
cur, except so far as | am justified in my
own defence against his attacks. have re-
fused to do so when assailcd by his partisans
and even if MIR. Douglas forgcts to be gen
tcman, it is no reason that | should follow
his example. So far from its being true that
| furnished Breckenridge papers with charges
against him, | repeat again that all that
transpircd upon the subject was communca.
crot, B. Gratz Brown, Esq, because the ten
or of the conversation was to induce the rad
ical free soil papers to refrain from attack
his policy. | could not accomplish this with
vcrsatiou, and although never believed his
policy would be guided by anything save
his own interests, or what he considered his
Interests, still was willing, in common with
all Republicans, to accept his aid from what
ever motive given, or the aid of any one else
to defeat the pro-slavcry policy of the Dem
ocratlc party, and upon this ground urged
torbcarance on the part of Mr.. Brown and
the other free soil editors of Missouri, so
long as Douglos continued to oppose the poll
cy of the Administration.
MIR. Brown can testify that this was the
tenor of the letter, and that he acted upon
the suggestion. So that instead of making
charges against Mr.. Douglas, / wrote to ad-
vance his own wishes; and [ am not even
responsible for the fact that the substance of
the lcttcr was bruitcd about and made pub.
lie. When asked subsequently, and after
had been assalcd by Douglas partizans, |
declined to say anything about the matter,
and shonld not now.lsoy what lhovc, exccptthot
President monomaniac has no licence to
viify and slahdcr those who encouraged him
in the only gbod act of his life The mos
sengcr sent me by Douglas, and the result
of the interview by which the free soil press
of st. Louis were induced to spare him
until he returned to his vomit," and went
back to the service of slavery, shows very
plainly what passed between us and it is
unnecessary TO say more, even if this Daniel
Pratt, of Illinois, was real candidate for the
Presidency, and not mere mouutcbank
IlF or nrn To-,