The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-05-25

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South, Mr.. Yancey addressed letter of
explanation to Mr.. Pryor, in which be de-
clared that it was a private letter, written
in the freedom and carelessness OF private
confidence, and was subject to hostile criti-
cism. Therefore, be proceeded to explain
more fully what his views were upon the
question. I have endeavored to obtain an
entire and perfect copy OF this letter to Mr..
Pryor, without success. find, however, a
long extract, embodying probably the whole
of its material parts, in the National Intel
hgencer of September 4, 1858, which is
fair representation of Mr.. Yancey's opin>
ions. Finding it in the Inteligencer, a
newspaper so proverbial for its accuracy
and its fairness, l doubt not that the ex-
tract does full justice to the writer. In the
forepart of the letter, Mr.. Yancey proceeds
to say that, to be candid, place but little
trust in such States as Delaware, Maryland,
Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri" He
then proceeds to give his reasons why he
cannot trust them. Delaware be regards
as nominally slave State, but substantial
ly anti-slavery. On that be differs in opin-
ion from the distinguished Senator from
Delaware, MIR. Bayard, who thinks that
Delaware has such interest in slavery that
it is worth while to break up the Demo.
cratic party on account of slavery. Laugh
ter. But Mr.. Yancey has not much trust
in Delaware and Maryland. He cannot
trust Maryland, because. be says, she keeps
Abolitionists in Congress. Then, he says,
he cannot trust Missouri, because she, for a
long time, sustained freesoiler 10 the Sen
ate, and afterwards in the House of Repre-
notwithstanding to Colonel Benton.
Then, be says he cannot trust Tennessee,
because she kept an Abolitionist here in the
Senate so long, and reelected him and
besides, be says Tennessee never had his
confidence Methodist conference refused
to expuDge certain anti.slavery opinions
which John Wesley had inserted into the
ritual. He cannot trust Kentucky, because
Kentucky, for so many years, sustained such
freesoilers as Clay and Crittenden Laugh.
ter. He then says:
did not name Virginia. 1t is true did not
discriminate between Virginia and the ether
border States. My purpose did not call
for it.
After giving his reasons why he could
not trust the border slaveholding States
which have named, and why he proposed
to plunge the cotton States into revolution,
separating them from the border slave
States, he proceeds as follows:
Mr.. Pugh read the following:
1t is equally true that l do not expect Vir-
ginia to take any initiative steps towards dis.
solution of the Union. when that exigency shall
be forced upon the South. Her position as a
border State, and a well.consdered policy, Ca
policy which has been digested and understood,
and approved by the ablest men in Virginia,
as you yourself must be aware,) would seem
to demand that, when such movement takes
place by any considerable number of southern
States. Virginia and the other border States
should remain in the Union. where, by their
position and their cOunsels, they could prove
more effective friends, than by moving out of
the Union, and thus giving to the southern con.
federacy long abolition hostile border to
watch. In the event of the movement being
successful, in time, Virginia, and the other
southern confederacy, and be protected by the
power of its arms and its diplomacy.
Your charge that l designed to, and did, i'm
peach the fidelity of Virginia, is untrue, how
ever much of truth there may be in it with
reference to those border States that l have
named.
Mr. Douglas. So it seems that, in 1858,
a well-digested plan had been matured and
approved by many of the ablest men of the
South, and even in Virginia and that by
that plan it was not expected that Virginia,
and those other unsound border States, were
to 60 out of the Union when the south was
forced to dissolve-using the word forced
One would suppose that if there was any
such injustice to the slaveboldiDg States as
TO force the south out, in defence of her
constitutional rights, Virginia would be
expected to be as tenacious of them as any
other State; but he did not expect that
Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri
Maryland, and Delaware, were expected, by
that plan, to remain in the Union, for the
reason that, by so remaining, they would
render more service to those who went out
than they could if they went out with them
A very enviable position Mr.. Yancey puts
the Old Dominion in. He wishes to retire
from you, and asks you to remain with US
in order that you may annoy and distract
and betray US, for the benefit of those thai
90 out !; and he holds out the assurance
that, in the course of time, perhaps, Vir.
ginia and Maryland and Kentucky anG
Tennessee and Missouri may become sounc
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confederacy. He is going to keep you or
probation awhile, guarding long abolition
frontier, for the benefit of the cotton States
and after awhile, perhaps, if you do GOOD
service, and so act as to be entitled to hi
respect and confidence, then he will admi
you into this southern confederacy of the
cotton States
MIR. Yancey tells US of the "well.digestet
PLAN" 1t was not to be executed at once
and in the meantime all the men in the plal
must preserve their relations in the Demo
cratic party, so as to influence public mel
and public measures, and thus be ready tt
have some influence by precipitating this re
suit on the party, and breaking it up. Par
of the plan was to pretend still to be mem
bers, keep in the party, 60 into fellowship
with US, seem anxious to preserve the organ
izatlon, and at the proper time plunge tn
cotton States into revolution. What wa
the suspicious moment, that proper time, t.
which he alluded? Was it at the Charles
ton convention? Was that the proper time
The history of the event shows that MI
Yancey there acted up to his programm
announced in his letters to Slaughter an,
Pryor. He preserved his relations with hi
party with view of exercising influence OF
public men and measures, over northern a.
well as southern men, and finally propose,
an intervention platform, reversing the cree,