Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-06-05
Mr.. Everett's Letter of Acceptance.
Mr.. ErereN to Hon. Washington HINT.

/
BosroN, May %, 1860.
Ny DEAR SIR: have dolly received your
| letter of the llth, in which you inform me
officially that the National Union Conven-
ton, recently in session at Baltimore, had
| done me the honor to nominate me as Its
candidate for the Office of Vice President of
the United States.
am deeply impressed with this manifes-
tation of the favorable opinion Of the Con-
vention, comprising as it did among its
members SO many persons distinguished for
public service, patriotism, and intcllgencc;
and fairly representing considerable p0r-
| ton Of the conservative feeling OF the coun-
try. For the great cordiality with which, as
you inform me, my name was proposed and
received, my warmest thanks are due.
The grateful acceptance of such 4 nomi-
nation would, under ordinary circumstan-
I ces, be matter Of course; but it has una
yoidably been with me the subject of long
and anxious hesitation. The grounds Of
this hesitation | owe it to the Convention
which has honored me with this mark of its
confidence, and to myself, to explain; 10th as
! am to dwell on matters OF personal interest
of no Importance to the public
1t is generally known that | have Tor some
years past, retired from active participation
in political life, not, as hope | have shown,
| from Incidence or want Of sympathy with
my fellow-citizens in the pursuit OF the great
objects of social life The reasons Of my re-
| tirement have been more than once publ
ely stated, and | beg to repeat them here
from my speech at the Union meeting III
Fancuil Hall last December:
~ did not suppose that any thing could occur
which would make me think it my duty to appear
again on this platform on any occasion OF po-
| itica character: and had this meeting been Of Il
| party nature. Designed to promote any pnrty
| purposes, | should not have been here. W hen
| compelled by the prostrati0n ofmy health I'VE
| years ago to resign the distinguished place which
| ! then filled in the public service it was with no
| expectation, no wish, and no intention OF ever
a.,ain minrlint in the scenes ofpublic life
| have accordingly, with the partial restoration OF
my health. absaincd from al participation III po-
| itical action Of any kind; partly because have
| found Il more cunScniaI, and, rs | venture to
| think Il more useful occupation in seeking to raj
| ~ the affections of my cOuntrymen. North ana
| South to that great name and precious memory
which are left almost alone Of ri the numerous
| kindly associations which once bound the differ
ent sections of the country together; and also be-
cause. between the extremes of opinion that have
| long distracted and now threaten to conyulsc the
country, find no middle ground of practical use
| lulneSs on which friend Of moderate counSclS
can stand
1t having been suggested to me, notwith-
standing these avow;lls, that | might be
| thought Of ut the Union Convention as =
candidate for the Presidency, | requested By
Geographic message and by letter that my
| name, if brought forward, might be with
| drawn. 1t is true that in these communca-
tons had only in view IA nomination 10 the
| Presidency, none other having been sugges-
| ted to me: but all the reasons above lmdlca-
| ted, which led ME in advance to decline
such a nomination, apply with equal force
to the Vice Presidency. These reasons Of
course still exist in unimpaircd force, and
cannot now take an active part III politics
without abandoning deliberately formed
purpose, and even exposing myself to the
suspicion Of insinccrity i'll its persistent
| ayowal.
Without dwelling upon these considera-
tons, of which, however, | am sure the
weight will be admitted, | beg leave 10 adj
vert for il moment to my connection with the
movement for the purchase Of Mount Yer
non, to which your letter alludes in such
| obigin. terms. The favor winch has at
tended my cxertions in that cause Iii may
without indelicacy say any thing on the sub
| iect) has been mainly the result olny known
and recognised diSconncction from party
politics. If it could have been even plausi-
Div insinuated that was Or intended to be-
come candidate for high political honors,
should, in my various excursions III aid OF
| that fund, have laid myself open to the nm
putaton of speaking one word for Mount
| Vernon and two for myself. As it is, the
| people throughout the Union have generous
IL given me credit for having a single eye
to that meritorious object. As lar rs the
purchase of Mount Vernon is concerned,
that object has been effected under the judi
cious and efficient management OF the Re
| cent and Vice Regents of the Association,
with the aid Of their intelligent and active
assistants throughout the Union. But Il
sum of money equal to that already raised IS
still wanting for the repair Of the mansion,
the enclosure Of the land purchased, the res
toraton Of the house and grounds, as Iar rs
practicable. to their condition in 1900, and
the establishment OF Il permanent llnd Tor
their conservation. | own that | ain dcS:.
rou3 still 10 enjoy the privilege oil cooperate
inc in this noble work, which, However, 1t
will be impossible for me to do 10 any adyan-
taee, whatever may be the result Of the pre-
sent canvass, II | am now drawn into the
vortex Of strcnuousIy contested clc"ton.--
There are many parts Of the country which
have not yet visited. | had promised my
self 4 rich harvest from the patriotic liberal
ilv Of the States on the Gulf Oi Mexico, and
Of those on the Mississippi river, (which |
have not vet been able to visit, with the cX
ception Of Missouri, though often kindly IN
yited.l and | confess that it is very painful
to me 10 withdraw from that broad field 81
c0nrcnial labor To tread tie thorny and
thankleSs paths Of politics.
Apart from the pccunlary aspects OF The
case. which, however, are Of considerable
Importance, Twill candidIy say, that in hold
ing UP to the almirins ycneraton OF the
American people the peerless name OF Wash
incton. (aiinost the only bond Of tratcrnal
sentiment which the bitterness Of our section
al controversies has left u.s. feel as II | was
dong more good, as far as am able to do
any coed, and contributing more to revive
the kindly feeling which once existed be-
tween the North and South, and which IS
now, grcye to say, nearly extinct, than
could possibly do by engaging in the wretch
cGl scramble for otiicc--which is one great
Il. To-, hot t,rcnI., tho