The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-09-19

the names of my friends Thomas 8. Reid,
Nelson Dudley, and George p. Jewett citi-
zens all we'll known to you. To them Irefsr
ifanythingis wanted TO foFtify this statement
beyond my word. Is not that dead charge?
Another charge which has been extensively
circulated throughout the Southern States,
asserts that was an Emancpatonist in 1s49,
or at least voted for an Emancipatonist at
some time. .
Gentlemen, in connection with that feel it
my duty to call your attention to paper
which received yesterday evening from one
of the Southern States, published at Tuskeege
in Alabama, which contains a letter written
by one of our own eminent citizens to a citi-
zen of that State in reference to my own pri-
vate business and my. own affairs. / shall
comment upon It briefly, with all due respect
to the character Of the gentleman from whom
it emanated It is a letter written by the
Hon. George Robertson. Of Lexington re-
eeived the paper last evening, and requested
two gentlemen, my friends, 10 call upon that
gentleman and ask if it was genuine. The
letter reads thus
"john G. Breckenridge has not been coun-
ted here an Emancipationist, however much
he may have been suspected, by some, for
sympathy with his uncle, the Rev. Robert j.
Breckenridge. He does not occupy house
in town, and owns no slaves, unless he re-
tains two that came by his wife. / know
nothing concerning the investments in Ohio.
of which you inquire. But We all know here
that he was committed to Squatter Sovereign
ty ever since his nomination in 1856, until
finding that Douglas would oyerwhelm him in
the North, he changed bis creed, and in his |
speech at Frankfort last winter" &c.
- A - - l.. =
private affairs, have only to say, l don't |
envy the gentleman who could be engaged |
in writing over the United States touching the
private affairs of any man. The gentleman
iomstaken, but won't merit your contempt
by going into my private affairs Great APP
plause and voices good" and tthat is man
iy."l That part of it which relates to Squat
ter Sovereignty, viii attend to in the proper
place, but am now upon the question Of
Emancipation. 'John C. Breckenridge has
not been counted here an Emancipstionist,
however much he may have been suspected
by some for sympathy with his uncle" a y
IT there is an individual from the county Of
Fayette, or the city of Lexington here to-day
within the sound of my voice, who ever heard
me suspected of being an Emancipationist,
let him now speak or forever after hold his
peace. When the Hon. George Robertson
will produce a respectable man NOR out ofthe
county of Fayette, who will say that he was
one of those who had that suspicion, will
then confess he had right to write this letter
to Alabama, and he had q foupdation for his
accusation. If he means that there have al.
ways existed between the gentleman TO whom
he refers and myself those feelings of affec-
ton and confidence which are proper between
relatives, the emancipationis true but that is
not the purport of the letter it is written in
words, the meaning of which, are as plain IS
words can be-"John c. Breckenridge has not
been counted an AEmaneipationist here, n-1
there letting me off by the skin Of my teeth,
daughter, l-"yet he has been largely suspec.
ted Of sympathy with his uncle upon that sub
iect..o That is the meaning Of the letter.
Judge Robertson told the gentlemen whom
sent to ask if the letter was genuine, that it
was, but it was aconfdential letter, and not in
tended for publication. Idon't think that mends
the matter much. i don't think that makes
the case much better. Much better had it
been written for publication than as conf
DENTAL letter. Don't you. think 50, men Of
Kentucky? Many voiccs-ll 'tYes.nl sss
But let me come to the fact have other
things to do than to consume my time with
such confidential things. I;cone to the fact
The only time / know Of when the question
of emancipation was ever raised in Kentucky
in my day, was in 1849, when we were elect
ing delegates to the Convention to form q
new Constitution for the State, DR.. Brock
inridge and Mr.. Shy were the Emancipation
ist candidates, and Mr. Wickliffe and Mr.
Dudley were the candidates of the pro-slavery
party. was the candidate upon the ticket
for the Legislature opposed to emancipation.
go fats ora IryaII EnnyEyn IN vOlI al II
canvassed the county to the best Of my ahilit
ty in opposition to the scheme. Of semaneipa-
ton, believing the interests Of both races in the
Commonwealth would be promoted by che
continuance of their present relation. And at
the polls DR.. Breckenridge voted against me,
and voted against him lapplause] because
we wera representing Opposite principles. Just ]
-sUswe would 10 again under similar circum-
stances. Renewed applause.l So much fOT
that charge. ss~ "a
Gentlemen, Il have seen pamphlets pub
lished and circulated all over the Uuion for the
purpose ofproying, that Twas a Knowncthing
in the year 1855, IN the State of Kentucky
Laughter Tflave no doubt that = very con-
siderable proportion of those who arenow lis-
tening to me were members of that order IN |
that year. There is no doubt about that - |
If there is a man among you that belonged to /
the order, who ever saw me IN one or your |
lodges, who did not know thae waSfecogniz- |
ed as one af the most uneompremising eppCn=
ents, let him Be good enough to say 50 now.
a voice 'he amt here."l / believe ] was |
the first manin the House Of Representa- |
and perhaps in, Congress, that declared my
opposition to the order and took position
against il, Some applause. When returned II
in the Spring of 1856, .making great pro-
gress in the Commonwealth, and although I /
was withdraw from public life, to attend to nyd
private affairs, returned again to the stump
and opposed il in political speeches mall parts
of my district. ess.s -uo ID ~ L q R4E
This statement may not be very accepta- |
BILE to some gentlemen In the sound Of nv 1
voice. but Isdo not want to deceive any man. |
stand upon my principles and am willing
to avow them without the slightest regard to
i am represented to have said
that other things being equal would make
a difference (politcaI1 between one sofmy own
religious belief, and one Of Apother crsedI and
between all natpralizeda and American born
citizens. / never uttered such a sentiment
Voices, good and appiause.''l TheunderI
lying principle with me was always this sthat
the condition of citizenship being once Obtain
I'd, no question, either Of religion or birth,
should be allowed to commingle with politi- !
,al considerations. [AppIause,1 - oia4iii
| deem II only necessary to make these
statements here, succinctly and pass on, be- Ii
;anse amspeaking to assembled thousands
who. know how unjust these charges are.
But, fellow citizens, to come to, more ex- HI
ended topics, it has been asserted that I, and i
he political organization with which I am as. ii;
ISOLATED, have abAudOneds the ground ON,
which we stood in regard to the territorial
question in 1854 and sc; that we then oceus
oied position which IS now occupied by the
friends and supporters Of Mr. Donglas, and 4;
~ that eminent gentleman himself deny
hat, and shall proceed to prove my dsnialIA
9th as to myself and as to the Constitutional T.
Democracy. ,e, ..l--, -~Yr 81 -. =,
You AYE heard good deal Of what q CALI Z;
d my Tppecanoe speech. Well, gentlemen,
went over to the States of Indiana, Miehi.
an and Pa, and made political speeches /,
n the autumn of 1856, None Of thosespeeths ].
vere ever written out-none Of them were pre- .
AIRED by me, except by the brielest notes. The
eports which various persons chose to make, tx
gere never revised by me cor written out in !
all Il have been amused 10 seq The, various 4
ersions Of what they call the TippeeanoO n
peech which were simply tho divers reports (
{ the reporters which they chose TO make for
ifferent papers at various times. l have in /,
ny hand report which reads as follows
@The people Of the Territories. under the :
Kansas Nebraska act, have the full right 10
bolish or prohibit slavery as a State, which Il !
rinciple is as old as Republican, Govefnmenk
self."sI faa3 Iea aI4azlaa e. esaai .ss5 II
Not only did / never utter such sentiments ! !
s that, but until few days, never had rea. 1, :
on to believe any one believed that any one ! !
bought uttered it -g ~, w,,o -
But, gentlemen, have q very high acc1ser =
pom that subject. Il have not time 10 waste
pom the propFiety or delicacg Of . gentleman
Fhois before the country as q candidate for
ne office of President; In Introducing thenAme
one who is also candidate with him, and 7
eliverfng his personal testimony as "a that
will waste ono time i'm the dis =
ussion Of the prOpriety Of such case, but \ \
ill meet the SccusatiOn. Applause.
In tho course Of q series Of public addresses !;
le Hon. s. a. Douglas, recently at Concord, :;
New Hampshire, declares that occupied y
-, nth hin, fkk 36lk ,r,a AZ ~