The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-01-18
Letter fro am J oh q kseslis.

following letter from John Petit. the bell
weiher' of the last Sth January Convention
| wil' surprise no one that resolutions, lau
dstory of the patriotic course of Stephen
A. Ecuglas and Ex-Gov. Wright, were
kicked out of Convention in which the
author of this letter took SO prominent
part:
f LAFAYErrk, July 2. 1850.
Gentleaen: l have received your letter
OF the 25th inst, asking me TO be presen,
at the mass convection of the friends OF
Brec ainridge and Lane, TO be held at In-
dianapolis on the 3Ist OF this month. and
assuring me that i, would give my numsr-
Gus friends in Indiana the greatest pleasure
to have me on that occ ,sion discuss the
great disturbing question which has unhap-
PLY obtruded itself into the ranks o! the
Democratic party.
l duly appreciate the friendship and
kindness manifested 10 your letter, and uu-
der other circumstances | should have re-
ciprocsl pleasure in complying with your
request; but l hold high judicial office.
and l have ever been averse to the judic-
iary taking an active part in public political
strife. Such is the rule l have prescribed
for my own action, and l cannot. with self
respect. depart from it. hope and believe
little reflection will bring all right think.
ing men to approve my determination.
The great disturbing question" ought
never to have been such, for the right and
duty OF the General Government to protec
the property of ell her citizens wherever he r
power and jurisdiction extends. should new
er have been a question worthy Of mo-
ment's serious thought. What is a govern
ment worth that is unable or unwilling to
protect the persons and property of its sub
jects or citizens, both at home and abroad9
l fully approve OF the purpose of the
sound Democracy TO put a Breckinridge
and Lane electoral ticket in the field in this
State. My sympathy and Judgment are
with them. aud l cannot but hope they may
succeed 1t is said that this is going coun-
ter to and boiling the regular nomination,
and that it will prevent Douglas getting the
vote of this State l deny both of these
propositions. 1t WAS not regular to adjourn
the Convention from Charleston to Bait,-
more. 1t was not reg ilar u exclude at the
latter city. duly appointed delegates from
their seas. 1t was not regular to nominate
candidat by on--half of he members after
the other half had withdrawn; nor is it true
that running a Breckenridge and Lane tick
ct will defeat Douglas in this State. My
observation satisfies me there are enough
sound democrats in the State who would
not vote tor the Douglas ticket if no other
ticket was in the field TO det"at him, bui
however this may be, II is the right and duty
of all men TO vote tor such meu represent
their principles. The truth is. there is no
regular nominee of the democratic parry in
the field. and every democrat Is at ibery 40
vote for who he pleases, without violating
party usages or party fai h. prefer Bfeck
inridge and Lane, because their political
faith and platform are mpe. 1t is said that
policy will elect Lincoln. Let it be so,
rather than that Douglas should succeed
| believe that Lincoln is a more conser-
vative and sounder National man than Doug
las. aud tha lass danger to the Union. and
to its parts, North aud South. is to be feared
in the election of the former than the latter.
| do not desire the election Of a man who
says, as Douglas does, "It matters not what
way the Supreme Court may hereafter decide
as TO the abstract question whether slavery
may or may not go into a territory under
the Constitution; the people have the
lawful means 10 introduce exclude it, as
they please This shows that he is
neither jurist nor a statesman; for, being
either, he must know that the jud gme Mt
our form of government. must be obeyed.
though il should take the whole power of
the United States to enforce them, and tha,
there are no lawful means to prevent or Ge.
feat their execution.
An appeal cannot be lawfully taken from
the judgment of the Supreme Court to a
popular meeting. This would be revolu-
ton and anarchy not within the Constitution
and laws of the Union. AS we'll may it be
said that If the Supreme Court has decreed
in proper case, that Mr.. Douglas is the
owner of section OF land in Kansas, the
people of the territory have the lawful
means to deprive him Of it. This is mon
strous doctrine, and the author of it cannot
receive any countenance for the Presidency.
Mr. Douglas has proved fa.se to the sound
principles of the Constitution and of bis
party. and is not worthy of support. He
has denied the faith, and is worse than an
in6del. Cesar needed the imperial purple
to enable him to pay his debts aud replenish
his bankrupt Golfers, exhausted BY exrrzva-
gance and an ambitious strife for power
Have we no Caesar, in this spect, in these
daysl Respectfully, &C..
CANADA MoxEY-rhere is a large
amount of Canada money in the West,
" which has until recently passed quite cur
rentIy. Now. however, owing to proba-
bic rupture between this and the British
Government. our people have concluded to
let Canada money alone. If war should
not take place between the two nations this
money will undo onbteily be good. but should
such & calamity happen, the money would
not be worth anything to US. We hope
our people will take Is little Of it as posi-
bic, but make every effort to have il sent
home, and allow it to remain there.-Ld-
porte Herald
HumOred Purpose Of Mason aud
SltAel1.
A correspondent in Birmingham, Eng