The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-07-22

SIorIous, peaceful, prosperous and happ
Union. l was willing to and did eman
clpate my own slaves, but was and an
unwilling, in violation of the Constitu
ton and Fugitive Slave Law, to harbo
runaway slaves or to mob their master
and the Marshals Of the United State
and tEeir posses when they came amongs
US, in pursuance of law, 10 apprehent
and deliver them to their owners Ant
when | wrote to Davis did not believ,
him then to be, per Sc, in favor of secess
ion, but that be adopted that course a!
the onl ly means, in his opinion, to main
tain the rights of his section of the coun
try to hold their slaves, and to conform
to the known wishes and opinions of hi.
constituents. l regretted, and shall eve
do so. that he and his associates of both
Houses of Congress withdrew from tha
body, as | did that Fort Sumter was fir.
ed upon, albeit, it was about to be rein.
forced In violation of the pledge of Pres.
ident Lincoln, if such pledge was made
as stated at the time. My every word
act and vote in Congress, and whilst
was Minister to Bogota, proved that
was Union man, and that did believe
that our Union could remain part slave
and part free, and that the conflict was
not an irrepressib.e one.
have nothing to regret as to my
course towards Judge Douglas, who
firmly believed in 1858, would, as he af.
terwards so shanaefuliy did, prove recre
ant to the real Democracy OF the country
North and South. Mr.. Lincoln declared
in 1858, that if elected he would pursue
just such course Of compromise as Hen
ry Clay had ever done | continued tc
believe that, until after his cleo ton to the
Presidency, and that even now he is not
disposed to yield to the mad schemes oil
the Abolition wing Of The party, to which
he unfortunately is attached. Hence his
dismissal of Fremont and his disapproval
of Gen. Hunters wholesale emancipation
in three States.
| have been pursued and prosecuted
from the inauguration of the present par
ty to the present moment. First, by my
removal, or the determination to do SO,
in the first month of the reign of terror,
although Mr.. Seward had made repeated
professions of the warmest personal re-
gard for me and determination to serve
me, if ever in his power-complimenting
me even in the letter of my recall, Of
Sept, 1861, to President Mosquera.
Next in doing violence, contrary to the
laws Of nations and OF my own country.
to my priVate letters to my wife and chill.
dren, as well as those Gall sent by per-
mission and suggestion ofIhe Department
of State as all others were) to my broth
er, friends and relations in Texas Then
by Withholding from mo some $1,000
due me for money laid out and expended
for our Government and for my transit
pay. And then, to add insult and con-
tumely 10 great personal and pecuniary
injury, by teiegraphing the Superintend-
ent Of Police, in New York, ito arrest
and send me to Fort Lyayette," where |
received worse fare than the meanest hir
ed foreign born soldier there. compelled
as | was, to cook, and wash my own
clothes, saw wood, carry in coal, and car
ry the ashes and slops out, besides per-
forming other menial services, the Fort
aud casemates being less comfortable aud
clean than any of the number of Peniten-
tiaries which l have ever visited in the
United States.
Nor have ever yet been informed by
the Administration why | was arrested,
of the charges against me, or allow
ed hearing or trial. for all which, |
made demand by telegraph and by let
ters.
To cap the climax Of insults and in
juries, | am yillified and abused in near
ly all the Republican and Abolition news
papers as laboring "to re organize the
Knights Of the Golden Circle, TO organ
ize the Democratic party, TO place this
country under the dominion OF the Ro-
man Catholic Church." and other equal
ly ridiculous and mallciously false accu-
satons, the editors referred too, knowing
full well that my first trip (to Keokuk J
was for the purpose of consulting my
counsel there, Hon. S. +. Miller, Re-
publican, too, of the highest standing in
the State, in reference to most impor-
tant suit then peniing before the Supreme
Court. The whole pack. Tray. Blanche
and Sweetheart" continued their howl
ing and barking at my heels, as | went
TO the seat of the Government to secure
the final decree in the suit referred to ;
whilst | was there the Register. the or
gan OF the Abolition party of the State,
averaging an attack each of the twelve
days that | remained in the city, the
purpose being, | am assured, TO prevent
the Supreme Court from issuing their Ii
nal decree and writ Of restitution in my
favor. Tho Justices. however, were hon
orable men, and though differing with
me in political sentiments, toto cello, act
ed accordingly 10 what they conceived
10 be legal and just and SO disregarled
the behests Of the corrupt editors.
1t is true that have often, rcry often
indeed, since my return home. been as
sured orally and in writing Of the deter,
mination Of my friends to restore me 10
Congress or some other exalted position,
true that | have never in All my life, be-
fore received at the hands oI the Dsmo-
cratic citizens of Iowa, so many assuran-
ces of their continued confidence in, and
friendship for me and my family, and