Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-10-27

ed. Sc
..WE published in the IateuigeHeer Q day
or two ago the remarkable letter Of Mr..
Psndleton, the Chicago nominee for the
Vice Presidency, to his friend John B. Has
kins In New York. Our space has since
been so much occupied with city matters
that We have not had rOomto remark upon
said letter Of Mr.. PendletOn's. The first
thing abOut the letter that suggests refec'
ton 10 this, that IL comes after long ST.
lence, just as the campaign is drawing to
close, and the next thing, that itfolloWs the
news from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana,
and the third, that contrary 70 all Gus.
tom, tbs man who wrote it has never OH
CialIy written line up to. this time indi-
eating his acceptance in whole or in part
of q nomination upon the Chicago platform.
From prudential motives, his record being
so bad, the managers have kept Pendleton
in the back ground and have put forward
Mcclellan, and only him, to the public case.
But to Mr.. Pendleton's letter. After long
weeks of elaboration he has finally con.
cluded to break silence In response to the
pressing demands for a word from him. In
his letter, as our readers will have noticed,
he very carefully limits himself to general
itiea. 1t will be recoilected that he did not
Esay d word about the war, nor does he un-
dertaks to say q word about the Chicago
platform, nor yetin approval or disapproval
of MeOlellan's letter. HeI processes, how
ever, to desire the old Union. It becomes
a matter Of interest to understand what be
means by that, and what sort Of apeace can
be made consistently with his view Of 1t. =
We have not far to look TO fnd his Views.
On The 18th OF June last he made speech
in Congress in opposition to the fesolu-
lions proposing so to amend the constitu-
ton as to'abolish slavery. In that speech
he sets forth his theory of our constitution
and Union. Il is precisely that of John O.
Calhoun, aud al. the stAtes righta men and
secessionists. From Mr., Calhoun Mr.. PEN
dleton has received all his ideas concern
ing our government. Secession Is only the
legitimate and logical result of them. We
have no doubt that Mr.. Pendleton, If he
had lived in Eastern Virginia, the State of his
ancestors, would have voted for secession.
His whole political philosophy leads him
necessarily in that direction. BE was act.
ing with fidelity to his own convictions
aud theories when he said that IL the
Southern States wanted to go, he would
tearfully let them 60 with blessings on
their heads. To show how truly he stands
on the States rights grounds of Calhoun,
JEFF Davis, Alex. q. Stephens aud all other
secessionists, let us notice few of his
expressions in the speech of June 18th,
referred to.
az believe, cir, in the doctrine of State
fiRhta.o ~. r., ~. VI.
|, ), al have. desired 70 maintain that the
States are sovereign, that their powers are
inherent; that they comprise The pndelega-
ted mass; that the Federal gosarnment -
their agent, derives all its power from
them, zeFeisea, ~ peyers. n their nAmei
that lie powers are lew and. defined and
that lis poweFB are few and simple, some
times exclusive aud far, reaching, but al
ways limited TO the grants declared in the
constitution. have done this In order
that 1 might bring wildly to the mind of
each gentleman here that this government
tSas dssigned to Be confederation Of States,
not consolidated empire, and 70 beg them
amidst the temptations of these evil days,
TO adhere TO the wise design of its original
formation" y. =. ...ts5r 4
After referring to the past career Of our
country he says: .i,.lt
"The theory Of State sovereignty, the
theory Of State rights done this. i beg
gentlemen not to depart from it. beg
them not to be seduced lnto the idea that
we can be more free or more prosperous or
more happy by hreaking down the States
and substituting for their just influence
the unbridled will of majority Of the
whole people," 2: -.1
Observe how he calls the Union con-
tsdsrGttoa, just as the rebels do. Observe
the complaint about mojOrities. Is aot
this the language Of faithful pupil of
John O. Calhoun, who in his famous
speech on the Force Bill aud in favor Of
the right of qualification, said:
"The sovereignty is in the several States,
and our system IL nnion Of thirty. four
sovereign power, under constitutional
compact, and not OF divided sovereignty
between the States ssverallyand the United
States" .--,..... .e...t
In that speech. Calhoun had much to say
against the principlelt that q majority must
govern, just as Mr.: Psndleton here com.
plains. Mr.. Webster's forcible passage 10
reply to Calhoun, is well remembered. We
quote only few lines:
ave hear loud and repeated denuncia-
lions against what is called majority gov-
eminent. Tits declared with much warmth
that majority government cannot be main.
tanned in the United States. What then
do gentlemen Wishf Do they wish to es.
tablish minority goUtrRmtRt1 Do they