The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-04-21
EDWARD EVERETT.
An Hour with Mr.. Rv.re.s,s Letters.

From the New York Ledger. "l5'.f"a ~ '
It is an error that my associations have
hitherto been particularly Exclusive and
aristocratic. - could easily show the
contrary. Ny political opponents have
charged this upon me for want Of any
thing else, and because / was in such a
position that it might have been so had I
desired. eg1r-,. -. 80 81
As to "lecturing, " I began it forty years
ago, and was the fret individual in the
country to give q start to lecturing on
popular topics to miscellaneous audiences:
and I have probably done more of this
kind Of work grataitously, than all the
other. lecturers put together It is but
lately that it has begun to pay.-March
10, 1862. 14' 'z-H ~ nigdjA o. 15ycnor
. The friendly critic says that I am r1rare-
~ at loss in extemporaneous debate" I
do not think that the man lives, Or ever
lived, who ever saw me in fault on, any
occasion when it was proper O. I should
speak. For many years, on public occa-
sions, at which several speakers were en-
gagged to speak, I was generally, asked to
close, thereby giving all who preceded me
the advantage Of pre-o occupying the popu-
lar topics. ! not only Begged of from
that position, but I never failed to make
proper allusion to the striking points Of
my predecessors. You may Judge how
far this is consistent with incapacity for
extemporaneous efort. flag. z, 1862
/ have never given these gentlemen,
Eabusive editors, ] nor, l think, any human
being, just cause of personal hostility
June rs, 1851. surc9 lon1ol aid gayo On or
This is the third child that have fol-
lowed to tho grave, besides an infant born
in my absence from home. whom I never
saw. It is hard thing for q father, in
the decline of life, to lose those who
should naturally support him in Ills own
descent to the tomb; but I strive to bear
with resignation whatever the Great Dis
poser sees best for me.-Nou. g, 1861.
= It is now nearly 10 O'Clock Sunday
morning, and | invariably attend church
morning and afternoon Moo. "a, 1861.
" It is not possible for candidate, so far
as he is Individually concerned, to regard
an election with greater indifference than
l do that of this day week; or, rather, as
it affects me personally, to wish more I'M
affectedly not to succeed. cannot deny
that think the election of the Union
ticket [Bell and Everett by far the safest
result for the country !; and wonder that
our Democratic friends, seeing the impos-
sibility of electing their own candidates,
did not prefer Mr.. Bell to Mr.. Lincoln. l
look with anxiety to the future, and derive
my chief comfort from knowing that a
wisdom beyond that Of falible man controls
the fortunes of nations as well as individ-
uals. "-Oct. 80, 1860. # i 81 '..'n ''#a
l answer: The government must be
heartily sustained by all good citizens.
ibis war is defensive. April %, 1851.
I occasionally got letter myself charg-
ing me with inconsistency in supporting
the war. The writer probably has not
asked himself what conservative men at
the North ought to have done when the
South b commenced the war, firing
on unarmed provision ships; lombard
ing and capturing fort Of the United
States, (and no thanks to them that
every man in it. was not murdered J
threatening, on the same day, by their
Secretary Of War, that, before the first of
May, their flag should float on the Capitol,
and, If, that was resisted, in due time on
tho top Of Faneuil Hall. Was still to
plead for peace while JEFF. Daviss red-hot
cannon balls were playing over my daugh-
ters house at Washington, and my own in
Boston FEB. 8, 1868 ""as71 7:|#4.a.
Early in the war l began to receive let
ters from my European correspondents,
some Of them men in high position, on
passing events. These letters, and some
times, but very rarely, my answers to them,
/ communicated from time to time to Mr..
Seward to be shown to the President.
As Mr.. Seward has always been personally
on friendly terms with me, this seemed q
matter of course. Besides, the law for
bids citizen without the consent of the
government to carry on q correspondence
With foreign government, with an inten-
ton of influencing them. Three of my
correspondents are members of the govern
ments of France and England, and GER
tainly intended, as far as in my power, to
influence them. 1t is true, I did not sup
pose that the penalties of this law would
be enforced against me; but I am so hor-
ribly "old fogy," that I do not like, in
very grave national matters, to act in
habitual violation of the. law, particularly
when q compliance with it promises, in
however slender a degree, to benefit the
country.-Apra Is, 1862. r a...
So long as we were united and strong
no European power, nor all the powers of
Europe together, would think of attempt.
ing our ACKNOWLEDGMENT. But, as things
are, what is to prevent the success of such
a movement as Benjamin attributes to L.
Napoleon? There was a very strong feel
ing in Texas, in 1S44-45, in favor Of set
ting up for themselves Cor, rather, against
annexation to the United States, for they
were already independent of Mexico) and
grasping the Mexican territory west of
them TO the Pacific. They could easily
have done it, and with the gold of Califor
MIA, which would have been theirs, would
have started up at once a great power.
All this know from the highest authority.
Gen. Houston, however, aspired to be
President of the United States, and that
decided the question of annexation. But