Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-03-01
Fayetteville Observer
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Letter from President
johnson to Geo. w.
Jones. The Campaign
in 1860.

Jones. Inc campaign
in 1860. i
The Milwaukee WiSconsias says:
The following letter from Presi-
dent johnson to Hon. George w.
Jones, formerly a member OF Con-
gress from Tennessee, has fallen
into our hands, having been cap
tured at the South:
WASHINGTON, March 80, 1860. |
"You, no doubt, have seen Da-
Wis and Browns resolutions in ref
erence to the power of Congress
over the subject of slavery in the
territories, and the passage Of a
slave code, sc. Davis is trying to
cut under Brown, but, in fact, it is
the same thing. For my own
part, l can see no good that is to
come out of them at this time, ex-
cept division and distraction of the
Democratic party.
AS to laying down tenets for
the Democratic party, in the shape
of abstract principles, or the mere
passage of resolutions by the SEN
ate, l think it is not part of its
official duty. If the Senate as
sumes the prerogative of putting
the slavery plank into the Demo-
cratic platform which is to be adj
opted at Charleston, [ do not see
any good reason why it should not
make a whole, and hand it over
to the Convention in a complete
and perfect form, and save the
Convention the trouble of perfect
ing the work; and then go one
step further, and nominate the
candidates of the party, and make
the people take the nomination
without regard to his being &C
ceptable or not. / confess that !
am sick and tired of proceedings
of this kind.
The whole Senate, both sides,
I think, are aspirants for the Pres
idency at this time, and how ma
ny outside the Senate the Lord
only knows. And in the means
employed to be President the in
terest and will of the people seem
TO be the last thing thought Of or
consulted.
Douglas and friends are making
a desperate effort, and he will go
into the convention stronger than
any one man. Some here who as
sumo to be posted up in matters
ofthis kind, say that he cannot be
nominated, and if nominated,
cannot be elected, and that he will
when he will ascertain this fact,
become nlagnanimous from neces'
sity, and withdraw from the con.
test. and dictate the nomination,
leaving himself a living candidate
with some chance Of success in
1864; that he would prefer
course of that kind to success be-
fore the convention in the spring
and defeat before the people in
November. IfDouglas cannot be
nominated, the nomination will
fall upon some Southern man, and
that Southern man will be the
man who can come nearest to car.
rying Douglas strength and who is
most acceptable to his friends IN
Convention. The man, not the
strongest man in the South, but
the man who can carry the South
and is acceptable to the north
western and northern democracy:
is the man in the South who will
get the nomination, if it falls up
on a southern man. My own
opinion is now that if the Conven'
ton incorporate some new pianks
into the platform, and the friends
of Mr.. Douglas find he cannot be
nominated, they will withdraw,
and make an independent noml.
nation, and run him upon their
own hook. :.
jefferson Davis, of Mississippi.
is burning up with ambition, and
is nearer consumed by an internal
heat than any man I ever saw ex-
cent John Slidell, of Louisiana;
What jeff will do if he is not
nominated, God only knows. Old
Buck seems for the candidates by
turns-sometimes forone and then
for another, and SO on. l think
he is always for the weakest man,
until he comes to run up, and then
he is for the next weakest, hoping
that they will be strong enough to
defeat a nomination, and then it
will devolve on the Convention to
81 To Jsoko1,ovoc