The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-04-07
From the Detroit Tribune, March IS, 1876.
TINE .N.ICAOLSl.N. LETTER.

Columbia (Tenn.,) on ThuesdAy last, OF HON. Z
A. o. p. N,cholson, IN his prime Democratic
Senator and political iesdsr Of moro than
merely local repute. and in his old age one OF
the magistrates Of the Supreme Bench OF Ten
nessee. Mr.. Nicholson was man OF reason
able ability and Of . somewhat extended public
experience, but his name long since ceased 70
be familiar, and with the coming generation It's
echoes, which now reach us family over the
wide gulf Of civil war, will wholly die OUT
But the memories of his life which accompany
the news of his death STIR up fresh recollec-
tons OF an important chapter In our national
political history, for it was to this dead Ten
nessee jurist that Lewis Csss addressed the
famous Nicholson letter, which exercised such
q powerful influence over its writer's political
fortunes, over the guidance into what proved
to be pro-slayery channels OF the course OF the
Democratic party, and over the development
into an overwhelming political force OF Ameri-
can anti-slavery sentiment. The narrative ID
an old one, but the sketching Of its leading
outlines at this time may not be without inter-
est
MIR. Cass. always an advocate OF territorial
aggrandizement, and always an ardent support
er OF the national authority as against armed
challengers, was the Senatorial leader OF the
war party at the time of our Mexican troubles.
Mr.. Webster charged him with the chief re-
sposlbility for actual hostilities, declaring that
Gen. Cass had it at one time In his power to
have averted Them and it was in reply to him
that Mr.. Corwin made his speech containing
the familiar declaration that were he Mexican
he would greet" the invaders with bloody
hands and welcome them to hospitable graves"
territory rose up in new form the " irrepressi-
bic conflict" between bondage and freedom.
The territory which the victories Of Scott and
Taylor added to the Union. was free from the
curse OF slavery. John G. Calhoun, eagerly
watching all opportunities to strengthen the
Notifications with which his profound intellect
aud mighty influence had surrounded the
Southern institution, had devised a new politi-
cal dogma, namely, that the Constitution in
itself carried slavery into every territory OF the
Union. The fact tina, Texas was already
slave State had not rendered this ably-cevised
but detestable theory necessary during the an
nexatlon struggle, but its importance to the
slavery propagandists in connection with the
conquered Mexican territory was evident. The
Free Soil feeling Of the country took alarm at
this new danger and determined upon an often
sive policy. Accordingly at the close of the
first session Of the Twenty-ninth Congress On
1646) David Wilmot, then Pennsylvania Rep
resentative, moved to add to the bill appro-
priating two millions for Mexican paciication
proviso differing but little in substance from
proposition offered some time before by
Robert G. Winthrop, Of Massachusetts) for
ever prohibiting slavery in all territory acquir-
ed from Mexico. The Wilmot Proviso was
passed by the House by a decisive majority,
and came up in the Senate for action shortly
before the hour fixed for the close Of the ses-
sion. For some reason, with which the public
has never been made acquainted, John Davis, a
Senator from Massachusetts-of all States =
took the floor, and by talking against time until
the moment OF adjournment arrived, prevent
ed the concurrence Of Senate in the action Of
the House. Gen. Cass said at the time that he
should have supported the House measure had
a vote been taken. The Wilmot Proviso be-
came at once the bone of contention in the
most vigorous battle which was fought in the
prolonged slavery struggle before blood flowed
on the plains of Kansas, and the Democratic
leaders found themselves brought face to face
with very serious complications. The views of
Mr.. Calhoun and his school, daily increasing in
ultraism and pressed with great ability and ur-
gency, we're manifestly untenable as principle
Of party creed. The leading spirits OF the Or
ganizaton became almost fearful of the Free
Soil movement, then hourly gaining in numer-
ical strength, as tending to undermine their
power IN the Southern States. At this critical
juncture Mr.. Cass developed another line OF
personal action and expounded new consttu-
tional theory, which determined both the I'M
mediate course and the future tendencies of
the Democratic party, and made him at once
its most conspicuous leader. At the second
session Of the Twenty-ninth Congress he voted
against the Wllmot Proviso, aiding in defeat
ing 1t, and shortly after the convening Of the
Thirtieth Congress Tin 1s47) he set forth the
reasons for his change Of front in the famous
letter to Mr.. Nicholson, which was at once laid
before the public and copied in all parts Of the
Union. This document was long and elabor-
ate, and was devoted tn establishing the doc
trine that the question of slavery in the terri
tories was not properly matter for Congress.
sional regulation, but should be left absolutely
to the decision Of the people OF the territories
themselves. The followers Of Mr. Calhoun
and the Free-Soers united in denouncing Mr.
Cass's ingenious notification of the constitu
tional provision vesting Congress with territor
! Ialcontrol, but the moderate leaders OF the
Democracy saw their opportunity, and si1lfully
using the strong conservative tendencies OF the
/ party, rallied the masses of the organization
about the Popular Sovereignty banner. At the
same session Of Congress the Wilmot Proviss
. was again rejected under Mr.. Cass's leadership
c and the Baltimore Convention of 1s4s prompt
ly made the author of the Nicholson letter it
standard-bearer.
But this document, which enabled Gen
Cass to secure Presidential nomination, ais
enabled his malignant enemy, Martin Van Blu
! rem, to defeat his Presidential election b
: adroitly utilizing the quarrels Of New Yor
). politicians and the wrath Of the Free-Soiler
: who saw in "Squatter Sovereignty" but ne,