Year: 1860

The venerable Rev. Robert ]. Breckinridge
Of Kentucky. has written and published an able
and patriotic letter, in reply to late speech Of
Vice President Breckenridge. 1t will be re-
membered that the Vice President was recently
elected to the U. s. Senate. by the Legislature
or Kentucky, and Immediately following that
event he delivered speech in which he took q
position in favor OF Mr.. Buchanan's interpreta-
tion of the Dred Scott decision, and advocated
tho extreme Southern doctrine on the slavery
question. 1t had been supposed that the Vice
President was man OF moderate and couserv-
ative views, bat his speech, in which he went
so far as to approve of disunion, in case the de-
manda Of the Southern ultras we're not granted,
dissipsted that belief.


His aged and venerable relative has thought
proper to reply to this speech, and tho letter is
allied with the noblest and nost patriotic sentl-
ments. Ho reviews the history Of the slavery
agitation; the position and interests Of the
South and the whole Union, aud rebukss the
politicians, who have by their unholy machina-
tlons brought on the present strife, and elevat-
ed tho slavery question to the overshadowing
position 1t now occupies in American politics.
The letter is quite lengthy, and we have only
room for the concluding paragraph:


"For my part, am not ashamed 10 confess
the depth Of my love for my whole country,
aud the mingled sorrow and indignation with
which l witness every attempt to weaken
amongst the people the sense of what we owe
to the mother OF US all. No people ever did
anything glorious, who did not believe in God,
who were not faithful to oaths and who did
not love their country. When | reflect on
what God has already done for US, and already
done by us for his own glory and for the i'd
vancement of the human race when consider
what our position and our influence amongst
the nations of the earth must be when we be.
come hundred millions when try to appre-
ciate the necessity of just such power on
earth, and the majesty Of its beneGoent and r-
resistibls exercise ; my very heart throbs with
| overpowering joy ana exultation that such a
destiny is reserved for ny people, that such q
refuge and inheritance is kept in store for man.
l thank God continually that the dust Of my
ancestors mingles with this soil /; that the hands
of my kindred have labored on these sublime
monuments; that the vAlor of my friends was
part of the cost by which all has been secured,
aud that the lot of the Inheritance Of my pos
terity appertains 10 such land and such q
people. As for the South, taken in its wides,
sense, God has cast my lot there, and have
been loyal to her; all the more loyal that
have been neither blind to her errors, nor igno.
rant of her perils. AS for Kentucky, If have
left undone anything could have done for her
honor, her interest or her glory, she knows how
joyfully would redeem that lack Of service
But still love my country, still am au Amer
ican citizen. Aud deny with uplifted hands
the right Of any Court, any President. any
Congress, any State, any combination Of State,
under heaven to abolish from among men thai
highest OF all human titles. have worn il ai
crown all my days on EARTH And implor,
you by our common blood and common name
by all the love so many noble hearts bear 70
you, aud all the hopes they cherish concerning
you, so to quit yourself in this day of trial an,
rebuke, that you shall bear that title proudly
long after my gray hairs are under the gree
sod.


Ro ]. BREcKINRIDGE.
! Bredalbane, Ky, Jan. 9, 1860.