Year: 1859

intervention; and the Intervention of the
free States on this subject is foreign in
tervention, as much ms if it were that Of
Great Britain or France.


! Incidental issues must, occasionally
arise, which bring the whole subject into
discussion, and upon which the councils
of the nation may be compelled to act
But can see nothing, at this moment,
which calls for any such action or discus
sion; nor anything, certainly, which in
wolves any inevitable or irrepressible con-
flict between the Northern and Southern
States. | believe, on the contrary, that
the best interests of the Union and of all,
without exception, who dwell within it's
limits, call for cessation of strife.


Interest RepuJlico, ut fnis SIT ltiam.


The more | have looked over the field
of past or present political controversy,
the more | have been convinced that
nothing but evil has thus far resulted from
sectional agitations of the Slavery ques-
ton, and that they have retarded, instead
of advanced the progress of any just
opinions on the subject, both at the North
and at the South Not a few of the most
dcplorabe struggles which have been
witnessed in relation to the new Territories,
have been inhamed and infuriated by the
ordinations which have characterized
these controversies Northern men and
Southern men have taken up extreme and
untenablc doctrines in the mere heat of
opposition and in order to spite each other.
Principles and measures have been pro-
posed and pressed in spirit of retaliation,
from which second sober thought would
have revolted, and would now revolt.


If | have any serious fear, at this in
slant, that the revival of the Foreign
Slave Trade will find any considerable
number of advocates at the South it arises
from the apprehension that the question
will be seized upon for party purposes at
the North, and made the subject of angry
reproachful, indiscriminate denunciation


Undoubtedly, issues may be raised here
after, as they have been heretofore, which
must be met. But if / could hope that
my voice could be heard or needed any
where, would deprecate the disposition
to anticipate such issues, or to act upon
any predictions of their inevitable neces-
sity. Let the Southern mind and ihe
Northern miud have time to recover, from
the fever and frenzy of recent struggles ;
let them be turned once more, and turned
together to the consideration of common
dangers let them unite in devising means
for maintaining an honorable and inviol-
able neutrality in the wars which are now
convulsing the old world and let it be
the generous rivalry of us all which part
Of the country shall do most to promote
the prosperity and welfare of the whole,
which shall exhibit the best fruits Of our
Republican system, and which shall most
worthily illustrate the history Of those
free institutions which were foundad by a
common and glorious ancestry.


These are the views, hastily and imper-
fectly expressed, which lead me to give
my cordial assent to the Resolution of
your Committee. Like yourself and the
gentlemen associated with you, l have
formed no new political connections since
the old Wing party ceased to have ma
tional organization. | have waited
patiently in the hope that the condition
Of that party was only case of suspended
animation and recent indications confirm
me in the belief, that even if the good old
name of Wing shall never again be reviv-
ed as the proud designation of dominant
National party, our country will once
more, at no very distant day, be found
rejoicing in an administration conducted
on the same substantial principles, which
brought Harrison and Taylor and Fill
more, and ought to have brought Scott,
into the Presidential Chair-and which
are still associated with such living names
as those of Crittenden and an Everett,
Bell and Bates, Rives and a Kennedy,
Hamilton Fish and aWashington Hunt.


Believe me, Dear Sir, with great regard,
very faithfully, yours,


BOBT. c. WINTHROP.