Year: 1860

league thougnt that the people OF Maryland
would sustain him.-Mr. DAVIS said he had no
mode of ascertaining this till the fall election and
perhaps not then, because they did not suppose his
personal conduct would be in issue. But he had
no doubt when the time came he would find enough
to sustain him in and out of his district.-Mr.
STEW ART replied that it was libel to say that
Maryland would sustain him. She was perfectly
sounn on the slavery question. Ii he question in
issue between himself and his colleague sub
mtted to the people, the latter would not get more
than corporaPs guard, or about as many as Col
Fremont received there. His colleagues course
animated and strengthened the Republican party
Mr. MAYNARD, in reply to a remark of Mr.
Stewart, said, on reliable authority, that Mr.. Fill
more does not and will not support the Chicago
nomlnees-Mr. Morrill, took the floor when Mr.
Craige, of North Carolina, raised the point of or
der that there was no quorum. He tired of
making the House a debating society, and objected
to the printing of speeches never delivered The
very men who voted to go into committee in order
that gas might be let off had left. He resisted all
appeals to withdraw his objection, when the COM
mlttee rose and the House adjourned


mzmnmmnn1nmunmnuuRunmmAm-az


THE UNION CONSTITUTIONAL MOVEMENT


IN MASSACHUSETTS-H EDWARD EV-


ERETT'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE NOMINA-


TION OF THE BALTIMORE CONVENTION.


On Friday evening grand ratification meeting
of the friends of Bell and Everett held in Fan
eui Hall, Boston. Speeches were made by J.
Thomas Stevenson, George S. Hillard, Leverett
Satonstal, Gen. George H. Devereux, OF Salem,
and Major u. A. Henry, of Tennessee. The fol-
lowing letter from Hon. Edward Everett, in reply
to Gov. Hunts notice of his nomination for the
Nice-Presdency by the Baltimore Convention
read


BosToN May 30, 1860.


by Dear Sir: have duly received your letter
OF the l!th IN which you inform me officially, that
the National Union Convention, recently in session
at Baltimore, had done me the honor to nominate
me as its candidate for the Office of e-Presdent
OF the United States. | ain deeply impressed with
this manifestation of the favora BILE opinion of the
Convention, comprising as it did among its mem
bers so many persons distinguished for public ser
vice, patriotism, ard intelligence; and fairly rep
resenting considerable portion of the conserva-
tive feeling OF the country. For the great cordial
lty with which, you inform me, nv name was
proposed and received, my warmest thanks are due
The grateful acceptance Of such nomination
would, under ordinary circumstances, be matter
OF course; but it has unavodably been with me the
subject OF long and anxious hesitation The grounds
of this hesitation owe it to the Convention which
has honored me with this mark of its confidence
and to myself to explain; Oath as | am to dwell on
matters of personal interest of no Importance to the
public. 1t is generally known that have for some
years past retired from active participation in DO
lltical lie, not, as hope have shown from ind
lence or want of sympathy with nv fellow citizens
IN the pursuit of the great objects of social life.-
| The reasons of my retirement have been more than
once publicly stated, and beg to repeat them here
from my speech at the Union meeting in Faueuil
| Hall, last December:


Il did not suppose that anything could occur which
would make think it my duty appear again on this
platform, any occasion of political character; and
had this meeting been of party designed to
promote party purposes should have been here
When compelled by the prostraon of my health five
years to the distinguished place which then
niied IN the public service it was with expectation
no WISH and no intention of again mingng in the
scenes OF public life have accordingly with the par.
ta restoration OF my health abstaned from all parci-
patton in political action of any kind partly because
have found more congenia and, venture to think
more useful occupation in seeking rally the afec
tions OF my ymen, North and South to that eat
name and precious memory which left almost alone
of all the and kindly associations which once
bound the different sections of the country together and
also because between the extremes opinion that have
long distracted and now threaten to the
find middle ground of practical usefulness on which
afriend OF moderate counsels can stand.n


| 1t having been suggested to me, notwithstanding
these avowals, that | might be thought Of at the
| Union Convention, as candidate for the Presi-
| dency, requested by telegraphic message and by
| letter, that my name, if brought forward, might
be withdrawn. 1t is true that in these communi
cations | had only in view a nomination to the
Presidency, none other having been suggested to
me; but all the reasons above indicated, which led
| me in advance 90 decline such a nomination apply
with equal force to the Vice-P Presidency. These
reasons OF course still exist in unimpaired force,
and cannot now take an active part in politics
without abandoning deliberately formed purpose,
and even exposing myself to the suspicion of in
sincerity in its persistent avowa. Without
dwelling upon these considerations, of which,
however, l am sure the weight will be admit
ted beg leave to advert for moment to nv con-
nection with the movement for the purchase of
Mount Vernon, to which your letter alludes in
such obligiDg terms. The favor which has attend
ed my eXertOns in that cause, (if | NAV without
indelicacy say anything on that subject has been
mainly the result of my known and recognized dis
connection from party politics. If it could have
been even plausibly insinuated that | was, or in
tended to become a candidate for high political
| lOnOrS | ShOuld- IN ~ o;J
OF that fund.- have laid myself open to the imputa-
tion of speaking word for Mount Vernon and
two for myself. AS it is, the people throughout
the Union have generously given me credit for
having single eye to that meritorious object As
far as the purchase of Mount Vernon ia concerned
that object has been effected, under the iudicous
and efficient management of the Regent and Vice
Regents OF the Association with the aid of their in
telllgent and active assistants throughout the
Union. But sum of money equal to that already
raised is still wanting for the repair of the Mansion,
the enclosure of the land purchased the restoration
of the house and grounds, as far practicable, to
their condition in lS00 and the establishment of
permanent fund for their conservation. | own that


desirous still to enjny the privilege of CO ope-
rating in this noble work, which, however, it will
be impossible for me to do to any advantage, what
ever may be the result of the present canvass if
am now drawn into the vortex ofa strenuously con-
tested election. There are many parts of the
| country which have not yet visited. had pro-
missed myself rich harvest from the patriotic lbe-
rality of the States on the Gulf of Mexico, and of
those on the Mississippi river, (Which have not
yet been able to visit, with the exception of Mis-
souri,, though often kindly invited, and confess
that it is very painful to me to withdraw from that
broad field Of congenal labor, to tread the thornv
and hanbIess paths of politics.


| Apart from the pecuniary aspects of the case
| which, however, are of considerable impor tance
will canddy say, that in holding up to the admring
! veneraton of the American people the peerless
name of Washington, (almost the only bond of fra
ternal sentiment which the bitterness of our sec
| tonal controversies has left u.s., feel if |
| doing more good, far l able to do any
good, and contributing more to revive the kindly
! feeling which once existed between North and
| South, and which is now, grieve to say, nearly
extinct than could possibly do by engaging IN the
| wretched scramble for otfice,-whch is great
source of the dangers that threaten the country.
| These considerations, and others of a still more
personal nature have necessarily occasiOned me to
| reflect long and anxiously, before accepting the
nomination with which the Union Convention has
! honored me. In yielding at length to the earnest
solicitations which have been addressed to me- from
| the most respectable sources in almost every mart
of the Union, make painful sacrifice of incna
tion t" what am led to believe public duty 1t
has been urged upon me, and cannot deny that
| such is my own feeling, that we have fallen upon
| times which call upon all good citizens at that.
ever cost of personal convenience, to contribute
their share, however humble, to the public service
! suppose it to be the almost universal impression
it is certainly mine,-that the existing state of
affairs is extremely critical. Our political contrn-
versies have substantially assumed an almost pure,
sectional character,-that of a fearful struggle
between tn. North and the South 1t would NOT
be difficult to show at length the perious nature
and tendency of this struggle, but can only saw.
on this occasion, that in my opinion, it cannot he
much longer kept up, without rending the Union.
l do not mean that either OF the great partips in
the country desires aims at a separation of the
! States as final object, although there are ex-
tremists in conside, able plumbers who have that
object in view. While potent and balefu in
-huence Is exercised by men of this class in both
sections of the Union portion of the conservative
masses are insensibly and gradually goaded into
concurrence with opinions and sentiments with
which, in the outset, they had no sympathy. Mean
time, almost wholly neglectIng the main public in
! terests, our political controversies turn more and