* * * * * * * *
I have always
supposed myself, and believe I have been, a Democrat in the most general and
catholic acceptation of the term. As a sentiment, I have no doubt I agree with
you and all other reasonable Northern men on the subject of slavery. When it
was made a sectional question and organizations were founded upon it, I saw
that it must lead to fearful results, and conceived it to be my duty to do my
best to arrest the progress of sectionalism, and so I have done. I would in
some respects have pursued a different course had circumstances permitted; but
not belonging to the class who try to take both sides of the same question, I
had to take that which generally I most approved, and go along with it. I have
never condemned those who differed from me, toto
cœlo, upon this question. But those who agitated, for the sake of
agitation, or for political advantage, I have condemned without stint or
reserve. It has been a trying period, and no one could suit all of even his
friends, and scarcely himself. I have had to stand up against the feeling which
you honestly entertain in common with many intelligent men of the North;
against the prejudices of the weak, the machinations of the wicked, and the
efforts of some Southern mad-caps, who wanted dissolution per se, and therefore wanted to break with every Northern man. It
has been the worst period our government ever has seen, or I trust ever will
see in this century. I have on the whole done what I regarded as best, and it
must stand or fall with me in the judgment of the people. I will only add that
it has been done frankly and openly, and those who will condemn, or those who
will approve, will not have to seek for my course in indirection.
I did not favor the
mode of the party union of last fall; but although some names upon the ticket
were not acceptable to me, I supported it cordially, and did all I could to
forward it. I am, with you, for carrying out that union in letter and spirit. I
have no more idea of refusing to associate with you as a Democrat, because you
disagree with me in some particulars regarding the slavery question, than
because we may not agree upon temperance or religion. If we will all be thus
catholic, there will be no difficulty. As you say, there are a few men who
desire and intend to rule or ruin, and but for these there would have been no
breach,—but for these there would be a speedy and healthy reunion. It remains
to be seen whether Democratic impulses and Democratic progress can be checked
and delayed for individual aggrandizement. Look at the present degraded state
of our national administration—the spawn of trickery and fraud; succeeding only
by reason of Democratic divisions. Too impotent for good; too imbecile for
opposition; abolition beyond the constitution; ultra slavery to dissolution; the
scorn of its opponents; the laughing-stock of its sensible friends. Oh, that
all true Democrats would look at it and determine to lay aside all but their
principles, and reclaim that holy land from the infidel!
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