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Show A. POLITICAL TEXT-BOOK FOR 1860. tingui~hcd stntcsman of Ma8Sachusetts, Edward Everett,\ lng a single eye to thn.t merl.torlous object. A~ f~r astJ1t a f.!etHienlt:n l1dd by bencml consent to be altogether purclw.so of l\lount Vernon 1~ concerned, that ObJect htt.S worthy of the fir t.. been elrccted, under the judi ~ious und cmcient man· '1't:nde ring 111y grateful acknowledgments for the kind agemcnt ~f the J~ cgent a!"l~ VJc~-ltegeut.:! of the Assoand complimenta ry mrmner 111 1orhich y ou were pleased du.tlon, w1th the n.1d of t!1eu· mtelhgeut and a ctive a sm to accompany the communication of wy nomination,! ants throughout th.e Umon .. But a .~um of money equal am dear sir with tho highest respect to that already rn.1sed Is st1ll wantmg for the repair ot ' You'r obedient s~:rvant, ' JouN BKLL. the Mo.~sion, the inclosure of the lund purchased, the To the llon. WAsllDIGTON lloNT. restoration of the house and grounds, as far as practicable, to their condition In 1800, and the establishment or a permanent fund for their conservatio n. I own that I am desirous still to enjoy the privilege or codporatlng In this noble work, which, howe vct·, it will be in:r possible for me to do to any advantage, whatever may be the result of the present canvass, if 1 am drawn into tho vortex of t~ strenuously contested election. 'l'hen: are mnny parts of the country which I have not yet vi:~itcd. l had promised myself a rich harvest from the patriotic Jibe l·al!t.y of the l:ltates on the Gulf of .Mexico and of those on the fllississippl River (which I have not yet been ~bl e to visit, with the exception of Missouri through often kindly invited), and 1 coufcss that it i~ very painful to me to withdraw from that broad field or congenial labor to tread the thorny and tiLanklCM po.thl:l of politic!!. MR. EVERETT'S .A.CCEPT.A.NCE. BosToN, May 29, lSGO. MY D1un Sm: I have duly received your letter of the 11th, in which you inform me ofllcially, that the National Union Convention, recently in session at llaltimorc, kul done me t.he honor to n ominate me as Its candidate for the office of Vice-l>resldent of the Unitetl tate:!. I am deeply imprc sed with this manifest a t ion of the favorable opinion of the Convention, comprising as it di1l among Its members so many p c r::~o n~ d is lit~guh;he<l for public service, patriotism and Inte llige nce ; and fairly representing a considerable portion of the conservative feeling of the country. .l<'or the grc:~t cordiality with which, as you inform me, my name was proposed and received, my warmest thanks arc due. l'he grateful acceptance of such n n omination woul<l, under ordinary circumstances, be a matter of course; but it has unavoidably been with me th e s ubject of long and anxious he itatlon. l'be gt·oulHis of this h ehitntion 1 owe it to the Conv-ention which has honorctl me with this roark of its confidence, an<l to myself, to explain ; loath as I am to dwell on matters of p ersonal Interest of no Importance to the public. It ls generally known that I have, for some years past, retired from active partic ipation in p olitical life, not, as I hope I have shown, from Indolence or want of sympathy with my fdlow-citizens In the pursuit of the great objects of social life. l'he r e11snns of my retirement have been more than once publicly stated, ancl I beg to r ep eat them h ere from my speech at the Union meeting in !<'an c ull llalllast Decem h er : "I did not suppose that anything could occur whirh woul(l ma.ke me think it my duty to appear a gain on this platform, on any occasion of a political character· and had this meeting been of a plll'ly nature, or design~tl to promote any party purposes, I should not have been here. When compelled, by the pros tmtion of my h ealth, five years ago, to resi gn the di ~ ti11gui s ll cd place which I then ~ li ed iu the public service, it. wa:~ with no expecttnion, no Wish, and no In tention of ever Hgain mingling in the s~ene! of p~blic life. I lmve, a ccordingly, with the part lalrestoratJOn of my health, abstained from all participation ln politiCl\1 action of any kind; partly because I have fouo(l a wore congenial, and, as I venture to think, a more u eful occupation, in seeking to rally the affe ctions of my countrymen, North und outh to that great name and p recious memory which arc le fL almost alone of all the numerous kindly IL!>Sociations which once bound the differ ent sect ions of the country together, and also b~cause, between the e xtremes of opinion that have long distracted and now threaten to convulse the eoun~ ry,, I find. no mirldle f.!rOutHl or practical usefulu css, on • .,Inch a fnend or mocl erat.e counsels can stand." Tt having been su~gcstc(l to me notwithstanding these avo~als, that I mi~ht be thought 'or, at t.he Uuion Convcntton, as a cand1date for tho Prc~ id ency, I requested, by telegi·a phlc mcs8age and b,v letter, that my natUe, if brought forward, might be withdrawn. It is t.rue that in tliese communications 1 had only in vi ew a nomination to the !'resid ency, none oth et· having b een sugge ·ted to !lle; but all the rea~o n1:1 above inrlicnted, which led me 10 advance to decline such n notUinalion apply with equal for~e to the Vi~c- Presldency. 'l'heso' reasons, of course, sllll exist in ummpalrecl force, nnd I c:tnnot n ow take an active part In politics 11 ithout abandoning a deliberately formed purpose, !LJHI even exposing myself to the suspicion of insince1·ity In Its per:-ktent avowal. Without dwelling upon thrsc considerations of which however, I am sure the weight will IJe admitted, l IJe~ leave to advert for a moment to my conuccLiou with the movement for the purcha~o of :\lount Vernon to which yo~u letter a lludes iu such obliging terms. '1l'he fav o r w~1ch h~s att_cnded IllY exertion::~ iu that CILUse (if I may Wlt~lOut lndehcacy 1:my anytlil11g on that sui.Jject.J has b een mau~ly the result of my known and recognized discounectl? n from.party po li t ic~. If it could h ~t,· c hecn even l•laus1~ly lnsmuate<l th01.t I \Vas or intended to become a c~ndtdate fo: J.igh political 'honors, 1 should, i'n u1y vanous exct:rsJOns i~ aid of that fund, have laid myself open to the 1mputat10n of speaking one word for l\lount \ ernon and two for myself. As it is the p eople through ,. tLe L'nion hav!! generously give~ me cred:t for hav- Apart from the pecuniary nspccts of the CA.Se, which however, arc of considerable import a n ce, l will candidly say tha t in holding up to the admiring ve n eration of the .A1ucrican people the peede:;::; name of Washington, (almost the only bond of fratcrn:ll sentiment wllich the bitterness of out· sectional controver~ies h:L:i left us) 1 feel 3.!! if I was doing more good, as Ja ,· ns 1 am able 1t<> do any good, and contributin~; more to revive the kindly feeling which once exis tetl between t\ orth and South and which is now, I grieve to s:L.Y, n c;\rly c::..tinct, than i could l>Ossibly do by engaging in the wret ·bed scratUble for oflict.'-which is ouc great source of the c..langer:; that thre<Lten the country. 'l'hesc conside rations, and others of a s till 1:•o rc per onal nature, have necessarily occasioned me to r •llcet long nod :mxiously, before accepting the nomin:ttilln with which the Union Conve ntion has honor ed me. 111 yielding a! le u ~th to the earnest solicitatiow:1 whk h l11L 1·e ucen ndtlre,; scd to me, from the Juost n :Sl>Cdable soun:eil iu nlruo!lt e very part of the Union, I make a p,du ful sacrifice ot incliuatiou to what I u.to led to believe a public duty. H has been ur~ed upon me, aud l cannot deny that such is u1y own fcohngs, that we have falleu upon times that call upon all good citizens, at whatcvc1· cost of p ersonal conveni cn c~, to c?ntrilmtc tbeir slmre, however humiJle, to the puiJhc 110rv1ce. li:illllllOSC it to be the almost uuivcrsal impression- It Is ccrtaluly mine-th:Lt the cxislin~ state of a~:l'air!! is extremely critical. Our p olitical controversil'!:l have substantially a ·sumed an almost pure ly i:iCctional characterthat of a fearful struggle b etween tile North and the South. lt would n ot IJe <liOicult to show at length the p erilous nature and t endency of thi:; :;trugglc, but I can only say, on Uti:; occasion, that, in my op iuion, it cannot IJo 10uch longer k ept up, without r etHling the Union. 1 do not mean that either of the g-reat p a rties in the country deillrcs or alms at a. sepamtiou of thu ~tates ns a fina.l object, althou gh there ;Lre extremists iu considcralJle number~ who have that object in view. While a p otent ~md fL bal c f~1l inUucnce is exercise(! by 111cn of tltis class, 111 both section!! of the Union, a p ort ion of the conscrV<L· Live masses a ru inse nsibly ami gratluall,v goaded Into concurrence with opiuious and sentiments 11 itli which, in the outset, they ha<l no sympathy. J\lcantillle, a hno~t wholly negl~cting the main public interests, our political controvc r:nes turn more and more on q ucsti<Hl!l, in refere nce to which, as abstract formnh.c, tl1u great sections of the country dill'er irrecon cilauly though there h! n othing 1~ractically Important at ~;takd whicll r equires the dJ.:;cusI> IOn to be k ept up. These con trover ics arc carried on with steadily incr e1tsing bittcmess and exasperation. 'J'hc pa, siolll:l thus kindled have already led to nctq of vio lcnr.c au• I IJioollshcrl, approaching to civil war iu the 'l'ervitories, and attempted t:~crvile Insurrection in the 'tates. 'fhe great reli gious au<l philAnthropic assoc iati on~ of the country a.re sunder ed, and the kin.dly social r elations of 'orth and l:louth seriously Impaired. ~'he national Jl ou~e of ltcpresc utativcs, hovel'ing on the verge of a narchy, rcquu ·e~:~ weeks to e!fcct an orgnnir.<\tion, which ought to he the work of a.n hour, and it holds its scssion'.l t many of its members , I am told, armed with concealed weapons1, on the crust of a volcano. The catulid:\tes f•; r tlw l'n:si<l.:nty reprcse"'tlng respectively tho do:ninant sectional j,l.:a ·, will, at the eusuing election, in all probability, be -upported by 1\ pnrcly geographical vote. ln uthcr woniH, we uro alrea,ty hrou;.:ht to a pass, at wliieh N,,rth and South ~nut~ot u.nd will not coiipcrat~ iu the peri( tical r coq;amzatton of the GO\'crnment. EVERETT O.N 80.\lNER, A~D GEORGIA 0~ EVERETT. C:m snch a st:tte of things long continue, especln.lly 1 bloorl of an unarmecl, de fcnc ·l cs~ man, ~Lilli ho :1. 13enator .vtU1 the ever-pre::;ent d:;k of new CIUISe::! of exaapcmtlon? of ll!as~:~achus~tt.!l : lf by laying down my lLfe UJis hour I 1 own it o.;e,·tn., to me impo::;sibl ·, unless some healing I coul,l un<lo what ha:~ been done the la~t two yoar~ (hc~o;luooun; c Is a dnpl <'ll, tl\ltt the catastrophe, which the m:~ss of n.ing with the dl:mstrouii repeal()( the 1\lbsuurl <Jomprogoo1t citi,.;,·n,; dl'prccate, should IJc much long<·r dchLyecl. mise) to e mbltt\!r the dllfl~rent p:lrtll of the country l\:;alnst A Hpirit of p 1Ltriotic moderntlon must be c alled Into :tc lion each other, and weaken the tks whkh un.itc them, I would tJtrou••hout tlw Union, or it will assurclny be brok •n up. wilHugly, cheerfully, mtLko the sacrifice. lln..tc~~ the warf<tre of infl a mm;Ltory speeche11 nnd incen- 11 1 t · . ' ·. , 1 , · ]· . rliary vuiJJir-,Lt.inn::~ i-; ahanrloned, and good citiz ens, as in . 1 a. c tcr, wrttlen Hllu ~lllt:n I .\ , 1_11 ex P .LIIa.- 171U and 17.,7 Nort.h an<l South, will a~;r ·c to deal with tton ot these remarks , ~{r. h~·e re~t. ~:u d-thc ~auw cle1111~;1t.~ of di:;conl (forth ·y e:xistetl then n.H n ow), I have condemned from the out sPt, and s tlll mn~ t ~~ our ~·a tlt ,· r::~ dealt with them, we ~:~hall bui for 1\ n•ry decidedly coutlcnm tho p olicy of the l:Ltc Admlnl.stratl"u f1·w ycar'i 1,1n ~er he ev en n ominally hrethrcn of one f:~mily. towa.rcls Knn!:!as. I opposed the I<an ~ao.;-N ehruska bill in 'l'hc !Ill~~ ·~ti uu that the Union can be malntalnctl by the tile 'l'erritorlnl Committee, of which I wa-; IL member. I uumericul predominance :uul military prowcKS of one voted against the amendment to U1e hill by which the section, t·xt·rt cd to co •rcc tho other iuto suhmlsslon, Is, ln M~ so uri Compromise wa~ repealed. I opp<):;e <l the IJlll to lilY jutl).ill le llt., llK t!C lf-co ntradietory ILS it is dangerous. ]t the }Jest or my ability, In ~~ Hpecch delivcl'i•d in the \•nate <:(; til l'!! loaded with the death smell ft·om fi elds wet with on the th of February, 1 :.; ~. of which 1 st•n(l you a copy ; t1mtlier~' hlond. It tho vital principle of all republican nnd I should have voted a~ttill!:!t it on it:l J Hl~~agc (a:; I p·ovc1·nm •nt "Is the consent of tho governed," much more stated in my place at the next meet ing of thl' 'enate) had dlld a univn of coequal so vercl~-:n States r equire, as itil not severe Illness compelled me, at lH o'cl<wk In the mornlla~ i.-; the harmony of its members aud tbelr voluntary l.ng, to leave the Senate ch:unbcr IH:fnr,. the vote was ooi.ip~ra.tlon in its orga.nlc fun c tions. take n. I Informed my 'ou thern politica l friends, when lldicvin!(, for thc:e r t:;t:;o n::;, that healing counsels must the bill was brought In, that it ou~ht to b·· entitled a. bill be li:!tt ned to, if we are much longer to r c iniLin one p!!o plt:, to" annihilate rLll conservative feel in~-; in th · non-slave- 1 n:ganl tlw ll~te atlontd Union Convention as a movu- hohling 'tate:~. " With these l'i ·w::~ of tlw suhj.:ct, though, me11t in the ri!{ht di rection. I could wish that it had hecn as 1 trust, for reasons hi ~h e r th:Ln a.u.v c!I'L·<:t on party cH rl icr it~se tniJie d; with l c~:; exc lu ~ i vc refe rence to oflidal politics, I ftdly concurred, in tlte mrti n 1 i Ill' I!( ni '(JIW~c71), n O illitHLti o n~, ;uul wtth a more C0111prchcnsive rcpresenta- in J.Jfl·. J:itulltner'H speech. Abs taining, h o~>cl'e r, lla.uitut ion if posRihle, o ft he conC1ict ing opiulons of tho coutllry. 11.lly myself from all pe rsonalities iu tlelJatl", a nd believing On ~cn~:ml priuc iplcs a.ntl in o nlin1lry tlme!i, l~tdmit tl111.t that they always irritate an<l n c 1·er pcl'l!ltadu nor convince third p :LI'tit:~ n re obj ect ion able, but In tho existing st <Lt.e I could not of cou11:1C heM tow my" uuqualiti e•l approbation" of affairs, if th l!re is to be any escape from the pre ent ill- on the wanner In wltlcb he treated the subject. omcned C\>Jillict, it wo uld seem tii!Lt 11. commencement lllll~t he made With such n meeting as that ofthe 9th and lOth, at Baltiutnr c . It was !L f<Lir representation of the cou,crv:ttivc o pin ion of the country; an<l the c:~lrnness, gr;tvity and good feeling with which its proceeding:! we n! oonductcd , cannot he too hi ghly praised. In nd op tin ~ ail its pi:Ltform tho C•Jll8fitut!on without. note or coJnuH•n t, the Conve ntio n, as !t seen1d to me, pursucrl a wi<e nn<l JHLtriotic course. No other co ur~c wa~ thou).;ht of ill th.: eu.rlier days of the ltepubl ic. Elcctihth.: t rln~ pl .tt fonns nrc a.! most wi•h out exccplion equlvoCKI utul delusive. [tis obj ecle<l t.lmt men dilf,·r :Lll to the mc:wing of the funcl;uneni <LI law; but th.:y 11ilfer not less ItS to :lilY gloss or conllneut.:Lry. The Oou,titution, in its fnir ~tnd natural int erprctat.lon, is tht: only ba~is on which gootl citiz ·nil in ev~: ry put of the country ca.n uow unite; an<lnuy att cu1pt to go furth e r will usuidlyln~ve no other eiTc\."t than to C;tusc tho·;c whiJ agree on grcut practical principles 10 tillfcr on me taplt,vsicnl !lllbtl ctic~, or to bring t.o:iethcr, hy ~trtfully constru ct.t:d phra1:1es an1l fromselllah motiv e~, tlwse who ltavc n ot hln~ c l ~c in common. 'l'he cn11dhlate for the Presidency, prese nte<l by the Union Couventi,m, is every way worthy of confidence and ~upporl. I ~peak from personal kno wledl{e anti long t~s ocia. tion wttlt hun in the public !it•rvlce. Jl i~; 1lis tinguished talent, l:m;e l'X peri(•ncc in puhlic alTair~, proved iut eg rity R.ntl stt- rliti ~ )l:LtrioliHnt furnish the amplc:;t pledgt: for lUI honest :uul dlicieut atlwiui ~ tnttion of the government 1\t llome an<l nhroa (l. A citizen of the South, tiJill loy;LI tQ her cou~titution :d r ight.•, hi :~ impartlal!tlld concili:~tory cour~c as a pui,Jic nHLII atrunl:~ a KrOIIJHI on which he can he ~ uppon cd i11 either section of tl1e <'ountry, with out tlt·r~ li c li O II of principle, and by lll('n of all parLieR, without a p·liuful ~ a c rifi ec oJ' t'ort 11 er prefe rences. lJ ... ~:ply r ,·g rett ing that tlie Convention h:LS not put it in n:y p••w..:r to pay an equally conlil~l and emplultic tribute to ~Oiill: worthy CH JHii<lat c for the Vice-Presiden cy, but fn:l i tl~ it a d111y to give the de:-~irecl proof of symp1~thy with tlh·ir pat riotic efforts to re~ tnre the happy days of bl'•ll hcrly c•!licord butwecn the different KeCtlllllS or our bdu VCII COUll I ry. i rcmn.iu, dear sir, sincerely your~, EDWARD EVKRI{TT, )!R. J<~n: n~:TT 0~ Su)lN~:n. GEORGIA. ON J<;VE!tEl'T. On the acces ion of G e n. Ihl'f'i"'on to the Pre:-;i<lcncy, in 1 -!0, he norninat.t'<l the Iron. E(lward Eve t· •tt n. minister to Englantl, nnd th is nominn.tiott wa.s resi ~ t<'d wiLlt p:reat pcrti · n twity l>y the entire force of the D t~ mo c ratio party in the S e nate, on the ground of Mr. Everett's Anti- Ia. very senti ut e ul:;, a! r eady q noted. 'l'he Whigs having n maj ority in tho Senate, tho nomination, nft.e r a scvNe s trugg le, was con(1rmcd. Amon~ those voting for the Confirmation wu.s the Uou. Ja.mc ~1 cPh c rso n llerrieu, of Georg ia; but his vote on this oecasion was o distas t.ef'ul to the p eople of G eorg ia that the lcg is la.turc of that State adopted tho followiug r e olve: ResolAJert, That the opinions puhlkly proch\lmed hy Edward fl:ver ett, n ow minlste r to EnghLnd. uf the power and obll~ati o n of Con t.:resH to aholi~h ~lav ery ln the Di.~trict of Columbia, to intenlict the slave-tr ad·· between the States and to rofu!le the admlsHion into the l ' nion of any 'fcrr!t~ry tolerating 'lavery, arc unconstitutional in the.ir cha.ractcr, suhvcrslvc of the rl~ht:; of tlte .'outh, awl1f c<~rried out, will d e11troy tl.is Union; an1l that tho Jlou . John McPher:;on Berri en, iu sustainin i{ for :w import an\ appolntment, an l..ndivlllu!Ll h ol<ling_ such u~nw :no u s s~ntiments, lm!l omitted:\ proper occa ·1on t<~ gL,.,, a n emc.ent check to such sentiments, and in so d o 111.~ Ita ~ n ot tmly r epresented the opinions or wbhc::l of t.1e people of Gcoq;ia, of e ither political party. The vote of tho legislature on the adoption of this re~o lv e W:t!;: In the ~ c n :ttc, Ayes 40; Na.ys 0. In the llouse, A.yed l 0 l ; Xays 4t . JUD G~: DOUGLAS 0~ TIIF. Jltr SOU !U 'O)!PROmSF.. In a speech d c liverc<l o.t Sprin~n(' l(l, Ill., in 1 4H, Ren:Ltor Douglu~. in speaking of' the ~liR-Roon <Lfter thn bt·utal as ':llllt on Charles Sum- souri Compt·omise, aid: IH'r, in l c 50, ~[t·. Even•rt, in some remarks It hfls rccl:'lvecl the sanction of nil partie.; In every secth ·lLvcrcd aL T .tnttLOit, ~LL~~. , rc~'rred to the tion of the Union. It had itt~ origin in the hea rts of ;dl su 1 1 i e~ G n.s f'\lllow ~ : patriotic men who de~lrcd to pres~ 1·vo an•l. perp ctuntu J the ble:~H k1~~ of our glorious 1Tni o~ 1-an ong1n ald~ IQ 1'he cl vii w:u·, with it.s horrid t.r:Lin or pillage, fire, aml that of the Cons! it uti on of the U n 1tc<l St:tt e~, concctV• •lo slau_g-ht<~ r, <·aiTi!!d on, ,oithout the ISit{fhleiJt j)I'OVOcaMon, in the S>~llle ijpirit of ft'>ttcrnal alft:ct ion, and catc uhttt·d to tli.(<Liti:;t !II· in fant -<ettle ml'nt~ ()( our l,rethren on the fron- rumo vc forevi::r the on ly danger IVItich s~ .... m~ d lo thr".L'eu t.lcr uf the l ' nion: Uw won;· than cll'il war wlii ·h has for nt ~•l iiiC <li~t :Ln t dav to sever tho sacre•l h on•l of Union. rnontlt~ ra :..-ed Ulin·huk t•d at the C:~pital of the Un\,)1), and AIL the e vid e n ce~ <;f public opinion _SllP111_1o indicate th:<l hH ~ :ct h·n ~t.lt, h.1· a.u lLl't M htwle)'!\ dol•nec, of wltkh 1 thi• Cnmpromi-e ha ~ )),..comt: C!lltOn~ze<L tn_ tli~ h eartq ? f kaow no p.Lr.tll• I in th l' history of <Jon~titutlonal Go1·crn- 1 Lite Ame rican penplc :L:IIL M:u:red tl11_11~, wlllch no ruthlt.:SJ --.ut.. stai.nc I tl1e lloor of the ~c natc chamber with the t hand would li t: n~~;i-.lc~s t:laOU!'h to dt~lut b. |