Mr. Birney To The Liberty Party

I was nominated asthePresidential candidate of the Liberty party in the Spring of 1841. Late the next autumn 1 renicved to Saginaw County. My relation to the Liberty party - my opposition to both ihepnrties - was well understood in this part of the country, by all pretendmg to any acquaintance with public matters. Not very long after my removai, a wi itten request was addressed to me by many of the most respectable of _my neighbors to deliver a public address (which I did) on the question of Abolition. Although much of 1842 and 1843 was taken up in personal attention to my ngrieultural and other domestic interests, yet I was enabled occasionally to attend meetings of the Liberty party in other' parts of the State and to deliver public addresses at our County Seat. Prevlously to the Genoral fójection for 1842, it was suggested by one of the Whig managers in Detroit, (Mr. Harding, of the Advertiser.) to one of the VVhig managers in this County, (Mr. Hiram L. Miller,) that if might be well to have me nominatedon the VVhig Senatorial ticket for this District. Why such a suggestion was made 1 can only conjecture, for it wiis without any personal acquaintance or consultation with me by the person making it. Indeed I knew nothing of this proof of the favor l had in the eyes of Whigs, for more than a year afterwtrds. Whv it was not enterlained and actcd on I nm not informed. My nomination would not have disnppointed nny Whig of office, because the democrats hnd a large mnjority in this district. If it vyas with the expectation uf using me in the Presidential Election, further eonsideration might have convinced the projectors of device, that 1842 was too soon; - that, could I be brought to co-operate with the Whigs, with a view to advance their ultímate object, two years would be too long to conceal my weakness or my treachery. The next year (1843) a Union meetng of Whigsand Democrats was held in he town of Tittebawissie, with a view to ïave me nominated for the Legislature by he VVhig County Convention - soon to come together preparatory to the General ilection for thal year. This union meetng was held vhilst I was in Massachusetts, and wholly unawareof any wish on he part of the people to place me in nny public station. Three delégales, one VVhig and two Democrats, were appointed to attend the Whig Convention, all instructed to urge my nomination. Out of the five towns into which the County is divided, only three were represented. - An informal ballot was taken by the Convention. which consisted of but nine delegates. It resulted in four votes being given for me. four for Mr. H. L. Miller, and one (Mr. Miller's) fora third person. Before the formal ballot was taken, Mr. Miller told the Convention, that, having conversed with me, he was surel would not accept the nomination of that Convention- declaring, at the same time, his readiness to vote for me then, if he thought [ would accept, by all means the next year. which as it seemed to him, would be a more appropriate occasion. After this. on the formal ballot, Mr. Miller received six votes; I, the three from Tit'.abawnsaie. The same day. and a few days after the adjournment of the Convention, Mr. Miller, conversing with the democratie delégales from Tittahawassie, promsed them both, that he would support my nomination in 1844, and to one of them, he went so far as lo say. thatifit became necessary, in order 16 secure me a nomination ihv Representative in 1841, he would cheerfully umte with a third or independent party for that object. These individuals were, in this way, influenced to support Mr. Miller al the General Election, then near at hand, and to persuade others of their democratie friends to do the same thing. It was owing to this, as they think, ihat Mr. Miller ran a good deal ahead of his party strength, and was elected over his democratie opponent. I have the written statements of ihe two persons referred to- Mr. McMillan and Mr. Shields - but, not supposing they will be controverted in any essential particular, I will not unnecessarily encumber this exposilion by inserting them at length. It is but fair losay, that Mr. Miller. in a letter addressed to the Editorsofthe Detroit Advertiser. and published in thal paper a few days before the late General Election, has given his version of the nominntion matter in the Conventiou. it is this: "As to the proposed nomination of Mr. Biraey last year, by the Wbigs of Saginaw, the truth lies in a very smtrll compass. A major-i ty of the delegation from the town of Tittebawassie, to the Whig Convention of last yeor, were Deraocrats? and carne to the Convention instructed to procure the nomination of Mr. Birney, and when the proposition tonominate was made, it was replfed, that Mr. B. was absent, and as he belonged to another party,, t would be improper to,nominate without first consulring him. The proposition to nomínate MrBirney, was not seriously eirtr:aineájn the ConventioD, anda greatmajority of the same were utterly opposed f o it." ï leave it to Mr. Miller to reconcilethe meagerness of his and the fa6e; impression it is fit led to niake, with that steadfast regard to tfuth and fairness that ought alwavs to characterize thase who are atiempting to cast suspicion on the intogrity of others. Tlie troatment of the Liberty party by the Whigs, for some lime previous lo the uomination of Mr. Clay as their candidato, had aitered much tbr the better, compared with what it had been. Trusting, though in a vague way, that they would be able bv some, not unlawful, party stratngetn, to draw to themselves a good deal of our strengt!, they kept on fairterns with us. Even some of tfiose whom they were pleased tocall "leaders" nmong us, were not without a plnce in iheir amicable regards. Bul the nomination of Mr. Clay, oí he Ihen slood with the Abolitionists, would have dissipated tli is state of things, and at once have put the Liberty party and the Wln'g party into positions as antagonistic and as absolute as those which were airead y occupied by the Liberty party and the Democratie party. Whatever remains of confidence Abolitionists might have retaineu for Mr. Clay, previous to bis formal pro-slavery oration in the Senate, in 1839, that revelatton of his character and aims extkiguished them. It bas been said, that the fear of anli-slavery opposition lost Mr. Clay the nomination of his party in 1839. However lhistnay have been, tor the last five years, the abolltionists as a body. have regarded Mr. Clay, as, of all our pnblic men, the most dangerous, because the boldestor the most insidious, according to the exigency, and olvvays' the most plausible in his ntlacks on the cause of human freedom. In order to counteract this sentiment among theabolitionists, the friends of Mr. Clay, connected with his name opposiiion to the annexation of Texas. The scheme was well conceived, and Mr. Polk being in favor of annexation, gave it great lorce. It was successful, too, ifthat can be cal lodsuccess which comes nigh to, without fully, accomplishing its object. But had it never been starled - had no issue tvhatever been joined as to annexation between the Democratie and Whig partjes, our Ticket would have received not less than twenty thousand votes more than it did, and these votes would, in themain, have been drawn about eajually from both the other parriea In Michigan' neither tfio nbolitionistsasa party, nor their "leaders" had cause, so' far as I can now remember, to complain any especial unfairness ar persecution, or calümny;. till the of a particular event, which produced an entire change towaids us, fn the tnctics of the Whig Arrivi'ng'in Detroit in July last, whilst a debate was going on at the Hall of the Liberty Associalion of that city, between MY. Stewart oí the Liberty party and Mr. PTatt of tfie Whi.1 party, I became on ihvitation, one of the parties to it. The insisted on by me ngainst the Whig party, as represented by Mr. Clny. satisfied the "managers" of that party that I was inflexible, and ihnt it would be useless for them to expect to influenco Liberty party men through me, orto hold any terms longer with me. An editorial the Detroit Advertisers (the leading Whig paper in the Sfafe) grossly misrepresenting (as Í thought) the rsmarks made by me tïie first eveningnnd commenting on them in coarse nnd uncourteous termsr was thesignal for a new plan of attack. I replied to the article, explaining my positions, nnd correcting tfie fálse charges it preferred ngninst me. My reply to the Advertiser was so inaccurately printed in that paper, that l found it necessary to have it republished in the F ree Press, the leading Democratie paper of the place. This was soon followed by a long article' in the Advertiser signed "A Whig,"' proféssing to give an account ofmy address, the evening before mentioned. The article nbounded in false statements and reckless assertions: presented. too, as tney were, in the scurrilous Jangunge of the prnctised lampooner, I publicly declined taking any further notice of the vrrfter. The plan of personal detraction was now Mly put in operation agoinst mf. lts frrst aim was to impress on the public, burt pnore-particulnrly on the abolitionisf.s. that Í wns unjtwt th Wh'g party, that I frnudulentliy miarepresented' Mr; Ctoy m his public lifè-, and unsparingly calurnniated him in his private Ir-fe. Every one of these positions is false; In arraigning the whigs and democrats fon. rheit imfaithfulness to the cause ofhunaan freedóm and their country, I have generaily beeii'so careful to ascertain fromiauthenlic sources the truth of the facts produced againsti tb era-j and ;so strictly have 1 feit myself bpuodto present these facts impartially, thaü wiy accuracy o r fairness has but rarely been calied in questiotii Out of the multitade of facts that I had occasion to use, na discussion of some 4 or 5 evenings, on the eccasion referred to, Inow remember but one which was incorrectly stated. As soon as I ascertained it tobe soyJ.aciiBowledge& my error and correeted it. . .Toward Mr. Clny I had no private giiefa to indulge. Ah one juinciiliouü in his respect for the just defènces and proprieiies of do meslic hfe, on no occasion did l'npprooch oven the confines of hts. Bul vvitli his public life, I did denl'as One n earnest to save his country. With this - especinlly as it luis bren conoected vrhh the 'Code of Honor," uv.d with Slavey its collnt'ernl quentions, I was mote converswt thnrt pwii most of" the politici I admirers of' that gentleman. I bad o.-ircfully obeeivedstudied jtf ml f CifóïigÏÏi myself, better th:in thev. qnalilied to jddge of it. Objecíion enough ngaiiisl him whs to b fonnd in the fact, thnt hé wns n Rükílist &t & Si,avrqoldkh. As a dnell-t. Mr. Clny in enrly li sin muidlo life, &, in udvnned Ssre,had prolesi-ed his aüegiance ro tho Code of Htinnr. Asa duellist, be hnd eepnrnted biinself trom Ihe popular mass, nnd taken his place in o small, eelf-e!ected, and aristocratie corpp, tech.iiculfv describing them.selves as genlienieiT ut hitnor:" - gent linen wlioVc fidelity ilie aws of iheir peculiar code iö shown, j-.isi in proporiion hs they tn;mpln on the l'ivis of every othercmJe, human &t divine. Tho fidHity of Mr. Clny to thiaf codo had been shewu in -i Rubs'antil muncr.uot orfly inevry periodof his life, but in nhnost evety public etaiioji io which he had been cnlled: - is State letjisi.-tiir; os tpeoker of ihe Uuse of Rfpresentütivrs of the Uniïed Siatrs: ns n Senaior in Conrress; mui as Hend of fjie most important depnrtmen1 in the administrntioti of the governntent.- Tiie instance? too. wlilch Jie hnd elected t illustrate his fidelity, hnd, for the most part, ben attended wi'h thicJaildi'iona! nginnt:on - tiibt they grew ut of.words spoken by Legislatír-- in Thkir ii.At.Es: ngninst all qiteationing for which the Cnnstitütions of ihe U. S.. os well ns the C.tnsiituti'iis ofthesevernl stoten, had at tempt ed p defeud ihe rrprosrntntives of the peop'e; that tiieir minds might be Cree from every feár nnd emharrusv ment while dischnrging J'ieir iniportunt nnd responsible public dntiet. S'?ihg noihingof Mr. Clny's persn:il dportnipnt in thn v:ir!ous éaHM in wjiieh he nc'rd as a 1iegornn to ihe Code of ííónór - whethcr 'u wns cliiv l rous or overreachinj - cpurtigenus or tiinu! ''air or f.ul - (fr such considera lions had tui place in the view thnt I ttose to take of thi1snlject,) I spoke of him a nnfit tt admtnis ter the luws of the lnnd beenus h nol only refnsed lo honor ili'-m by his own perpoim' tiiibmtseion, iut trampled thm üriöèt foot a; evety point whe:e.iliey come in rollision vutli the tnandatesof annther - ,t foreign - n b]ond - au aihei.-tic c--de, to which he ivid subscribed, and which already tlironcjh a long life, he had publicly and practically honored andobeyed. In regard to Mr. Clay, as a slaveholder - I s-aid notung of his ireatinpnt of his slive.- I knew notliing of il - whelher it was kiml or cruel, induljient or ligorous, I was uuinformed. So wns I, as to v. hiher he pirchas-'ed at Jow prices and sold al high one - as to whedier lie respected the ties oi'nalurc in his ealesand preha.ces - or sold n mothpr hore, ;ni] a child there, and a hiu-ba nd wiienhe wotild never eee wife nnd child itgain - o as to H'het'ier ht solil or puroliused at all. - VVith 6iich matters I nifddlod nol. The trui') obout them is often difficult to be got at viitli the rfquisite deree nf certaint}-, and th" vvere not necessary for my por pose. Il waf enoircrh for mr, 5lmt Mr. Clny wis a SLAVKHOLnsR: that he had becoine one, not by the accident of htiving hud lnvo "enluiled" on him - which sluveh-'Iders affl c; to coní-ic'er as a snfficieut excuse f-r their oppressior.s - but dt-libpnnely - by pinchas?; - ano this, ton, nO.er he hnd publirly fur a time, yieldud no his ;nind to the giirou8 impulseof' the spirit of Bmnncipüt ion. It wns enoug' ihat from bring a "poor, nnilfss ' yomii' man, hehad bpcome a large blavehoider - ad diño" filave lo slow, in proportion as Provv dence added bonnty. to bounty. till ihe uumjö?! of uomen ond children held by him ii bfinds si! most equallèdt'lie number of years hflad livedl It was enough. thnf rarly in h.s public ca reor, bo had given in Iiis-Hiipnort to sinvery a Mhistilvtin of the1 country; rJmt wit h the penwanency of that hisiitution, he had'connec tpd Ws private f ortiiner, nnd thnt on the ngerundizement of the Power that had grown up ont of it, he rested his hopes of politica I diítiiictioii. It ws cnmigh that he had deiiied to the people of the North the right to discus tke siibji et of slavery in order ihnt the mysteries of that Abomination might be defend'ed from public exposure; that as Hend of the Depurtnvnl of S: a te, from the beginninp to the rnd of his official term he had urged "on Bngland and Mf-xic , shameful negntiattons for the capture and snrrr-mler of the slave ho had alroady fled, and of all olhers nhmigljt thereafter ílv, iheir respective dominions ennterminous with ours for refugo: tuut he had, in eSlct, dedlnred himself in favor of perpetual skveny in this country; thnt hend lie on!y, had succeeded in ewfftrjjinjy th' area of slavery and in connecting1 thnt systeiu with the Government, by procuring the dmistión of pluvéholdïng Missouri into the Un ion; ond that he hndj almo.t up to the eve of tiie hne canvHPs, gloriad ni the perilicious tnnmpli which he snigly h;id nchieved over ti.c fiee spirit of llie North on that tnemorubUlid t'ítgrticeíul occasion. If thnt spirit, in its indignant uprising, like a giant refrethed wi'h wine, ha dashed in pieces on the grmind ihe bKodstúnef] trophy lor which Mr. Clay hnd 'oil-íd so long, al the iïibtaut he was reaclnng forth his hand t" ctutcll it as the lasf, the crowning guerdon ril a veternn's warfure for Skaverv, llie retribu tion would seem npprojniaie and just. The undispu'ed fnrts in thepublic life of Mr. Clay were .urely Biifiiciem in number nnd imporiBHCR 10 Fiipply a hiberty man abundant ly wiih argiwienta againt a pnrty which had received and with no little pnrade oublicly llwtg-entifmon as the "imperspnation" - he "embodiment" of its principiesThore was no need - had fitich a conrsn accorded with my fasto pnd uiunners- of descending inlo an exuminatinn of private concerns. The Whig managers of Detroit, Fiowever - speaking through their organ, the Advertioer- rere not conlcot witb representing jnas dealing unfiurly witli the whig purty, nnd speuking in coarse ternts, dispnrngtngly.of Mr. Clny's prívalo chnroe'er. This wu? not al) t lint conld be done to crente d-struet townrd me iñ the minos of ihe Liberty party men. One other siepcould be tpken - ibt wne, lo metainorphnse me into (to use tiieir own descriptio! )'n t;Loco Foco." Some sliglji hesitiiiion, ho wever, spems to havo come over i hem, brfore tliey tnok ilmt desperate plunje. Anoil-er strmg vvs pulled - but once, 10 be su re, and feebly. My nmbition tva npppaled 'to. J1 tho Adverticer ofJuly 30,1 am thus wcotirnoingly a'dríionitdicd : "ft s trufi lii.'it the d'ovgli Jar. e d advócales'ol Polk nnd Texas wctfí íMighted wnh bis couryp [in tk ■ debate tvHh Mr. Platí] biit th4 anplnuses f èncli men, who lia ve bren -pro tfnviry to tlipcureat :iiríiino5,nnd nn.ill quesiioi.s, will hnrílly comp'-nsHto hir, aom"i't ts henee, for the loss ot the onridencn of Antihltivpry uiei, s'Omé A' whbm h:ve bei póliti cnl abo'lirionis's. whose lrtK"r., üke .Mr. Birney's, terrd diroctly tn s'core the success ol' i he lToIlf and DÍillos tííeclorol tir.kei n and the efection öf ati Üniteri Sla'es favorable ti the AnnXHtion of TVxas, ciirr-, exoect to enjoy their confid'-nco, or ob'aín their support hereafter.-Mr. fiirney loolís fo tfte jntárc", nnd in ihis view h:is conimitted a fatal error. (Tontidenoe once desirojed ís liard fo retrain."' The more violent coune's howev'er, prevniled, and in the Advertiser of August 7, tlie Irad was I luis pivrn. "Wliigs should'iindersiand ihot Mr.Birney wrn? oiiinallv a L0..0 Foco. Hia t-yiu pinliies are ullwi-htiiat piirty." Ab íoonns I f?aw thia staiement which was acrompauipd by some three or fotir othe'S rqtirtlly unfoutided, I sent to the Ad?ertiser a cutegorical correct ion of thein all. In replving lo this particular one. the Adver'.ise was told, thit "I liad npver rited with thp Dr-rnocrntic paity, nor had l.to my knowledgp, pver been eet down ís a member of tha pari y, pxcept by the AdverHíer and a few othnr Whigr papers''- thut "my pympathirs were no more with the Domocrntic purty than with the Wliiir p:iny; that the leiidnrs of both sfnod rpadv, a. I blipvpd, to make the interi-sts imd lionor of?lie conn'ry pacriric1 t ilip'irown ndiancprnen', nmi that my pympathies were wholly wi;h thc Liberty p:irtv. w!(se tarly success uline conld ave t!.e rouniry i'roin beinr uidone. My note was ouili.-lifd, but witliout nny acknow'.edgment if error, on the part of the Rflilor. On this foundation of the Adverteer, luid ui Augftist, was built the superstructura- my %Coalition wrniTHR Loco Focos." with itr irniiberless minor fnltfelumd.--; ll endmg in thGnrlaivl forery of October, an act of w.':ol? stile party profliiracy unknowu befure in tb hii-lory of pnrties in ibis couniry. [l have to ask the indulfyence tif my Lib erf y pan y friends for the long interval herween lliis ond my last public uion. I hav for sometí e been affrcled with a local ndnipnt wliic 1 innkcs the act of writing inconient, and if continupd any cnnüidernbh lenih of time. painful. Tliis. and the interupti'm o'" indispensable labors for the comfort of my family and the protection nd subsistence of mv cattle and other s.ock in this (ro me) cok! and turbulent, clime, and the difficulty arisinr f'roin a want of ronds, tf commtinicating wiiii iho.e persons wifom if has been necesary for ne to pee and converse with. mist ba my npoloiry for the óeh'j Noxt week I tius; I ■iholl bo able to coitciüde ail that it wil! br rrq lisite lo publisd in relaten to the maite 1:1 hnd.-J. G. B 1Mr Clw's Advocacy of Mis.- Wkbstkr. - So far a3 nppears, at present, this mattei stands thus: VOLUNTÍSERED IIIS SERVICES'- J) II the fVli g iapr i s. 1 fia ve sume eiicouragemput." - MisvWrb ■ -ter. ' . - Accüvnls of Ihf. ti al - Bost. Chron. 05a BwhAjí Oudere', nk of New Yo-k has been found guWiy of the clnrgfis prelerred an:ní"t liim by a vote of 81 Bishop ;o px, fue chargiijï Bishop nit vojinw. Thlinter Bisho-js were Wcade of Va., Utey of %iinM nd Ellioit of Gi. Bishop Ooderdonk s, w e bnlievp, brother oí 'lie B'hop of the sanv nuue of Penn?y!vnn, ivfii'o wíis found g-iiilty om charges óf in'eni(icrnnce, au) removed. The ciiarges oguint liim of New York aie not kmnvn, as the prorendings were private. He is Fiispoided.-- Pite BIops fif Oíiío and ílüaois voted aguinst niiTié Tíie' BSahop et" Michigan was not