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PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE LAMAR
Constitution-but I mean that the open and undisguised fact flashes upon every mind that the South & South West are doomed! The Fed- eral Government at last has passed into the hands of our enernies- Enernies to our institutions: You may rebuke this wholesale denun- <?iation, and ask where is Crittenden of Kentucky & Graham of No Carolina- If they were Known to be triie to the South would they be called to the Cabinet? And, if they are true to the South, it can scarcely comport with that "sound and open dealing which is the honor of mans nature" for them To accept places in the cabinet of Millard Fillmore. President of the U. States! We now see where we stand, and can Survey our position without a cloud to intervene between the inevitable precedents and the Event! All the resources and powers of the Federal Government we now too plainly see will be employed to pa.tch up some lullaby for the South, to enable the party devoted to its own contemptible and miserable ends of plundering the public Treasury- and bound together by the "co- hesive power of public plunder" as l\Ir Calhoun once said ·of all parties: or perhaps of the Democratic party. No matter what becomes of the South & her institutions-no matter what the great and permanent interests of the Confederacy may demand at the hands of the Central Government, the Great Whig Party must rule hereafter- Let them have it and make the most of it, but in the name of Heaven not at the expense of all that is dear to the South- Our lives- our liberties- our property- our honour-' our Self respect, In short all that makes life desirable and worthy a freemans Solicitude. Let us devise some definite plan of demanding our rights, and if refused let us like the honest, bold and brave Statesman of Athens resolve to have them or perish in the attempt. On leaving you at "Hollywood Home" I promised to send you a copy of Chappells letter, and the articles recently published in the Tribune -signed "George l\I ason" written by our able and patriotic fellow citizen .Jno. A. Campbell- I am somewhat addicted to the performance of my promises and within this envelope you will find both. Now let me urge it upon you as a duty you owe to your country and your native South to employ some of your time in a review of Chappells well writ- ten, but transcendently delusive, mischievous & sophistical letter. I am surprised at Chappell at this crisis to have thrown his weight of character- his talents and his labours into the Scale of our enemies. I shall await with great solicitude your review of Chappells letter, and shall embrace every opportunity of Seeing you at "Hollywood" If I can serve you in any way let me know it by letter & you know it will be my pleasure to do any thing in my power. Wishing you all the felicities of life, and a full restoration to health, I remain as ever, yr friend HENRY B. HOLCOMBE Allow me to commend you to the occasional society of my friend .Judge Meek whose views are nearly pr accordance with our own- [Newspaper clipping giving Fillmore's cabinet enclosed.l [Addressed:] Gen'l Mirabeau. B. Lamar Hollywood East Bay [Mobile, Alabama]
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