the early part of John Tyler's, when he undoubtedly had expectation of rising by reinstating himself with the Democratic party, that then these sectional animosities were at rest. But the elevation of Mr. Polk extinguished his hopes, and has made him a sour and discontented man. He has no aspirations connected with the integrity of the Democratic party, and can have none. It is to be regretted that the South should embark so fully in his schemes, or lend themselves to his intrigues.

The indications are that you will have a somewhat stormy and boisterous session; but I have no doubt that the ultimate result will be for the permanent welfare of the whole country. There may be some changes of parties and men, for a time at least, but with right and principle the Constitution and the Union will triumph. You, with others who have, to a great extent, the custody of public measures, will so shape matters that the country will receive no detriment from the intrigues of the aspiring and restless, or the overheated zeal of the unreflecting and impulsive.

But I must not intrude on your time. We regret extreemly to hear of the illness of your son. Until the receipt of your letter I was not aware that he had returned. Mrs. Niles continues about the same. I presented your compliments to the Judge, who sensibly felt them, and spoke of your kind feelings, friendly relations, and your attention and devotion to your public duties.

I am in hopes to visit Washington some time during the sessio. Until then it will be a gratification if you can occasionally let me hear from you. With kind regards, in which Mrs. Welles unites, to yourself, and to your family when you write or see them, I am, dear sir,

Very truly yours,

GIDEON WELLES.

MR. YANCEY TO MR. DICKINSON.

LYNCHBURG, VA., February 15, 1850.

TO THE HON. D. S. DICKINSON-Sir-My attention has been particularly attracted, in common with others of my fellow-citizens of all parties, to a speech of yours delivered in the

Senate of the United States in reply to Mr. Clemens and others, upon the unhappy subject which now threatens the overthrow of this glorious Union.

I know you not, nor have any favor to ask at your hands; I abhor office-seeking and despise flattery and adulation. I desire simply as a democrat, a southron, and a lover of the Union, to thank you and to tender the humble homage of my sincere admiration for the speech in question, which I would 1 rather have delivered, under the circumstances, than to be the "Thunderer" of Buena Vista; a speech which, permit me to say, if you do nothing more to entitle you to the character of a public benefactor, will embalm your memory in the affections of the truly virtuous and patriotic every where throughout the broad limits of this Union.

Unpremeditated as it seems to have been, it nevertheless bears the marks, in my humble judgment, of profound political sagacity, presenting the only grounds, and suggesting the only means, whereby this Union can be preserved. The sentiments are just and eminently patriotic, rebuking the spirit of faction at the North and South. It bears the stamp of a profound statesman, whose public course is dictated by honesty, independence, and the public good-a rare example in these days of degeneracy and corruption. It betrays a lofty spirit which looks down with unutterable contempt upon the miserable demagogues, who, by agitating this subject, traitorously sow the seeds of disunion, of war and desolation, merely to subserve their own purposes of self-aggrandizement; and it shows the spirit of one, too, who cannot be driven from the performance of his duty either by the insolence and violence of faction, or by the fear of the loss of power and place. Permit me to say that, "in my heart of hearts," I love the honest and independent statesman, and not the less because he is the representative of the great State of New York. I merely penned these lines for the purpose of contributing so far as a very humble fellow-countryman unknown to you could, to cheer you on in your noble and patriotic course. You are right, Sir; and rely upon it, if this Union is to be preserved at all, it can only be done upon your principles.

Yours, with the highest respect,

WILLIAM S. YANCEY.

MR. DALLAS TO MR. DICKINSON.

MY DEAR SIR-The Union of yesterday, which I received this morning, contains a letter addressed to yourself and me, dated as of the 15th ult. It is signed "John Hampden,” a name over which I have heretofore seen several good articles, but by whom it is employed I can form no conjecture.

I am quite sure that as the actual and admirable senator of a great commonwealth, you have already fronted the crisis as became you, and that you will retain the ground you have occupied. But I am at a loss to conceive in what manner it is supposed possible for the late Vice-President usefully to emerge from his privacy, affect to advise Congress, or officiously intermeddle with business already in deputed and able hands. Would not such intervention expose me to plausible and unpleasant imputations, and so affect injuriously the very cause I should desire to aid?

Certainly I have nothing to conceal. Content with the measure of domestic happiness which God permits me to possess, and quite willing to work to the last at the law, I do not care to hide my opinions on public questions. They were frequently uttered in the hearing of thousands while position as a national executive agent made it excusable, if not becoming to do so. The extraordinary circumstances of the times have slightly modified these opinions, and the irrepressible bias of my head and heart, toward preserving the Federal Union, as moulded and embodied (if that word be admissible) by the Constitution, carries me further just now, than mere logic carried me heretofore. But I must confess to you that however much I may naturally fondle my own views and sentiments, I shrink from openly claiming to divert attention from the really wise and virtuous men in the capital, toward a mere Q in the

corner.

I have written this under a strong impulse of curiosity to know whether the letter in the Union is but an ordinary flight of anonymous vivacity, or is designed as a serious and sober hint to us from any quarter. Pray let me have your idea: and

excuse this hasty intrusion on your time.

I am always, very sincerely and respectfully, your friend

and servant,

March 1, 1850.

G. M. DALLAS.

JUDGE BRONSON TO MR. DICKINSON

ALBANY, March 4, 1850.

DEAR SIR-I thank you for a pamphlet copy of your speech upon the resolutions of Mr. Clemens. I had read it with great satisfaction in the newspaper, and am glad to have it in a form which will permit of its preservation among my bound pamphlets.

Although my place and pursuits have separated me in a great degree from the political conflicts of the day, I had occasion long ago to say, that the Wilmot Proviso could do no good, and might do harm. That opinion remains unchanged; and notwithstanding all the noise made by politicians, newspapers and legislative Resolves, it will soon be, if it is not now, the sentiment of the mass of the people. They will stand by the Union, and by the Constitution.

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 coelo, 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 judg ment 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!

Sincerely yours,

D. S DICKINSON.

Hon. HENRY S. RANDALL.