Letter from the "Shade of Washington," to a venerable Senator of the United States, and now addressed to all distinguished patriots of the United States. Augusta, Ga. Feb. 16, 1861.

LETTER FROM THE “SHADE OF WASHINGTON,”
TO A VENERABLE SENATOR OF THE UNITED STATES,
And now addressed to all distinguished Patriots of the United States.

Honorable Sir:

I HAVE already mailed to you the “
Shade of Washington
,” Nos. 2 and 3. I here enclose No. 1, published upwards of ten years ago. I got all the information therein disclosed, in 1802, and I expect to reveal the balance in a fourth number, to the
End
that the United States and Great Britain may ever live in peace, amity and prosperity.
In the year 1820, there was a great Slavery agitation, in and out of Congress. I was then about publishing the substance of what I now say; but the excitement having subsided on the passage of the Missouri Compromise Act, I did not publish any thing, although I knew that the dire intent of the Secret Department of England, to prostrate the prospective power of this Government, would never be relinquished—no, Never!—but that, on the contrary, they were likely to succeed ultimately, by some insidious devices or methods, unsuspected by the Government or People of these United States.
The Anti-Slavery excitement of 1820 was, at that time, not to dissolve the Union, as yet; but it was only to obtain one of the measures in fulfillment of the
Programme
that the Secret Department of England had formed in 1781 and 1788, which was—“To get” a majority of Free States; to sentimentalize the inhabitants thereof on Slavery; then possess themselves of the Government of the United States, in mind and sentiment, on the Slavery question; then dissolve the Union on the Slavery agitation North, and
Resistance to “apprehended” aggressions and sense of its insecurity South
, which will ultimately prostrate the prospective power of these United States.

That
's the programme formed in 1781 and 1788, and persevered in ever since. All
that
programme is disclosed in the “Shade of Washington,” Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The horrors, poverty and miseries that will attend the fulfillment of
that Programme
, are too appalling. You must try to obviate them by application to the Supreme Court, as suggested in No. 3 of the “Shade of Washington.” If Messrs. Lincoln and Hamlin's election can be legally laid aside, the country is saved.
I herein exhibit the insidious frauds by which he was elected; also, I herein exhibit the small comparative minority by which he was elected, viz:

POPULAR VOTE FOR PRESIDENT
AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR 1860.

Total Votes cast,
4 750 605


For Lincoln,
1 826 716


Majority Conservative votes,
2 923 889



Leaving 2,023,889 votes of the conservative citizens of the United States, powerless to preserve this Union.
There is no fraud in that, but it is contrary to the original intentions of the framers of the constitution, as set forth in the preamble; contrary to the spirit of Republican Institutions; contrary to Equity; and contrary to Public Policy.
Now I will exhibit the frauds that won the votes that elected him, to wit:
The Secret Department of England, by means of her talented emissaries in these United States, ever since 1783, now 77 years ago, during all this long period of time, selects the sons of the most pious and moral mothers, and by praising and likening them to the Prophet Samuel, or otherwise, gets them to study for the Ministry. During their studies, they are so imbued with the fictitious horrors imputed to slavery, and also, of the pride, haughtiness, arrogance and cruelty, falsely imputed to slave owners, that in the goodness of their hearts, they wish slavery abolished, and are continually preaching it in private families and everywhere else, so that good pious mothers, being themselves from infancy horrified by the relations of the cruelties practiced in slaves, (all false—
ex parte
statements: prompted by the Secret Department of England,) that the females, mothers, sisters, and betrothed, exhort their sons, husbands and brothers, and all their friends and acquaintances to vote for “
that man
” who is for knocking off the fetters from the bondsman. Under this false impression, all the Northern and Eastern States are imbued by honest, good-hearted ministers, who do not know that their good natures are made use of, to imbue a false sentiment, designed by the Secret Department, to first divide, and ultimately ruin their country. I therefore, call upon all patriotic and good men throughout these United States to come to the rescue of their country, and apply to the Supreme Court of the United States, to enjoin Lincoln and Hamlin from taking possession of the Government, and on the present Executive to hold on to the Government till the Senate elect a conservative pro tem., who will become President and save the Republic, is the hope of the
“SHADE OF WASHINGTON.”
The
Constitution of the United States
provides a remedy. Article 6 says: “This Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land.” And the Judiciary is the Expounder of the Constitution. Every question that can possibly arise under the Constitution is amenable to the Judiciary, whether the complaint presented to the Court is, or had been, in conformity to law, [as in the Missouri Compromise Act of 1820, about 36d. 30m.] which has been pronounced unconstitutional by the Court, after it had been in operation upwards of thirty years; or in conformity to the forms prescribed by the Constitution itself, as the present election of Messrs. Lincoln and Hamlin. The Judiciary has jurisdiction of it, and of all cases arising under the Constitution of the United States, which are presented to the Supreme Court, and its decision is the supreme law of the land.
But, if you wait till after they have taken the oath of office, on the 4th of March, 1861, then they become President and Vice-President, and cannot be enjoined from taking possession of the government, nor the present incumbents enjoined and ordered to hold on to the Government; because,
then
, the mode prescribed by the Constitution is, “Impeachment by the House and trial by the Senate.” But previous to their being sworn in, the Judiciary may entertain any complaint relative to their election, by any one or more citizens or States; and if, after mature investigation, it be deemed productive of much national evil, and subversive of the Government itself, their election may be pronounced unconstitutional and void. Such is the true structure of this Government.
Although the election of Messrs. Lincoln and Hamlin was, or may have been effectuated according to the forms prescribed by the Constitution, yet, if it can be shown, that it was by insidious foreign influence, to ultimately prostrate the power of this Government; that it is against Public policy, and against the intent of the framers of the Constitution; that it is subversive of the peace, prosperity and happiness of the people; subversive of the National power of this Government; subversive of the Union, Constitution and Government itself—it should be deemed and pronounced unconstitutional.
The principle, or anti-slavery sentiment that elected them, is contrary to the contemplated happiness this Constitution was intended to afford to the people, as set forth in the preamble of the Constitution of the United States, to wit:
“
To form a more perfect Union
.”
“
Ensure Domestic Tranquility
.”
“
Promote the General Welfare
.”
Their election, although it may have been in conformity to the requirement of the Constitution of the United States, is, nevertheless, subversive of all these intended blessings, and will engender all the evils incident to a dissolution of the Union, viz: Civil and Servile wars, &c.
The insidious Foreign Influence that elected them, is sectional, and semi-religious in its sentimental method of making converts, and as dangerous to the stability of this Government as if it had been altogether a sectional religious controversy that had elected them, or such religious controversies as desolated Europe for a long time. The Framers of the Constitution were good, wise and pious men, and strove to avoid religious or other sentimental controversies, and its horrid wars; and to that end the Constitution says in Art, 6th, Sect. 3d,—“No religious tests shall be required.” Showing plainly that they knew its evils, and wished to avoid dangerous religious controversies in their political union of States. And all other sentimental controversies, whether religious, semi-religious, or otherwise, that lead to civil wars, should be adjudged subversive of the ends of the Government, and unconstitutional.
The abstruse religious sentiment that desolated Europe, was about other persons' souls in another world. This sentiment of foreign origin that elected them, is about other persons' negroes in this world. Both are the same in their baneful tendency to civil wars and its crimes, only this semi religious-anti-negro-slavery sentiment that elected them, is worse in its ultimate results on the National welfare, in its being of a sectional, and its being of foreign inculcation, with intent to prostrate the power of this Government—portends much future evil. It is inimical to the peace and prosperity of the whole country. It is an engendered of civil and servile wars. It is subversive of the very Government itself, and, therefore, unconstitutional, and ought to be adjudged void.
Your high standing and character for wisdom, moderation and patriotism, gives you an influence, which, if exerted, will save the United States from the calamities that are planned for its overthrow, by foreign rivals, inimical to our national growth, prosperity and power. Therefore, I pray you to exert it. To commune with the good patriots that you know, on the best and speediest method of presenting the case to the Supreme Court, for an injunction to withhold the administration of the Executive Department of this Government, from Messrs Lincoln and Hamlin, and save our country from all the impending evils that now surround it.
Your Friend
JOHN GUIMARIN,
Acting amanuensis for a poor, infirm superanuate, of '76, who signs himself, “SHADE OF WASHINGTON.”

Augusta, Ga
., Feb. 16, 1861.

002




Made of
Washington's
Letter


14/27


10.18.1009.1.14.27



MC 09-82-038.11.2