NOTE.

INVITATION TO A PUBLIC DINNER.

BOSTON, August 28, 1848.

DEAR SIR: A large number of Whigs, of the Suffolk Congressional District, among your strongest personal and political friends, " entertaining a high respect for the character and abilities of their distinguished Representative in Congress, and a deep sense of gratitude for the services which he has rendered, and the honor he has reflected upon the State and the Union, by his faithful and successful discharge of the arduous duties of Speaker of the House of Representatives, during a long and laborious session," have requested us to tender you, in their behalf, a public dinner, at such time and place as may be most agreeable to you.

Joining, to that of our friends, our own earnest and sincere desire that you may find it convenient to accede to their request,

We are, with considerations of high regard,

GENTLEMEN : Absence from home prevented me from receiving your most

obliging communication of the 28th ult., until a late day.

I hasten now to acknowledge it, and to assure you of my deep sensibility to the compliment which it contains.

I have, indeed, been called to the discharge of "arduous duties during a long and laborious session" of Congress. It would not be easy to overestimate the labors which belong to the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States. Nothing could afford me higher satisfaction than to know, that, in the judgment of the personal and political friends whom you represent, my performance of the duties of that office has been faithful and successful, and that it has reflected no dishonor, either on our own Commonwealth, or on the Country at large.

Such an expression, I need hardly say, is peculiarly welcome to me from my immediate constituents, implying, as it does, that they have not been extreme to note any inattention to their local interests, which may have resulted from the engrossing character of the duties of the Chair.

Boston has been accustomed to no common services in the National Councils. Few Districts in the Union can point to such a succession of distinguished and devoted Representatives. Fisher Ames, Harrison Gray Otis, William Eustis, Josiah Quincy, Artemas Ward, James Lloyd, Jonathan Mason, Benjamin Gorham, Daniel Webster, Nathan Appleton, Abbott Lawrence, Richard Fletcher; this is, indeed, a catalogue of stars, to which any one may be proud to have been added.

If, on retiring from office, at the close of my present term, when I shall have represented the people of Boston in Congress longer than any one of my predecessors, since the adoption of the Constitution, my name shall not be thought unworthy of some humble association, in the kind regards of my fellow citizens, with the names of these eminent men, the measure of my political ambition will be full.

Be pleased to communicate to those, in whose behalf you have addressed me, my cordial thanks for the honor which they have done me, and to assure them, that while I decline to be made the subject of any ceremonious entertainment, I shall always cherish the most grateful remembrance of their courtesy and kind

ness.

I am, gentlemen, with the highest respect and esteem,

Hon. Abbott Lawrence, and others.

Your faithful friend and servant,

ROBERT C. WINTHROP.

LETTER TO THE WHIG NOMINATING CONVENTION, DECLINING A RE

ELECTION.

BOSTON, October 9th, 1848.

GENTLEMEN: I have the honor to acknowledge your obliging communication of the 5th instant, informing me that I have been nominated, unanimously and by acclamation, as a candidate for reëlection to Congress.

I am most deeply indebted to the members of the Whig Ward and County Convention for so generous an expression of their confidence; and I pray you to present to them all, and to accept for yourselves, an assurance of my profound gratitude.

It has been for some time past, and is still, my sincere and earnest desire to be relieved from further service in the House of Representatives of the United States.

With this view, I addressed a letter to the Chairman of your Convention, in July last, announcing my determination not to be a candidate for reëlection.

The opinion of himself and many other most respected political and personal friends, that the peculiar circumstances of our party, at that moment, made it extremely undesirable that such an announcement should be made public, induced me to assent to its being withheld. But my views and feelings have undergone no change, and I am still strong and sincere in the desire to retire from Congress on the 4th of March next, when I shall have completed a nine years' service as the Representative of Boston.

It is urged upon me, however, by yourselves, and by other distinguished Whigs, whose opinions I am bound to respect, that under the peculiar circumstances of the present campaign, the nomination of a new candidate would be difficult and dangerous; and that, by insisting on my purpose to decline a reelection, I may jeopard, to some extent, the success of my party, in other and far more important particulars.

It is suggested to me, moreover, that a full year will intervene between the election and the commencement of the new term of Congressional service; and that, if I should feel obliged to resign my place in the course of that time, there may be an opportunity of filling it under more auspicious circumstances.

I am quite unwilling, gentlemen, to give too ready an ear to these suggestions, lest I should seem to arrogate to myself something of popularity or influence which I do not possess. But I do not hesitate to say, that if a well-considered belief should be found to exist, among those who are authorized to act for the Whigs of this District, that the use of my name would be of any material importance to the success of their efforts, and more particularly to the choice of the Taylor and Fillmore electoral ticket, I would willingly make any sacrifice of personal feeling, and leave myself at the disposal of my friends. I would not desert those who have never deserted me: still less would I abandon those great national interests and principles, for which we have so long contended, and which, in my judgment, can only be vindicated, at this moment, by the election of General Taylor to the Presidency of the United States.

With these explanations, I desire to refer the whole subject once more to the free and unembarrassed decision of the Convention, by declining the nomination which they have tendered me. I do so in the earnest hope that they may be induced to excuse me from further service, and in the honest conviction that they can readily find a successor, who will at once bring more weight to the ticket, and more ability to the office.

This letter is not intended for publication; but perhaps you can bring my

views before the Convention in no better way, than by reading it at their next meeting.

Begging you, once more, to assure them of my heartfelt gratitude for all their kindness and confidence, and to receive for yourselves my best thanks for the complimentary terms of your communication,

I remain, Gentlemen, most respectfully and faithfully,

Col. T. C. Amory, and others, Committee.

Your friend and servant,

ROBERT C. WINTHROP.

RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONVENTION, OCTOBER 11, 1848.

Resolved, That we have learned, with deep regret, that the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, now representing this District in the Congress of the United States, has expressed a desire to be relieved from further service in that important station, which he has so long filled, with honor to himself and satisfaction to the country, and purposes declining a renomination.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Convention, such a step would be fraught with great danger and serious injury to the best interests of the Whig cause, and calculated to affect unfavorably the result of our labors in the Presidential canvass and great political struggle about to take place.

Resolved, That we know of no person so likely to unite the votes of the Whig party in this District at the present time, or who, if elected, will exercise a more salutary influence at Washington, than our present honorable Representative; and that it is our earnest wish that he would reconsider the subject, and thus preserve the Whig party, at this crisis, from the difficulties and dangers inseparable from the selection of any new candidate; and with a view to effect if possible, this most desirable object, this Convention do now, renewedly and unanimously, renominate the Hon. Robert C. Winthrop to represent the First Congressional District in the next Congress of these United States, and respectfully solicit his acceptance thereof.

Mr. Winthrop accepted the nomination, and was reelected by a majority of about four thousand.

53*

PERSONAL VINDICATION.

A SPEECH DELIVERED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ON THE STATE OF THE UNION, FEBRUARY 21, 1850.

I Do not rise, Mr. Chairman, to enter elaborately into the general discussion to which the annual message of the President of the United States has given occasion. But finding myself under an unexpected necessity of leaving my seat for a week or two, I have been unwilling to go, without making a few remarks, which I feel to be due to my own position and character.

I have abstained, thus far, from any expression of opinion or declaration of purpose, in regard to the unfortunate sectional controversies by which our country is now agitated. I have done so designedly, and for many reasons, satisfactory to myself, if to nobody else.

In the first place, Sir, I desired to wait until the excitement growing out of that protracted struggle for the Speakership,· to which, by the unmerited favor of my friends, I was so prominent a party, had passed away from the minds of all who were engaged in it; and until I could express myself fully and fearlessly upon these controverted topics, without the suspicion of being influenced by any thing of private resentment or personal disappointment.*

In the second place, Sir, I desired to wait until something of

* The memorable contest for the Speakership of the thirty-first Congress began December 3d, and ended, after sixty-three ballotings, December 22d, 1849. The final vote stood thus: for Howell Cobb 102, for R. C. Winthrop 100, scattering 20. A Resolution had been previously adopted that, on this trial, a majority of the whole number should not be necessary for a choice, and Mr. Cobb was accordingly declared Speaker.