page_0002

and file, whereat he was hooted and hissed at most violently. The Hall was crowded to suffocation, and not less than three hundred pair of stentorian lungs were in pretty active play with in the space of five minutes, shouting 'Mr. Chair man,' 'one word,' 'out with the d——n Black Republican,' he's no member,' 'Mr. Chairman, I—& c. Fully six hundred members were on their feet, some mounting their seats, and some of the more sage were quieting the fiery members. Mr. Strong of Hartford, (for he was the Douglasite,) stood his ground like a hero, and assured his brethren with the most frightful pair of lungs that we ever heard, that he would be heard. Matters and things looked very cloudy and we, caring more for our personal safety than for either Hon. S.A. Douglas or James Buchanan, quietly withdrew. The Convention however unfurled the Lecompton banner. Gen. Pratt was made the nominee for Governor. The General could not be drawn out, in his speech on Lecompton. Desperate efforts were made to have him declare himself on this point. But he kept clear of snags. We believe that the General was in Congress in '54, and voted against the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. That is not a good recommendation for him at head quarters about this time, is it? John Cotton Smith, the great stump orator of Connecticut Democracy, who steadily opposed for several years in the Legislature of this State, the extension of the right of suffrage, was made nominee for Lieut. Gov.

Prof. B. Silliman, Sen., assured us just a moment ago that he had no more to do with the inception, preparation, or writing of the famous 'Silliman letter' to Mr. Buchanan last summer that we had—he never saw it, and knew nothing of it, till it was written and signed by several gentlemen, and brought to him for his signature. The first letter was penned by the gentleman whose name appeared last among the signatures, Mr. Twining. The second letter which was in reply to President Buchanan's famous production, was written by the venerable Rev. Dr. N. W. Taylor, Professor of Didactic Theology. You doubtless remember that that was quite a spicy affair. We regret that it was not known at the time that Dr. Taylor wrote it, because it will be recollected that, in 1850, he was among the first to applaud Mr. Webster's course, and even stepped out so far as to undertake to defend slavery itself. In 1850, Dr. Taylor, as we have said, defended Slavery and the Fugitive Slave Bill; in 1854, he came out most powerfully against Pierce, Douglas and the Nebraska Bill; in 1857, he read a scathing letter to Mr. Buchanan and the country on the heinous crime of slavery, and now in 1858, the powerful old man is about to pass into the