Mobile register and journal. [volume] (Mobile, Ala.) 1841-1849, 1845-10-25

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"But turu to sentenen of the South and ask |
them whs;er they prepared to give up the great
conservative power which SO much Of their secu-
fity depends. fla majority Of Congress- May assume
the power Incorporated these resolutions, they |
may at subsequent session rcpea ism--theY may |
abolish siasery IN the District Of Colnnlba-they |
may repeal The act Of Congress providing for the
recovery Of slaves Who have left their owners and
Tins compel general emancipation.
Have considered the comparative weakness oil |
the South in The Senate and The House Of Represen
tativesl Are we prepared, BY violating The const-
tuition, by lhrowing down its safeguards, aad aban-
donng the sure grouud Of comp, n,nise upon which
| il rests, 10 introduce nterminable jealDuses and
discussions, To precedent which msy finally re-
turn The poisoned chaice 10 our OwH lips! ConVnc-
ed, as am. beyond what can by any words ek-
press, that this question is the most important which
has presented itself since The orIgIA OF The Govern
meni, would invoke the gen,lement from Pennsyl-
vania and all the members Of The Senate To interpose
and the country; stand between the living
and The dead; stay this plague, this peslilenee
walking in darkness, this destruction that wasteth
at noon day."
State legislatures were threatening disunion.
and Northern statesmen, backed BY State authors
ties, denounced the resolutions as tan open, un-
blushing attack upon the constitution, under the
atrocous behesis Of the slave power"
Let it mol be forgotten that the democratic Ssna
tors were in the minoritY-ihat 1t required three
votes from the opposite pariy 10 carry the measure.
1t found, too that The scrupes Of some OF the
democratic Senators could not be overcome. "fhe
fate of Texas VISA trembling in The baance,' and it's
| friends were beginning despair. Faint echoes OF
rejoicing began to he heard in OF the Wing
prints, aud voice from the Hermitage came up with
the power of nspratrn-"Now, or NEVER" 1t
| .f ~. oh al
ked resolutions, they wond inevitably be lost. Sew
eral Senators were tvag to vote for The pian pro-
posed by Dir Benton, but would 60 further. In
tervews were had, and these Senators finally agreed
that if Mr.. Benton's bill, or the substance Of It's
provisions were appended to the House resolutions,
leaving it optional with the President TO proceed
under eiuher, they would vote for them. Mr. Polk,
who had just arrived in Washington, consulted,
and give the alternative resolutions his approval.
Those who proi1ered the compromise had his assur-
ance that il passed in that form he should prefer the
latter, aRd proceed under them.
IL would seem that this compromise should have
met tho hearty concurrence Of every hone st friend
annex alion in the Senate. Bnl unfortunately il was
not so. Senators were found who would listen TO
no compromise, hut seemed fatally determined to
force the question the House resolutions. II was
a trying crisis TO tho friends o. anneration' hn'
four days OF the session remained and II see"sd mat
there was AN end 81 compromises. The Two wings
OF me friends of Texas literally scowling defi-
! nnce At each Other. The Senators who had scra-
pies upon the question Of The power Of Congress
over the subject lad given their ultimatum. They
had gone far they would go to meet the nncon-
f dilonal advocates Of the House resolutions, and
{ were met with an absoule refusal to make any
compromise Whatever.
1t was under these circumstances, and in this tear
fol crisis, that Governor Basbv arose TO address the
! Senate What hat speech was, II would be hard to
/ conjecture from the short and meagre and ineoher-
emf sketch which was published at the time. bnt
the object is as PL,n as the meridian sun-Ir WAS
TO SAVE TExls! 1t was to drive The obstinate
ultra advocates Of the House resolutions from the
Incorporating and fatal position they lind Iaken'
and which they adhered 10 with blind iatu'iy mat
charity itself reluctant 10 ascribe to an u"'nlxed
desire for the communication Of the measure.
, To have permitted the compromise 10 be voted
, down, would have defeated annexation. Texas "a
gain lost and who can say that it would not have
4 been lost TO us brever2
II 4
Inc speech Of mr. n"g"y "a' ''o e"ee' '"''".'e'
brought obstinate ana acta'of'"' sp""s " 'e"e''
upon the responsibility 'hey "ere "s'"""s' """ !:
them 10 support me only MEASURE 'n'' '0a' P''''''S
secure snneraf'on. ana texas "aS s"'eo-""u '"''
ed by Senator bagoy-h 'ac's "'a HUMAN 'es.,,o"'
are 10 De allowed 10 MAKE UP "e '.>'
. sa'e' eNc.A'me' re"." ""'Ne w" 80
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ana 70" "s e"e'' A"u,. ' i,
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.Lm .od eIoousnce brouabt them 10 a common plat.
corm-.;lled the elements Of discord-and secured
oor;o,s v;ctorv-is pecked at and caumn ia ted by
moos;ne poli,,caus. ,and denounced ms an enemy oil
annexation, md traitor to his constituents!
.., ,.,.;o, &C IN. .rss,b ,vhc,, he delivered
~. ,.hI;sh.d we A.