Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-04
RICHMOND, VA.
Thursday Morning, August 3. ls4s.
Mr.. R. T. DANIEL AND THE COMPRO.
MISE BILL.

Mr.. r. T. DANIEL AND THE COMPRO.
MISE BILL.
! Al the meeting OF The "Roush and Ready
Club" on Tuesday evening" nothing trans.
! pred worthy OF notice, except an attack made
by Mr.. Daniel upon The Compromise bill which
has lately passed The Senate and been re-
| jecled by The House. MIR. Daniel, 100, believes
the Compromise bill SACRIFICE AND SURRENDER
~ SOUTHERN RIGHTS land the Rough aud Rea-
dy Club Of Richmond appaudtd the sentiment
As lovers oil our country, our hearts saddened
and sicksned a. this; as par,izans, and advocates
OF The election of General Cass, we have every
reason 10 rejoice. An issue, distinct issue, one
that every body can perceive aud understand, IS
thus presented for our decision, on this slavery
question. II the tactious opposition OF the Wing
party TO this great measure, originated by lead.
! ing Wing statesman, shall not utterly eradicate
| the las, remains Of Taylorism al the South, and
utterly tlast the hopes Of success OF his party in
every slaveholding State, lhen indeed, may We
lose all confidence in the intelligence OF the peo.
| Pile, which has heretofore never been shaken, and
in the stability and perpeluily of our institutions
The positions OF Mr. Daniel were most extra.
ordinary. He was opposed 10 leaving the deci.
sion OF the right of the STAKEHOLDER to carry his
slaves into The territories 10 the Supreme Court,
because il is the weakest branch of The Govern
menl! Il is difficult for US 10 comment upon ssch
language in terms which would be altogether re-
spec,ful 10 that gentleman. All the demagogue-
ism which we ever heard uttered on the stump, or
elsewhere, could scarcely be concentrated so
as TO equal that single sentence. Ii the qualified
veto, which the President possesses under the
Constitution, makes him monarch and des-
pot, as Mr.. Daniel maintains, and an usurper of
all legislative power now can the Supreme
Court, which possesses an absolute veto upon
every law OF Congress, which can BY possibility
pass under its revision, be termed The weakest
branch oil our Government Here is party
which has been telling US all along that the Su-
preme Court, the greatest tribunal in the civil.
lied world, is peculiarly entrusted by The Consli-
tuition with the decision OF great constitutional
Quesious;-,he Tariff is constitutional, because
the Supreme Court has so decided il; the Bank is
constitutional, because that Courl has so repeat
ealy decided il; and now they turn round and say
we ought moi 10 trus, the Supreme Court, (Which
it has heretofore lauded TO the skes.) because il
is The weakest branch of the Government!
MIR. Daniels next position was, that to refer
the matter to the Supreme Court, would bring
that court into the arena of party politics.
Why more so than the decision of other great
constitutional questions' We are at q loss to
know The Supreme Court has necessarily to
bestow its calm judgment upon almost every
great measure passed by Congress. The bill
expressly takes away from Congress and the
Territorial Legislatures of New Mexico and
California, all power of interference in the
question Of Slavery; and if these Legislatures
should undertake to invade the rights of the
slave holder, the arbitrament Of these rights is
left with the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Daniel was in favor Of leaving the ques-
ton of slavery in the territories to be settled by
Congress, as by far the most appropriate tribu
nal. We had really thought that all the efforts
Of Southern men had been directed towards
preventing Congress from even touching the sub.
iectof Slavery either in the States, Territories,
or District OF Columbia. All agitation, all dis
cussion of the subject, even the reception Of pc.
titions upon it BY Congress, were TO be avoided;
but it seems now that we can be certain of no
thing. "All that we know is, nothing can be
known" Clayton, Rererdy Johnson, Nangum,
Beu;en, Calhoun and others. were utterly
wrong in wholly taking the question away from
the Jurisdiction of Congress We are to be
left ,c the tender mercics Of House Of Re-
representatives., with majority Of thirty or forty
from the Free States, to the Senate where there
is a tie, with Millard Fillmore TO give the cas-!
ing vote, and to President pledged not TO
exercise the Veto
Blu, We derived a piece of information from
Mr. Daniel, Of which We had before been in ul-
ter ignorance. The Supreme Courl, said he, Git
we understood him arighl) has established, o.
series Of decisions, Ina, it is Bound 10 respect and
10 be governed by the existing laws OF any terri
tory which may be acquired by purchase or by
conquest, however much they may conflict with
the laws and constitution Of he u States; and he
added thai, by The fundamental Law of Mexico,
CHS was denied in The Senate by Mr.. Calhoun and
o,ners,) slavery is altogether prohibited in any
of her provinces or territories Tha, the conquer
cd are 10 give law TO the conqucrors- that the
| Fundamental law of the latter must yield 10 that
OF the former, Is strange and novel doctrine 10
u.s. ltihere are such decisions, we should like TO
haze Them shown to US. We had Certainly sup
posed iha, an established religion, or titles OF no.
bllny, would mol be tolerated in any acquired ter
rilory by the Supreme Court.
Inc Richmond Wing, with its northern edi-
Tor, rather animated, that it knew Thing or Two,
which had not been before discovered; but the ex-
cessive modssy and peculiar dthtence Of Mr..
R. T. Daniel, went a bow.shol beyond The for.
mer. He should have been sent on 10 Washing
ton, during the tendency Of The Compromise
Bill, not with the Yaller Kiver, but with the Re.
ports of the Supreme Court, Tor the purpose Of
enligh,ening ienoran! Senators. Perhaps he
would not have deigned 10 instruct such ignora
muses., as John C. Calhoun, Judge Butler, Sena.
Tors Hunter and Mason, and others Senator.
Clayton, Rcverdy Johnson, Mangum and Berrien
however, would have been duly grateful for any
Information which might have been communi.
Gated.
II the Compromise Bill Is sacrifice and sur.
render of Southern rights, why was ]. SO accep-
table 10 Democrats and SO dslaseful to Whigst
Why was i, voted for. almost unanimously, by
Southern and slavehodng Senators, and unani
mously opposed by Corwin and the rest OF the
Provso men and fanacs7 Why have The Barn
burners and Aboli'onisis OF the North united viii
Southern Wings in denouncing the Bill and in
sneeIing a. III. Supreme Court as The weakes
branch u the Government;
l, is singular spectacle that, while nearly
the whole bndy Of Southern members in Con