Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-08-24
Why the SlavoCrats oppose Gen
TAYLOR,

I G.
The following is an extract from the Speed
OF ALFRED lvERsoN, of Georgia. Oh thu
Oregon Territory Bill, and the Presiden
tial Election, delivered in the House O
Representatives, July &c, ls4S
Sir, the safety of the South rests in thi
very Presidential election, and its effect
| upon the parties of this Union. The cleo
ton ever, and it may be beyond the power
! of the South to save itself from the over
whelming influence of public opinion at the
North. If this question be yielded to Con.
gress with no check but the popular will
who does not see that the South must be
sacrificed to the unscrupulous demands Of
Il preludiced majority II the South, lullcd
to security by the eXhortations of Whig
leaders, shall shut up their eyes to the eff
lects and results of the Presidential election
upon this al-important subject the day OF
safety and settlement will have forever pass
ell. Let Southern members call then upon
their Northern friends for Justice, for con-
citation, and compromise. The same fatal
and solemn rcponse will be heard, which in
sepuIchral tones lately sounded the death
knel! of monarchy in France" 1t is too
late! too late p The gentleman from Vir-
gnla nvokes the South to DC still. and to
Tear nothing. Let Whiggery succeed, and
all will be well that patriotic men at the
North aud South will come together and
settle this dstractng question upon Just and
honorable terms. Rely upon it, sir, this is
a promise to the ear" which will be
broken to the hope" What is the South
to expect from the Wings Of the North after
the election, favorable To its rights and in
terests upon the subject Of slavcryl Let
the future be judged by the past. What
support what sympathy, what :" aid aud
comfort" have we ever received from the
hands Of Northern Wings! What voice
has been raised from out It's numerous as
sembIes of the people, III State Conventions
and State legislatures and in the Halls of
Congress what Northern Whir has ever
given his vote in support of Southern rights E!
Where is the man of that party IN any free
State who has had the will or the indepen-
dence to stand up for the South, and resist
the storm of popular prejudice which has
characterized that party! Aud is it SO. sir,
that out of fifteen States in this Uiion,
stretching from the Atlantic along the great
lakes, across the Ohio, to the far regions of
the mighty West, there has not been one
voice raised, or one vote given in behalf of
Southern rights and interests, from out the
swelling ranks Of the great Whir party!
Are all, ALL who bear the n me or practice
the principles of Wing, united in open and
hostile array against the South, upon
question involving such vital consequences
to her Interests, her rights, her existence?
And is 1t to be believed, that ga change
VIII come over the spirit of their dreams"
alter the Presidential election? No, sir,
the gentleman from Virginia deceiyes him
sell, If he supposes that there is one North
ern Wing on the floor of Congress who will
vote with him or me for fair and lust ar
rangement Of this veXed question any more
after the election than before it, for any set
tement OF 1t which can or ought to be ac-
ceptable to his constituents or mine Is
there one Northern Wing in this Hail. or
IN the Senate, who is prepared to vote
against the Wilmot Proyisol If there be,
let him be named. There is not one. Is
there one who will vote for the Missouri
compromise ! Is there one who will vote
to leave the matter in the hands of the peo-
pie of the Territories themselves! And are
these men, or those who NAV come after
them, likely to change front after the cleo
ton, and give up long, settled, and dearly
cherished opinions upon Il subject in which
their opinions meet the universal approval
of their constituents Do the Whir mem
bers from the South on this floor, apply
such ilattering JUNCTION to their souls? If
they do, they are grossly deceived; and if
they are deceived themselves, believe, me,
sir, their constituents will not be, by any
such deusive hope. They know that OPP
position to slavery, and lis total exclusion
from the territories of the Union, is deep
~ seated, abiding, absorbing, cardinal lea
ture in the creed of Nnrthern Whigrery.
What, then, is the South to gain by ex.
GLIDING the question from the canvass or
postponng IT'S decision beyond the Presi-
dental election! Sir, the future safety Of
the South, | verify believe, depends upon
the fate of the Presidential election, and the
vote which the South gives in view of the
danger which threatens it from the North
Deriving neither " aid or comfort" from the
Wing party of the free States, from what
source is the South to look for sympathy
aud support! If the question becomes a
sectional one, the South is in a minority in
both Houses of Congress, and who does not
see that so far as the Northern Whins are
concerned, it is already sectional ques-
ton? AT present our safety depends in
part upon the friendship and tirmness of
portion Of the Northern Democracy =
Thanks to a spirit of justice and indepen-
dence, deserving all praise, there are SOME
on this side Of the House in this Hall, who,
though revlled and deserted by Southern
Wings, and threatened with popular VEN
geance at home by Northern Wings, are yet
preisilng the storm which has been raised
to destroy them, and stand here to-day, as
they have ever stood, the firm, undaunted
defenders of the sacred compromises of the
Constitution And if the dark, angry cur
rent OF Northern abolitionism, ever swelling
aud sweeping with the accumulated mass ofI
the whole Wing party at the North and
gaming force and strength by deserters from
the ranks of the Democracy, shall become
too powerful for resistance in consulting
their seli-preseryation, the FIRST great ruling
law OF our nature, some of our Northern