Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-08-18
J. o. ADAMS FOR GEN. TAYLOR.

/
Mr.. Hudson, member of Congress from Mas
sachusetls, writes on the 18th July, that he
heard j. Q. Adams say in January last, that ne
believed Gen. Taylor "would do more to curo
the spirit of conquest and check the spread of sla
very than any man the Wings could elect" II
was for this, il for no other reason, that the un
compromising enemy Of the South and her IN
stitutions avowed his preference Tor Genera
TAYLOR. Shall the South follow suit, and oy
placing her de tinies in the hands oil Iayior anu
Fillmore, sympathize with and aid the machiha
lions of her foes? She should especially spurr
the proposal at the present time, as twelve o.
her own sons have been found ready and willing
to sacrifice her interests and the peace OF The
Union, for filthy party lucre
No one seems 10 entertain doubt That theii
extraordinary course was the result Of the CHI
canery and deep plotting in which the telegraph
ic politicians" of the present humbug oil no par
~ Taylorism have made themselves so famous
All the evidence from Washington is to the same
effect. Just before the defeat Of the bill by the
eight Southern Wings in the House, the Washing
ION correspondent of N. York Evening Post
wrote as follows:
II is evidently the policy of thesouthern wings
to keep open this question. II IS the question
upon which they expect 10 carry their States
for Gen. Taylor, 10 secure their officers and their
own return 10 Congress. Such no doubt were
the controlling motives under which they voted
against the Senate's project, and it is forcibe
illustration of the hypocrisy ofthose declarations
in which they SO frequently indulge OF the desc.
lating effects of this agitation upon the South.
No, man from the South, upon either side in
politics, expects or hopes for an arrangement of
this question more favorable to the claims OF the
South than this pretended compromise. This
fact makes me think it doubtful whether any
plan for The government of any of the territories
will succeed at this session.
The Editors Of the Wing, in their Saturdays
paper made loud complaints against US for not
publishing Mr.. r. +. Daniels letter; and Tor per-
sisling, nevertheless, in charging that gentleman
with admitting in his letter, the consiIuIionaliiy
oflhe Wilmot Proviso. We thought The Wings
notice OF our editorial reply 10 MIR. Daniels lei
10 the Wing, offering TO publish Mr. Daniels lei
Letter in fall, il that paper would al The same time
publish our editorial reply We desired that "the
public OF both parties should Judge between u.s.
The proposition was very courteously accepted
by The Wing. And thus Mr.. Daniels entire lei
Ter is published in our columns.
We have already commented at length upon
this letter; and mean 10 do SO again al more con.
venenl season-suffice il 10 say for the present,
that if Mr. Daniels words have any meaning al
all they involve distinct admission OF The pow
er of Congress 10 pass the Wilmot Provso.
When Mr.. D. quoted Justice Story, Chancel.
lor Kent and Judge Marshall as saying that the
power Of Congress in the territories is supreme,
absolute and unlimited, and that il possesses all
the powers OF the General Government and Of
Stale Government" surely he did not quote them
as asserting that which he himself utterly denied;
and he himself expressly says, that the Missouri
Compromise is not compromise, but iao, re
gulating" and 'ruiing" The subject OF slavery in
the territories. And il Congress possesses The
power 10 pass law prohibiting slavery all north
of $50 3O', surely it possesses exactly the same
pousr 10 prohibit slavery all South of il. The
powers Of Congress are limited by The Cons'itu-
Tim, and not BY any arbitrary geographical line.
The truth Is, Mr. Daniel sees his error, and re-
penis it. But it is TOO lae; The mischief is done.
Our readers, of course, will preserve Mr.. DIS
letter, and our speakers will read it 10 the people
on every stump. We feel much more rejoiced al
IFS publication in our paper, than We can con-
ceve il possible for MIR. Daniel 10 be.
To the Editors # the Enquirer:
GEsrLragS 81 claim space in your columns for
word of reply your complimentary notice Of my re-
marks at the Rough and Ready club on la,t tuesday
evenng-not answer or complain n your deninca-
tions Of "Federaiist an "ortee holder, and
"Demagocle''-not At alI-these and such noweLs oil
rhetoric, abound in the pages oil the Enquirer wheTt
truly they flourish with ankness which proves them
indigenous the SOIL aud have been SO prousey be-
slowed upon all who dissent from lis doctrines-he
elevated the venerable, the pure, Whose shoe-alcBet
am worthy TO unoose;' no less than such humble
wayfarers in the world as !, that II were, indeed
waste Of time, though an easy task, 10 gather me
scattered sweets till their united virtue fortunes the
sense" can easily hear you reproofs III such CON-
pany. But you have undertaken 10 state some legal
positions assumed by me on that occasion, and, IN
doing so, have imputed 10 me the uterance of such
abomnable NONSENSE that cannot In justice To my
self permit your description 10 unrefued TO the
world for you must know srs, that the little reputation
may have earned for legal accuracy, constitutes my
means of living, and can no more permit that to be
invaded than any other species of property may pos
sess ana certainly should your representations gain
general credit with the public should despair of ever
getting another client long as live. Besides, you
say il there be such decisions as referred to,""e
should like to have them shown to u.s." Now posi-
bly, this may be intended sarcasm, In harmony
with the general of contumelions disdan with
which you affect 10 treat my opinions but Choose,
whether you deserve 1t not to place construction
your request creditabe 10 your poliitnesS and
candor and will proceed at once 10 redeem my own re-
puation for common sense and crafty your curiosity,
by resatlng my positions, and citing the authorities on
which they rest.
l. You say attacked the Compromise Bill as ga sa-
crifce and surrender Of Southern rights" | never
used that language, nor imputed such "sacrhce" ana
"surrender 10 the many able md pure men Who favor
ed the bill cannot, of course, repeat what said
literally, but what designed TO say, and think did
shy substantially was, that from what had learned
of the BILL for had not seen IT, It seemed 10 me 10 pro-
pose permanent settlement OF the question, heng
merely temporary expedient which looks 10 change
that II gave right which would not he conferred ny
any Judiciary bill that Congress might adopt Tor HE
new territories: w.t. The right TO try the question Of
property in slaves before Court and Jury, with the
usual privilege Of appeal TO the Supreme Court-or,
| II intended to submit the general question Of
| Slavery n.the territories 10 the Supreme Court, as
political question: TO be settled in any other than the
usual way thy sua way mean the decision OF each
inter portes II shall arise, then was slii more
strongly opposed 10 II, because II would convert the
supreme Court into just such an arena oil party strife
| as Congress presents; whereby its purity would
| be impaired, and its independence broken down. be-
cause II would be shifting from Congress, where The
right and the duty odsposng Of the subject properly re-
SIDE the responsibility of It's decision upon the rtassst
branch ofthe Government, whose independenceit was
our highest duty 10 guard with sednous care; and !
said too much TO fear that when such
reference of public questions to that tribunal should
| become common, the appointing power would conform
its complexion his political views, ana thus
make partlzanshp, and not learning, virtue and wisdom
the test of selection for that august place Farther
minated the opinion, for reasons shall presently
give that 1t was highly probable, with regard to the
lately acquired Territories, the decision ofthe 'upree
Court without farther legislation by Congress would
be against the South On these grounds, feared the
promises of the bill would prove hollow and Elusive
Such were the views which the Club received with
APPROVAL and which you say, "lovers Of your couI-
j alcke ned Your hcarIi.n