The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-05
legislatures of the South should demonstrate against this

feel that this is not the way to preserve it, We are
therefore, bound TO speak out We call upon our brethren
of the North and the West to cultivate that spirit of con
citation and compromise which the crisis calls for We
speak not for the South, but for the Union Extremes
may endanger At the hazard of offending our friend
the author OF the following communication, we repeat
what we said the day before Christmas
Do the gentlemen who have voted for these resolutions
really see and fully comprehend to what their action is lead
ing Do they suppose that the South has become
that they will when trodden upon9 DO they sup
pose they have lost the instinct of the reptile We
that much has occurred of induce north
ern and western men to suppose that those of the South
Indifferent about these questions Bat they may rely upon
1t that such is the Ii the wing States of the
South and some of the doubtful have lately voted Tor
Taylor and Fillmore, the former of whom occu pied
equivocal position the subject of the Wlmot Provo
and the latter we were sympahsed with the abo
ioniss But ii be recoected that their friends rep
OF slavery, and that they voted for by large portion
othe South on that ground Let not the country deceive
by these manifestations; they deceptive
I'VE speak not a southern mah--not a Vrginian-
but, God knows American-an American proud of
his glorious couny-as friend OF the Unionas friend
political freedom ghout the world the success
which depends upon example And we conjure those
who would sap and undermine tive would mploe those
who would between brehren-those who would
disturb the feelings of mutual Manifestations who
would discard the feelings of mutual concession and
which alone continue exist, dscountenance,
flown upon proceedings calculated endanger it, They
may rely upon the late proceedings of Congress
that description Let not any OF our counrymen deceive
themselves We say this not in angern spirit of in
tmdationbut from deep OF The excitement which
the resolution of yesterday will produce and the conse
quences it will carry with it, The appeal is made the
South and the North without regard party. 1t is
question which reaps all parties and all clques 1t is
our country which calls upon 1t is appeal the
love Tor the Union e!fn behalf of that spirit of compro
mise which this great conederacy built and by which
it must be preserved"
We would appeal to brother democrats of the
North-and would appeal to the wings of the North,
if our voice could reach their But will employ
more potent voice than own-and it is that of Dan
e Webster who visited Richmond in October $780, for
the purpose OF winning Virginia the support of General
Harson and used the following spell TO alay the camor
which had been then excited by the fanatics of the
North:
81 will repeat it, and wish you to repeat it wherever
you gospead abroad upon the wings of the wind that
Daniel Webster here in front of the Capitol of Virginia,
in the month of October, 1870 with October shining
light upon mein the midst of this assembly the
who conntry-and with all the responsibility that attaches
and my in any waydeclare that there is
power either in Congress the general government in
the slightest degree Interfere with the institution of do
nestle slavery"
For the purpose OF avoiding all msconstruchon on the
do not apply the term fanatic" or any expression like
it, TO him. His communication has only called out some
general remarks the whole subject for the purpose of
showing views, conduct, our own
Of the duties which owe to the Union If there
be any who loves it, we claim that honor. If
there be any who would point the danger which
threatens it. and the means of preventing it, claim to
be honestly one of them Glorious the fabric of our
Jnio E,ht tha IF fho
is nothing but this slavery question which can bring it
into danger But that man is ignorant of the sentiments
of his counrymen, who does not in it danger that
ought to alarm every patriot
To the Editor of the Union:
have been somewhat surprised at the tone of several
articles that have recently appeared in the Unon,
which certainly calculated if not intended, to make
the impression that all those members of the House of
Repesen taves who voted against laying upon the table
authorizing the people of this District decide by ballot,
whether They desired the abolition OF slavery or not,
were in favor OF negro suffrage. The fact--so well
known all sides of the House. though not by the
people of the Souththat not five OF those who voted
did, against laying the bill on the table, would have
voted for its passage unless that clause which would
have given negroes the right to vote this question had
been stricken out has been thus far kept out of
1t is therefore due to all those who have been held
opposed to it, that the South, the people Of this District
AS well as their constituents should be undecelved We
have been placed false position by letter and
others this city, and now ask, through the
channel in which have been misrepresened to
rect the erroneous Impressions abroad IN the South,
in this District and even among The enlightened feemen
of Pennsylvania.
Would it not have been quite just to have charged
those who voted 10 lay thus famous bill on the table
with determination to stie the voice OF the people,
bya refusal TO provide the channel through which TO
press it And thus charged might it not be even more
difficult Tor them to explain satisfactorily TO the people
than 1t Is Tor us! The plea that the bill admitted negroes
to vote, might not prove entirely satisfactory. They
might, and probably would, desire to know why the bill
permitted to up for amendment, that the
ever | trust that the people fully understand that
refusal 10 lay bill the table does not commit the
House in favor OF all It's provisons and that A re
fusal to modify or amend in proper manner bull
leaves him who voted against laying 1t on the table
at perfect liberty TO vote AGAINST It's final passage
will fail to that vote in the referred
| to does moi commit us in favor OF negro suffrage
But we have a seeing people in this country, and 1t
may happen that they will see in this famous vote to
lay the table Mr. Giddingss bill, indirect, il not
direct effort TO slife expression of the sentiments of
the people OF this District question OF primary Inn
portance to hem-one upon which the whole Union has
been aglted for years; but one upon which even the
major part OF aboonsts do not propose that we shall
without the appreciation OF the people and they may
ask their representatives for further explanations They
may have the presumption to inquire if those who
fess their willingness to act in all matters of legls-
laon for TINS District, strict accordance with the
constitution of the United States, and the lcH OF TIC
people of why they refused 10 open the doors Of
Congress- TO enable them to communicate their will
and their wishes in an unmisfakedae manner? They
may wish to know what great wrong could have resulted
from expression thus had-provded it had come, as
it must when it does comelrom the free white male