Southern patriot. (Houston, Chickasaw County, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1849-07-25
POLITICAL
Clay aud benton.

ar muoA AlllAlAAiIhh W Aiie DNNAtts
With a gradual but a steady progress
the spirit Of abolition is making fatal
entertainments upon our rights and
institutions. This has been the case
for number Of years, but Of late, the
tide Of aggression has assembled a
wider sweep and a more destructive
impetus. Fofmely, there were ma
nv patriotic spirits at the North, who
maintained the guarantees Of the
Constitution. and resisted the prag- /
matical and iniquiteous efforts in in
tcrfereing in our affairs and to brand |
and ostracise us in the councils Of
the Union. The Democratic party
at the North, took this noble and fra
terRal position, and like a great NOR
al levce, kept in check the destrue-
tive elements that sought to inundate
our portion Of the conlederacy. But
the wings at the North gave aid,
comfort and encouragement 20 the
movements Of the abolitionist, and
so fortified them, till they have be-
come the most powerful influence in
that section Of the Union, and are
able to control and govern all the ell
ections: To save themselves from
utter humiliation, the Democracy
ofthe North have, Of late begun 10
WELD to the necessities thus forced
upon them, and, like the wings, are
in many places endeavoring TO con-
ciliate the fanatical forces Of Free
soilism and Anti-Slavery. The stsug-
gle now seems to be, as TO which
party shall bid highest for these yea.
lots, who hold the balance of power
and who are urged on by the same
spirit OF lanaticism which fit the fires
at SmiIhfeld, and produce the mas
saere of st. Barlholemew's: The
wings appear 10 have somewhat the
advantage in this contest. They
point to the memories Of the past, as
guarantees for the future, and, with
voices tuned by experience. sing
most successfully; the POEMS that are
grateful to Arthur Tappan and the
bigots Of Boston. The Democrats,
s on the other hand, have no achieve
ments to show, but such as have al
ways been denounced by the aboli-
! tioniSts, and they can only hold out
inducements based upon promises
for the future. Such is not, howev-
er, the case with the entire Demo.
cracy Of the North. Many of them
are still true to their principles, and
refuse to hold any alliance with the
reckless incendiaries, who, BY a
prostration Of the Constitution, would
invade the social tranquility Of the
South, and deprive our people oil. their
rights as American citizens.
Still it must be confessed that The
doctrines OF Free-Soilism and Anti
Slavery have, during the past veal
spread most fearfully among all par
ties at the North. and are beginning
TO prepondeTate over all other pol
itical considerations. tits unfair tO
censure the Democrats Of that sec
ton, for this-for they alone have
stood up at any time in defence o
our rights, or given any obstruction
to the career Of our enemies. Tha
they now desert Us, is owing TO the
fact that we have been unfaitbful t
ourselyes-thst one hall Ofthe Slave
holding States, in the last Presiden
tial election, east their sufrages il
opposition TO the only candidate;
Northern Democrat, too-who wa
pledged to veto the Wilmot Proviso
and use the influence ofths Presiden
cy against Free Solism.
But it is mot our purpose, now, e
allude to the general movements 0
the North, so much as TO point t
the course of two distinguished states
men, who may be taken as indica
tons Of the direction Of public opin
ion. II is we'll known that Henri
Clay and Thomas H. Benton hav
recently, lent the influence of thei
ames, and their examples, TO tn
luse Of the enemies Of the South
This is, by far the most startling an
dangerous fact in recent publ
events; for il shows, not only'h
bower which the abolition spirit ha
obtained. but that il has even mad
an inroad into the Slave holdin
States themselves, and attracte
from our ranks two Of our ablest pc
idcians, and most eloquent orators
We desire to say a few words as
the course Of each Of these gentl
men.