The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-01-12
The Question Of the Day.

to the slavery question. The is obvious 1t is
the great question Of the day We regret that it is 1t
is not question properly arising under constitution,
The spirit Of that instrument should exclude agitation
the whole subject from our legislative halls 1t set
tied the terms OF the constitution by the wise and
cilaing wisdom OF oefathers AS settled by them,
in spirit OF compromise it should rest.
Why seek to disturb ii now! Our glorious Union has
proved itself at once the ark OF our safety and the
fortress of our strength Ourcountry has nourished be-
You'd example under compact made between slavehod-
ing and non savehoding States Both partners, and
both have prospered Neither has obtained all and YET
all have marched with giants stride to unparalleled
glory They united in spirit of Cancellation and COM
promise and as was declared the time by the llusni
Gus president of the convention, each State yielded
something Of her peculiar interests and thus the constl
tuition was "the result of spirit OF amity and OF thai
mutual Difference and concession which the peculiarly
of our political situation rendered Indispensable" I'm
der the constitution which binds confedeacy of States
together have advanced to national prosperity; and
rejoice in national promise without precedent
among the nations Why then should We mnrmur at our
LOTT Why be dsconented' Why fall into distractions
because no section State have everything its
own way' Why unsetle the fundamental compromises
of our Union! Why should our federal authorities in
dulge in attacks and in menaccs of attackeiher direct
or ndec-upon the municipal institutions of the south
erA Staes' Why attempt to shut out the southern social
organization as an accused thing, from the terrific
res owned by the people of the North and OF the South In
common' Can republican conederacy stand, or hope
stand, if such spirit is 10 prevail among its sovereign
MEMBERS If such principles prevail to their full extent
and are be carried out 10 their felest consequences
must not the South at last to regard consu-
ion-gorous and sacred as it sas turned, under such
abuses, into badge of inferory and bond OF fraud
And to what end is all this an.ocia agitation OF the
slave question Does slavery 60 forth from the slave
States to attack the Norih Does it seek to pull down
northern nstutions Has il not warrant of the funda-
mental law for its exstence Grant that il be evil,
and great evil Can the South promptly get rid of it.
embarrassed as she is, in every movement she would
make for this purpose by the impatient and mischevous
of the abotonsts And if not ought the
South under the constitution, TO be put under ban Of
forfeiture because OF it? In place OF such meas.
ures why do we not to the wisdom OF the early
times of the republic' Why does abolitionism first by
fanaca interference arrest the natural progress ofeman
cpaton in the South, and then put its political armoI
to coerce the South into state of things in which slave
year by year, may ere long become an evil fearful tc
be borne and too mighty to be removed? Was it for this
that the southern States united with the North to form
our confederacy' Why do we forget the spirit tina
united US and has made great Is there not danger
in doing, and can any good-can anything but unmt
gated evil-spring from such course
Is it wonderful that the South should resist such at
tacks upon that principle of equality which the
sliiution originally framed THAT when insultet
with the reproach of her incapacty to defend herself
she should resent the indignty' Is it wonderful that
when told she must submit TO whatever her northern
partners may please to put upon her, she is compelled
submit-that she may vapor and indulge in idle bravo
does but she is afraid to actshc should feel indgnan
under the imputaon Is it strange that, under this de
uson the aboonists should go on. and threaten, blow
after blow, until her peculiar institution itself may b.
attacked, and the safety of her citizens become endan
gered We have cautioned our northern brethren against
this mschievous deluson But have shared the fate
of Cassandra. Virginia is placed, by combination
of peculiar circumstances, in the van of the southern
States. The whole South looks to her for action. Soutf
Carolina has virtually declared that she will follow Viz
GINA And upon what State indeed, will not her example
operate But she, too, has been rdiculed vaPorer
empty resolutions. The Boston Atlas republshes Mr.
SCOTS indscreet and ill-msd resolutions with all
of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that there ga dawn of bette
day. both in South Carolina and Virginaand affects IL
believe that Mr. SCOTS resolutions speak the sentiments
of large majority of the southern people" The Boston
Advertiser chimes with this delusion, and comedies with
what Washington correspondent says: 81 anticipate
opposition 10 it [Mr Calhouns expected report from
The Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Georgia, anc
Missouri members" 'He might almost have included
(says the Adversely "the old Commonwealth of Viz
GINA his list of opponents since the recent action Of it
Legislature" .
Now, let all such deluded men be undeceived. W.
have assured them OF the spirit of the South and now
let the recen action of her Legislature" speak for Vr
gina. We lay the following proceedings of this week,
Richmond. before The country; and let the country
understand that il movement OF both political parties
and one evidence OF this fact, that Mr.. Syme is
delegate from the of Petersburg, and the editor OF the
Petersburg lntegencer, of the most thoroughgone
wing papers all the South We call the attention Of
our readers TO these interesting proceedings as they
appear in the Richmond Enquirer OF Wednesday las,
| From the Richmond Enquirer
| The QUESTION OF THE DAY-lf we devote great dea
OF space TO the slavery question: IL because the subjec
is uppermost IN the public mind, and upon its pre-
ient decision probably depends the destiny Of the Union
Things have gone 20 far that the question must b. set