The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-22


granted one or two passports 10 colored men.
The Boston Ahas, recollectng the astute Secre-
tarys letter TO the Wilmington celebration, TO the
effect that he had 10 labor sixteen hours day in
the delectable business of removing Democrats and
deciding upon the appointments of Wings to office
who had been 'ostracised for twenty years. endea
vors to excuse him the ground ofhis greatandar ar
duous labors. Perhaps the blunders in reference to
the steamer United States, the Lady Franklin
letter, and the letter relating TO Hungarian indie
pendence, may be all excused on the same ground.
But this Cabinet is truly an llustrious one, worthy
of the great and profound statesman nominally at
the head of the Government. Its blunders there
fore, are of no consequence inasmuch as they are
TO be expected"
Again, we quote from the Union of Sat
urday morning, August Is, from the top
of the first column Of the third page, in
the words following, to wit;
"THE PAsspoRr.-General Taylor's organ is at
tempting to defend Mr.. Clayton against the at
tacks ofthe northern press for his late refusal of
passport to colored men going to Europe Does
the organ contend that free Of color not en-
titled to passports ,rhm they risi Europe, and that
Mr.. Clayton is right in refusing them? 1t seems
Mr.. Forsyth, when Secretary Of State, granted
one or two to colored persons Does the organ
now contend it is wrong, and that free colored
persons should not have passports Not knowing
what the law and the practice are with regard to
this matter, we inquire for information. And we
want no evasion equivocation. We want a d-
rect and plain answer. We want to know what
the law and the practice are; and if colored men
or negroes have no right to passports, we shall
not under any circumstances, urge the Secretary
to give passports to them"
1t was about this time that the nego-
tiations were in progress for harmonizing
the Free-Soil and Old Hunker wings of
the Democracy in New York. while for
its Southern consumption, therefore, the
Union was attacking Mr.. EWING and Judge
CoLLAMER as AboHtionists, it was well
enough to do little something for Free
Soil in New York by attacking Mr.. CLAY
TON for expressing man of color! The
charge against Mr.. CLAYTON was just about
as well founded as that against his col
leagues in the Cabinet. But President
TAYLOR was to be broken down. Show
that he was an Abolitionist by associating
with Mr.. EWING and Mr.. CoLLAMER;
show that he was upholding Mr.. CLAYTON
in refusing passports to free men of color
"when they visit Europe"-and there
was point gained North and South.
Nothing could have been more factious
and disorganizing than such course
and nothing more dishonorable and reck-
less than this attempt to play upon sec
tional prejudices and passions, without re-
gard to truth or consequences.
Now, who can doubt that men capable
of playing this double gaze were quite
capable of forming plot with WILhAM
]. Brown for organizing an opposition to
President TAYLOR in the House of Repre-
sentatives' Who supposes that men who
badgered Mr.. CLAYTON for withhold
ing passport from colored man, while
they were abusing President TAYLOR
for associating with Judge CoLLAMER
and Mr.. EWING, consider the Wilmot
proviso in any other light than as a
favorable subject of political agitation, by
which President TAYLOR may be embar-
raised From what duplicity or political
fraud would such men shrink Relieving
them capable of such fraud, how conclu-
sive becomes the proof Of it when we find
those same men in long, full, and free
conversation with Mr.. BRowN Uhile
the plot was Matching, the next morning
endorsing him as the " favorite candidate
Of the republican party" possessing" ad-
mirable qualifications for the chair" and
after the explosion obstinately Withholding
the details of the conversation with Mr..
BRowN, in spite of the imputatons to
| which such a course would necessarily
subject, not only themselves, but the party
with which they act, and whose sole organ
at the seat of Government they claim
| to be-