The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-06
Public Meeting in Gloucester County CON
demnatoIy Of tho Compromise.

A meeting ofthe citizens ofGloucester, Va. ire
spective of party, was convened at the Court
House on Monday, LIST July, (court day,] for the
purpose of expressing the sense Of the people Of
that county upon the scheme Of Adjustment of
the difficulties growing out Of the slavery ques-
ton, proposed by the Committee of Thirteen Of
the Senate, commonly known as the Compromise.
This assemblage, the largest ever witnessed for
long time upon any occasion, was organized by
the appointment Of Augustine w. Robins, ESQ.,,
[Whigl Chairman, and Maj. w. b. Taliaferro,
[Democrat] Secretary.
The Chairman announced the object of the
meeting, and was followed by Messrs. John w.
c. Catett, Colin Clarke, Charles G.. Curtiss,
Warner I. Jones, and other gentlemen, who spoke
at length upon the subject.
Recounting first the wrongs of the South, and
the gradual encroachment upon her rights by the
Northern States Of the Union, as step by step it
was accomplished, they held up to the indigna-
ton Of the people, the several features Of this
insulting and degrading Compromise, and in the
strongest language, which was again and again
yehemently applauded, repudiated and denounced
Major Warner T.. Jones offered the following
preamble and resolutions, which were unanimous
ly adopted by the meeting, except the 4th, which
was somewhat opposed, not being ultra enough
and conceeding too much to the North.
Whereas bill termed " Compromise Bill"
is now pending in Congress, the professed object
Of which is to settle or adjust the various ques-
tons in dispute between the slave-holding and
non-slaveholding States, we, a portion Of the
Southern people, deeply interested in the proposed
settlement deem it to he our privilege and feel it
to be our solemn duty, thus publicly to declare
our opinions in relation to that measure, as pub
lie opinion can only be properly ascertained by
being freely and unreservedly expressed, there
fore, 14 R' @
LIST. Resolved, Thu. any Compromise Of the
grave question in controversy between the differ
ant of Eoda TT,;c
the institution of slavery, in order to be effectual
at all satisfactory to the Southern States ought
to be based on principles of reciprocity, equality
and Justice t8
cd. Resolved, That the <so-called) Compromise
or Adjustment Bill now before Congress- is utterly
destitute of the requisites of Compromise, spe-
Gifted in the foregoing resolution, is vioatve Of the
rights of the States, and degrading to the South,
and therefore it should be Indignantly rejected
by the Southern people.
3D.. Resolved, That our thanks are due to such
Southern Representatives in Congress, (and espe-
cially to our senators) oppose this Compromise;
for in doing so they are defending the constitutional
rights and interests of the South and maintaining
her most sacred honor. @
4th. Resolved, That we are favorable to an ad-
justment of this territorial controversy, upon
terms even approximating to justice and fairness;
and while we would be opposed to the principle of
the Missouri Compromise as an original plan, yet
that measure having been acquiesced in by the
Southern States, we would again, for the sake Of
the Union, be willing to adopt the line Of the Mis-
souri, Compromise to the Pacific, as proposed by
some of our Southern Congressman, and recon-
mended by the Nashville Convention
9Th. Resolued, That these proceedings be signed
by the Chairman and Secretary, and transmitted to
the Richmond, Norfolk and Portsmouth papers,
and to the Southern Press" at Washington, for
publication, and that copy of these resolutions
be forwarded to Gen. Bayly, our Representative
in Congress, and to our senators.
On motion Of M. Boswell Seawell, Esq
RESOLVED, That we cordially approve Of the es-
adjustment of the paper called the "Southern
Press, at Washington, and commend it to the
Southern People.
On motion, the meeting adjourned.
AUGUSTINE w. ROBINS, Chairman.
WIN. =. TALIAFERRo, Secretary.