The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-11
Reelection of senator Mason.

the Richmond Enquirer, and the Washington
Union, have been charged since the election Of
Mr.. MASON, with the most original, funny, ell
lightened and liberal speculatons on that event,
that we have met with for many day. Here
totore these sages were fierce for compromise,
an! furious against all its opponents. They
said Virginia was for compromise, and had the
most portentous intimations of the fate Of those
who misrepresented her 80 much as to oppose it.
Well the Legislature met-there was sena-
tor to be elected-and Mr. MASON, one of the
most obstinate, impracticable and incurabe Of
the ultras, who had opposed the compromise
throughout the whole session, was candidate.
and was elected by an overwhelming majority,
an almost unprecedented majority-composed
of Wings and Democrats And now, these
same, identical papers, are trying to prove that
this is compromise victory, and that Mr..
Mason is compromiser.
Now we advise every one of those papers
not to say another word about the sentiments of
Virgna-for at least year, until the folly and
absurdity of their course this last year is for
gotten.
The following very able explanation Of Mr.
MAsoN's reelection, is from the Richmond Er-
an,iner:
We have to present the reader with the fol-
lowing extracts from an editorial in the Rich
mond Examiner of May the 2lst, 1850 -
"This crisis will have one good effect. II
will establish to the satisfaction of everybody
the certain truth Of an adage which has grown
so old and threadbare that it has also been for
gotten: namely, that it is most polite: to do
right. 1t is an adventure which will prove to
all eyes the difference between the trucking
time servers who become frightened at shade VS.
or misled by the ignes fatui Of selfshness, and
the honest and resolute men, who intend to
stand by what they have said, and to do in fu-
ture what they have promised in the past. Those
who depend on the people will find to their cost
or their profit as their act may be, that however
Boosting and trickery may serve for an ascent to
power, talsehcod and fear will now answer still
better to pull one down Again and again do
source of odium and unpopularitv which will
never be exhausted, and fountain of death to
every Southern man who drinks thereat, which
years will never dry up. How could it be
otherwise! The people have nothing to gain as
individuals by their opinions. The masses con-
sst not Of ottice-hunting politicians. How then
can they take upon their neck this yoke without
the shame, the bitterness, the rage, the grief
Which combine to make the hate of despair
If they can, then the race which inIabts this
land is a race with the heart Of dogs and OF
sheep.
But if any thing at all can be predcated on
past history, and what we see, and hear, and
know to be tho characteristics of the Southern
people, the stand of the Southern Democratic
members of Congress will endear them to their
countrymen beyond all other acts of their lives y
These were our anticipations on the morning
Of that great battle which we lost and won in
the halls Of Congress, during the summer of the
present year. How well they have been fulfilled
BY the election, last Saturday, Of james NJ. Ma
son, with n clear majority Of SEVENTY VOTES
over all comprehensive leave the reader TO
Judge The senator for the western district of
Virginia was not popular last summer-and is
not popular this winter. If the general impress
sion is correct, MIR. Mason is not man who is
calculated to attract the affection of other men,
or engage their personal sympathies i his de-
fence. At the time of this election, there were
individuals in view of those engaged in the
struggle, who would have been under other cir
cumstances almost universally preferred. HID
this election come on last lOinler, Mr.. James NJ
Mason would never have touched bottom. Had
he been al advocate of the "Compronise" the
"Adustment'-the "Bribe:y BiAs'-of the last
Congress, he would have been utterly ami
hilatcd nor. His past history - honorable
though it may be in all its personal relations
is not barren Of "reminiscences which are suffi-
GENTLY disagreeable to the Democratic memory
Every lion that could lay in the path of an indi.
UiduaL has beset the scene of the late election
But Mr.. Mason has swept the feld--surpassed
the most sangune leuations-overwheme
the most stubborn obstacles-and is senator for
six years by the astounding majority Of seventy
nett votes. How is the event eXplicabe, save
! by admitting the truth Of that extract with which
we have headed this column!
Mr.. Mason has been elected on A PRINCIPLE
He has been upheld by SENTIMENT. The eau
sss which have effected this remarkable result
have been lofty in their nature. At least seven
ty men who woald not have supported Mr.. Ma.
son last winter, have given him their utmost
strength on this occasion for this simple reason
that in n trying time and IN dark day, he has
had the courage and the faith to act the plain
part of brave and honest man. He rose above
the omens of an hour into the clear light OF
truth and honor When every raven croaked
his ruin, and when "among innumerable false
-"unmoved mistaken, unseduced, unterrifed
his loyalty he kept:'-
"Nor number, nor example with him wrought
Toswerve from truth change his constant mind.
His exploit was that of the Prince in the Ara.
bian Nights who climbed the mountain fol
the singing tree and golden water. JIe was
stunned by thousand stentoran voices, threat,
enng resistance, and perplexed BY unseen hands
opposing his steps; but with high consistency and
fortitude, he made good bis way, and escaped
the fate of those who looked back, that Of being
turned to stone.
Nothing can be more certain than that Mr.
Mason has been elected by the votes of those
who would have very much preferred other.
under other circumstances. But how cou24
they have done otherwise under the circum.
stances which existed! How could the State
desert man who had executed her DEGREES and
preserved her honor at the seeming peril Of his
own existence! She could not. She never will
desert politician who adopts his course. Per
sonal predictions will forever disappear when
The cause is present. Enough of the old leaven
remains on this soil forever to work such re-
sults-not only so-but there is enough to make