The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-20
THE COMPROMISE : ITS SUPPORTERS AND
PROSPECTS .,...

|, TBg COMPROMISE ITS SUPPORTERS AND
PROSPECTS
The weather is growing hot; Congress has
been in session for nearly seven months all the
important business is yet to be disposed of /;
members are tired, unstrung, heated; what
wonder that they begin to betray symptoms of ir-
ritabilty!
Just at the moment when they should be
possessing their souls in utmost patience, all
things seem to combine to disturb their equanim-
ity, and render their sensibilities morbid.
We do not, however, concur With our neighbors
of the Union, in the belief that there is any
dangerous excitement in Washington. He seems
to imagine that we are sumbering over volcano
he feels the throbbing of its mighty heart, and
shivers in apprehension of the moment when its
agony shall find vent in eruption. He tells the
people abroad that they cannot conceive of the
fearful excitement which prevails here; and he
suggests that Congress should adjourn for three
days and 20 to prayer Better, he says, "would
it be for Congress to take recess Of three days,
for the members to talk calmly to each other, and
take the sandals off their feet, and 90 together to
the altar of the Almighty, and pray for a more
compromising spirit to descend upon Them and
for more fraternal affection to preserve the union
of their country"
By the way, if anybody desire to be filled with
the spirit of compromise, he must go to some other
altar than that of the Almighty, who, as Thomas
Jefferson said has no attribute that can take part
with the oppressor
We are sorry to see the editor NJ tho N,1c York
Tribune contributing his share towards getting up
panic. In one of his letters, dated at Washington
he says there are sixty disunionists in Congress
! We should like to see them. Point them out
name them II there be more than dozen DELHI
crate Disunionsts in the Capitol, we have studied
the members to very little purpose. Men who
were present during the debates on the Missouri
question and are now observing the proceeding,
of Congress say that there is far less real feeling
now than there was then.
A panic may help the passage of the Compro
mise If the Union and other papers can only
make the people of the free States believe tina
the Government is on the brink of ruin, Senators
and Representatives from those States may b.
able to excuse themselves for their support of thu
measures for it so happens that many of them arr
anxious to find some apology for voting in favor o
it. We hope the good people will keep as cool al
the weather will permit. Plenty Of hard words w
shall have, but no blows. Nothing terrific il
meditated in either House. although under thu
conjoint provocaton of hot weather and bad tenn
per- the proprieties Of debate are occasionally vic
lated by even gray haired statesmen
But panic making is not the only way Of pro
noting the spirit of compromise. Once upon {
time, as the chroniclers say, Massachusetts, and
South Carolina, at swords points upon the ques
ton Of slavery entered into business negotiation
the upshot of which was, that Massachusetts
agreed to the importation of slaves for twenty
years. and South Carolina agreed to permit Con
gress to pass navigation laws by simple majority
| From that time the Union has breathed the atmos
phere of compromise. No great question can nov
be settled except on business principles. Polite
have become mercantile, and issues involving hu
man rights are determined by pecuniary consider
atoms For example, if Pennsy lvania will abandon
the doctrine of slavery restriction, and agree Il
throw open the Territories to slavery, the Soutl
will agree to tax foreign iron, SO as to give tina
State the command Of the home market And
the people of Massachusetts will generously sub
scribe memorial in favor of the Compromis
bill-a memorial now circulating in that State
the Lowell manufacturers are assured from dis
tinguished sources in Washington, that in 81,
weeks they could have a reasonable aud satisfac
tory modification Of the tariff! The following i
the form Of memorial IN circulation
To the Massachusetts Delegation IN Congress:
GENTLEMEN: The political state of the country
we think, justifcs and demands the expression o
the opinions and wishes of those Of your constitu
ents who feel that the nation is in a dangerou
position. We see on every side an unprecedented
excitement Of feeling uufavorable alike TO wis
counses and friendly dispositions; and even II
Congress we think we perceive an alarming den
cheney of the spirit of Cancellation and mutual con
cession. We need not remind you that no contro
versy can be settled without a large measure o
that spirit on both sides. That alone can restor,
the nation TO its accustomed calmness of progress
end give us that benefcent legislation for which
Congress was created, and without which ther,
can be neither peace nor prosperity; and WI
would urge you by every consideration which Car
be drawn from the recollections Of our history
and the hopes Of our futurity, not to he wanting
in your share Of that temper which will lead to
reasonable adjustment of existing difficulties Il
let no pride Of power, no desire to obtain advan
tages nor to push political rights to an unwise ex
tremc prevent you from adopting measures whict
win tend TO restore peace, prosperity, and kinc
feeling. We desire to be represented in Congress
M men acting with forbearance. We trust, there
fore, that you will be induced to give ready sup
port to those measures which will most speedily
produce and win longest maintain the spirit o
union. Respectfully, &c.
The paternity of this memorial in favor Of al
adjustment AS the Union terms the G Compromise
is not to he mistaken. 1t ism reproduction of tn,
sentiments Of Mr.. Webster, and belongs to tn
same family as the Boston and Newburypor
Letters We should like to know what kind o
assurances concerning q tariff were given by Ger
tain Southern men to the agent Of large manu-
| facturing company in Massachusetts,, and hi