The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-30

| The editor Of the Union wages war upon all
iSouthern Democrats, Who oppose the so-called
''Adjqstmeot" ofthe Senates Committee Of Thir-
teen, Not contented with loading them with
odous nicls-names, such ssultrasts, . "extrem-
lists, "factjonsts, = &C., &C., he seeks by nsinu-
atoms and inuendoes to brand them as disunion-
ISIS. For what' Why Wherefore' In plain
truth, iris because they stand fast, without finch
ing, upon principles and rights of which the editor
OF the Union has been leading advocate for half
century. 1t is because they will not sanction
and endorse unwarranted assumptions of power
by the Federal Government, against which, more
than thousand times, this veteran editor has
protested, and which, more than thousand times,
he has asserted would inevitably lead 70 disunion.
No candid reader Of his paper---no man who was
a reader Of the Richmond Enquirer, while he was
its editor-will deny that, up to the beginning Of
thepresent session Of Congress, he had always con-
tended that disunion would result from the assump-
ton Of jurisdiction by the Federal Government
over the institution Of slavery Can he DENY that
the Adjustment" assumes that jurisdiction? If he
denies it. every body knows, and its leading friends
svow, that one Of the main purposes which il
processes to accomplish is, to settle the slaperu
question" Settle it how Why, by admitting
California; thereby ratifying tissue of uslrpa-
tions-branded over and over again by the Union
as such-usurpations by which California is
attempted to be thrust into the Union as an Adolf
ton State, and the people of the South are to be
Invested Of their equal rights in that golden region
rights which the Union has over and over again
adrn ttad nd oJa1! :. - 4
Southern Senators and Representatives will not
follow the editor of the Union with spaniel-like
servility, in this Abandonment OF admitted rights
and this ratification Of admitted usurpatons. that
they are thus branded and denounced. To awe
them into submission, or hunt them down, he in
vokes the spirit of party. He charges Southern
Democrats with meditating the division and
destruction Of the national Democratic party, and
with acting in concert with Abolitionists and Free
Sellers. Now take it upon myself to prove, that
he, more than any other man, has fomented strife
and sowed the seeds of discord in that party The
Southern Democrats who oppose the Adjustment
are honestly maintaining the doctrines of the
Democratic party, as this editor has hitherto ex-
pounded them, and as the great mass of that party
Of the States, and non-inerference by the Federal
Government with the institution Of slavery, have
until recently, been contended for by Democrats
everywhere l The Southern opponents of this
scheme Of Adjustment continue so to contend
while the editor OF the Union has faltered and
backed out, and is striving to induce or force
others to do so; and in this way he seeks to pre-
serve the union and integrity Of the Democratic
party He may depend upon it, that even if he
could succeed in coaxing or coercing Southern
congressman into his scheme, he would not there
by prevent dissension in the ranks of Democratic
voters at home. For, if he will look beyond his
own columns and read Alright the developments
ofpopular sentiment in the South, he will find the
current running overwhelmingly agains. the Adj
justment; that the opposition to it is gaining
strength daily; and that in entire districts-yea,
Satisfactorily Democrat can be found who
will sanction it without such alterations and
amendments, as would so radically change its char
acer, that its very fathers would scarcely own it,
Talk about dividing the Democratic party, and
charge Southern Senator's and Representatives
with producing the division! Whence come the
available votes of the national Democratic party !.
Let all true Democrats consider and answer.
And let all such be assured, that the National
Democratic organization is broken up--the Ma
tional Democratic party annihilated, the moment
the Democrats Of the South (the majority of the
party) are given to understand, that acquescence
in the principles of this adjustment bill, submis-
sion to its practical elects-and virtual ratifca-
ton of the usurpations which have begotten it,
are the terms upon which alone they are to be re-
ceiyed and acknowledged as members Of the Ma
tional Democratic party Rather than submit to
such terms, thousands who have stood fast by the
National Democraticfag, (yea, when even the edi-
tor Of the Union baked himself, and bothered
others as he is now doing, thousands who never
bolted irons National Democratic nomination
who have ever sustained National Democratic nom-
nees through good and through evil report, will
utterly repudiate an utilization with those who
seek to impose such terms upon them. In attempt
ing to impose such terms, the editor of the Union
is distracting and dividing his party here, and
throughout the country. 1l
But Southern Democrats opposed to the cad
justment," are charged with forming coalition
with the ultra Abolitionists and Free-Soiers; and
is it by giving countenance to this slanderous
charge, that the editor Of the Union expects to
promote harmony the National Democratic
partyi To what extent have the Southern oppo-
nents of the adjustment coalesced with the ultra
Abolitionists and Free-Solersi They vote together
against the Adjustment-and for reasons diametri-
cally opposite, as the editor Of the Udion knows
full well-and so knowing, he is playing a most
unjust and dsingenuous game, in endeavoring to
create the impression that coalition between them
exists for unpatriotic purposes. He dare not
charge Southern Democrats with uniting with
Hale, Giddings, Wilmot, Horace Mann, Seward
and others of their stamp, in any affirmative mea-
sure, to bind the people: but charge, and the
records prove, that the editor of the Union, and
all who follow his lead in support of the ADJUST
ment, are in coalition with Mr.. Clay, an avowed
emancipationist, and the master spirit Of the
Federal Wing party-and with others, who have
always been Federalists and Free-Soilers They
contend, as Mr.. Clay contends, that slave