The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-12


Mr. wsbstsr and the Northern Democracy. !
In the present crisis Of public affairs. pregnant with
fearful porlents of danger TO The country and the
Union, we have hailed with joy all signs and omens
which promised peace to the and security to the other
therefore, hailed with satisfaction the late speech OF
Mr.. Webster We hailed il for the tone OF patriot
ism with which il was mbued and for the fraerna and
catholic spirit towards all the sections and interests OF
this great confedeacy Of sovereign States which per-
vaded its texture. These demonstrations, must
Tess, somewhat remarkable in the distinguished
senator from Massachusetts,, whose public course, all
former occasions had been sgnazed by spirit Of
onasm to as great, not to greater extent than the
course of any other statesman in this country. whose
fortune il had been to occupy position prominent
and commanding as to impress his influence upon the
minds Of any considerable portion Of the American peo-
pie Therefore, that Mr. Webster should burst the
narrow and prejudiced sectionalsm which had hereto
fore confined and cramped his mind, we regarded as an
event which could fail TO excite surprise and at the
time, qualification in the bosom Of every patriot
Such, we confess, feelings We delighted
TO witness for in our lives, in the conduct Of Mr.
Webster. patriotic demonstration OF regard for the
whole Union; and felt bound give him credit for
it, and to treat it act unexpected and extraordj
nary il anomalous in his public career. But in
giving to his speech unqualified praise in this respect
BY means intended to be understood approving all
its principles, or its sentiments or it's treatment of the
subjects which il discussed
On the contrary, there several points in Mr. Web.
sters speech with regard to which we differ with him
widely and essentially We differ with him in relation
IN fhoc ~ uf az
the prosecuted against Mexico for the acqusi
lion OF territory. We understand Mr. Webster TO assign
this move and the principal one. for the prose-
cuton Of the war II SO. we deny il IN toto and shall
at future day. demonstrate the ncorecness Of his
position in this respect
We differ with him in regard to another position which
he endeavors to mantain which is that the course Of
the northern democracy with respect to the annexation Of
Texas (Which. he alleges the work Of the northern
democracy has brought the country into the present
crisis from which, he would have the world believe,
he has magnanmously come forward to save it, He al
eges, in substance, that Texas was annexed to the
Union for the purpose Of extending the Of slavery
that northern democrats voted for with that understand
ng and that all the evils and perils which beset
the republic the consequences of that act and are
therefore chargeabe upon the northern democracy We
believe have stated his position fully upon this point
and the reader will that il is one great defect in his
speech II very much its beauty and its proper
lions. presents Mr.. Webster in the light Of sinking
the dignfed statesman and the patriotic paciicator in
the malignant and preudced politician In his great ef.
fort 10 save the country from the dangers which menace
il, which he thinks he has accomplished and which we
most feeny and relgiously hope viii contribute its
due amount that end he descends from the high posi-
ton which he has assumed to hurl 6rebrands and ar
rows or to drop the 6guraive and speak Of the real TO
heap bels and calumnies upon his political opponents in
the same section OF the Union in which he himself
Sides This we think, deracts seriously and immensely
from the merits OF his speech, which has so much in it.
considering his past career to commend to the admira.
ton and gratitude Of his countymen
We deny. because there facts to prove the as.
sumption OF Mr. Webster that the annexation OF Texas
was the necessary and inevitable cause Of the pes and
dangers which environ the republic. And we deny
ALSO that the northern democracy voted for that measure
with the view Of extending and strengthening slavery
With regard to the first assumption Of the Of
the present crisis, far from lis resulting from the
OF Texas, that is but incident only not even
link in the chain OF causes which have led TO the
suit alluded TO by Mr.. Webster. The causes Of the
present crisis in public affairs very different from
those assigned by Mr. Webster and extend far back be-
yond the annexation Of Texas They grow out Of the ag
iaon Of slavery originated and fomened by the old ede
raj party and constantly pursued by the legitimate
cessors OF that party. known as the modern wing
party OF New England SO far back the late war with
England the federal party commenced, and advocated
in the press and in the pulpit the hostile feeling against
slavery and the South, which has OF late become so
predominant in the North Massachusetts, then the
centre of thi abolition agitation, as il now is Il was
then the hobby Of it's politicians Of the federal party as
il nov IT, One OF The subjects imboded in the resolutions
Of the Hartford Convention, which was originated
by. and which was composed entirely Of federalsts
related to slavery II was proposition for aliera
ton Of that clause OF the constitution respecting
slave representation And. to be brief. the history Of thai
period shows that the anti-savery agitation in Massa
chusetts and the other New England States warm
and vehement on the part Of the ederasts, who
that time opposed by the whole body Of the New Eng
land democracy. M
That abolition spirit has never yet died away in Mas
sachusetts On the contrary, it has been constantly TO-
menied by the party to which Mr.. Webster is attached
from 1915 the present time II is that party which has
been guilty OF all the aggressons upon the South suc
Mr.. Webster acknowledges are justly ehargsabe 10 ht
North II that party which has controlled the northern
legislatures that have PASSED insulting and irritating
utions, and sent them to the South and to be recorded