The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-27
with the least possible disturbance to the public

with the least possible disturbance to the public
peace.
Il is high time, sir, that | should bring this
long narrative TO a close.
Mr.. Wallace thinks If we accept MIR. Clay Is
Adjustment, we shall acquiesce in a dishonorabls
capitulation. Let us see what this Adjustment is
TO be before we make up our Judgment. II we
submit to dishonor, we shall have nobody to
blame but ourselves for our craven cowardice.
Massena may have marched out of Genoa with
his troops covered with rags and vermin, or IN
silks perfulned with cologne, but what is that to
us, or ssto Hecubai" | am sure, if we are
destined to march out Of the Capitol, il will be
with neither, but with our side arms, flags
flying and drums beating, as Mr.. Wallace says.
am sure, at least, my friend Mr.. Wallace will
be one OF the most portly Hooking captives that
ever come out Of besieged city--fat and we'll
dressed, and not an Qtsnsre insect within forty
feet Of him. Now, sir, suppose we of the South
are prohibited by the Wilmot Proviso, or any
other proyiso, from taking our slaves into the
territories--the common property of the people OF
all the States, or that State with slave institu-
tons, with nevertheless a republican form OF gov
eminent, should be denied admission into this
Union. Mr.. Wallace and myself at least know
one State which would not ask Mr.. Clay for the
honors of capitulation, or apply to a Nashville
Convention for instructions. She could walk out
Of the Union and stand by her arms; aud think
should pay both Mr.. Wallace and myself u
poor compliment, if | did not believe our position
would be easily defined in such conunciure.
With firm conviction Of the truth of this de-
caration, am not the less sensible of the policy
of an honorable pacifcation of the painful conro-
versy which now divides the people Of this coun-
try. do not think II wise or well tempered TO
denounce those who may differ in opinion with
us rather ON matters OF detail than principle, oil
still less to speak disparagingly of those who, II
| they cannot do everything for the South, are pre-
pared to do all they can. II does not belong,
hope, to what l believe was Once the ancient
chivalry Of South Carolina to stigmatize, as
base scheme of knavcry, intended for no Other
purpose but to cheat, an Adjustment which comes
! from man who is now verging on eighty--on
the brink, perhaps, of grave, which whenever he
finds it viii be an honored one--the splendor OF
whose genius is fit garDiture for the holiness OF
his spirit--a scheme which has summoned to its
aid another gentleman, the noble benevolence OF
whose heart and whose august intellect have not
sheltered him from persecution and infamous
Islander Mt the threshold Of his own home, for
daring to say one word in the spirit of peace for
his distracted country, or one word in spirit of
| Justice for us--a scheme which numbers among
its adherents those who fearlessly are sacrificing
| themselves at home in the effort to protect our
| rights and interests here. No, sir, cannot come
up exactly to the pitch of this proscrptiye denun
| citation.
If circumstances had permitted me to have &C.
cepted the seat in the Senate of the United States
/ from oOutn OuIOuuu WHICH WIS OHcTcu HE
whilst should have borne a perfect loyalty to
| the principles and sentiments, and wishes of the
| people Representation this is a crisis in
which could have occupied no middle ground
even at the sacrifice Cf need had been) Of my own
interests yet should have felt, with the more
| matured views of human life, that in being con-
scious OF the integrity Of my own motives, il was
at once an Office Of humanity to have some little
charity in interpreting those of others.
Mr.. Wallace has certainly laid about him with
an indiscriminate, (and he will pardon me for
saying) with a somewhat uncharitable violence,
toward class of persons whose course has al
least been free here from all offence, and whose
| misfortunes should rather haverecommendedt them
to his sympathy.
He is my countryman, and part with hin
now rather in good humor than otherwise al
| though in the comprehensivenes and minutenes
| of his sweep, he has been something like tina
| great, but capriciousy tempered animal in thu
show, who, if he sometimes uses his 1.-THE probes
els to pick up pin, or draw cork from bottle
| Of brown stout, often employs his truncated ant
sinuous organ for widely different purpose.
| And to us poor Texan bondholders, who have re-
ceived wipe from this terrible instrument Of
lexibility and tension, il is even but poor con
| ISOLATION, i'm providing about the purlieus OF tn,
4 Capitol, in our fight to exclaim, "We have seei
the ELEPHANTS"
| Iremain, sir, very respectfully, your obedien
| servant, ]. HAMILTON,
of South Carolina.
| WAsUyNCTON June o..