The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-20
For the Southern Press.
WASHINGTON. July 7. I

10 THE EDITOR OF THE UNION: yE,T #r
lnyour paper of this morning, i find under the
head of Sentiment in the South, ? extracts from
two letters from citizens of Little Rock Ark (which
so grossly msrepresent the feelings and opinions of
the people of that State, that ] would ask the
privilege, one Of its Oldest residents, of stating
the result OF my own observation and experience
with regard to the same subject. s s ts
1t is stated that g four-ffths oe the people of
Arkansas are in favor of Mr.. Cay's Compro-
mise BILL H',. rafrasst ..s.tstt,} q -a5a.
shall speak with reference to the substantial
and enlightened planters of the State and not
join issue with your Little Rock correspondents, so
far as their remarks may apply to their own city.
1t is the misfortune of the Southern States to have
towns and cities within their limits. In many in
stances majority Of the whole people, and in
every one sufficiently large minority to control
the local elections, is composed ofmen of Northern
birth and education, and foreigners whose preju-
| dices. sympathes, and opinions, are all with the
North upon the question, which fear has al
ready rent the two sections asunder. The event
is all but contaminated. No one can be here,
without believing it to be the fixed and unaltera-
bic purpose of Northern members Of Congress to
adhere to policy, regardless of consequences, to
which, no sane man at all conyersant with South
ern character and the state Of Southern feeling at
this time believes that the Southern people will
submit i have no doubt that my opportunities
for forming correct opinion with regard to the
| sentiments of the people of Arkansas, with refer
ence to the bill in question, have been quite as
good as those Of your Little Rock correspondents,
and i assure you that so far from being able to
corroborate the Statements that fourffths of the
people are in favor of Mr. Clay's Compromise
bill, /" it is my deliberate opinion that, if under
proclamation Of the Governor, the sense of the
people was taken upon the measure, after the
/ State was thoroughly canvassed, and the voters
made fullyto understand its operation and effect
present and Interior, four-ffths of them would
vote against it without stopping to consider the
consequences that such vote would entail upor
them, or to reply to the question:: what better
can you doi' They will do better if they can
worse if they must. gs.ers srga I'D a af
\ The public sentiment Of our cities is not ndica
tive of that public sentiment to which Northern
politicians should take heed. Even in New Or
leans, our largest city, and situated upon the ex
IRENE margin of our Southern limits, the Northeri
and foreign influence is so great that politician
who valued his position or his hopes Of one abov
patriotic sense of duty, would be rash to defy o
disregard it, Northern and foreign merchants
) bankers and agents with their clerks and de
pendents, form no inconsiderabe portion of tn
vote of the city. They have no identity of inter
!, est with the people of the country--they ar
!, mere intinerants. But occupying this positio
II with their characteristic modesty and delicacy, the
are the first to assume the right to manufactur
sentiment for the people. The people whom the
!, exhort slayishly to submit to the grossest wron
and injustice, lest their vindication and main
tainance of their constitutional rights and thei
5 equality should produce such political conyu
/ sion as would have some untoward influence upo
their stocks or their trade, or the fortunes of som
!, house or company or corporation in which the
!, own are involved. A remote apprehension Of s
;, dire a calamity arouses the latent patriotism
! these Union loving classes and they forthwith
essay to avert it, The degradation and dishono
the sacrifice of the most vital rights of the homes
planter, is cheap price to pay for the securlt
Of their, own peculiar interests. Their sordid M
lures cannot realize the feeling that prompts ma
TO resist to the last extremity and at every hazard
: the preparation of wrong, and injustice aggrf
: waited by degradation and insult,