The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-08-22

posed adopt the greatest extremes controlled the
moderate and udicious Assuming II as clear propo
stion that Congress had constitutional power TO abo
sh slavery IN the District of Columbia southern gentle
men, IN resisting the abolition movement, made lhell
first stand IN opposition 10 the right OF peion Ihl'
was, III my Judgment mistaken policy IA those who De
sired 70 epess agitation or TO defeat the designs OF the
abotionlss The right OF petition upon all subjects IN pop
uiar estimation, has Taditionary sacredness, which
renders i, dangerous to question or deny IN any but
the ceares cases o abuse msappcation Hence II was
that thousands at the North, "a gentleman near me says
tens OF thousands who had never before counenanced
the schemes Of the abo,onIss became Their allies and
coadutors IN defence OF what they regarded as sacred
ght and when further rrtaed and excited by the con,
tinued opposition OF the South, by easy and natural
advance, they became hearty cooperatos IN all their
views BY this large accession TO the ranks OF the ogi-
nal promoters OF the abolition movement, they were IN
sufficient torce Of the States, to materially In
liuence the results OF elections; and The consequence
has been that the politicians in the ranks OF the two great
parties, ever eage.eyed and ready to aVa themselves OF
the support OF every ally in their attempts TO pro-
pitale the favor oil the aboonsts, impaired an impor
lance and energy To their policy which could never,
1 under other circumstances have been allowed From
that time FORTH al the soulh as well as at the North any
alliance with, or opposition to. the cause OF abolition by
the other of the two parties, came TO be care
fully noted and has been the fruitful source oil agitation
| in all elections.
Bu, the anti slavery movement the North had not
qured sufficient force to be felt IN the election o the sue
cessor 10 General jackson Mr. Van Buren, 1t is well
known, borne into power upon the overwhelming
tide of his predecessors popularity did the agitaons
upon this subject North South, have any material In
|
Mr.. Van Buren, was drawn from power; but st,ll The
sentiments OF both himself and bis successful opponent
were carefully scrunized Mr.. Van Buren, il will be
recoected expressed in the OF the canvass, de-
cded opposition 10 the policy and purposes OF Tue abo
ltonisls; and 50 did his competitor, General Harrison
Nor is it probable that the anti slavery movement would
have acquired any mischevous ascendency, beyond the
occasional abduction OF slaves from their masters on The
borders of the slave and free States and in the obstruc
ions sometimes thrown the way OF The recapture OF
fugves for extraordinary series OF events which
rapidly followed each other upon the unfortunate denise
of General Harrison. By that sad event, within month
after his accession to power the executive administration
of the country fell into the hands OF gentleman from
Virginia, (Mr Tyer,) Of whom do not care TO speak,
further than 10 say that before the close OF his term OF
office, he entertained the project OF annexng Texas TO the
United States either upon his suggestion, or upon
that of those gentlemen from the South who had ac-
quired his confidence The general though by no means
universal sentiment OF the slave States was IN avoT OF
the policy OF annexation, means OF preserving that
equilibrium OF power between the Tree and the slave
States, SO often adverted to IN this debate And OF
this idea OF equilibrium, let me say that think
much tavoraby than my friend from Illinois,
| [Mr. SHIELDsl II had time, should like TO eab-
orate tins pont and | would Substitute equilibrium
for compromise, the favore theme OF SO many gem
! temen with whom equilibrium hnds no favor We
have heard great deal OF the compromise OF principles
opnions and interests which led TO the adoption OF the
constitution Life ITSELF from the cradle to the grave,
has been said 10 be compromise between good ana evil
But when speak OF governments equilibrium is bet
Ter word than compromise. No system OF government,
except despotc stand unless some approxna-
ton to equilibrium OF interests and influence powes
and privileges, is established and observed This is
condition, aso which society and voluntary assocla
lions OF every form depend Ii is OF almost universal
application IN physics well as in morals An eqallib.
OF forces and OF contrary tendencies is supposed
TO be the principle upon which the universe is Upheld.
So rigorous Nature her laws upon tins subject that
philosophers have conectured that single atom
displaced would be sufficient to wreck the world The
heTcest and angry iofms in which Nature exhibits
herself is the consequence OF disturbance oil thal
equpose OF the elements OF which the natural world IS
composed So, in government and especially IN gov
Il nfm nd iuflue
representative government with universal sunfage-ei
tie Just equilibrium OF interests and influences be mate
rally disturbed; let majority, without any direct inter
est without radtonary reverence for or attachment TO,
our Institutions without national affinity or sympathy,
decidedly prepondeate the ballot box, instead oi
security becomes engine for the destruction oil The ex-
is,ng rights and objects of society and cation,
social and political, or government OF physical iorce'
become The only alternatives 1t IS tor the North to look
TO this il is for the North well as the South 10 cal
culae the value Of This idea OF necessary equilibrium
in governments. Bat ais is a digression INTO winch !
have been led, by seeing my insnd from limos lMf
SHIELDsl before inc. | return 10 my narrative.
| Mr.. President, when tempted TO digresslon,
remarkng that the southern sentiment was generally
favorable to the project OF annexng Texas but thai y
not by any means UNANIMOUS. II is well known
that very respectable minority OF the South, 10 view OF
the evils which they foesaw the success OF the project
would bnng upon the country, were decidedly and siren
uousy opposed to H.
4 But from the moment the policy OF President Tyler
and his cabinet In relation TO Texas became public was
foreseen that in the ensuing contest Tor the successon
the project OF annexlng Texas would become material
issue between the rival candidates vi the democratic
party there were at that time, several leading gentlemen
OF the Nouh who had Their supporters and parusns Tor
the nomination; but the iavoute and most prominent
was MIR Van Buren,, who had been rather unceremo-
nlousy thrust OF power al the close oil single term
and the general expectation was that he would be Sc
ected by his party This gentleman, when called upon
for his views the question OF anneSng Texas frankly
declared his opposition did, about the same Tune, the
disting ulshed from Kentucky, lMr. CLAY,l 10
whom the wings al that period looked with uncommon
unanimy their candidate. II is not Tor me TO con-
lecture how II was, aud by what management or infn-
ences, Mr Van Buren, was set aside BY the demo
cratic convention which assembled at Baltimore, IN
lS44 and distinguished citizen oil my own STATE
was Unexpectedly chosen as the democratic candidate
but ] may speak oil what was soon Afterwards an
nounced the public through the democratic prnts
and on the bustings as the grounds upon which they
based their hopes OF in the elections and iron
which may infer. at least, one oi the controlling
considerations which led to that singular result 1t was
a cardinal point OF democratic policy, the united sup
port OF the South might be relied upon IN favor oil lhs
democratic candidate. But whatever may have been the
effect OF the twin policy OF securing The immediate occu
patton OF all Oregon, simultaneously announced IN recon
cling the North TO the policy OF annexing lexas u
certain that the announcement OF The new democrane
platform received in that section with some suspicion
by both democrats and wings 1t was clear to The un
derAanding of both parties al the North that southern
Influences and southern management had controlled the
nomination. southern candidate had been CHOSEN, ano
all the more prominent gentlemen OF the party AZ tne
North had been aside Well, sir, the force OF parry
interests and discipline prevailed against all heartburn
ings and all jealousy OF southern domnation,-even
against the antsavery feeling at the North and no,
single STATE counted upon democratic al the norm
failed in its support of the democratic candidate and Mr.
Polk elected Pres,drnt of the United States.