The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-11
The COMPROMISES.


dissolve the Union with Great Britain, the terri
torial area of the Southern portion of them was
64s,2O2 square mies-that of the Northern was
l64,0Sl, or only about one fourth the size of
the Southern Then the North extended down
to about the 40th degree Of latitude. BY the
acts now passed, it extends down both on the Rio
Grande and the Pacific to 80, which is farther
South than the most southerly limit of South
Carolina. At the beginning, the North extended
westwardly only to the western boundary of
it extends to the Pacific.
The South originally bordered on the Missis-
sippi, now it borders on the Rio Grande. The
North has advanced westwardly rty degrees of
South fourteen The North has
now, according to the last acts of Congress, over
two millions ofsquare miles--the South less than
seven hundred thousand. The North has nor
thirteen times much territory as she had at the
6eginning-he South has oaly one thirteenth part
more than she had. The North has acquired
about two millions Of square miles more than
she began with-the South about fifty thousand
square miles, And all she has now, is not equal
in natural fertility and value to what she had at
first-athough the principal part of all that has
been acquired since the Union, was slaveholding
at the time of its acquisition.
And all this has occurred within the life time
of persons now living. There have been many
Federal leagues and governments before-there
h., l.,
there have been conquests. But we remem-
Der no instance in history from the time of Sc
sostris down to the close of Napoleon's career,
when such vast territories have been acquired
by one people from another.
The progress of civilization is wonde: full
But one generation ago, and nobody would
have dreamed that such events could happen
without the most desolating and extermnating
wars-ard then only in the lapse of centuries
But now, owing to the progress of the age,
and the rehnements of legislation, and tho great
perfection Of language, it is done at few sue
eessivc meetings Of that magic continuance, a
Congress, and with the power Of II couple of
hundred lungs, attuned to the repetition Of
union, harmony, cancellation and compromise.
We have at length arrived at perfection. The
last exploit is infinitely superior to any previous
one When the earlier experiments were made,
neither side was half as practical as now.
In former compromises, the oll-fashionei and
unt,ught Southern statesmen had an idea, or Il
prejudice, that in Il compromise, each side ought
to get something. Accordingly, in the Missouri
controvcrsyeabout thirty years ago, they actually
threatened to knock the whole machine to pieces
if they did not get some of the land. They nc
tualy insisted on division, and on Il line and
a line, too, about as high up as the original line
between the two sections-and as that line hap
pened to leave them less than their share, but
very few of them would agree to that-although
there We're then about five candidates about to
start for the Presidency, and four of them South
ern men.
Dnt now we have progressed. The North de-
nlands all, and after denouncing the South for
being so overbearing as to claim any share of a
common territory, and for being greedy and
grasping generally winds up with perfect trans
port of love and affection, and begs, busters
and DULLES the South for the sake Of the Union,
for fear of separation, foSthe sake of harmo-
ny, for the fear of being kicked, for the sake of
compromise, to surrender all, or rather more
than all and behold it is done And done, too,
even without the sugar plum allurement of the
next Presidency for the South, as before, but to
help one of two Northern men to that Office.
Mr.. CAss or Mr.: FILLMoRE-or Mr. CLAY-
equally Northern with either.
But as there has been no such instance be-
try or any other, in ancient or modern times, we
ourselves, who are not up to this age, and don't
believe human nature is yet reversed, are obsti-
nately of the opinion that this thing won't stand
ard can't stand. This Union can stand a
good deal-has stood good deal-but it cant
stand this.
lSg- Mr.. G. p. R. JAMES the celebrated nov
elist, will, we understand visit Boston some time
during this month and give n course of lectures,
p. obaby at the Masonic Temple, on Modern
Civilization So distinguished literary charac-
ter will not fail to command brilliant audience,
and We trust Mr. JAMES will secure hall large
enough to accommodate all who wish to attend
1t is said he is fine speaker as we'll as Il fine
writer, and jud Jing from the eclat which fol-
lowed lis famous speech at the literary fund
dinner 10 London, we have no doubt Of lis sue
cess everywhere. So says the Boston POSI-
The lecture will not be gratutous.
"a" General JOHN SCHNIERLE, wAs elected
mayor Of Charleston, S. c., on the I'd inst, by
ll9o votes to $50 for G. N. Reynolds, Jr., and
637 for f. Manigault
MISNEsoTA.-H. II. SIBLEY has again been
elected Delegate to Congress from Minnesota
Territory.
BREACH OF rROMlsE-The Breach of Prom
Use case, Rob-rts vs.. Davis, was tried in the Su-
ia .,,nN