The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-13

ing benign settlement Of this matter through the happy
constitutional medium OF the ballobox Thus did the
people OF the South by their work the overthrow
of The national candidate and party who their
friends on this subject and Who had they been placed
in power, would have undoubtedly brought about
satisfactory adjustment of it. And still and worse
their ends but, by their votes, they put their known
enemies power They put the rens of government in
the hands OF Zachary TaS or and the northern whig
party, who wefe and are. this question
The arms OF the South the great battle field OF the
last presidential election, beheld strangely cleaning
IN ranks hostile 70 her and powerfully helped 10
WIN crushing Waterloo victory ag ans herself So gi-
ganc ana astounding an instance of madness and folly
the exercise OF the elective franchise. history has never
before had to record against any people!
II rs IN vain, utterly vain, for a people who have
been gully OF such misconduct towards Themselves to
expect 70 escape all the penal consequences due TO their
nor severe, wisdom better than foy nor right than
wrong, II IL were allowed TO be so.
But when such deed has in fact been done by
net Of madness and f0lly-how shall they repair il
How shall they about making amends for it, arrest
ing or mitigating the consequences OF il! This is the
great practical question which presses painfully on OF
the South now.
Undoubtedly, when people have been guilty Of such
an act OF madness and folly, they liberty
deake 10 repair IT, or to get away from the consequent
ces OF H. by rushing to the OF another act OF
equa or greater madness or folly Undoubtedly. in the
present case the people OF the South are not at liberty
10 attcmpt 10 repair their miserable misdong and self
sachce IN regard to the territorial question, by resort
ing to the perpetIaon of still greater misdeed Of which
the effect will be exclusion from the Union without
any tendency whatever towards giving remedy or re-
dress for exclusion from the Territories Undoub.
edIy, after recklessly throwing away, have done,
the all sufcient, orderly legitimate remedy OF the ballot
box we are not at liberty 10 undertake to compensate
selves Tor the effects OF that unsurpassed folly, by adven
tnrng upon course OF stupendous folly and wckedness
combined. And 1t would be of stupendous wick
edness as well folly for southern men, having full
view OF all the past and present circumstances Of the case
to make the existing territorial controversy
h2g hlrhf olon fho
the overthrow OF the Union. Ii this glorious Union
must indeed be broken up, and by southern action oo
let It be on some other ground, other quarel--no
on that! Let It be on some ground, some quarrel
which we are not responsible for, culpabe for Ill
we must, indeed tear down the pillars of noble federal
temple let at least go about the sad work with clean
hands and bameless minds Let us be executioners
OF the deed without being pariakers of the crime Lei
not the ruins OF the subvered fabric of the Union over
whelm us with dishonor and remorse well with
calamity
What part, then. ought of the South now to act
The answer seems to me exceedingly plain We ought
to act a part which will throw the weight of the South
with the greatest effect in favor OF prompt and 1udcous
settlement Of this QUARREL and, in order that part
we must operate with the friends, not the enemies, OF
conclliaon and settlement.
To the honor OF the southern wings, party they
found pursuing this They committed great
and be depored error in placing General Taylor
and the northern wing party IN power They now
striving 10 redeem that error-o contne within the
possible limits the danger and detrmeni 10 the
South and the Union which that error has powerfully
operated 10 produce They found generally
cling President Tayors policy, dear northern wings,
solers, and aboonsls. and rallying under the
tic lead Of their iuslrious old chief, Henry Clay And
with them the noble Spartan band OF northern demo-
Gratis, who still cherish justice and friendship towards
South, evidently disposed TO cooperate and they
shall fail 10 cooperate, it will, in all probability, be
more owing 10 alienation and resentment the contrary
course OF southern democrats than to any other
The question, then, comes back with increased pun.
gency: What is the duty of southern democras2 What
ought they to do'
Il very plain what would have been their duty and
what they would have done, the democratic party
had not lost the presidential election and with il the
power to carry out their well understood, fully -avowed
policy this subject But for the of this
ul and unhinging mshap. the duty OF the democratic |
party, northern and southern would have been organ
territorial governments the prn
:p for all the Territories acquired from Mexico, Cali
ornia included. From this duty there would have been
no escape or attempt at escape, and il would
have been fully and faithfully performed General Cas-
As President. would have recommended 1t 10 Congress-
and his northern democratic supporters both houses
would have stood shoulder to shoulder with southern de-
nocra,s IN The performance Of this duty Southern whs
have dared 10 withhold their operation; and thus the
prompt and easy passage OF the would have been
secured beyond all shadow of doubt
But General Taylor elected President and the act
,i the people electng him. and the results Of his policy
and mana cement his election have greatly changed
he duty OF The democratic party and OF southern demo
,ras also, by nterposlng manifest mpossibiy to car
wing the original democratic programme relation 10
he Territories Through his management and influence,
and that OF his cabinet California has been led 10 organ
re State government, and backed BY his recommenda
on she is knocking al the door Tor admission INTO
he Union, with interdlc in her constitution against
all slavery within her limits And II is conceded on all
hands that 1t would be hopeless and impossible thing TO
attempt 10 refuse her entrance and remand her back to
territorial condition We compelled, conseq aenily TO
s,ve up California Territory She is lost. Irrereva
bly, satellite TO system, and hencefowafd
belong il only star in the grand costellaton OF
States Possibly may, by wedirected efforts and
udclous CO. operation with the friends of OF
Cancellation and concord, succeed in procuring sauiary
curtanent OF her enormous boundaries. Even this,
however, there is little chance for-more, II would be +
wild TO think OF
But although California thus lost 10 u.s. and lost by
no tiu msdolng OF the southern democratic parry,
yet there nothing whatever the fact circumstances
OF that lose which operate to exonerate southern
democrats from the full and faithful performance OF all
that part of their original duty in relation 10 the Terrific
ries that yet remains possible TO be performed New
Mexico still remains; The newly proposed Territory oi
Utah femansboih claiming, ami ready receive ut our
hands, territorial governments upon cherished
intervention principle Our duty in regard to these
Territories certainly not at all done away or lessenei
because General Tay or has rendered impossible Tor US
10 perform the like duty in regard California On The
contrary that duty s heightened by the course
which General Taylor has pursued IN relation to Call
fofua and the policy which he now urging IN reer
ence to the oher Territories; which policy unbush
ingy proposes withhold from them civil and political
and 10 treat them oncass IRON govern
meni, m order. by snch treatment, 10 drive them to
speedy imitation of the example OF California, and to al
like irregular and obnoxious claim for admission into the
Union
The duty. them Of southern democrats in relation to|
these Territories remains entire II is duty to organize
territorial governments for them on the basis oi con
eressonal non interference with the subject OF slavery