The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-13
The Virginia Senators.

The Virginia Senators &
We find the following in the Richmond Re
publican:
.Y- The subjoined remarks are from the
pen of an able and distinguished citizen, and
deserve attention.
THE FAILURE IN THE SENATE OF THE Cow
PRoausEs--,rhe combination Of hostile extremes
proves too strong for the union Of national and
temperate Statesmen.--Men who agree in moth.
ing besides found in the illusion OF common
though irreconcilable ultralsm, motives to CO.
operate against moderate, wise, and just coun-
cils.--It was combinations more remarkable
than that which Burke has rendered memorable
Soule and Chase, Mason and Hale, Butler and
Seward constitute striking parts Of the tesse-
lated Mosaic, and were the white and black
stones, which stood their places against Webste.
and Cass, Clay and Dickinson, Foote and Cooper
1t is not the first time that hostile factions have
combined to battle the efforts of patriotic men
to extinguish the grounds Of INTESTINE agitation
and discord. Incapable of acting together, in
any temperate efforts to reconcile their angry
differences, factions do not refuse to combine
against moderate and comprehensive views in
terposed to preserve the peace Of the State.
1t is clear that one or the other class Of NAL
contents was in error. Both could not be right,
since each denounced the Compromise us a sur
render to the other Of subject of controversy.
Plain men need nothing more to satisfy them
that both were wrong. We, Of Virginia have a
right to complain of our Senators that they did
not express the opinions of the State Of the
particular measures and for the yet greater error
Of having, by their course, furnished grounds to
question her steadfast devotion to the Union.
As much now, as ever, the State is against ex-
peling one madness by another. 1t is gross
impeachment of her people to imagine that they
can be moved from their propriety by Indifferent
opposition to measures well conceived, and
exhibiting upon their face a patriotic purpose
Here among us, the Union is regarded with the
reverence Of former years; and fiippant railing
against it, provokes only sentiments of dis
gust.
y This writer says:
at is clear that one or the other class of NAL
contents was in error. Both could not be right
since each denounced the Compromise as sur.
render to the other of the subject Of controversy
Plain men need nothing more to satisfy them that
both rere arong."
If @an able and distinguished citizen" can
produce no better logic than this, as evidence of
his ability and distinction, then such fame is
easily acquired. The difference between Messrs.
SEWARD, HALE and CHASE, the Northern fana-
tics on the one hand, and Mr. Clay, the leader
of the Compromise party on the other, was, that
the former insisted that the South should be
expressly and certainly excluded from all the
lately acquired territory, while Mr.. CLAY adj
mitted that by his plan the South would in
effect, but not expressly, be entirely excluded.
Now, he must have a very abject conception Of
Virginia statesmen and of Virginia rights and
dignity, who holds that when her Senators are
called on to consider such proposition as Mr.
CLAWS, they are bound to approve it, because it
is opposed by some people who demand sur
render from her if possible, even more injurious
and degrading. -
The writer says
ave, of Virginia. have right to complain
of our Senators that they did not express the
opinion Of the State of the particular measure
and for the yet greater error of having, by their
course, furnished grounds to question her stead
fast devotion to the Union"
Now we should like some sable and distin-
guished citizen to tell us when and where the
opinion of the State of the "particular measure
was declared. The Legislature Of Virginia, we
suppose, is the most adequate and authoritative
expositor of the opinion of the State. In ls47
that body adopted, among others, the follow
ing resolution, and re-aftrmed it precisely last
year:
?. Resolred, unanimously, That all territory
L. b,, 81 III
United States, or yielded by treaty with any
foreign power, belongs. to the several States Of
this Union, as their Joint and common property,
an which each and all have equal rights, and that
the enactment by the Federal Government of
any law which should directly, or by its effects,
prevent the citizens of any State from emigrating
with their property, of whatever description,
into such territory, would make a discrimination
unwarranted by, and in violation of the Consti-
tuition, and the rights of the States from which
such citizens emigrated, and in derogation of
that perfect equality that belongs to the several
States as members of this Union, and would
tend directly to subvert the Union itself.
Now, the particular measure of Mr.. CLAY
attempted to evade and defeat that resolution,
by admitting the whole territory of California
the principal subject of controversy, rs one
State, with enormous boundaries, demanded by
the few inhabitants in the Northern part Of it,
and with prohibition of slavery. If this plan
of Mr.. CLAY had prevailed, it would have been
a law by its effects" to prevent the citizens
of any State from emigrating with their pro-
perry, of whatever description, into such terri
tory"
The same Legislature adopted another resolu-
ton, which was likewise re-affrmed by it last
year, as follows:
lst. BE IL resolred unanimously by the GEN
eral Assembly of Virginia, That the Govern,
ment of the United States has no control
directly or Indirectly, mediately or Immediately
over the institution of slavery, and in taking
any such control, it transcends the limits of its
legitimate functions, by destroying the internal
organization of the sovereignties who created it.
If the particular measure of Mr. CLAY had
passed, which comprehended the prohibition Of
\. Al. Al - L