The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-10-21
The washipgton Union.

The Washington Union.
This paper of yesterday, Sunday contains
IN editorial of more than column, which we in
sert ut length We take pleasure in exhibiting
our opponents in their own language in full-a
thing they never dare to do with US.
When the editor of the Union deserted the
resolutions of the Virginia Legislature Of ls4S,
whose passage he had urged on that body and
particularly on the Wing MISREPRESENTATION
which in 1850 the Legislature said twill be main-
tanned" by MISREPRESENTATION which declared,
among other things, that the abolition of the
slave-trade in this District would be "rcsisted at
all hazards" it was regarded as an act of fla
grant political apostacy. When he came out in
support of Mr.. CLAWS Compromise, the deec-
ton was still more astounding and unaccounta-
bic. But when it afterwards appeared that he
was an applicant to Congress for large extra
allowance on printing contract, the mystery
began to be revealed. But all men revolted at
the gross improperly of Southerner, and
professed National organ, taking sides with
Northern majority against the honor and rights
Of his own section, whilst a supplicant for
money, to this very Northern majority We
thought the editor of the Union had sunk
low enough when he sunk to this But when
failing in his application by an overwhelming
majority of the House of Representatives, he
stood before the country in the attitude of one
who had attempted to prop up failing establish
ment by the abuse of public contract, we really
felt it would be ungenerous to strike one who
had fallen so far.
Those who have observed the course of our
paper must have seen, since these developc-
ments, that we have taken but little notice of the
Union, and that when we have referred to it, we
have done SO more for amusement than anything
else. We suppose that all our notices together
since the last humliating catastrophe of that edi
tor, have not amounted to as much in length IL
his article now before us. But since, abusing
our clemency, he presumes to assa us, we must
administer the chastisemcnt he has so rashly in.
Cured.
In our paper of Thursday last, we charged the
c'tor of the Union with supporting the Cali
fornia bill eagerly, earnestly and necessarily"
every man who read the Union knows this
assertion to be utterly and entirely untrue. The
Southern Press is reduced to this dilemma either
that it is so ignorant as not to know what is
known to hundreds, or so indifferent to the truth
rs TO assert what it must know to be false. We
leave it to take which horn of the dilemma pre-
fers. We have not supported the admission OF
California eagerly, earnestly, and necessarily, nor
IN any other manner"
Now we could contradict this denial in terms
rs strong as it is made, and rest on the "char-
acter' respectively of our paper and the Union
to satisfy the public. Or we might refer to
what is so notorious, to his voluminous efforts
III support of the Compromise, of which the
California bill was the principal clement, and
our assertion would be completely sustained
his bubble to the contrary notwithstanding tha
he only supported the California bill as part o
system of Compromise. If the Caiforni.
bill was right, or was a reasonable concession
it ought to have been supportcd-if not, not
Or if it was wrong it might be sufficient ex
cuse or defence for supporting such measure
to show that it was combined with others 81
good, as to counterbalance or outweigh its evils
That is for the editor of the Union to show
But it won't do for him to deny that he did
support that measure " earnestly, eagerly and
anxiously," and then admit that he did, but il
was because it was connected with Others
But even such defence cannot now be made
The Compromise was defeated in the Senate
where it originated on the 3lst of July last
The Senate then took up the several bills sepa
rately, and passed them, modifying the Texas
bill so rs to leave Texas some thirty Thousand
square miles of territory more than the Com
promise did The bills went to the House
separately, and the editor of the Union urged
the House to pass them separately. And while
pretending "to have always opposed the admis-
sion of California as separate and distinct pro-
position" he advocated it's admission as scpa-
rate and distinct proposition, then and there on
the 9th of August, as follows:
II
"Under these circum Stances we think it the
course Of wisdom to overlook the irregular
manner in which California demands admittance
and to allow her to come into the Union as n
part of system which will give peace to the
country"
awe are not Of those who can sec the wis
dom of insisting upon the Irregularities commit
ted in California to such an extent as to endan-
ger the Union, by arraying the two sections
against each other That would be purchasing
regularity at too dear price, for any pro
tracted effort to permit California, by demanding
her to a territorial condition, or by forcing her
TO remain in her present anomalous condition
would nfict permanent and lasting injury on the
States of the Union, and menace the existence
of the Confederacy itself"
Now, when in arguing for the California bill
he refers only to the Irregularities of her previous
course as if they were the main objections to it
and above all, speaks of the disposition to punsl
her, as if there aras such disposition, he be
trays an eagcrness and anxiety for the measure
too palpable TO be questioned. And when thu
the California hill did mass on tho 18th IF Son