The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-13

.s+., Our Country. .no..ot .sfss
Ona day like this when the mortal remains
of the Chief Magistrate of the Union are
consigned to the tomb, and the mind is disposed
by the occasion to serious meditation, it may
not be improper to contemplate the condition
and destiny Of the country as affected BY this
event -. r,7. ~, .a,, H.. ~ -si.,I-- q, rr,.,
We are in the midst of controversy which
began with the formation of this government,
and now prevails with more acrimony than ever.
In the construction and adoption of the present
Constitutions, the South, numerically weaker,
was morally the stronger section Of the Union.
Her sons had been the most eminent in the fields
and the councils of the Revolution. And hence
there was sort ofequlibrium in the influences
that compromised the question then. ~. ~.
In 1920, when the question was revived in the
case of Missouri, the South, still numerically
weaker, held in the person Of Mr.. MuNRoE the
Executive power, and that counteryailed the
preponderanee of the North in the Legislative
department. Now, the South has neither the
Legislative nor the Executive. t'-~s 9"t 'AA1t, ,
And in Congress- the South is weakened TO a
degree materially beyond, the effect OF her rela-
tive numerical strength. She has recently
lost her most able and experienced son in
Mr. CALHoUN---a man whose treason,q whose
knowledge, and whose character was equal
to any occasion,2 even the present, = And
it also happens, that two other Senators, Mr..
CLAY and Mr.. Benton, and they also two Of the
. Oldest, ablest, and most experienced members of
that body, do not represent the opinions or the
will of the South. 81. ,'g 5@"toTtli o' 'f' H1l2
Mr. CLAY is not only widely at variance with
the people of the South ON the slavery question,
but he has, during almost the whole of his public
career, been opposed by majority Of the South
in other favorite views of policy He has failed
in obtaining an oft-sought and dazzling prize
the Presidency-by Southern opposition, And
it is not uncharitable to apprehend that some
bitterness of feeling still fingers in his bosom on
that account. Mr.. ADAMS, we know, never for
gave the South for rejecting llim--nor has Mfr.
VAN buren,, although she was more faithful to
him, even than his own State, Mr.. CLAY's long
and brilliant public life, great popularity, and
powerful political connections, now give him an
influence in the Senate Of great moment .'..o.
five turn to the Northern side of the Senate, |
we find Mr.. WEBSTER, another statesman of
great ability and influence, and also of strong
political connections, He is at the head Of his
party in the North: but it so happens that his
geographical and political POSITIONS in the ex-
IRENE North, and not very favorable to modera-
ton-not as much so even, as he himself is, per-
sonay. @'g@ .'stssT a~a" H-t.2,l@t-
Of the North also, and a leader of the Demo
cratic party, there is General CAss. Butt also,
asst happens, comes from an extreme Northern
State, having been born in New England |
and he resides in the West in the most North |
erly ofits States, extending up to higher lati-
tude even than Massachusetts, and colonized al |
most exclusively by Northern people--people
whose opinions on thepending question are also
less moderate than his OWL Oh rqs sprayqo
And now we have n new President, but
from State which though clnssed among the
central, is nevertheless colonized chiefly from
New England, particularly the Northern part Of
it. and is. also extreme in its opinions; and Mr..
FILLMORE resides in the extreme Northern city
of that State---a part whose opinions are also
less liberal than his own. ....f. .r....r., ,.,.
Such is the situation of the South and the
North--such is the inauspicious distribution Of
political forces for the South II would be
madness in her, under such circumstances, to ask