The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-12-14


We find in the last received number of the Bos-
ton .iiias letter from one of its editors, under
date of the 9th inst, written in the city of Wash
ington, and mainly devoted to an attack upon
the Republic, for the expression of its opinion
in regard to Mr.. ZENo ScUDpER, of the Tenth
Congressional district of Massachusetts,, and TO
a recent law of Vermont. Entirely recipro-
eating the sentiments of personal regard ex-
pressed by the Atlas, we claim the right to
utter our opinions in respect to those subjects
and all other subjects; and the same general
right to discuss the politics Of the NORTH" or
the ''WHIGs of the North that is possessed
by journal located in the city of Boston. The
Atlas, moreover, may for the future do us the
justice TO believe-if it repose any faith in our
assurance--that, without assuming" to be
the organ" of any other sentiments or wishes
than our own, we never undertake to speak the
views of any man or set OF men without the
warrant of the amplest authority.
Questions of mere '.taste" we shall not
pretend To discuss with the critic Of the Atlas
Whether or not the ''heading" of our article
was bad and the whole in superlatively
| bad ..taste" is matter of small moment. As
to the arguments being "false and prejudcial
to the Wing cause" that is matter of opin-
ion, on which there is no large room for differ
ence, and on which we differ widely from the
Atlas. We perceive, too, that the Boston Cou
rier differs as widely from the Atlas as we do;
and, in justice to ourself, we cannot do less than
take the benefit of its endorsement in the fol-
lowing words:
| an .ssAcHUsETTs AND THE NATIONAL ADMINS
TRATIoN.-The position of Massachusetts in refer
3 ence 10 the present National Administration is
| singular one, and 1t is a position which must
| . strike every outside observer most anomalous
| : and unnatural. Permanently and essentially
one of the strongest Wing States in the Union,
the recent election of representatives to Congress
| exhibits her standing aloof from the Admins
tration, although this is confessedly the strongest
{ and most decided Wing Administration that the
country has yet seen. Massachusetts, which
should have sent her full complement of Wing
members to Congress, sees her election fall inef
fective in districts out of ten-and this, too
| at con juncture which demands more than
the entire and unreserved support of the Wing
: party TO be given to the Federal Administration.
1.-The cause Of this most strange and unprecedent-
: ed detection has already occupied thoughts.
We have stated what we believed to be the origin
and course of that system of proceedings the
part of certain politicians Of this State, which has
led US into the present embarrassment The
Wing party in Massachusetts hold to be now
as sound at the heart ever and her apparent
false position at the present moment is the result
Of bad policy the part of political managers
not of any real change in Massachusetts, herself.
What she has done for the good old cause she will
do again under the guidance of that wisdom, and
foresight, and prudence, and experience, which
she was fain TO follow in times Of old.
son this subject we commend to the notice Of
| our readers the subjoined remarks of the Wash
, ington Republic. They are quite to the purpose,
and should be submitted to the grave and thought
full consideration, not only of the people of the
tenth district, to whom they specially COM
mended, but to all the people of Massachusetts"
! In the views that we have ventured to present
of political questions and results in Massachu-
sets, we have been fully sustained by the Cou-
rier and the .4dcertiser of Boston-journals quite
as competent to form a sound judgment as the
.4tLds, quite as free from any liability to undue
influences, and possessing, TO at least an equal
extent, the confidence of theWHIG party Of Mas
sachusetts, and Of theWHG North. They at least
have equal authority with the Alias to vouch "o,r
people," and even our "North," in their be-
half In what we have said, indeed, we have
mainly bat reproduced their views; and we re-
main firm in the belief that they were prudent,
we'll considered, and judicious.
There are some points, however, in the arti-
Gle of the Atlas Of more importance than those
which touch our notions in regard TO Mr.. ZENo
ScUDDER, and upon which the Alta, certainly
misapprehends-we will not say "misrepre-
sents'-the position ofthe administration. They
are presented in the two paragraphs which we
extract:
The Republic must not misrepr>sent the scnti
ment Of Massachusetts, Nothing is TO be gained
| by il; much be Lost. Our people are for
peace, but it must be honorable peace. They
seek not agitation for tho sake Of agitation
They entertain opinions against slavery, and
they are not TO be put down by denuncia-
ton, come from what quarter it may. The
| Fugitive Slave Law can never be made popular
measure in the North. II may be tolerated, it
can never be defended, and If the Republic intends
to commit the Administration to it per n, and
then draw line by which Is to be defined
whether a man IL Wing or something else, IL
will find the party in the North conveniently
small and exceedingly select. The Administra-
ton did not make the law. It was made by a
Locofoco Congress. Now that il lie law, the
Administration, from prudential motives, may
not wish 10 have IL disturbed. The country IL in
disturbed state II might open all the slavery
issues again, and, after expanding the whole ses-
sion in discussing them, no good would result"
"This we have the best Of reasons to suppose IL
the position Of the Administration. They desire
peace, and they have the wisdom to that peace
cannot be obtained by denunciation. As the qucs
ton IL put by the President in his Message, un
dersand 1t TO be Of the nature Of truce, a suspen
sou Of hosities, upon the basis Of matters as thcy
: now stand. Like many other truccs, IL may re
, suit in giving permanent quiet, and lasting
4 peace. Certainly il will give time to rally tn
4 patriotism and kind feelings Of the nation, whic
: is 20 much desired on all hands. Action may b
j. suspended. although the opinions Of men may re
. main the same"
d The Administration has put itself upon tn,
! record in the matter Of the Fugitive Slav
/. Law, and the measures Of the late session O
's Congress, in manner too marked and decide,