The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-13

SlO,00O,0OO Tor the sacrifice! Loud applause
Shall we spe k Of the Fugitive slave bill g.
! Here some person from the vast crowd, which
Appeared to be deeply excited made some exca-
nation, and the cry Of turn him out-turn him
out-was raised, and executed in extraordinary
short time We are told that this Fugitive
slave bill is an ample compensation for the spo-
liations made by the Compromise. Let not the
South be deceived by this pretenslOn. Let Us
weigh well the candor md honesty of those who
call that concession to the South. From what
we hear, we would suppose that the Constitu.
ton, that sacred instrument upon which the
Union stands, had ceased to exist that this BIZ
bic Of our liberty and our rights had become a
sealed book-th t it was ony remembered as II
means of oppression or justitic ton of wrong.
All. it is not so, my feow-citizens, with that
noble party, IT, which ii is my pride to belong
The Constitution is deeply imprinted in their
hearts.
| WHAT YOU call concession to the South, is
a solemn guuruntee Of that Constitution; II
guarantee which brought these States together,
and without which this Union could not have
been formed. And yet, because Congress puts
In force these quart e-s en- Ic;s these provisions
in favor OF the South, mcndcious tongues de-
clare that it is a great concession-t. compro
mise, for which we ought to be duly thankful
And for this we are invited to submit quietly to
the most unjust and enormous eXtor ions and
wrongs The chivalrou4 South is required.
with all due humility to plead as a favor what
the Constitution has given right. What
more striking fact than this could be given of
the success Of the North in the recent struggle,
and Of its oVerpoweri e pride and spirit of DOM
nation?
come now to the bill to abolish the slave
trade in the District Of Columbia. This, but
short time ago, was considered one of the most
serious and dangerous aggressons OF the North
--one which wis TO be resisted ut all hazards
and sacrifices. A majority of the Southern
States declared that if Congress exercised the
power Of aboishing Slavery in the District Of
Columbia, it was such serious grievance as to
justify the dissolution Of the Union Such was
the attitude of our own State. Why vas this
position taken! Not Oh account Of the Practi
cal bearings of the question. The entranchise-
meut Of twelve hundred slaves could be Of but
little importance to the South, and would hardly
Justify secession. 1t was the principle involved
the assumption by Congress- to declare slave
free, against which the South took its stand.
Such action by Congress would inllict brand
upon that species of property-would constitute
the opening wedge to Il full exercise OF the right
of interfering with tho subject of slavery. That
bill contained full recognition of this power
in Congress. 1t declared slaves free in certain
event. 1t made emancipation the effect Of u
violation of the municipal law. All persons who
carried slaves into the District of Columbia for
the purpose Of selling them, forfeited the slaves
and the slaves became free.
There is clear exercise of that power, which
we have been told by all the Southern States
would justify-nav, demand the resistance of
the South. The contingency has arrived for
that resistance. Where, now, are the bold spirits
who threatened such resistance Fellow citizens,
dislike the language Of threats,-of mcnaces.
Let US demean ourselves like nien,-who when
they act, do rot proclaim their purpose TO the
world in loud, voctcrous threats.
But, fellow citizens do not imagine that in The
course have pursued, have submitted only t.
the guidance Of my own judgment and sagactv
| ! have called wise men into my c0un-el,--l did
not take the stand which did for the rights OF
the South-for the honor and dignity Of Louis
i.na-M ithoul support aud Indictment from others,
# not Of higher .trioti III. at least >oundrr Judy.
,nrnt. shall show you where found encour'
agcnrnt in my opposition to the Compromise.
| read from the Globe of J,nuarT % 1850, the
- t.icial reporter OF the dyb,tra:
II must confess, in the whole course of my
life. my establishment hiss never been gre tcr
than it was when sawt proposition brought
: | forward rs Il compromises aud rise now, st
not for the purpose of discussing ii ut all, but IL
j. i,7.oiesl most m,l~mnIy a1;4inM H. consider lhi>
com promise as M c"nprnW'Se at all, What, Sir.
hoes it grant to the South! | n see nothing a
Ill.,
What concession there is made to US? There
is nothing there left but the mere declaration
that it Is nexpedicnt to Interfere with slavery in
the District of Columbia. There is nothing but
that, that can at all be considered a concession
to the South am sure that the people Of thu
South will not consider it n compromise ut all,
inasmuch as il gives ALL 10 one side can as
sure you. sir. that when the people of the South
came to see :iis great compromise, and consider
that il comedies State and two or three Terri
tories TO the North, AMI comedies the abolition
Of the slave trade in the District of Columbi,
TO the North, uithoM any concessiom rhnterer
10 The Souih, they wi ! not be satisfied with it..
No gentlman can show me that it confirms II
single concession to the South, and therefore /
protest against H."
Whose words are these? Not mine. They
are those Of yonr gallant, your independent,
your patriotic Senator, who has lrtey shared
your distinguished attentions. aude to my
colleague, G neral Downs. The crowd here
broke out into three rounds of applause and
cheers for Soule. Excuse me, fellow citizens.
Let it not be imagined that speak without feel
ing the most profound respect for my colleague,
and full appreciation Of his superior wisdom
and patriotism. | fully agree with my cole gne
it was no compromise at all. But let us read
further from the Globe:
MY object in speaking upon this subject YVES
not because | had the vanity I" suppose that |
would influence the action of this body in the
slightest degree, but because wished my people
at home understand it, MS far as my humble
abilities might serve to portray it, in its several
aspects desire that they perfectly understand
that these resolutions were held out to them rs
brend, md are nothing but stone that they not
only offer nothing, but are worse than nothing
they do not leave any way for getting round the
subject. or Of fixing upon future terms of con-
cess on, or for compromising in any way Mt the
present time they not only extend to the ut
most limits of the present question, hut to its
boundaries through all future time. The South
may grumbIe and complain as much as it pcases
bnt it can never have an inch more of ground in
our acquisition, for n slave territory.
"Now, sir, is that n compromises and n com
prou ise favorable (" the South p
With such authority before me, what could
think ] WAS then sick man: il Was on the