The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-18

| gress every nation has had its day of youth,
and Of manhood, and of refinement and luxury,
and of degeneracy and decay. If you take the
Roman Republic you will find that in the history
of that people the hardy virtues We're practised in
their early day, and that it was not until they be-
came enervated by luxury and sentimentality that
they evinced signs of decay. Juvenal wrote to
rebuke this difference between the professions
Of magistrates and the practices of the people.
| The star which saw Scipio' 3 Iegions marching on
to victory, found the youth then strangers to their
couches Sir we often find that il is peculiar to
| some minds, which do not practice virtue very
much, to be constant in their recommendations of
it to others it is the tribute which hypocrisy
pays to virtue Sir, there are some on this floor
| who say that they are above the Constitutions do
not know far theya are above it. or how much better
they are than those who made it. Men who dare
contrasts most frequently, deserve To fall in the
4 shade of them. Those who make so many pro-
fessons Of conscience, generally have the shortest
| performances under them. There are those who
are continually looking into other peoples con-
Germs, and making comparisons and parallels for
! no practical purpose. We yesterday heard par
allel drawn by the Senator from Connecticut, be-
| tween the States of New York and Virginia, with
view of illustrating the unfavorable effects of
the institution of slavery. thought such compar-
| ison was very unnecessary, and that any one
might have said to that Senator that, if Virginia
had occasion to be proud Of any thing, it was OF
her institutions---not only as they had exhibited
their influence in her own borders, but wherever
her sons had gone. Sir, if her fields are washed
into gullies, let it be remembered that the crops
| which have grown upon them have raised states
men and heroes. She may not boast OF crowded
villages and densely settled farms, but wherever
| they have been settled, they have been settled to
| good purpose ; and though they cannot boast Of
the particular kind Of prosperity which may have
marked some of the Northern States, whenever
| she was disposed to exhibit her wealth, like Cor
Il nelia w asked In show her iewals he cnuld
point to her children.
Sir, wish to make no comparisons, but, if they
are made, gentlemen will find that there have been
more men of talent and virtue in this Senate from
the State Of Virginia than from any other State of
| the Union. She has not many crowded villages;
she has not been subject to their vices and peculiar
influence; but, to whatever view of Virginia you
look, you will find her great not only within her
| own borders, with improving prospects, but you
will find that she has settled Alabama and Mis-
souri,, and much Of North and South Carolina and
| Arkansas and Mississippi. And, sir, her popu-
lation, thus poured out upon those States, form
an existence somewhat like her own, not seeking
dense settlement; and that must be the case with
all slave populations. Why, then, may not the
institutions of slave population be as good in
their influences, and produce as good citizens and
as great men, as any other?
1t has been often spoken Of as a complaint that
too many of the honors of the Government have
fallen within the cotton interest. ! have asked
myself the question, why is 1t So? 1t certainly is
not because our institutions have produced bad
fruits that they are to be condemned. Why is 1t
so' Let others answer the question. But. whilst
a crusade is preached against our institutions,
think it is but fair that we should make practical
exposition of the results, and show that there
| they are, not TO be contradicted. With the mino-
| rity, we have had the honors, they say, while
they had the controlling influence of numbers in
: the Legislature. Let those who boast of the
/. nf n free 70
parison when they choose; shall not have
not the bad taste to attempt it. R9t there it is in
the history, to be read, thoug- y shall call nc
names. But when these comparisons are Haunted
in my face, with view to reproach the cotton in
terest, and with view to extermnate the popu
lation growing and subsisting on that interest," TO
the sake OF substituting that which gives no bette
result on the republic, must be permitted t
maintain my feeling OF respect for the institution
: with which am identified. The feelings hav
referred to engendered this agitation.
Now, this measure of compromise will not hav
the effect of lessenng this agitation, but thinl
will rather increase it. | object to it, because w
make sacrifice of principle, constitutional prnci
pie, and we sacrifice actual interest in giving vi
a part Of Texas. And for what' For the SAX
of being exempt from the influence Of the Wimo
? Proviso upon Utah. Let me say, with respect 4
these rare people in Utah, that if there be an,
people who have won the right Of self government
: it is the Mormons, even with all the prejudice
that may have been started up against them. s,
far as can understand their political and socia
organization, it is remarkable for its controlling
accountability and responsibility. These people
could do without any government at all from us
4 What is the reason we have not heard such clam
ors here to admit Utah as State She has larger
number OF inhabitants than New Mexico, and, for
aught know, has as large number of resident
citizens as California, but not perhaps, as many
sojournng inhabitants. But we have heard no one
maintain that there IS any necessity to admit her.
think the reason is that Utah has formed her
/ constitution on principles which do not exclude
slavery. Though that is a consideration which
would not influence me- But would not allow
her to come into the Union through such breach
IN the Constitution as that by which 1t is proposed
to admit California. would not allow any State
to come In except through the old gate, and in thu
old form. If were asked what course would
, have satisfied me, would answer, 1t would bt
that these territories should have been subjected
to the consideration of the Territorial Committee
and should have been divided out into such limits
as other territories, and that territorial govern
mentS should have been instituted for them and