The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1850-09-06
From the National Lntelligencsr Of Aug. 81
THE IMPORTANT WEEK.

Congress has now commenced the
week which is to witness the fate OF
those vastly interesting measures
which have cngrossed its attention
for nine months. The Senate, after a
series Of debates, never surpassed in
that body or elsewhere for ability,
earnestness, and patriotism, has pre-,
sentcd the glorious results of its labors
to the other branch of the National
Legislature. The Peace Of the
Country is now in the hands of the
House of Representatives; and if it be
found not to be safe in those hands, a
blow, irreparable in its consequences,
will be struck. not only on the pros.
perity and happiness of the People OF
the United States, but upon the great
cause of Popular Free';om through.
out the world. For, if this Union
cannot be preserved, and the Gov.
eminent established under it main.
tanned, it will be demonstrated that
there cannot exist among men free
powerful representative, Government
over a country Of large extent
Petty Republic there may be; small
States may continue to exist, and to
enjoy free institutions by the permits.
sion of their neighbors; but the OK.
pertinent of Il great Republican Gov.
eminent, formed by the union of In.
dependent States, and clothed only
with such powers as concern the com.
mon defence and general welfare, and
leaving all local legislation to the
States themselves. will have failed,
and failed under such circumstances
as will forbid all idea of its rcpeli'
ton.
That the House Of Representatives
will rightluIly discharge the momen-
tous duties which it has now to per.
form, we confidently believe. Re.
cent occurrences have been calculated
to dispcl doubts, and to reassure the
best hopes of the friends of the Union.
In the first place, the example at the
Senate is bright ard shining light,
upon which members of the other
House are not likely to turn their
backs. In the next place, the recon-
mendation of measures o! concillatlon
and peace by an administration which
possesses, at the present moment, N
a high degree, the public confidence,
will not pass altogether unheeded.-
But the Influence of these external
considerations needs Eot TO be relied
on. The power which is to carry the
pending measures through the House
Of Representatives is their cwn pro.
priety, their own justice, their own
necessity. They move by a force
inheritent in themselves. Their OBJ
;ec.s every man sees. and every pa
tro'ic man loves. Those objects are
peace, harmony, and The security o!
the Union: aud in the march Of mea-
sures, having such ends, net only will
all small obstacles be crushed. but
mountains will give way: the North
will give up, and the South will not
keep back: there will be surrender
of individual preferences and persons
al opinions, and the hocking together
of patriotic purposes and true Amer.
lean feelings, such as shall render this
last week o. August, 1850, ever men''
orable in the annals OF the country.
These are our hopes, and this our
belief, as to the issue of these ques-
tons. We have faith, full faith, in the
and integrity ofthe House
of Representatives.
But this is not all. "Thcre is a
power behind the throne" exclaimed
Lord Chatham, greater than the
throne ITSELF" In a constitutional mon.
archy, this is an omen of i'll. But in
a popular, representative Government
it is no omen of i'll that there is be.
hind Legislative bodies and Execu.
tive bodies, power greater than
those bodies themselves; and that
power is the known will of the Pco-
pie. What that will is, in the present
crisis, is not doubtful. No Earring or
sounds reach the ear
There is an imperative unity in the
public voice, such as was hardly ever
known before, such as no man can
mistake, and no wise man will disre.
gard. We use terms not too strong,
when we say that the cry of the coun.
try is for the adoption by the House
of the bills Of the Senate, one and all.
In forty years experience we have
not known public opinion more clear,
united, and decisive. We suppose
our means of knowledge, in this res
pect, as good as those Of most others
who, like ourselves. are confined to
one place; and we aver our convic.
ton that a vast majority of the PEG.
pie look for the salvation of the coun-
try to the sanction to be gwen by the
House to the measures of the Senate.