The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-07

an elaborate speech in support OF IL, Gaining upon
the representatives Of the free States to take the
responsibility of abandoning the Wilmot Proviso
on the ground that circumstances had chqnged
since their election No member from the North
or West rises in opposition-none attempts 10
counteract the influence upon the constituency,
or representatives from the free States of such an
authority
MIR. BUCHANAN, who is thought to hold Pennsyl-
vania, the keystone State, in the hollow of his
hand now appears on the stage. One Of the Sem
ators from that State is sufficiently taken care Of
and the Democratic Representatives are seized
with profound dread of agitation. Busy in the
Halls of Congress, he plies his friends in the
Legislature at home prevents there the utterance
of any sentiments in favor of Freedom, and through
emissaries faithful and untiring gets up meetings
Of his devoted followers against the Proviso
With the Administration urging non-action,
with Henry Clay advocating compromise, with
Ex-Secretary Buchanan trembling for the Union,
hoping for the Presidency, working for the ex-
tension Of the Missouri Compromise, the free
State representation staggers gives way, IS de-
feated. Roots resolution is laid upon the table
by a majority of twenty-five, and Shareholders
rejoice that they have killed the Wimot Proviso!
Letter-writers in Washington do their part to
cripple the North "There is an organized plan
for dssolving the Unon"-" Sixty men from the
South in Congress are resolved on Disunion u
"The metes and bounds of the United States OF
the South have all been determined upon -
"Southern members are preparing to 60 armed
to the Capitol, to break up Congress and reVolu-
tiopize the Government So they write; and
while Washington is calm, while the Halls Of
Legislation grow drOwsy with the perpetual drop
ping of Buncombe orators, New York, Philadel-
phia, and Boston, quake with alarm
The Spirit of Trade begins to tremble. 1t
looks at its ledger, and calculates the pecuniary
loss of Disunion. Stocks are sensitive. Capital
cannot endure the idea of civil commissions "The
millions due US in the South will be repudiated-
we shall lose our trade there-our factories will
be crippled-this agitation must stopW
WINTHROP, who represents the Mercantile In
terest of Boston, announces his adoption OF the
policy of the Administration. WEBSTER, whose
Abusiness it is to look after the interests of the
cotton spinners holds Consultations with Southern
men, and considers schemes of compromise. The
bop-keepeys of New York assemble TO save the
Union, and, forgetful of everything but their
craft resolve in favor Of the resolutions Of Henry
Clay And some of the good people of Philadel-
phia who have been taught to look to the slave
holders as the natural guardians of the Democra-
Ala a1v Of an r.
dianship, meet together, publicly confess their
sins, and make most ample promises to do all that
the South requires.
Is it any wonder that, amidst such influences,
Representatives and Senators from the free
States should falter? And yet moment'srefec-
ton should dispel their alarms. What, if some
of the capitalists of Boston are frightenedl Do
they constitute the People? The population OF
New York is about four hundred thousand-and
out of this some six or eight thousand were found
willing to support Clays so-called Compromise
The rest of the four hundred thousand sympa-
thize doubtless with the twenty-five hundred
thousand People of the State in their fixed hos
tility to the extension of slavery And, as to
Philadelphia, are we take to take the movements
of few Hunker politicians, under the leadership
Of servile demagogues attached to the fortunes OF
Ex-Secretary Buchanan, as an indication of the
sentiment of the People there2
No! The great heart Of the People of the free
States is sound The masses are unchanged in
! .A-:- ,s,liay resrecting our Terri'ories N'
| threats intimidate, no compromises cajoie
them. They expect their agents to represent
their spirit to execute their purpose. They may
be disappointed, deceived betrayed-but, thank
God, they have the power to punish traitors, and
they will not be slow to use it. Nor do we des
pair of the present Congress. We hope there
may be virtue enough in the House to resist al
projects of compromise that shall favor the ex
tension of slavery OF all absurd schemes, that i:
prominently absurd which proposes to settle al
once, now and forever, all the questions growing
out of the relations of slavery to the General
Government. The attempt to carry such a scheme
only increases irritation, multiplies points of col
lision, heaps up obstacles to the adjustment Of
any single question. The dictate of common
sense il, to deal with these questions one at q
time, beginning with the most urgent and the
most practicable We know this interferes with
the calculations of some of the extreme pro slave.
ry politicians. Their great aim is, to maintain
an equilibrium of power in the Senate between
the Free and the Slave States Why strive for
what is impracticable7 Why peril the Union,
why stake the existence of their domestic institu-
tions, on an impossibility2 Even the organiza-
ton of new slave State, and its admission into
the Union, at the same time California is admit
ted. cannot achieve this. The equilibrium is al
ready destroyed. Delaware, nominally a slave
State, to all ntents and purposes cooperates with
| the free, so that these have majority, which
they cannot fail to maintain. And, in a few
years large number of new free States will be
knocking for admission, while every year the
slayeholding interest is decreasing in Maryland,
Virginia. Kentucky, and Missouri. II is better
for all sections that it should be so. A perpetual
equilibrium in the Senate between n-slavehold-
| ing and slaveholdng States, would be productive
of perpetual jealousies, discords, and sectional
collisions. Whenever the -slaveholding States
acquire decided predomnance, there will be an
end to dangerous sectonalism, and yet the South
will not suffer in a single interest For the
Planter of the South will still be able, through
his alliance with the Farmer of the West, to con-
troll the financial and commercial policy Of the
| Government both being equally interested in the
reduction and hnaI removal OF all restrictions on
| commerce.
We repea,-we still hope for the prevalence Of
| Common Sense and Sound Sentiment in the
Halls of Congrcss-but, let Presidential asprants
| 90 home and mind their business-let demagogues
cease to plot-let letter writers quit the trade oil
panic making let the shop-keepers of the city
of New York, who have been frightened by Ben.
nett's Herald, attend to their counters-let nam.