Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-03-02

prosperity of the Southern States.
I The existence of the feeling which have de
scribed in the South has furnished opportunity fo
the birth and growth OF party there scarcely less
mschievous than the abolition zealots OF the North
Demagogues in that section have also taken advan
tage of the question, and set up, on their side,
system of agitation which is but the counterpart o
that of the North 1t is curious fact, that in this
war of uItraisms both factions have come to the
avowal of the same purpose dissolution of the
! Union-unless the imputed grievance on either side
/ be removed the abolitlonsts unless slavery be
abolished their antagonists unless slavery be ex-
tended. Thus extremes meet, and by continual
reverberaton bring themselves under the control o
dangerous passions which lead them to concur in
the same end.
II is to be regarded as an unfortunate incident
belonging to this strife that this ultra party of the
South, as it has grown out of system of provoca-
ton which has given some justification to its exist
ence, receives more or less aid and support from
men of the greatest influence in society. Many
true men, excellent and worthy, distinguished for
intelligence, virtue and patriotism, have allowed
themselyes-very naturally, we must admlt-to
I become so excited by the assaults to which have
referred, that they not only look complacently on
the intemperate proceedings OF these headlong fac
tionists but even in some cases, catching the ardor
of their ungoverned passion, stimulate them to a
career which, if it have any success, must whelm
the country in anarchy. Surely, wise men, even
under sense of the most intolerable grievance,
will not intentionally contribute to promote mea-
sures which can only aggravate the grievance ten
! fold The country has right to expect from the
leading men of the South-irom those whose coun-
sells have in past time swayed the opinion of that
region, and whose weight Of character and public
virtue entte them 10 sway it now-that they shall
diligently repress all extrayagant resolve, and check
that constitutional tendency to passionate and ex-
treme conclusions which, unchecked, may, In brief
space, become an ungovernable impulse Much
more does the country expect of them religious
abstinence from any and all participation in these
reckless fervors.
Such is the character of the two ultra parties
which now engross to themselves the agitation OF
the Union. Between these two, stands the great
party of FRIENDS OF THE UNION. 1t is composed
equally of Northern men and Southern men-citii
zens Of the free States and of the slave States-o
Wings and Democrats. We compute /. below its
strength when we say it equals nnety-nine men
out Of every hundred. These men DO not intend
to see this Union dissolued. They are not TO be
led or misled by ultra-potcians, or by any poll
ticians, into reasonable imagining against our
great and glorious Confederacy. They will pray
for it, work for it, and if need be, fight fol- it. They
will not only support the Constitution themselves,
but compel all gansayers to respect and obey 1t.
They have had no meetings for purposes OF organ
ization. They need none. They have grown up
in the shadow of the Union, and know nothing and
can conceive of nothing outside of it. They are
the men who handle the business Of the country
who plough and sow, and reap; who work at the
anvil, the bench, and the loom who navigate the
sea who ply all trade and commerce who I'LL
courts, lecture rooms, and pulpis who buy and
sell, build, plant, and beautify the land; in short,
the men who drive the wheels of this vast and
wonderful machine of life, liberty, and happiness
our Confederate Republic.
They will not endure much talking of disunion,
nor weaving of political sophisms, nor balancing of
metaphysical scruples touching the integrity of this
circle Of States. They practical they are pros
porous, and very busy in laying the foundations for
still greater prosperity. They are proud of the
glory Of the country its old associations of colonial
history, its war of independence, its Constitution
and Union, and they do not mean to see these obi
terated by the quips and outlets Of supersubtle To-
gicians. They are neither ofice.holders, nor Office
seekers, nor expectans of office they ask nothing
and want nothing but the liberty to go on working
together, as they have always done in past time !;
and that liberty assuredy they will have, let the
orators and abstraction-mongers say what they may.
Ambitious men may plot and passionate men may
fume, and the micromegas of the villages may work
up the oungers of tavern-porch into tempest OF
maudlin wrath for the notification of Wilmot pro-
visos; but mighty nation will not be josted out
of its career by such small flies upon the wheel as
these.
So we stand Ultraists on the North: ultraists
on the South: between them, the great Constitu-
tional Union Party. Ninety-nine to against all
disturbers. That party has one cardinal paramount
principle and duty-THE PRESERVATION OF THE
UNION AT ALL HAZARDS. Upon every other ques-
ton it may have various opinions. Its members
may differ on the question of the Territories, on
the question of the admission Of California, and,
still more, on the great question of the value OF
slavery but they will insist that, whatever differ
ence of opinion may exist and whatever interests
such differences may affect the questions shall be
decided in the constitutional way, and wifhin The
Union. They will abide by law. and will not
abide by revolution. They want no Nashville Con-
vention, either to teach them what their rights
or how to maintain them. We have better tribu-
mails than conclaves Of otbrained politicians or re-
volutionary conventions. There is a better guide
in each mans heart to teach him his duty to the
country at this crisis, than all the stump orators
from Passamaquoddy to Sacramento.
What is there in these engrossng topics OF the
day that the friends Of the Union may not calmly
discuss and reasonably settle9 Why is it that
every question is not amenabIe to the tribunal of
fair and equitable judgment? Are the wise men
of this nation, the grave and thoughtful leaders OF
the country, willing TO confess that they have been
SO driven from their balance, distempered in the
composure of their minds by the stings of few