The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-03
SCENE, LOBBY OF CoSGREss.


l...." ...t. -..I .saa 49, &. rp4Er -.. ..
Mr. North and Mr.. South meeting: "
Mr. Norih-Ah! South, how are you!
have not seen you since the late happy adjust
ment of all our difficulties.
Mr.. South.--Why, pretty we'll, thank you
that is TO say, as well as could be expected.
Mr.. North-Ah! SOUTH see you are not
satisfied with our late settlement of accounts,
though eyerybody-that is, all my neighbors-
say, you have got the best of the bargain. But
some people are never satisfied. Don't you see
have got nest Of hornets about my ears for
consenting to let you come upon my land to re-
cover your property? And yet you are grumb-
ling, and threatening to cut my acquaintance
dissolve partnership. and set up for yourself in
business. What the deuce has got into you,
friend South!
Mr.. Somh-Why-hem-why-I am partly
satisfied, and partly not satisfied.
Mr.. North--Indeed-that is rather an odd
position, something like certain animal be-
tween two bundles of hay. Are you most sat
isfied or most dissatisfied?
Mr.. South.-Why, to be candid with you,
can hardly tell myself Some how or other,
can't exactly say howl have lost all the land,
that's certain, and have got nothing in return
but covenant for the delivery Of my runaway
negroes, which find can't be carried into effect.
Mr.. North.-Ah yes-that's what want to
talk with you about, my dear friend l tell you
frankly, that my conscience begins to be very
troublesome on that score, and the higher law
trips me up at every step. Besides, my tenants
almost to man, denounce the law as covenant
with hell-that's you-and swear to resist with
the bowie knife and revolver. I'm afraid we
must cancel that part of the compromise.
Mr.. South.-With al my heart, provided, all
the rest goes with it. Give me back my share
Of the land, and will give up your concession,
as you call it, which find is not worth cheese
pairing.
Mr.. North-That is impossible, my dear
friend. The thing is done, and can't be undone.
You are legally Invested of every acre of it, by
the Mexican law, the law of the land, the higher
law, and the conscientious scruple, as well as
the decree of Providence, the marriage contract
of Resanoff and Chickakoff, and the Log Book
of the Russian Vice Admiral, Krusanstarn, as
the Colonel says. The thing is impossible
Mr.. Somh-I don't see that. If you violate
the only condition of the agreement at all, ia
vorable to my interests, have right to demand
that the whole may be cancelled.
Mr.. North.-Tut, South, you talk nonsense
Were not the original articles of our partnership
the result of a compromise Of interests, and have
they not been broken all to flinders? Answer
me that, and then tell me whether breach of
the original compact in one instance, does not
furnish justifable precedent for all succeeding
ones? Your acquiescence in the first, sanctions
all other infractions, by showing either that you
did not value the right, or had not the spirit to
defend it.
Mr.. Souih-But, did defend it, till was
| overpowered by numbers, and betrayed by de-
serters 4
Mr.. North.-Wel-a man overpowered by
numbers, has nothing left but submission. II
he can't or won't defend his rights, what bust
ness has he to be making such rout about
nothing?
Mr.. South-Then, after all, perceive your
higher law is nothing but the right of the
strongest, and your conscientious scruple is to
take everything by force.
Mr.. Norh.-No-no-by no means. You
are quite wrong, South. am too great lover
of freedom, to recognize the law of force. What
mean by the right Of the strongest, is the right
of the majority, not exercising what is yulgarly
called club law, but peaceaby voting man out
of his rights, after due argument and debera-
ton. at the same time consulting the higher law
and the scruple Of conscience The right of
majority is indefeasable. 1t is the great
fundamental principle of all free governments.
1t is supreme.
Mr. South-The Government of the United
States is not supreme. 1t is circumscribed by a
written Constitution, which preseribes the limits
of it's power, beyond which majority cannot
pass Without this check, It is mere govern
ment by right of the strongest.
Dir. North.-Pshaw-what' written con-
stitutien ?-mere words--mere waste paper
An obsolete idea, rs the god-ike man says.
DO you think that majority of the sovereign
people acting under the sanction of the higher
law and the .scrupe of conscience, will suffer
themselves to be fettered in their fight TO per-
feetibility by written constitution Can you
stop bullet with piece of waste paper
Mr.. Sruth.- Certainly not-and for that
reason all prudent men get out of its way if
they can This is what contemplate doing in
case your higher law and conscientious scruple
become more rampant
Mr.. North-South, you are an unreasonable
mana very unreasonable man. l may say a
man altogether Invested of the higher instincts
of the law of nature and the divine impulse of
the conscientious scruplc. What under the sun
have you to complain of?
Mr.. South.-Why, in the first place, you
have diddled me, some how or other, out of all