The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-10-15
= n Fror, the Warsnton Flag Of '9s. s-r 2
Proceedings OF the Mason and Huntei
#a3tt'ss sfF 80 Dinner

IT.. dinner which had been rendered L
xf.s.r. Mason and Hunter, our Senators In Con
gress. was given in accordance with previous ar
ranoements at the hotel OF the Messrs. Baker
on "Wednesday the I'd inst At 8 o'clock larg.
company sat down to banquet that reflected
the highest credit on the skill Of the worthy
hosts. Hon. w. w. Payne officiated as Pre-
sident of the meeting. assisted by William +
Phillips ESQ.,, as Vice President After the clotl
was removed, Mr.. Payne arose and addressed
the company to the following effect: ,f,
II 10 scarcely necessary gentlemen, for me, II
announce t6you the object which has drawn u!
together upon this occasion. ,n aoa 4, AZ Il.
We are all familiar with the extraor1inar,
events which have transpi,ed ut Washington
during the past session of Congress-. Nor hay'
we been Indifferent spectators Of these events
we are but too sadly advised of the "meditatet
war" upon our institutions, and of the deliberate
wrong perpetrated upon us. Nor are we unad
vised of the gallant bearing Of the Senators
from Virginia, in that never to be forgotten
struggle. a., ~, .@,' g.>.9 ."taG. !t3 .n,,n.
We have assembled upon this occasion to pay
swell deserved tribute Of respect to those dis
tinguished Senators. They are now ouI
guests, accompanied by a gentleman scarcely
less distinguished (Mr. Ellwood Fisher,) who
although iaboring upon different theatre, ha.
rendered, and will, / doubt not continue to rem
der services equally necessary to the preserva
ton of our institutions and the legitimate right
of the South. In view of all the circumstance
II am confident that no true Republican vii
refuse to unite with me, in welcoming them, up
on their return to confident constituency, ant
in offering to them the richest reward OF a pub
lie man, aWelL done good and faithful public
servants" Without further comment, l ask
leave to read the regular sentiments prepared by
the Comaittee Of Arrangements, and placed In
my hands. nrt ~ t,s....7. G.,..s. 49, .rrs, .,.
The regular toasts published with these pro-
ceedings, were then read in their order. After
the rending of the complimentary toasts, the
Hon. James NJ, Mason arose amid Loud ap-
plausc, and addressed the company in a speech
distinguished for vigorous thought, nervous
language and manly eloquence.-We much re-
gret that We have not even n single note to aid
US In presenting a sketch of his remarks, and
must therefore content ourselves with very
brief summary Of them. ... ..,,,., ,..,g ~. :
He thanked the company very sincerely for
the honor they had rendered him. He regretted
that in giving an account of the transactions of
the last Congress he had but little to- say that
would not be painful for him to speak and for
them to hear, The times, however, demanded
that the truth should be spoken. With sorrow,
be said, that the voice Of, Virginia had not been
Needed, nay, mad been treated with ridicule and
contempt in the public councils-The rights of
the South had been trampled under foot, and
those who defended them stigmatized as ultra
ists aud disunionists. 1t had been his fortune
and that OF his most respected colleague, to
receive a share Of this obloquy because they had
refused to assist in compromising away the
rights Of the South to an equal participation in
the enjoyment Of the public domain and to
act under the leadership Of Senator and a
Southern man, too, who had openly declared
before entering on his work of adjustment"
that "no power under Heaven could force him
TO vote for carving slavery where it did not
already exist" What had the South right to
expect at the hands Of such a paciicator? And
vet for refusing to enlist under his banner and
following without inquiry whithersoeves III
might lead, tho Virginia Senators had besn de
nounced! W '''''''' ''' g. ~
The honorable senator proceeded to motto,
the several measures embraced in the compro
mise, showing the bearing of each upon South
ern rights. The admission OF California had
under circumstances amounting to n fraud, ex
cluded the South from region which would
have enhanced, almost beyond calculation, The
value of her peculiar property. But for our ex-
clus sion, negro men would have as readily com.
maDded $4,000 in our markets as they now do
their present prices and the owners Of slaves
by transferring their labor to that region would
in few months have become opulent. BY the
Texas bill, one third Of that State had been
handed over to the dominion Of Freesoilism and
we are made to pay our share Of the ten millions
of dollars, which, in the present necessities OF
Texas, are reliedupon to secure her acquiesccnce
The territories are in the power Of a majority
who stand resolved, If not pledged to prohibit
slavery there, if the laws of nature and the laws
Of Mexico fail to effect 1.-THE work Of aboli-
ton has commenced in the District Of Columbia
The fugitive slave bill with which he had the
honor to be connected was all we had obtained.
And how did we get that! Northern Senators
who admitted it to b. our right under the Con-
stitution vet dared not vote for it. In the Sen
ate it was adopted by a vote OF 81 to u; Of
the al, only three ere nothern men. The
others either voted against it, or evaded the
VOTE In his course on these various questions
he was governed by the instructions of his leg
islature. The authorities of his, Suite had
drawn the line by which he marched. But
while therefore he claimed no credit, and dis
claimed all responsibility for his course, he
would say that if his conduct had not been pre-
scribed, he would have selected for himself the
identical path in which he had been instructed to
tread. The honorable Senator concluded his re-
marks amid much applause by offering the fol-
lowing sentiment: '''
Our Federal compact A union founded Of
the equality of the States, and in equality in
right in the people, of the, States--in such n
union, submission TO Urong, is the most dishon-
ored hue Of treason. ... ......,... ......
The Hon. R. NJ. T. Hunter was then intro.
duced, and entertained the company by an admi-
rable speech. The compliment rendered to him
and his colleague was extended under circum-
stances which made it doubly grateful to their
feelings. It was not their privilege in returning
to their constituents to tell Of the good they had
been able to effect of the victories they had won
in defence Of their rights. They returned in
defeat. Their voices had been raised in vain.
Their words had fallen on unwilling ears The
warnings and expostulations which as the re-
personalities of the proud commonwealth OF
Virginia, they hid addressed to the majority, had
been derded or disregarded. The compliment
now rendered showed that with an intelligent
and generous constituency, defeat is not disgrace
II delighted him that he was now communing
with men before whom he could unbosom him.