The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-08-29
SEMI TOR FOo7E.

The press in this State, that differ from Gen.
Foote, have for the most part observed towards
him great courtesy and decorum. They have
still hoped that he might, after the failure Of
his %favorite measure, the compromise bill, take
such q course, in future, as would prove ac-
ceptable to his constituents.
But it seems that he never will be correctly
informed rs to the true state Of public senti-
ment in Mississippi.
He here undertakes to "deelare most conf.
dentiy," so late as the FIRST Of August, that not
one man in one hundred in this State was OPP
posed 10 the tsPlan Of adjustment meaning
the compromise bill lately defeated What a
marvellously popular man Senator Foote must
be, sustained as he is, (aceOrding 10 his opn ac-
coupt,) by ninety.nine hGndreths Of his constit-
uents! And in what an awful bad box Colonel
Davis, Melville, Brown, Thompson and Feath-
erston must be, sustained as they are accord
ing to the same reliable aGthority) by a small
and insignificant fraction, the remaining hun
dreth! And that ~hundreth, too, composed Of
''shallow-minded, %factious and aspiring dema-
gogues, who are destined to total and final ex-
t%inctioR, after the return of our illustrious
General.
Surely It is ungenerous in General Foote,
when he has sat least nihety.nine hundreths of
the people, without regard to party" concur
ring with him in opinion, to come home and
direct his batteries against the "small number
of shallow-minded, factions demagogues,n who
are so inconsiderable in number, responsibility
and influence.
"A man Of ordinary ambition would be salts
fed with the overwhelming popularity Of his
favorite measure, and the approval Of ninety
nine hundreths Of his constituents, and would
be relieved from any overweening anxiety to
crush the inconside rable fraction that differ
with him.
We give below a short extract from the
speech Of General Foote, delivered in the Sen
ate on the lst instant, containing all that he
said in that connection about public sentiment
in Mississippi.
Sir, the honorable Senator from Viz
gina Mr.. Mason has talked a great deal
about Southern sentiment, &c, sc. Now
! do not by any means profess to be better
acquainted than every body else in the
world with the present condition of the
public mind in the South; but | feel au-
thorlsed 10 declare most confidently that in
my own State, always a loyal and patriotic
State, at least ninety-nine hundreths Of
the people, without regard to party, are in
favor Of that plan of adjustment which
has been so unhappily defeatedby a strange
and unnatural combination between the
aboliionists Of the North and the Southern
ultras. This will be ascertained more per-
fectly hereafter, when an opportunity shall
be accorded to me Of meeting my honored
constituents face to face, and challeng-
ing my calumniators to regular contro-
versy. The small number Of shallow
minded, f%actious and aspiring demagogues
who combined against this measure for
the most selfish and dishonest purposes Of
selfish ambition, ! intend to reduce to their
proper grade when | shall oDce more be
allowed to leave this field Of arduous labor,
and enjoy an opportunity Of talking to my
honest and manly constituency in the Ian
guage Of pathetic and unreserved free
dom.
Can i be possible that General Foote was in
earnest? Can't DO possible that he is so thor
oughly ignorant Of public opinion in the State
he represents?
He seems to speak with mathematical pre-.
%cision, and declares most confidently that only
q good for nothing fraction Of shalIow-minded
dernagogues differ with him At home.
To characterize this declaration rs merely