Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-28
The Compromise Bill and the Presidents Plan

The Compromise Bill and the Presidents PIan
The Baltimore American with an indirect con-
domination of Mr.. Clay's challenge to the friends
of the Presidents plan to meet the argument
against it, makes these remarks:
"The series of measures presented one aggregate
by the Seuaes committee of thirteen has been for
time under consideration 1t will have, no doubt fair
hearing. Ift can succeed-most truly will 1t be we'll
But if it cannot succeed it does not follow that other
suggestions hav ing in view adjustment of these dis
pued matters should be disparaged and dsregarded-
Nothing can be gained in this way. When one mode
of settlement fails, only remains try another The
peculiar quality of the Presidents proposition is that if
all others ailhs must be adopted and whatever other
might succeed, in nominal difference of FORM his will
constitute at any rate In spirit, intent and substance the
basis OF the consummaton. This fact is becomn
more and more apparent every day.
Nothing can be of more hurtful tend ency at
this crisis than the expressions of opinions like
these from prominent Wing journals. They serve
lamentaby to mislead the President and his advl-
to the state of public sentiment, and to en-
danger the success ofany satisfactory settlement Of
the sectional difficulty. To represent that the
Presidents recommendation may yet be fallen
back upon, is simply to invite those Northern
members of Congress, who are inclined to assent
to some reasonable adjustment, to adhere to the
policy of passing the California bill independently,
and to let the question of slavery in the Terrific
ries come up afterwards We repeat to the Ame
rican and all who may think it important to the
Wing party that the President should be sus-
tanned, that if his administration continues to press
this issue with Mr.. Clay and the other advocates
of the Senates Compromise, it will find ise If ut
terly without supporters in this quarter of the IN
ion. We have recently conversed this sub
ject with some of the most prominent Wings of
Virginia, and with many gentlemen of this city,
and we have heard but one sentiment expressed
which is, that if the Administration persists in at
tempting to defeat the Compromise bill with the
Presidents plan, the Wings of the South will be
thrown into an opposition as stern and unyielding
as that Of of the Democratic party. Public OPT
Mon here is nearly unanimous for the Compro-
mise bill. The few exceptions are ultra men Of
the Calhoun school, who would object to any set
Element whatever. IF the Presidents plan has
an advocate in Richmond, Or any part of Virginia,
we have never heard of him. In confederation of
these statements, we commend to the Ameri-
cans attention the following remarks of the Pc
tersburg Intelligencer
"From what we have Keen able to gather of public
OPINION IN feteS0urg there very decided major
of the people OF the City in favor of the Compromise
reported by the Committee of Thirteen. Indeed, we
with truth affirm, that have not up to the pre-
sent moment heard single citizen ofPetersburg-
we have conversed with many-who is opposed to the
Compromise; but on the other hand all ale in favor of
it, as the very best measure which in this exgency,
can be adopted. They know that the doctrine of non
Intervention by Congress the subject OF Slavery,
further than carrying the constitutional provisions
in regard tugtives from labor the doctrine of the
South and is fully sustained by the Compromise. They
kno,o too that unless the South accepts the Co1npro-
mise plan ii must incur The ha4ard of having the
Presidentsplan forced upon leauing the Terri
torial questions open for further bad blond and excite
ment, and the surrender Of fugitive slaves to depend
as it does on the will and pleasure o the nou-
slaveholdng States without any reference the provis
ions of the Constitution.
These considerations have produced the very I'M
precedented unanimty which exists i'll this
munity in favor the Compromise. And this feeling
is not confined to Petersburg. The country accent
this City is, learn, thoroughly nlbued with sim
liar sentiments, and, in proof Of it we refer to call
for meeting in Brunswick, which will be found in
another column. This notice was brought to since
commenced this article, and we know that it is
the offspring of Democrats we'll as Wings This
meeting will be composed OF Wings and Democrats,
and will express, have doubt, emphatically the
opinion that the Compromise shall be carried through
Congress, and this alarming question be settled"