Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-23

49,
important Confessions.
The Enquirer replying to commentary OF
the Wing on Mr.. Seddon's farewell address, falls
MIC some remarkable ADM ssions, concerning the
STATE of public opinion in the Congressional dis
trict, TO this Compromise measures, and the
disapproval which Mr.. Seddons course in Con-
gress received from even his Democratic constitu-
ents. For example, says the Enquirer:
Probably two.thirds OF the people Of this district
were in favor OF the Compromise Of 1850, as peace
asure. Not third OF them, probably, were in
favor OF it, in itself and independently OF the eircum-
a1ces under which il enacted More han line
tzentHentiahs OF them willing to acqnesce in the
measure, now that it has become law. majority
probably very large majority OF them would have vo
ted 10. Mr Seldom because OF his aequescence, among
whom would have been many patrlouc members OF the
Wing party. Probably as many IS ten OF the
cf this District concur with the Wing, in believing Mr.
Seldom g Dsunonist; and probably many hall
that number detect in his vaedotory card "a tactious
opposition TO the Compromise
Now, inasmuch as the Compromise was pro-
posed and advocated, as nothing but ga peace
measure it is quite unnecessary to conjecture
how many supporters it would have had Sin itself''
or ''per SCI as Mr.. Tyler would say. Ii is worth
something, therefore, to have the assurance Of
the Enquirer that two-thlds of the people of this
district were for the Compromise, in just that
character in which it was before Congress and
the public. 1t is worth more to have the same
authority for believing that nneteen-twentieth:
Of them are for acguesceuce in the measure
now that it is law. True, we knew all this per-
tectly wei! before, but it is sometimes mportan
to be able to fortify ones knowledge with ad
versary testimony. As to majority of the vo-
tiers voting for Mr.. Seldom, "because of his &C
quiescence," we must enter a demurrer.
is possible that Wing discussions Gfleft unheal
ed, as we trust they will not beg might have pro-
duced his reelection, but never would ma
jority OF the voters fthe Richmond district hay
sustained him for so lame reason as "his ac.
quiescence" in the Compromised claim upol
their favour, on which his avowed sentiments
prove that he would have been heartily glad no
to be obliged to rely. After procaiming, in hi
series of ive-minutes speeches, that the acqui
escence of the South would be its degradation
it is but just to him to infer that he has himsel
come to the point of acquiescence, only because
he perceives the fact, now openly testified by The
Enquirer, that Observation-Disclosures of his con-
stituents are for it.
Fat the Enquirer says again:
The Democratic party of this district will no
shrink from any respons b ies after ding their renom
ination oil Mr. Seldom. We shall not appear to assai
him in his retirement by pointing out the votes that
he gave and sentiments that he may have uttered in
the OF 1885, which did not receive our concur.
renee. Whatever these may have been the Compro.
mise became law, and Mr.. Seldom returned to con-
stltuency who admired the motives which had dictated
his conduct; if they had approved the course he had
pursued in all its parts ard cetas 1t sufficient
tor his Democratic constituency to approve his mo-
1lves; 20 know that with all his hostility to the Com
promise of 1850, he was true 10 the Union and to its
highest and most sacred compromsethe Constitu ion:
and to feel assured that the Compromise the Censtitu
ton, and the Union much safer in his hands than
they would be in those OF adversary who cherished
fenets and sentiments destructive OF all OF hen-to
duce them TO re- nomna him against his wishes, by
acclamation.'
Here we have, for the first time, a distinct in.
timation that Mr.. Seddon's course has not mel
the concurrence of the Enquirer, or of his "Dem-
ocratic constituency" The distinction taken be-
tween he motives of bad votes and the measures
v1ei against, is worthy of that Machiaveiar
shrewdness which has SO long distinguished the
Democratic leaders of Virginia Democracy. Ad-
miration is really challenged by the facility with
which the old maxim of "prnciples, not men, is
abandoned fer the OCCASION And then, the En-
quirer's apparent seriousness, in speaking of Mr..
Seddon's devotion to the Unon is absolutely d.
verting Why. Mr.. Seddons late letter charac
tei,zed the Union as already "a great CONSOLIDATED
Government" bearing down with grievous op
preston upon the rights of the South. He ha
declared, in effect, that the South can only remain
in the Union at the cost of her honour. And th'
is what the Enquirer calls being "true to the
Union -