The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-26

- 1>Ss@sSs@~ss
ton il would seem Ia { the compromisers
imagine the stability Of the federal govern
ment, and the existence Of the Union de-
pend upon the influence of those choice and
lofty spirits who aspire after 6 national %
honors and preferments. If this be SO, and
Southern ambition should be disposed to soar
to dangerous elevation, It might be we'll
to clip its wings, BY carrying out the princi-
pie OF the compromise. II that is pushed to
the point Of personal sens bility, the scales
may fall from the eyes of some gentlemen n,
who cannot see clearly the indignities and
injuries imposed by that measure upon the
Southern people. The possibility Of such
an extreme consistency, may yet fix the
judgments Of some wsvering patriots, who
have heretofore maintained doubtful strug-
gle between personal ambition and duty to
their country.
Let US look for moment at the principle
Of the compromise, aud at the moral de-
fences that it's parents have erected for its
security. Mr.. Clay, Gen. Foote & Co.
have published "a card" pledging them
selves not to vote for any man for any Of
fee State or FEDERAL who shall disturb
the peace or safety Of their bantling. The
Federal ethics, as expounded by Messrs.
Clay, Webster, Fillmore & Co., teach that
the compromises and enactments Of the Fed
eral rulers are to be enforced by the armies
and navies Of the Union: and that the peo-
pie who resist the authority Of that govern
ment are traitors, though they be the cti-
zens OF State contending for its sovereign
rights, under the sanction Of lawful con-
venton Of its people.
This is the avowed doctrine Of the men
who now hold in their grasp all the powers
Of the Union They proclaim to the "sov-
ereign people" that all their liberty consists
in "the right Of revolution,'' should the op-
preston and tyranny Of their Federal rulers
ever become so extreme and insuferable
that could no longer be possibly borne
These are the moral lessons inculcated BY
our masters, to quell the indignant spirit Of
resentment which the enormity Of these
m measures has reused in the bosoms of free
men, The argument is coolly urged upon
US that the insults and injuries entailed by
the compromise on the people Of the South
are vet tolerable /: that the case is not one
of oppression SO extreme as to Justify a
"bloody revolution and therefore that one
moral duty is submission.
Again, some Of our Southern politicians,
both at Washington and at home, sing the
lullaby to their section, and chant the song
Of submission upon this string, to wit that
the very abominable thing Congress has
done, was strictly within the scope of those
powers lawfully restricting that body. That
inasmuch as the letter of the Constitution has
not been broken, therefore the people ought,
as good subjects, to submit, II these things
are SO !; il the people Of this country are NOR
ally bound, meekly to bow to tyranny, usur-
patton, insult, and injustice, because our
masters mask their atrocities by the forms Of
the Constitution; if freemen and States have
no moral right to resist the enormities Of such
government till its burdens become 80 uni
versal, extreme, and intolerable, till the
groans Of the oppressed ascend to heaven for
justice; ifthese things are so, how would it be
if the President, Senate, and House Of Rep
relatives should pass free SPOIL ordinance,
decreeing that no STAKEHOLDER should hold an
Office under the federal government 7 Such
an ordinance would be made by those per-
sons that alone have the right, under the
forms of the Constitution, to appoint and to
pay federal officers 1t would be no viola
ton Of the letter of the Constitution The
Southern people, who are interested in the
lands, more than in the Offices, would not be
oppressed, certainly not in such an extreme
degree as to justify "bloody revolution. :"
Would it be reasonable for that ambition
which breathes national atmosphere, and
seeks the federal heights for its display !;
that beholds treason in every signal Of re
sistarce by the people in defence of their
sovereign rights and honor-would it be con-
sistent for such an ambition to enroll sub
ject people, where spirit was broken to re-
sist free spoil compromise Can such
public men who live upon the hopes, or en-
Joy the spoils of federal preierment, expect
the people to draw the sword to defend their
honor and equality in TIE Union, and their
rights to be made ambassadors, post masters
and tide waters I
The people are taught that it would be
treason in them to maintain the honor, equal
ity, and right Of sovereign State, and their
own title to an equitable share of the public
territory, in opposition to Congressional com
promise. In the case we have supposed
them, upon what principle could resistance
to the federal authority be justified. II the
principle of the compromise were boldly car
RED out in its application to tie Offices, as
well as to the land of the Union, the zeal for
Union of the highest "pretenders" from the
prescribed South, might begin to cool. The
great compromiscr, himself, with all his ac-
knowledged powers for defamation, and
with the oil Of Wcbster's tongue, would be
unable to construct an argument to save an
equitable share of federal Offices for South
crn candidates, that would not save just
portion Of the public domain for the South
ern people nor could the great orator per-
suade his most doci'e friends in Kentucky
that it would be infamous to shield the sword
in the cause of the Offices, while it would be
treason to draw It in defence of he land.
If the Southern people are put under the
b,, f,I fhe niop If Their ,p1erest in fhe