Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-01-24
The Union Increment IN Congress.


In our postscript yesterday, we published the
highly important paper which is receiving the
signatures of members of Congress, and is de-
signed to organize on national basis, and with
direct reference to the next presidential election
the Constitutional Union Parry. In order that
the paper may not es cape the eye of any reader,
we reinsert it here
"The undersigned Members of the Thirty first Con-
gress of the United States, believing that renewal OF
sectional controversy upon the subject OF slavery would
be both dangerous to the Union and destructive OF its
objects, and seeing no mode by which such controver-
sy be avoided except by strict adherence to the
settlement thereof effected by the Compromise Acts
passed the last session of Congress, do hereby de-
clare their intention TO maintain the said settlement
involae, and resist all attempts to repeal or alter
the aforesaid, unless by the general consent OF
the friends OF the measures aud to remedy SUCH evlls
il any, time and experience may develop.
And for the purpose OF making this resolution etfec-
tive they further declare that they will not support for
the Office OF President ofVce President, OF Sem
ator, OF Representative in Congress, member
OF a State Legislature, any man, Of whatever party
who is not known to be opposed to the disturbance OF
the settlement aforesaid, and to the renewal, in any
form, OF agitation upon the subject OF slavery.
AS all the circumstances attending the incep-
ton ofa political change of such consequence as
that here proposed, must be interesting to the
public, it may be we'll to notice the manner in
which it has been received by the Washington
journals.
The remarks with which the National Mtelli-
gencer accompanied the document we copied yes
terday. They indicate strong sense of the i'm
portance the enterprise, but evident caution in
approvingit.
The Union has only this short preface to the
publications
"To crafty public curiosity in regard to the charac
ter OF paper which it understood is being signed by
many members OF Congress, we have procured copy
Tor publication in our paper OF to-day
The Republic speaks rather more freely and
Significantly. 1t says:
"The following document has been circulated with in
lew days IN the Capitol and has received, we un-
destand, considerable number OF sigma ures from the
members OF both the great political parties Some ger
temen who approve the objects and purposes of the
movement have declined participate in it. 1t
to be merely responsive to the estations of public
sentiment, developed in the Union organizations Of
the North and South, that have been exhibited during
The last six months. What its effect may be exist
ing party relations cannot venture surmse bu
the paper is sgned by too many distinguished and pa
trotlc men to fail of producing strong impression upon
the public mind. We have received it at too late
hour to make 1t the subject OF any extended comment
ana submit 1t to the people Tor their Judgment without
any effort to forestal or modify public opinion
1t is stated by sion" one of the correspondents
of the Baltimore Sun, that the pledge to support
the Compromise measures had been signed on the
Goth inst. by fifty one Wings and nine Demo-
Gratis. OK" another correspondent of the same
paper, who evidently thinks himself quite as i'm
portant political character, as Mr.. Clay or Gen
Cass, ntm ates, in letter dated the 2lst, that a
previous letter ofhis had induced several of the
signers to withdraw their names. We cannot
tell whether the statement of fact is any more pro-
babe than the assignment of reason "X," how
ever, alludes to what we may gather from indirect
arguments in the Union is the principal obstacle
in the way Of the complete success of the Union
move, viz the hesitation of the North Western
Democrats, some of whom probably think that
they can personally profit more in their section
by Democracy than by Unionism.
We await the denouement Of the matter with no
little interest hoping in utmost soul that Wis
dom and patriotism may finally prevail over folly
and seltishness.