The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-02
The First Movements of the Opposition.

We publish in another column certain letters
from the well-known correspondents of the Bal
timore Sun, in illustration of the views of the
DEMOCRATIC members of Congress touching
the Compromise resolutions that were laid on
the table in the Democratic caucus on Satur-
day evening by vote of SO yeas to 80 nays.
These letters will now be read with great in
terest. They show the great importance which
was attached by the leading men of the party
to the passage of those resolutions before the
caucus. We are curious to see what gloss will
be put upon the actual course of the DEMO
CRATIC members by the same correspondents
after the caucus.
The fact has gone forth to the country, after
all these preliminary announcements, that the
DEMOCRATIC caucus refused to endorse the
measures of Compromise. Why? Simply be-
cause the DEMOCRATS proper were out-voted
by the Secessionists and Abolitionists. There
was majority of the latter force in caucus.
The DEMOCRATIC party proper-the Southern
Rights party of the South--with their leaders
and presses, are Secessionists and Dsunionists,
do not approve of the Compromise, and do not
struggling against it in GEORGIA, MIssIs-
sIPpI, ALABAMA, and other Southern States,
and have no idea Of being committed TO it
in any national caucus. SO it is with the
Northern Aboltionists. Mr.. RANToUL was
elected expressly on the ground of opposition
to the Fugitive Slave law. Mr.. Preston
KING is a Freesoiler, and has been for years
laboring to hand over the DEMocRATIc party
of New York to the tender mercles of the
VAN buren, faction. Mr.. CLEVELAND occu-
pies the same position in Connecticut as Mr.,
RANToUL in Massachusetts, and Mr.. Preston
KING in New York. These men, with their
Secession allies in the DEMOCRATIC caucus,
were strong enough to impose terms on the
National Democrats. They insisted that the
Compromise measures should not be endorsed
but that they should be left open for political
agitation.
Now it cannot be denied, nor can it be ex-
planned or palliated, that the DEMOCRATIC
party, as such, from Difference to the Abolition
lists and Secessionsts in their ranks, have re-
fused to place themselves on the Compromise
measures, and have nominated and elected their
Speaker on the Freesoil and Secession mega
ton of the fnaity of these measures.
And what has been the policy of the Wines ?
AT the WING caucus, publicly called through
the two WHIG journals in this city to assemble
at nine O'Clock on Monday morning, nearly all
the Vino members of the House were pre-
sent-as many as were within reach of the an
nouncement. At this meeting resolution
was offered, endorsing, in the language of Pre-
sident FILLMoRE's last annual messnge, the
series Of measures known as the Adjustment,
and recommending adherence TO them as a
FINAL SETTLEMENT" of tho dangerous and
exciting subjects which they embrace, A mo
ton to lay this resolution on the table failed
very small minority voting in its favor II
was then put to the meeting and carried by an
almost unanimous vote-three gentlemen, whose
Freesol tendencies 0vermastered their Wing
gerry, Withdrawing from the caucus.
Thus has the policy of WING Adminstra-
ton been sustained by the representatives in
Congress of the Vino party.
In the House yesterday, as will be seen by
! the reports in another column, the DEMocRATIc