Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-07-21
The Political Atmosphere.

A remarkable editorial article appears in the
New York Tribune on the present state of politi-
cal parties. The writer, (who is not Mr.. Gree
lev, for he is in Europe) maintains the opinion
that both the old parties gradually reverting to
their old positions, and that this is especially the
case in the North In the Southern States he
observes singular confusion of the old landmarks,
but predicts that ultimately all sectional agitation
will be allayed even there. He attributes all the
troubles which have recently befallen the country
to the course of the Southern Democrats, who,
with their Northern allies, comprised the annex
alton of Texas, and first moofed the policy Of ac-
curing new territory for the purpose of charging
the area of slavery The fallacy of that policy is
thing which many who were beguiled by it will
now concede and let it ever be remembered, to
the credit of the Wings of both North and South,
tiat they eschewed annexation and predicted the
evils that would follow from it. But, all this fur
nishes no palation for the subsequent course the
New York Tribune itself, which has been the most
efficient disturber of the peace in the whole coun-
try. Even after the passage of the Compromise
bills, that paper has, up to the present time,
continually sriven to excite Northern sentiment
against the only revocable measure of the whole
and the one which must be sustained at the peril
of disunion. But the Tribune beg ins to manifest
some disposition to be rational or rather sense
of the weakness, if not the folly, of its own coun-
sells. In the. following admission, as the Nation
al Intelligencer observes, it formally proclaims the
utter hopelessness OF its warfare, and retires from
the field
awe look in vain for the probability of repeal or mo-
Obligation OF fugitive slave law That aw suppose
is destined 10 remain on the statute book. We could
wish it were otherwise. We could wish 10 have il
rnod in many particulars, especially by the into
dacton OF Jury trial among lis provisions. But there
is not the east indication that such change will be
made The next Congress will not make it There
ie nowhere great parry demanding It. Fubilc SEN
time mt reg fds it with comparative Indifference. There
is no such overwhelming popular movement IN favor
of repeating or changing this law as there was the
North in 1913 aud AZ against the extension OF slavery
How, then, can the law be touched ="
Who it may be profitable to ask. is chiefly tc
be praised, or blamed, for the state of thing
which the Tribune thus laments? Let us find the
answer in the following declarations of Mr.. Johr
Van Buren, at the late Democratic Convention O.
Vermont:
"Mr. Fillmore came into the office of President by
the death OF Gen Taylor. He had it in his power &c
put md the entire slavery agitation IN twenty
days. But he chose 10 take the opposite course 10
his back upon The friends who had elevated nm
to falsy the professions Of his past e to throw HIM
self into the Of those who prostituting the GO
yernent the extension of slavery and to set the sea
of his appreciation to law, which, in my humble Judg-
ment, no civilized government EARTH except OF
own, would now act"
And the whole people must testify that the Pre-
sident by first sanctioning and afterwards fully
maintaining the fugitive law has succeeded in
thwarting the schemes of the anti-savery party,
has prevented any overwhelming popular move
rnent for its repeal, and has, in fact, nearly ex-
tngushed the Abolition agitation. For doing this
Mr.. Fillmore is responsible 10 the country. and
the country must decide whether he isto be ap-
plauded or condemned.