Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-16
POLITICAL.

NAE. II OtseIAs
In our issue of the 10Th Of September,
we introduced a number of charges against
this gentleman, but deferred any comments
upon them uutil he, or his friends, should
have an opportunity of correcting US, if
we had enormously stated any OF his posi-
tions. We said as follows:
ave have predicated one or two ofthe
above charges upon the declarations of
Mr.. Powell's accredited organ the Lynch
burg RepabAcdR-the balance upon his
votes and acts. We believe we have sta
ted them correctly. If not, we desire to
be corrected And 10 afford time and op-
portunity for it to he done, we shall defer
the remarks we intended making upon
them, a couple Of weeks. If any error
shall be pointed out, we will make the cor
rection with pleasure-if not, we shall
take it for granted that there IS none, and
proceed to make our comments accrding-
ly."
We have waited three weeks, instead of
two, and no denial of either charge has APP
peared We take it for granted, therefore,
that they are undeniable, and we proceed
with our promised remarks.
Our first charge is in the following
words:
lst. That he voted. in Congress, a.
gainst every one Of the series OF Compro-
mise measures, with a single exception,
when it was evident TO every candid mind
that the failure of any one Of them would
have sundored the bonds of this Union,
never 10 be united again"
1t viii be remembered by our readers
that the Bill of Mr. Clay, for the adjust
ment Of the difficulties between the North
and the South, and between the General
Government aud Texas, was defeated in
the U. s Senate by a siugle vote. This
programme was afterwards, with some al
teratons and notifications, introduced into
the Senate, and passed lin FIVE different Bills
1t WAS well understood that these Bills
were 10 constitute one great whole--thaI
they were to constitute a Compromises
1t was a measure Of "deliverance and ib-
erty." The Union hung, as it We're, upon
single breath. Tie issue was watched
with the most painful anxiety by all who
placed proper value upon the blessings
Of our Institutions. Clay and Webster,
Cass and Dickinson, forgetting that they
were political foes, rose into the full majes-
ty of American Senators. and gave the
weight Of their talents, their influence, and
their years, to the great cause of the coun-
try, and of human liberty. The people
everywhere, stood on tip-toe. in grave
like silence, watching the slightest molten
of the gathered storm that seemed about
TO burst upon them. In this state, the
Compromise Bills came, one by one, be
fore the lower House, and against every
one did Mr.. Powell assume the fearful re-
sponsibility of voting, with the single and
solitary exception of the Fugitive Slave
Law. Against that he could not vote, FOL
he had not the shadow of an excuse fol
doing so.
What were the issues involved in the
contest between the North and the Soutbl
What had the South, for years, been de
handing as the condition Of making peace
with the Northl 1st. The delivery of oul
Fugitive Slaves who escaped into the Free
States. Cd. The abandonment of the Viii
mot Proviso, which denied the admission
into the Union, of Territories recognizing
slavery. Sd. The abandonment of the
threat to prohibit the slavetradc between
the States, and to abolish slavery in tho
District of Columbia. These were the
grounds upon which the South had plan
ted itself, and which it refused to abandon
How does this Compromise, against whicl
Mr.. Powell voted in every instance but one
affect theml II recognised erery demand
and comedies TO us what, and all, we had
demanded And yet, Mr.. Powell is found
arrayed. in effect, against it-against bills
admitting the demands for which the South
had 50 long and 81 strenuously contended
Let US see what Mr. Downs, Democratic
Senator from Louisiana, in reply to Mr.
Rhett, the avowed Disunlonist Of Soutl
Carolina, says on the subject:
"The honorable Senator from South
Carolina, has expressed bis regret that the
South after having taken her position or
the slavery question, had abandoned it.
differ entirely from that gentleman as to his
view Of the subject. | am from the South
as he is; have the same interest in the
South that he has; and take a view of the
subject altogether different from his. As
understand it, and as | believe the South
understands it. she took ground against the
Wilmot Proyiso; she took ground against
the abolition Of the slave trade between the
States; she took ground against the ablition
OF slavery in the District Of Columbia
None of these measures have been forced
upon her. So far, then, from abandoning
her ground, she has maintained it,"
The Compromise which secures all this
10 the South. and but for the adoption Of
which the Union would have been shatter-
ed into fragments, has been denounced by
Mr.. Powell, and portion of his friends,
as unconstitutional. disgraceful, and op-
prcssive."
But we will not deal in general accusa-
tions We prefer to bring the Honorable
gentleman TO the "law and the testimony"
We will briefly review the series Of Com
promise measures, and see il his dennncia-
tion is sustained by the facts Of the case
And first, as to
California:
The admission of California as State.
into the Union, without having gone
through the usual territorial pupilage, was
informal, and, under the circumstances.
not altogether Just to the South. But, cir