The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-06

good deal Of respect aud attention. Ii is grea1
misfortune for the Union, that such State a,
South Carolina does not altogether admire il
= misfortune almost as great ~ the romantic
affection for it borne by some other States
States whose conduct, especially since the late
proceedings under the Fugitive slave law, has
no parallel for amiabllity, not even in the lover
who did venture to suggest mild rebuke in
the form Of gentle interrogation,
"Peshsps you did right in rejecting my suit,
But why did you kick me down stairs
But as to this story Of the design attributed
to Mr.. CALHouS Of breaking up this contedcra-
ton, We happen to know better. On meeting Mr..
CALHOUN last winter in this city. be was as usual
in high spirits. We asked him what was the
prospects He said "yery good: that the una
nimity the South had manifested by her legis-
latures would secure to her the equal right with
the North Of migrating to the new territories"
We observed that We were not SO sanguine--
that we thought the line of SO. 80, would be
proposed, and would be accepted by enough
Southern men 10 secure its adoption. He paused
moment, and said perhaps it would---per-
haps the subject would be patched up in that
way" And he intimated his intention to ac-
quiesce if nothing better could be done, al
though he insisted that the South ought to have
equal right with the North to enter al
But when at a later period, after his speech
was read by Mr.. MASON, and we referred in con.
versation to the compromise plan, he expressed
his hostility to it in terms as indignant as we
ever heard him use. And we have no doubt he
thought it quite sufficient cause for secession
But a. for the imputation Of a design last wiuter
to break up this Confederation, it is utterly at
variance with the expectation We know he enter
timed, md joyfully INDUCED, of an adjustment
compatible with the rights of the South, and il
is still more incompatible with his manifestation
Of an intention to aequiesce even in SO 80.
We observe that the InteL;gencer has taken
up with the following profound md brilliant
conception
$50 far, indeed, from any agression upon the
peculiar rights Of the South by Congress, dur
ing its last session, much was gained for those
rights, in vi hat was done as well as what was mol
done by Congress"
This we believe is far beyond--below, the
comprehension Of any, but the most reconcile
Compromisers. 1t was altogether two deep for
the capacity Of such man as Mr.. CALHOUN,
who knew what was intended to be done, ana
left undone by the Compromise.
The Inteliigencer gives us important intelli-
gence about the operation Of the Fugiti, slave
law, /" the effect of which enactment has been to
put stop at ONCE to the escape or abstraction
Of slaves from the States in which they are held
If there be an exception to this statement
though we do not remember to have heard OF
single one-it only constitutes an exception
to general fact"
We, who read some of our exchanges, and
now and then converse with our neighbors, have
unfortunately blundered upon state of facts
which are especially exceptional to that gene
raj fact We have ourselves seen, and heard nc
counts on which We rely, of the escape Of slaves
from Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky since the
enactment of the law--if three times as many Ms
have been recovered under it. The slave who
now meditates flight, has an assurance that if he
can cross the border he will find plenty of active
sympathizers, who have preached, published, and
proclaimed that they will protect and defend him
that II he is arrested even in tire great Union
meeting city Of New York, one Of the loud.
est of the orators on that occasion, formerly
of the Buffalo platform will defend him-that
.habeas corpus will be multiplied in his behalf
that court after court, Judge after Judge will in.
terpose TO rescue him, and that after all, if the
courts give him mp, and the mobs give him up
it is certain that philanthropic individuals viii
step forward as dernier resort, and buy his mas
tiers right to him. There never were before &c
many, and such great Inducements to run away
held out to slaves.
The Intell;genccr says;
There is, in short, according to our under
standing of the matter, nothing which the Souta-
ern States conld reasonably desire; nothing within
the constitutional power of Congress which the
South could reasonably ask to be done OF
omitted--tbat Congress did nor do or omit Al
its last session
That is just precisely what no Southern State
nor no respectable body of men in any Southern
State, eau be found with tho e0untenancc TO say
Even in Maryland, whose loyalty the IntelH
gencer would indorsc. the Constitutional Con
veution the other day. did not 60 so far a,
to admit or assert the justice OF the Compromise
If the InteHigencer is right, then nearly all th'
Southern Compromises in the Senate, must hav,
been the most inaorrigibIe dolts or traitors il
the world--for they voted for SO. so-even a
the imminent hazard, II 1t were adopted, of de
festing the great measures, which accomplished
sail that the South could reasonably require
The Mteliigencer is against the right of SC
cession: and fayors US with the following lncit
arguments,
l. 'That SrEsSEa RoAyE, and his politica
1 i tEu.. -,