The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-06
THE POSITION OF PARTIES-MR.
FILLMORE.

the late election there is "WhOse victory Is
it!n The Washington Union seems to claim
it for the Democrats, regarding Mr.. Cobb as
in full membership with the National Demo-
cratic party. Respectable Democratic and
Wing journals in Georgia pronounce it, if not
a Wing, at least an Administration victory, in
asmuch as Wings and Democrats co-Operated
cordially in sustaining the great policy of the
Administration, the Compromise, and the Fugi-
tire Lar. This was the real issue of the strug.
gle, and the ground assumed by Mr. Cobb and
his friends was certainly Administration ground
A similar remark might be made Of the pres
ent contest in Mississippi, in which Mr.. Foote
clearly takes the side of the Administration
We@t. wy HN,sssAks action of these geptleEsn
when the emergency shall have passed, is not
of foprseE FRawp though the Washington Union
predicts that they will be found operating in
the ranks of the National Democracy. On the
contrary the Savannah Georgian prophecies
that they will not go into the Baltimore Con-
vention, and will not support its nominees; "
and the Federal (Ga.) Union says" The Union
may as well give up the game Fillmore is the
first choice of the Union party of Georgia for
the next President"
Why should he not be! Have they not
every reason to cOnfde in him 2 Is he not iden-
titled with the policy on the strength of which
they have Just succeeded in both Georgia and
Mississippi? What Democratic candidate for
the Presidency has done so much in support of
il? Buchanan was against the Compromise
and for the line of SO degrees 80 minutes-an
impracticable measure. General Cass advo-
Gated strenuously, for long time the right of
People to form Territorial Government for
themselves and regulate their own domestic
institutions, and denied all power in Congress
to legislate over them OF course, his doctrine
involved the assumption of Il right in the Peo-
pie of Territory to exclude slavery, and was
therefore repudated by Mr. Calhoun, and the
supporters of Southern rights generally Be-
yond all doubt, had it not been for Mr. Fill
more'S accession to the Presidency and the eff
forts of his Administration, the Compromise
and Fugitive Law would have passed in
fact the passage of these measures and their
enforcement have been the signal achievements
of this Administration. With what unrelenting
zeal it has labored to make the Fugitive Law
living spirit, let orders to the army and navy,
Presidential procamations, instructions to Dis
trict Attorneys, prosecutions for Treason testi-
fly: and can any Southern man, who has OBJ
served the appointment of shareholders as Gov
errors and Judges of the Territories of Utah
and New Mexico, doubt of its determination to
afford to the South every facility for extending
its peculiar institution
1t would be impossible for the Union party
of the South to find safer man than Mr. Fill
more. Deeds, not words alone are his vouch-
ersI though his special organ abounds in words
too. Additional pledges from him will not be
needed Look at the action of the National
Wings, at the North-their reputation of all
sentiment and of all fellowship
with anti-slavery men, their fixed determine
ion to suppress agitation, and to conciliate by
Ill possible concessions the Slaveholding Inter-
the South is indebted to the Admin
stration for all this. Not 80 effectual was the
of James X. Polk in REFRESHING
the anti-slavery sentiment in the Democratic
party
Why, then, we ask, should not the Union party
of the South, embracing both Wings and DEM
ocrats, support Mr.. Fillmore for another Presi-
Dental term? We are not sure but that the
Georgia papers will turn out to be true
prophets. Messrs Cobb and Foote will find it
difficult to show cause for not sustaining Mr..
Fillmore, should he appear as a candidate for
another term
The Union has hard work before it, How
can it make head against an Administration,
whose leading measures it zealously advocates,
as Of paramount interest to the South 1t is
working from day to day with view to unite
the Democracy Of all the States on the platform
of appreciation of the Compromise and Fugitive
Law. Its whole action tends with other causes,
to force these measures into the next Prcsiden-
tial contest and to make it hinge upon adhe-
sion to them And yet it would array the De-
mocracy against an Administration which Sc
cured the passage Of these measures, which has
steadfastly maintained them, and which, we all
all know, will continue to maintain them by
the whole weight of its patronage and power
Conscious of the weakness of its position
it is beginning to question Mr.. Fillmore's
orthodoxy on the Slavery Question but
this is labor thrown away. 1t is nonsense
to republsh old letters bctraying anti-slavcry
afhnitics. There is scarcely distinguished
politician in Virginia who could not be
arragned as a hereto on similar evidence
The late Governor Mcdowell in 1881, in the
Virginia Convention, uttered sentiments as
strongly ant-sla,ery as those expressed by Mr.
Fillmore, few years later and so did Mr.
Richie, then editor of the Richmond (va) En-
quirer.' but one was trusted and honored by
the Southern Democracy up to the hour of his
death, and the other is still recognised as a
chosen leader.
Times change and men change with them.
Present deeds, not past professions determine
present character and purposes, Tried by this
standard, MIR, Fillmore is as safe President so
far as slavery is concerned, as any man the
South could present
Nor will it do to refer to the questionable ac-
ton or non-acton of Wings in certain localities
at the North, who are still regarded and treat
ed as supporters of the Administration Such
an argument is two-edged sword, Democrats
at the North, recognised as in good standing
by the Washington Union, are equally sulFa-
BILE The Democracy of Ohio and Massachu-
setts is of very doubtful reputation its coali-
tons are no more sweet smelling in the nostrils
of the South than those Of certain Northern