The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1851-02-18

he esosiihrtianal power n pussrsses % ahoii.a
he internal slavetfade between ne ctatrs'
To sH Of witch, Ne FILLMORE replied;
clam much cngarud AMI have 20 time 10
enter into argument lshall therefore %conieni
mv.elf for the present by answering All year
i~nienurioues ~ THE AFFIRMATIVE
Now Il isa fact known 20 every body. that
one Of the adjustment bills Of last Congress
interdicted the save trade IN the District OF
Columbia, and that President Fillmore sign
ed that bill. Does this look ike m aban-
donment Of bis Erie platform, or does 1t ar
que that the public should feel at Ease and
safety under Mr.. Fillmore's administration
Surely not. MIR. Fillmore may not recon-
mend in a message the abolition Of slavery
in the District Of olumbia-but as certainly
as he is a mar with a spark Of honor in his
bosom, he would sign a bill with such an
object in view, were il 20 pass Congress.
And is there no danger that such a bill will
pass that body? How many tunes pray
let Us ask, has the effort been made, and
how many friends does it find? We think
there is imminent danger that such a bill
will pass-and it Is our object TO prepare the
people for the emergency. If Mr.. Fillmore
signed the bill abolishing the slave trade in
a territory, would he not certainly sign one
aboIishing slavery therefor the one would
be but little more Objectionable than the
other-abOiition being the penalty and OBJ.
ject of either,
1t is the universal opinion of the wisest
and best men of the State, that were Con-
gress to abolish slavery in the District, the
Union would dissolve; yet we are told by a
friendly press of the administration that there
is no public concern in these matters What
IS it that is now CONFUSING the country I!
What that is shaking our political system
to its very base! Is it not "public concern"
and Indignation of the people defending their
constitution against the aggresslons of Con-
gress and the Executive? Why do our far
mers leave their plowss TO attend their coun.
ty meetings, and why have the people, thro'
their Representatives, called together a
great Convention, to consult upon their gra-
vances, and recommends remedy? Is there
no public concern" in all this?
There are doubtless, and unhappity many
who have such faith in the present admin
IsiraGon, thai they feel no earthly concern;
bat ii IS a characteristic trait, and a self-pro-
tectiVe one, to be jealous of all men in pow
er. Power is always going from the peo-
pie to their representatives; unless il is
watched with a jealous eye. We would
consider it the fatal day of freedom when
the people, putting full confidence in an ad.
minlstration, Yould cease to watch the con.
duct of the public servants. God, in his
mercy forbid that the people of this country
should believe Tor one moment, that there is
a "higher law" than the constitution. or that
there is "a light from heaven leading our
federal officers.
Next week we will publish Mr.. Fillmore's
retter, together with the questions PROFOUND
ed to him and if our n%eioThhor will furnish
us with a copy of the Wing containing the
article, which we are charged with garbling
and perverting, we will publish it entire.
We believe we can sustain, by the afidavits
OF fifty respectable gentlemen in this county,
that the Wing did endorse Mr.. Fillmore's
position assumed in that letter, and that we
have not perverted either Mr.. Fillmore's or
the Wings meaning 1t would have been
an easy matter-much easier than writing
a half column of irrelevant inuendoes-tc
have said that it did not endorse MI. Fill.
more, if it really does not.