The southern press., 1851-04-23
Mr.. Rhett and the Laws.

two paragraphs from the Republic, charging Mr..
Vhett with having said that no law could be exc
uted to which any portion of the people Of a
State were opposed, or Gas our reporter recorded
him) that no law could be executed unless
here was concurrent feeling in favor of the
aw in the people among whom it was to be en-
forced." To these paragraphs the Press ap-
pended the following comments:
The Republic has made this assertion at
'ther times We say that it is utterly unbound
d, and defy the Republic to produce any pas
age in Mr.. Rhetts speeches that would furnish
ven respectable pretext for ascribing such
declaration to him."
The next day after the appearance of this
paragraph we published the proof of our as
sertion. We have since looked in vain
through the columns of the Press to find any ac-
knowledgement of its error or any retraction Of
It's charge.-Republic.
No, and it would be quite in vain to look in
his paper for retraction of that charge. The
Republic, in commenting on our denial of its
statement concerning Mr.. RHErr's remarks,
quoted in its defence the sketch Of its own re-
porter as to Mr.. RHETT's specch-a sketch not
pretending to verbal accuracy, or even to be a
full account. And ,;c Republic also referred
to some other report y forget what-but re-
quested us to send it copy Of Mr.. RHETr's
speech, for the purpose, as we expected, of doing
him justice. We complied with the request,
and sent the speech to that office several days
ago, with the passage in question marked. But
the Republic either has not seen it, or has SUD-
pressed it.
Mr.. RHE-T's words were, that the execution
Of law could be defeated by " formidable mi
nority;" an assertion whose truth is indisputabe
Why man in possession Of a freehold, with an
indefeasible title, can be harrassed by formida-
bl, minority in State or neighbochood so much
tn. his property would be of no value much
less when he appears as stranger to claim per
sonal property not in possession, like a fugitive
slave.
This Is so obvious to the common sense Of
every body that none can be found to dispute
fr. RHErT's position. And as it cnnnot be dis
Juted and is fatal to all the cackling of the com.
promisers In favor the Fugitive slave law, it has
been found expedient to impute to Mr.. RHErr
not the language he uttered, but an absurdity
ncver expressed nor imagined, namely, that
20 law could be executed to which any portion
the people Of State were opposed" This is
re BY the Republic-and the manner Is re-
rkable. The Republics reporter, or rather
<etcher Of debates, Qor he did not pretend to
report them, but to condense in half a column,
speech that would fill four columnsJ re-
presented that Mr.. RHETr said that "no law
could be executed unless there was a concurrent
feeling in favor Of the law, in the people among
whom II was TO be enforced" Well this, al.
though it changed Mr. RHErT's remarks essen.
tally, was not sufficient peryersion. So the
Republic changes il edit orally TO the phrase
that, no law would be executed 10 which any
portion Of the people Of State we're opposed"
We did not expose the perversion when we first
saw II, because we thought il too obvious 10 re.
quire exposure. But the Republic persisted, re.
,eated the imputation several times afterwards.
nd at length we did expose it, "...
The motive forimputing an absurdity, to Mr..
RHErT was obvious enough. He is an able and
eminent advocate Of the South His talents
ave never been questioned. When a member
f. the House of Representatives he was one of
four or five members only, TO whom that noisy
club would voluntarily listen. In the Senate,
Mr.. CLAY had trick Of expatiatng on irrele-
want topics, in which he was often INDUCED,
partly on account of his age, partly from mere
iavor, and partly because it could not always be
;nown, whether he would show the relevancy
ii his digressions or not, before concluding.
But when he had succeeded in thus abusing
me rules and the time Of the Senate, if any one
rose to reply to bis episodes, some partisan
would promptly call to order. On one Of
these occasions, last session, he began TO dis.
euss the doctrine Of secession. Mr.. RHETT i'm
snedistely rose, and interrupted him, and said,
.hat il it was understood that reply would be
ieard, he had no objection for Mr. CLAY to pro-
iced Mr.. Clay very promptly declined, and
took his seat. We mention this fact because it
has been said by way Of sheer against Mr..