The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-27

largest and most intelligent audiences We have
seen assembled in this city. There no packing,
no reinforcement of boys outsiders, and no effort
to procure a large attendance; ard yet there was
more intelligence, more men OF character and infu
and enterprise present, than we have been ac-
.customed to witness at political assemblages in
wears past. II was a compliment eminently due to
the distinguished ex-Speaker, and he evinced his
appreciation of 1t by the plain, straightforward and
made no effort at display. He said nothing for
effect, and yet his speech was powerful vindicaton
of the action Of the government in relation to the
Compromise measures, the action Of the Georgia
Convention, and the organization Of the Union
Having been introduced by DR.. ARNOLD, in a few
appropriate remarks, Mr.. Com proceeded, in the
fl st place, TO review in general way the measures
embraced in the Compromise. 1t had been charged,
he said, that the Compromise was an aggression by
the North upon the constitutional right, of the
South. This he denied most emphaticalty. The
position of the SOUTH so far as her constitutional
rights were. concerned, was better now than it had
been for the last quarter Of century. While he
could not have approved of some parts OF 1t singy,
he considered it wise liberal, and just to all parts
of the country. 1t was not aggressive upon our
rights. 1t violated provision Of the constitution;
and it in no way affected injuriously the honor or
the interests Of the South. Men should not ex-
pect-it not just to expect-that all their wishes
should be carried cat in compromise where the
most conflicting sentiments and obdurate preudices
are to be settled 1t is not right to yield nothing
policy Of our fathers. The federal government, he
contended, was . compromise-the constitution was
a compromse-the Union was eompromise-re-
publicanism itself was q compromise. Compromise
was written upon everything-it was seen every
where, in society, in government, and in all the
ried and widespread ramifcations of life. Il was
upon this just and universal principle that the
tion Of the government had been predicated and it
was upon thus that he stood there to defend and
support that action. When men had arrived at
that point where they were unwilling to concede
he x,sa nd nfiOrQn 0f nfn
there could be no further government. Anarchy
and misrule must take the place Of law and order,
and society be resolved into its original elements.
While the speaker admitted that the immediate
danger was past, it would not be just to those
whom he was addressing, or to himself, TO disguise
the fact that there were many bitter opponents in
all sections Of the country OF the action OF the gov
eminent, aud Of even the government itself AT
the North there men, inteli gent, influential,
and sincere, who charged that the government had
sacrificed every northern principle at the foot OF
southern power; while at the SOUTH there were men
equally intelligent and sincere, who charged that not
only the constitution, but southern interests and
honor, had been offered up on the altar TO aPpease
northern abolitionsm. These men occupied direct
IL opposite positions, and yet they were warning
upon the government for the same cause That
ruin must come upon the country, if either party
permitted to get control IN its section was TOO
evident, he thought, to ,equire anything but the
friends Of the Union on their guard.
In this connection, the honorable gentleman re-
ferred to the recent action Of South Carolina. lie
desired to speak Of that State kindly and respect,
fully, rs was his nature. That she had determined
to steike blow for disunion was evident from the
action Of the late convention in Charleston, the sen
timents Of her public men, and the tone OF her
presses and clubs. While he hoped and believed
she would not secede, he was convinced she vas at
this time resolved to do and that required the
exercise of great prudence and forbe arance by the
General Government and the Southern States to
prevent it. There we're three parties in Soath
Carolina-the immediate secessionsts, the ultimate
secessionists, and the Union men, II ne hrst were
for dissolving the Unionat once and by themselves
the second, more polite, more calculating, were
equally determined to accomplish the same end,
but they were in favor Of starry ing for monent,'
in order the cooperation OF other Southern
States; the third friends Of the Union, on the
rr;ncples of the Union party Of Georgia. The
second party he considered the most dangerous, be-
cause it was the moot polite. With them disunion
was chronic disease-with the first 1t was only in
hammatory. These two parties were equally bent
uron the destruction Of the government To carry
out this purpose, they had rendered the "e I'D in
the disunion movement to Georgia. The compli-
ment was grateful, yet 1t had been hrmiy declined
Ii was now evden; that, in rendering the "lead, it
was done only on the condition that Georgia would
tread in the path which South Carolina should
point out for her But Georgia had marked out
path for herself-a straight and honest path, such
rs her judgment approved of-and she would not
permit herself % be diverted from II either by the
battery threats of states near at hand or those
ut distance. She had taken her position, and
say and do what they pleased
MIR, Cobb said he could not find appropriate
terms to expr himself in regard to the Geo fgia
Convention Il had, under trying crcums tanccs,
performed its whole duty-it had done right-aud
tts action was but the entering up OF the judgment
Of the people. lie would say more: lie verify
believed that Georgia had saved the Union. SucA
was the belief elsewhere. She had excited the ad-
iniraion and respect Of the patriots Of all sections
of the country. 80 Just. so dignihed, so wise had
been her conduct, that he doubted not a vast and
increasing majority Of her sons would continue
20 uphold and defend H. Yet, he regretted to say
that his Southern Rights" frit nds (of whom he
spoke with the utmost Kindness and respect,) were
differently disposed. Many Of them denounced
the action Of the Convention, while Others Of them
rrofessed disposition to acquiesce in It, "hamili-
ating a. il vas" lie would not call into question
the sincerity or patriotism Of such men (; yet he
could not believe that Union men could safely rely
uron their assistance in maintaining measures n
government which had "humiated'' and " dis
grac,d" them Men must cooperate cordially,
and upon the convictions OF their Judgments, or
they could accomplish good lie feared, too,
that If the people Of Georgia should, by their vote,
ele ate such a party 10 power-a party thus . hui
inflated" and dissatisGed-it would not be long,
however differently its members may think nov,
before they would place themselves IN sympathe tic
communication with South Carolina, aud, with
her strike for disunion. Here lay tho real danger.
Georgia must be true to hcrsclf-true TO her own
action-or the Union might .yci be rent asunder.
-hc must follow out the path she had marked for
herself, resolutcy and to the end aud il would
duct her 70 safety and greatness. She was eompe-
tent TO take of herself and did require the
aid or advice OF any State, here elsewhere which
might apply Tor letters Of guardianship, lie did not
believe that south Carolina had the right TO leo
pard the institutions Of the South by her hasty and
fll.adviscd action. Other States we're equally in
terested in those institutions, and she could not ia
justice to them AXE It upon herself to decide upon
such momentous issues, and drag them down with
herself into the bOttomlcss pit Of revolution and dis.
union For one, he hoped that Georgia would give
lpv IN ulsrs nd. 81 4 q
che need look Tor no aid sympathy tom this state
il her efforts 10 overthrow the government. We
may regret the course she had marked out-we may
even 'sympath ze with her-but nothing more. We
can never rare our hands against the Union for
anything in the past.
Mr.. Cobb deprecated the formation Of sectional
parties, whether they be called Southern rights
or otherwise Organize sectional parties at the
North md Soutb NJ tho East and Wsst-let than