The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-22

~~MURAs MAANQ zzs 1901.
TaalaEs ot The 0amprom,ss-
Wasa NJ CLAY presented his resolutions to
the Senate in February 1850, a. the basis OF a
conpsemise hs undoubtedly undertook 70 con-
form to the opinions of majority Of the people,
Whatever he might have thought Of conforming
to jsstase. He wanted 10 obtain the adoption
Of his proposition, even il he did not want to b.
Presidspt. He knew that the majority was in
the North, and he must have intended 10 secure
the vote Of the North. Accordingly his plan
was received with much appropriations and little
csns1Te In that section, aud WAS denounced all
the way from Richmond in Virginia to Texas.
YetMr. CLAY's resolutions proposed suitable
boundaries" for California. What was meant
BY that's Why according to all the ideas of 4suit-
abb" which then prevailed, it was inferred that
the boundary Of the new State was TO be like
those Of other States. Mr. Clay was not then
prepared 70 make the experiment on the South
Of proposing the whole Of seaboard California
n one State. But time wore on. The South
became more divided and submissive than was
imagined- more than any body could have
dresmsd, aftet the resolutions Of her State legis
latnraA Geaeml TAYLOR was in power and
spoken Of IL candidate for reelection. His
policy, a. indicated as to California and New
Mexico. was more Northern than MI. CLAY's.-
He recommended ths admission of California,
with the monstrous claim Of limits made by her
convention, and also the admission of New Mex
leo AZ State. Here were two Southern men
bidding against each other for Northern support,
at the expense of the South, and Mr.. Clay ac-
coded to the territorial pretensions Of the nhabit
ants of California As asuitable."--And the thing
was done.
TWAS expected by the compromisers that the
North thus winning more than was expected or
promised, would not only acquiesce but rejoice.
And indeed bonfires and Examinations celebrated
that victory Of psrfdy and fraud, all the way
from Washington along the Northern seaboard
Two or three faint and feeble efforts of the
Same kindin the South were visited with popu-
lar condemnation, too promptly to be repeated.
Our faith in the power of the great moral laws
Of the world taught us, that such monstrous
scheme could not prosper. Our knowledge of
the moral infrmity Of man assured us, that Gu
pidity, fanaticism, and ambition would never have
the moderation to pause and be satisfied with
successful aggression. We therefore said, at
the time. that this surrender to the North instead
of arresting the agitation there, would augment
it, and bring down still further demands on the
South.
But we were assured by the victorious COM
promisers, that agitation was now to be at an
end-that Free-soilism was put down-that the
Wimot Proviso was dead-and the Union saved.
Well, not six months have elapsed, and what
Is the result! Why FIVE Northern States out of
sixteen, not one-third of the number, have APP
proved the Compromise: Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey, Indiana, and Illinois, majority Of whose
representatives and senator's would have voted
for So 80 il it had been insisted on by the South
But New York, Ohio, Massachusetts,, Connect
cut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Wisconsin, and
Maine have already pronounced against it, Ell
Their in the elections of the people, or of sena-
tors, or in resolutions. Even in Pennsylvania
the attempt to repeal the laws obstructing the
recapture Of fugitive slaves has failed.
Thus the Compromise is repudiated by an
overwhelming majority of the North, and agita-
ton is still going on. Thus has the considera-
,tion failed, for which the South was urged to
support it, And thus have persisted the hopes
of political prefenment that operated in its sup
port.
1t is true, that the Southern opponents of the
Compromise have not been adequately sustained.
It is true that the recommendations of the Nash
vile Convention have not been generally adopt
ed. Many of the Southern States permitted
themselves to believe that peace least had been
obtained from the North, although. at ruinous
price-and the pis inertia Of political, as well as
physical bodies, the love of ease, the Difference
Tor power, aad the difficulty of redress, combi-
bined to paralyze them.
But it is now obvious that the controversy
will proceed--and that the South, in consequence
of her INDIGESTION and inhrmity will have to
contend for the remnant, as much as for the
whole Of her rght., against power that now
reoonderates more than before. This is the
result of submission.
Whilst, however, the necessity of maintaining
n contest is thus obvious-it is almost equally
clear that contest is worthy of the South unless
it be for her full rights. These alone can make
her safe. Anything less, subjects her to perpet-
4 ual aggression and perpetual defeat.
Let then those who assert the equality of the
sGouth persiat. Let them remain united and de-
termined Those who were for the Compro-
mise will soon be compelled by events to take one
side or the other Let it be considered that the
Southern partyi is powerfulin number, in talent
in wealth, and above all in its cause. Let it be
remembered that all, schemes Of injustice, how
. ever apparently successful at first, contain the
moral elements Of selfdestruction.