The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-04
FIRST DAY OF THE SESSION.

were crowded, the Hobbies full, and the mem
bers generally in their seats. The roll having
been called, the Harmony-men showed OF then
well-known attributes as peace-makers. MT
Jones of Tennessee, speaking we suppose, IN
behalf Of the Democratic seceders from the
Caucus who were unwilling to vote against
Linn Boyd, and yet afraid of the effect OF the
rejection of the resolutions of Compromise OF
Saturday night, arose, and stated that he should
vote for MIR. Boyd, because he knew HIM to be
a sound Democrat tried and true Compro-
mise and Union man. Mr.. Cartier of Ohio
announced that he should support him, because
he was the nominee of the Democratic party.
THAT is it!o exclaimed a good many voices:
proceeding from those who were unwilling
that their votes should be construed into a
committal to the Compromise Policy.
Mr.. Stanly feared that something was the
matter on the other side of the House. He
would like to know something about the coali-
tons here. He boosted of the adoption of the
Compromise resolution by the Wing side OF the
House, an Caucus and said that there had been
| a secession on account of it, Had these meas
ures been repudiated on the other side Mr..
| Campbell said he had nominated Mr.. Stevens,
who was sound Wing and as true Union
man as lived As to the Compromise meas
ures, he hoped gentlemen who were so opposed
to agitation would not open the question so
soon in the session.
Mr. Brooks of New York rejoiced to an
nounce that the differences in the Wing party
had been healed, and the Compromise meas
ures had been adopted in their Caucus. Had
Mr. Boyd been nominated on the sole ground
of his devotion to the Compromise and Fugi-
tive Law, he would have supported him. He
proceeded to contrast the position of the Wing
party, whose Caucus had adopted the resoiu-
sQns in farps u SeSpfomise, with the Demo
GRATIS party, whose Caucas-rrad r.Iets;s sncrne'
Z r cc'sr~s ts;"~ ~ :" Spyhql -
Mr. Meade of Virginia ridiculed' the preten-
sions of the Wing party to be the true friends
of the Compromise, appealed to the action of
Wing Conventions at the North, and enlarged
upon the devotion Of such men as Douglas,
Buchanan, Cass, Dallas, &c. 1t was the old
story over again. strife between servile Dem
ocrats and Wings as to which party had done
more for Slavery shown more submissiveness
to its demands A member characterized it
as debate on the question, who had eaten
most dirt!
In the course of the debate, the proceedings
of the Wing caucus, held just before the OPEN
ing of the session, were fully canvassed. 1t
seems that some forty or fifty Wings were
present in caucus-a majority from the North
The following resolution was introduced:
"Resolped, That we regard the series of acts
known as the adjustment measures as form
ing, in their mutual dependence and connection
a system of compromise the most conciliatOry
and the best for the entire country that could
be obtained from conflicting sectional interests
and opinions; and that, therefore they ought
to be adhered to and carried into faithful exc
cution, as final settlement in principle and
substance, of the dangerous and exciting sub
jects which they embrace"
Being substantially the resolution laid upon
the table in the Democratic Caucus. There
was discussion, but at last it was adopted Mr.
Fowler expressed the opinion that one-third
voted to lay on the table. Mr.. Cabell Of
Florida said he really believed not more than
five or six voted against it. 1t is certain
that it was adopted by decisive majority.
Mr.. Fowler and some others left the Caucus,
declaring that they would not be bound by any
such resolution.
Mr. Brooks and his associates evidently cal
culated largely on the effect the adoption of
this resolution would have on the fortunes of
the Wing Party in the South, and Democratic
members did what they could to counterfeit it.
Mr.. Cabell said he had come prepared to act
with the Democratic party, thinking it on the
whole safer on the subject of slavery, but its
refusal to endorse the Compromise, and the
contrary action of the Wing Caucus, had
changed his purpose. He should now act with
the Wing party.
Mr. Meade of Virginia yehemently denounced
the Free-Soilers and repudiated all fellowship
with Democrats, 80 called, tinctured with Free
Soilism This will not do, Mr.. Meade Your
Democratic Caucus was really controlled in its
rejection of the compromise resolution, by
Democrats, not tinctured, but imbued with
Free-SOilism And that is not all Should
you be able to cut them off from the Demo-
cratic party there would be nothing left of it.
q One of the best parts of the debate was the
castigatiOn administered by Mr. Richardson
of Illinois to Mr. Brooks, one of the Union
savers. That gentleman, said Mr. Richardson.
deserted his post in the hour of danger, and
now came forward in the hour of victory.
shouting among the noisiest He then, refer
ring to the votes of the last Congress showed
that Mr.. Brooks had fairly lodged the final
vote on the Fugitive Law and Compromise
measures. The House relished this exposure,
and the feeling was anything but favorable to
Mr. Brooks when he arose and, admitting the
fact stated that for reasons set forth else
where, he deeply regretted it, as the most
unfortunate act of his life" Mr. Richardson
dryly remarked, that he had no doubt that a
deserter in battle, after the victory was deeply
gricved that he had run away so soon.
This debate occupied nearly two hours, and
would have been continued much longer, but
for the interposition of Mr.. Giddings, one OF
the Ag'tdtors not Harmony men. He thought
there had been enough of this. For himself
he promised to give the House plenty of topics
of agitation, in due time, but he was for doing
everything in its season. He besought gentle
men to proceed at once to the organization Of
the House. The House deferred to the advice
Of the Agitator, and without more words pro
ceeded at once to organize.
WHO are the aOitatnrsl Does not every