Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-06-07
Eirality of the Adjustment Measures.

let It be remembered that paper pledging the sign
ers to oppose all who failed to acquesee IN the CON-
promise measures they are called was circulated III
last winter and Obtained some eminent
endorsers It may be asked if those measures singy
or collectively possess any more merit than any other
acts of Congress- and if they are not SUBJECT as any
other laws are to be amended or even repealed I'll
is true we believe that the pledge to which reference
i made declares that the friends Of the measures may
move for amendments if they desire IT. but every man
opposed to those acts is denied the privilege of offer
inc anv amendments for should it be done by any but
friend those who signed the paper are pledged to OPP
nose the move. This looks very like a gag-a pre-
determination and solemn pledge to resist every effort
of the South to remedy any Of the ineicences or to
remove anv of the inequalities of those acts 1t looks
very Ike determining that majority shall rule the mi
roritv and that to do it the more efectuay the
ior,tv nIedce themselves to each other, and to the
country, that they will oppose every constitutional eff
fort to amend or remode any of those laws, and to
make the opposition more odious, they pledge them
selves to oppose all candidates for any and every office
who dare oppose those measures.
This is pledging the South to acquiesce without ap-
pea-t is pledging the friends of those measures to
resist in all forms legal the agitation discussion of
them before the people, ana Iooho oIe IKE al dtttpL
to coerce the minority than anything we remember
to have noticed for years. Members of Congress and
grave Senators pedgng themselves to resist any en-
quiry into their public conduct and announcing them
selves determined to oppose all candidates who fail tc
endorse their acts say the least of it, novel pro-
ceeding in a republican government. 1t has always
been held that the of public servant were legit
mate subjects ofcomment and we never remember tc
have noticed public servant pleGging himself in ad
vance oppose those who simply demanded the right
to suggest amendments to laws enacted by him. We
had thought that was right unquestioned in gov
eminent, but we are probably wrong.
The majority in this government is non-saveholding
and we believe that every measure of the adjustment
but one, commanded more than three-fourths of TIT
Northern votes present. while but two three of the
bills commanded arespectable vote of Southern
men. The fugitive slave law passed almost ex
clusivey by Southern votes, and the abolition bill
passed almost exclusively by Northern votes, and We
with the great bulk of the people of the South opposes
nit by those members of the Senate and House VIII
sustained them and signed the pledge.
BY the way, this pledge signed but by A mem
bers of Congress, we believe all New England fur
nshing one sgner,-he voted for the reclamation lay
and lost his reelection. Eight from New York sign
ed it. and this is less than fourth her delegation
and only two of them have been reelected. Penn
sylvania furnished only, aud mall of the free State
there were but eleven signers believe.