Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-05
Prcm fks AsenHa { Ga.) Chmnicie.
MiGsissfppf-Sccn the Popular
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| The Canvass for the election of delegates
to the Conventionin Mississippi, which was
called by the Legislature at its extra SEES
sion, has fairly opened, and both parties are
| in the field, marshalling their forces, with a
prospect of an animated contest. 1t is not
a little remarkable however, that as in the
| natural world the wcathercock designates
the currents of air Gifts particular locality;
so in the political, certain politicians have
a peculiar faculty Of seeming the popular
breeze, and are always too patriotic not to
keep with the current fthey can possibly
| get into tin other words, they are great
speople's men," and always have too high
a regard and reverence for the opinions Of
the people not to go with them, when they
can possibly scent the course the people
are about to take We have been forcibly
impressed with this peculiar trait in some
politicians, by reading an account of re-
cent discussion had at Jackson, between
Ex-Governor A. G. Brown, member OF
Congress, and Gen. J. ID. Freeman, both
Democrats, or the topics Of the day: MIR.
Brown, while in Congress, was most vio-
lent disunionist, jealous advocate of a
Southern confederacy; but since his return
to Mississippi, what change! He is now
a wonderful friend of the Union-marve-
lousy devoted to it, and is earnestly seek
ing to save his disunion friends and sympa-
thisers an inglorious defeat, by endeavoring
to persuade the people that the issuein Mis-
sissippi is not Union or Disunion, but simply
to ascertain whether they approve, or dis
approve of the Compromise! Verify, the
disunionists of the Legislature, headed by
that much prosecuted patriot Gov. Quit
man, must have been exceedingly anxious
to ascertain public sentiment on this qucs-
ton, that they should have called a Conven-
ton for the purpose!
Gen. Freeman, however, who is one of
the thousands of Democrats at the South,
who preferred his country 10 party, would
not let the Governor humbug the good peo-
pie so easily. He told them in the blan-
dcst manner of the exceedingly moderate
tone of the Governor, and congratulated
him upon the superior excellence Of his
nose in seeming the popular current, and
the tact with which he had always observ-
ed he followed it. Indeed, SO unmerciful
was Gen. f., that many of the friends of
Gov. b. retired in disgust and left him al
most alone of lis partizans to take the fla
COLLATION..
In the course of his remarks, Gov. B. ex-
pressed his extreme regret, we quote from
the Flag, "thatthc Gcncral-his democrat
ic friend-had had the hardihood to praise
and defend Mr.. Fillmore, for the noble and
decided stand he had taken, in defence of
the laws ofthc government, and in support
of the perpctuity of the Union This, the
Governor appeared to think particularly
atrocious in democrat! And, as if to give
his auditory specimen Of how a Demo-
Graf, and resister ought to treat the Presi-
dent, he denounced him in the most ur-
measured tcrms-particularly for not re-
moving the marshals Of Bostona and Illinois.
He said, and repeated it once or twice, for
fear we might forget it, that the President
had not the moral courage to remove the
because he had not the moral courage to do
it. He admitted however,-and charged
as MISUNDERSTOOD him-that Willie the Pres
ident shrunk from the duty of arresting a
fugitive slave in Boston, he gave his inhu-
ence and authority to arrest and drag be-
fore the courts Of the country, his immacu-
late friend and resister, Gen. Quitman."
When Gen, +. again assembled the
stand, after noticing the fact that Gov. b.
could not be induced to endorse Gov.
Quitman's course, and expressing the opin-
ion that in less than a year, Brown and his
friends would renounce and reject Quit
man, "he 1--WE quote again from the Flag
called upon the Governor very pointedly
for the authority which he had, for charg-
ing on Mr.. Fillmore, any participation in
the prosecution ofGov. Quitman-dcman-
ded the facts and the proof which gave
him authority thus to dcnounce the ad-
ministration, for acts ola grand jury in
New Orleans, of Southern men and slave
holders-and men who We're, no doubt,
Southern rights men. This called ont the
Governor in an explanation. He said that
the District Attorneys had employed as
sistant counsel, and that they must have
been authorizedto do SO, by somebody"
That it was distinctly understood at Wash
ington that the Executive had been re-
quested to have the proce cdings in the
Court at New Orleans suspended till the
expiration of the Governors term of office
and that the request had not been grant
ed-ergo, he felt himself authorized to as
sumo that somebody" had denied the in
diligence asked. 1t did not seem to have
entered the Governors mind at all, that if
application had been made to the Prcsi-
dent, to interfere for the postponement of
the Governors trial, that he and not the
power, in the least degree, to intermeddle
with the action of the Judiciary-that he
was deharred by the constitution, which he
was sworn to support, from attempting
any such interference
"Whcn the Governor had concluded his
explanation, Gen. Freeman assailed it, in a
most savage and destructive manner. He
exclaimed, -'.just as expected-he has
no facts, no proofs, no documents, and no
knowledge, upon which to base his charge
against President Fillmore, for his alleged
persecution of Gen Quitman. Rumor,
conjecture, Inference, constitute the point
OF assailment." On this topic he poured
out torrent of rcbuke upon Gov Brown,
which produced, at least, tblerablc de-
gree of silence among the few seceders
still remaining in the Hall, and the utmost
stiffness and gravity in the Governor.
We commend this last passage to the
careful consideration of those dsunionists
in Georgia and South Carolina, Ay and in
Virginia too, who in their great anxiety
to make martyr of Gen. Quitman to the
cause of the South, poured forth a torrent
OF vituperationa coarse as it was harmless,
and stultifying, upon the President for not
permitting the immaculate Quitman, to
postpone his trial until his term of Office
expired.