Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-03-14
The PresLUents Proclamation u the Southern Press
The MESA oe which President Fillmore sent short

tn. PresGemt,s Procla nation southern
The message which President Fillmore sent short
time since to Congress- in reference to the rescue of
the fugitive slave Shadraeh from the officers of JUS
tce in Boston, by mob of black and white people,
does not meet with much favor in parts of the
South and especially in South Carolina, if we take
the tone of the public press reflection of public
opinion. Our readers will find in another column
an article from the Charleston Mercury on the SUBJ
ect which is of the character refer to- and which
shows that the proclamation is considered in the
light Of rinse, to give the President the power of
employing the army and navy at his pleasure not
against the mob in Boston but against the people of
South Carolina in the event oftheir taking any steps
towards CARRYING their threats of secession into effect
in this light it is looked upon uncalled for
necessary. and piece fduplicy- in issuing
it, Mr. Fillmore acted as the Thames wherrymen do
looking one way and rowing the other.
Without desiring to impugn, or ever to doubt the
intentions of MIR. Fillmore and his cabinet.
free to say, that the circumstances under which that
document issued, certainly calculated to pro-
duce the impression which, see, has been form
ed in the Southern States concerning it. The South
ern people ask, and certainly with show of rea
son, where the necessity of issuing such proc
lamation when Mr. Webster Secretary of State
who doubtless consulted by the President in ref
ercnce to the propriey of issuing that document and
who in all probability conceded with President Fill
more on the necessity of promulgang tin his let
ter to the Union Safety Committee of New York, in
reference to the of Shadrach used the follow
ing language
" sure, gentlemen, that shame will burn the cheeks,
and Indignation fill the hearts of of the
people of Boston, the avowa of principles and the commits
sion of outrages abomnabe Depend it, that If the
design as was carried into effect in the Court House
ton Saturday last they would have rushed to the spot
majority of the people of Boston must necessarily suffer III
their feelings but ought not to suffer ut all in their charac
ter and honor i'll their loyalty the Constitution from
the of such persons composed the mob venture to
that when hear of them next will learn that
scented the City Councils they will give full evidence OF
their fixed purpose to wipe and Obterate to the full
city,
They also say. that Mr. Foote used the following
language, in reference to the same subject, in his
speech in Tammany Hall, on the Monday evening
succeeding the celebration of the anniversary of the
birthday of Washington
''I felt that considerable portion of our citizens
would prove the Constitution Nor will be convin
cogent than any have yet heard The people Massa
schuse doing very WE'LL and trust will ultimately do
all that is to be desired"
In these two extracts the people of South Carroll
na make out plausible case, and can with reason,
ask the President why he should invoke the aid of
the military and naval authorities Of the u States to
put down a mob of colored people, when, according
to the words of his Secretary of State nineteen
twenteths of the white people of Massachusetts
opposed any violation of the law, and will support
the Government of the United States in maintaining
it. Again. Mr.. Webster says, in the same letter to
the Union Safety Committee, IN reference to South
Carolina
SIN important State recent elections show that there
prevails among the people almost entire unanmty of
timen favor of breaking the Union; and this dissou
ton of the Union supposed not take place without
conflict in Ministers of therefore, provided,
in military tactica established and
and attitude assumed These apprehensions of
conflict secession be attempted not only well
founded my judgment certain to be realized Seees
sion cannot be accomplished but by do not believe
those who it expect any other result Their hope is
that their and its objects may spread and that other
hxr1O
espouse it that the whole country
to be divided into great local parties and as such to contend
for the mastery
This extract is relied upon by the Southern people
to make their complete, viz: that the message
recently delivered by the President really inten
ded to apply to South Carolina, and not to the negro
mob in Massachusetts,. Now how far the inference
is justified that taking the Presidents message and
the letter of Mr. Webster together, the legislation
asked for by the President and the threats made a.
gainst the negro mob in Boston, were intended for
the State of South Carolina, do not pretend to
say What we do mean is, that, under the circum-
stances it is not unreasonable that the people of that
State should put such an Interpretation upon it.
Ne1U York Herald.