Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-08-02
OUR CONGRESSIONAL CANVASS.

I Cola. John A. Wilcox aud Winfield s. Fehih-
eH;on, rival candidates ior Congress in this dis
lrici, addressed quite large crowd Of their iel.
low citizens Al our Cour, House last Tussda y.
Both Of the gentlemen are democrats. Colonel
Wilcox runs a. the true Union candidate, Col.
Feathersion as the candidate Of the Quilmaniles
or resistance party. They are both young men
and good sPeaker..
The discussion was opened by Col Wilcox,
who, in a speech Of two hours, unclaimed the AT
lenlion Of his audience, drawing down repeated
peals of enthusiastic applause. lie reviewed
the compromise measures in all their length and
breadlh--showed that they we're in perfect con
sistencJ with the Cohslilulion-lhnt the South
had gained rather than lost by then--Ihai her
slave property was now more secure and valua
bic than il had ever been since the formation Of
the Constitution. He showed that the design
Of Governor Qutman and his supporters was dis
union-a disruption Of the federal government
and the formation Of Southern coniederacy.-
Such at least was the inevitable tendency Of their
course, whether so designed or not. He pointed
out how the old democratic line stood upon this vi
tai question. He pointed to Virginia, State that
has been ever democratic, and showed that her
position was identical with that Of the Union
party oil Mississippi--n favor Of acquiescence
in what has been done, Ohough not approving of
every thing,) and opposed TO further agitation,
resistance or secession in any shape--seParate
or conjoint prompt or peGeeable. He pointed to
N. Carolina, to Georgia, to Alabama, to Louisi
ana, 10 Tennessee aud other Southern States ms
occupying the same position, and as being
equally opposed to the schemes ofthe s. Carolina
disunionists, and their allies, the Mississippi re-
sisters.
But we cannot give any thing like sketch Of
his remarks. His speech was not only orcbe
In argument and in facts, but il was enriched
with wit, humor and keen, cutting sarcasm, and
often enlivened by appropriate and Iaughable an
ecdoles. lie closed his two hours amid roars
OF applause. lie had evidently made most
effective effort.
When Col. Wilcox had closed his Speech his
opponent. Col. Feathersion, took the stand. lie
commenced by saying that he presumed it was
not expected Of him to give on account Of his
stewardship in Congress, but TO reply to the
speech Of his competitor. Hc then, after some
predatory remarks, launched out on the compro
mise acts. 1t was the same old song, with slight
variations in the music, and fell upon the ear
like thrice told tale. Ile merely reEashed and
revampG some of The arguments delivered against
the compromise in Congress and which appear
weekly in the secession papers. But the Colo.
mel assures US that he is no dsunionist. Not he
Well, we doubt not no is sincere in what he
says, but il appears TO US he Is pursuing course
which will lead MS inevitably to disunion, as il
he were to come out openly and boldly in favor
Of It. lie is for resistance Of some sort, though
like the Hon. Jacob Thompson, he does not
clearly explain what. Resistance-open rcsis.
lance to an &C, Of Congress, passed according 10
all tho forms Of Legislative proceedings, means
notification, and that would necessarily lead to
secession. Tako for instance the admission Of
California that act, however, Objectionable it
may be-and we never approved Of it's done,
irrevocably done. California is now sover.
eign State of the Union, and neither the national
nor Southern Congress can any more divide
her territory than they can that of Mississippi.
Col. Featherston, we understand, is in favor Of
a Southern Congress, measure which Virginia
has repudia,ed as unnecessary and calculated to
lead to dissentions among us, to increase Sec
,onal feelings--already unhappily too prevalent,
both at the North and the Southland result in
a dissolution oflhe Union. The Colonel also sup
ports Gen. Qutman with his "prompt and peacea,
BILE secession sentiments; and he approves of the
doings of our extra Legislature. Now, all this
looks to us like an awful squirting at secession.
If the Colonel is not disunonst--and we take
his word for II that he is not--his course, as we
understand il, is certainly calculated to give "aid
and comfort" to that faction. If the Colonel
should happen to be elected, we venture to as
sert that all the open disunonsts in South Caro-
lima will shout hozannas at the result. They
will look upon il as triumph, in part at least Of
their cause in Mississippi, should Col. Feather
ston and Gen. Quitmon be elected. The dis
union papers Of that State will most probably
hoist The name Of John Anthony Quitman as a
candidate for the office Of first President of the
Southern Republic, AMI he will Of course have
to make Rhert his Secretary of State and Lang.
don Cheves his Secretary Of the Treasury, that
is II they have any treasury at all, which we
think very doubtful. jeff Davis will probably