Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-08-28
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER.
GEN. SCOTT.


desire TO believe General Scott friend to the
Compromise, has made him ape, The tact. The
best guide to a mans opinions, in the absence
Of any expression from himself, is the acliuh
Of his nearest and mpst jealous friends, and as
they are against the compromise, we must be
lieve he is too. II he is, and "a Wing Ma
tional Convention 'honld be guilty" Of nomin
a.ing him, the Union says il would be "in
sv'r Vi choosing delegates to a better Con-
veGtion TO select better man,
Why not say al once YOU wouldn't support
himP That idea Of merely being in favor oi
choosing delegates to better convention"
leaves a loop hels to creep out Of, aud to
supper, Scott, in case it didn't take. All!
nsighbor, we are afraid you're trying to "dodge."
Courier.
Our friend of the Courier seems extremely
anxious that we should commit ourselves, bu,
this we are strenuously determined not to do at
this stage Of the game. II every Wing journal
pledge itself to this or that individual, how 10 il
possible to unite upon a nominee how can we
act diligently when we can no longer mould
our actions to the bent Of circumstance bu,
must, forso,th, aoide by pledge, perhap. as
iudiscreet as il.limed and uncalled for? |: the
gentleman expects to force US into any such
absurd predicament he will find himself entirely
mistaken. But, at the same time, We neither
desire to "dodge," nor can we conceive ths,
our position is as yet SO extreme as to require
any "loop.hole to creep out Of" We would
advise our neighhor to file those 'loops."u he
will probably find them of service to himself as
the ensuing canvass Approaches, unless he is
called into the service Of some champion much
more stable in his principles than Mr.. Cas,.
We want a candidate on the definite platform of
the compromise. This is the ligamen, tina, bind.
us in beauty and unity, and when this is once
severed, alas for the prosperity Of our Union !!
Where 10 the man SO unpatriotic, SO contracted
in his views, as not to act when duty Of SO
great magnitude is imposed upon him. The
adoption Of the compromise measures has
marked new era in our history, and one per
haps Of almost unprecedented importance.
"There 10 work for every man TO do" On this
point we would be distinctly understood, tina. we
cannot be induced to support the nominee even
Of our own Convention, iha, nominee is known
to be hostile to the measures Of the compromise.
II this 10 going too far, then we are on the side
OF authority, for il i, nothing more than has been
averrsd 3y leading men Of both parties. Such
was the spirit Of the compromise acts. But how
is friend Amsnt on this pointp Does he pledge
himself to the nominee Of the Democratic Con.
veLtion. without the slightest reservation
Come nov, let your readers know what to de-
pend on ! The object Of every convention is to
obtain the wishes of the majority Of that party
whose exponent it is,-to deliberate upon them
calmly and dispassionately, and fix upon a can.
didste who will ensure the united vote Of that
party. How can this be ccomplished, when
every member Of that COW ention 10 biased, each
respectively for Clay, Fillmore, Cri,tenden or
Scott? II will be seen that the balance o.!
power lies in the hands of those who have
pledged themselves to no one If all pledge, il
is perfect failure, and we may az we'll play
the pantomims in any other farce, with the hope
Of practical advantage. The leading journals Of
the different States are looked upon as the ex-
ponents ofthe respective parties. They are the
pulses. as it were. ofths COMMUNICATIVE most
extensive medium of forming an opinion of the
state Of feeling within their respective spheres,
and It bshooves them to he very careful how
they enter into pledges which their constituents
cannot endorse. But this shall never lead us to
the sacrifice of principle. Seldom, at any pc
riod, has the state Of political affairs called for
greater discretion, than the present. Not from
one alone, but both parties. Coalitions anomalou,
in the history of politics, render it almost i'm
possible 10 reduce the claims Of aspirunts "a
any thing more definite than slight probabilities
We are entirely conservative, and while
our contempt for the Abolilionists of the
Nor,! knows no bounds, we are loa,h to
claim brotherhood with the "Fire.eaters'
Of the South. Does our neighbor mag.
inc we could support either of these!-
Without some ground of suspicion, surely
not Where is the consistency in denoun
cling them and supporting n non-compro
mise man! The former come out in plain
terms and advocate the principles of disun.
ion-,he latter with perfect sell-compla.
cency expects to escape censure, but "1'1
be, or not to be-" is now the only issue.-
II we place a sic W match in communication
with powder flask, is the effect less Ger
tain; Is the consequence less starlingl--
BY no means. This is not Il moment fol
parleying. There are active and nepa,iv,
duties, and it is the heighth of folly for
man to suppose that he can escape the res
possibilities Of those, by performing these
1t is not sufficient thai he take no activ,
measures against the compromise, but alb
sOlutely necessary that he should become