The republic., 1851-07-10

Administration cannot stand upon the principles
ofthe message, it does not xpect to stand all.
IDAsIEL WEBsTER's Letter TO the Union Meeting
at Westchester.
Hamilton Fish, and the Policy OF the
President.
We find in the Courier and Enquirer a re-
port of the speech of Mr.. Senator FISH, deiv-
cred ON the 4th instant before the State Society
of Cincinnati, at dinner at Delmonico's, in
the city of New York. In this speech The Sen
ator defines his position on the Compromise
measures, and places himself unreservedly and
distinctly on the platform ofthe Administration.
He approves the policy of the PRESIDENT, and
avows the determination to sustain it without
qualification. He explains very satisfactorily
the reasons that induced him to remain silent
during the Senatorial canvass. He received a
vast number of letters propounding interrogato-
ries and asking pledges; and to all of them
he returned for answer that, while can
didate, and in view Of the immediate pen
dency of the election, he would answer
noquestions, because nothing that he might say
under such circumstances, could deserve or OBJ
tain confidence which his past life and ex-
pressed opinions might have failed to secure.
Mr.. FISH said that the measures of adjust
ment passed into laws in the spirit of compro-
mise and mutual concession. 1t was not, under
such circumstances, to be expected that they
should embody enactments that would be uni
versally acceptable-or all of which would be
preferred by any section. But they were en-
acted in MS judgment constitutionally, and in
accordance with all necessary forms and re-
quirements and we infer from his distinct Ian
guage tha. point that, il he had himself been
PRESIDENT of the United States, he would have
signed and enforced the Fugitive Slave law,
and have sought to prevent any discussion
of the question, at the risk of exciting agi-
tation or of revIving sectional controversies.
Mr.. FISH, therefore, as Senator of the United
States, stands precisely as Mr.. TooMBs and
Mr.. STEPHENS and Mr.. CoBB stand as Union
men in the State of Georgia. They did not
vote for all the Compromise measures-they do
not approve of all of them but they are will
ing TO acquiesce in them, and to sustain
the policy of the Administration in this regard
So it is with Mr.. FISH. He does not entirely
approve of all the Compromise measures, but
he is prepared to acquiesce cordially and unre-
servedly in their enforcement.
We have never entertained doubt that the
course of Mr.. FISH would be entirely safe and
Conservative on these subjects, and that he
would unreservedly sustain the policy of Presi-
dent FILLMORE. We regretted very much
that he did not deem it consistent with
selfrespect to make an earlier avowal of
his opinions and determinations, because his
position has been misrepresented very indus
triously at the South, where his character
and opinions could not be so well appreciated
and understood as here, where he is personally
known. He has been classed by the Southern
ultras, always, and claimed sometimes by the
Northern Abolitionists, as Free-soll Senator
Therefore, we regard his recent demonstration
as one Of great importance, and one that will
give very great satisfaction throughout the
country. 1t is another gratifying sgn-one
among many which have recently fallen under
our observation-that the country is coming up
gradually but surely to the platform Of the
PREsIDENT-where he placed his Admnistra-
tlOIl dl lllne Wnen CLOUDS ana DARKNESS rested
upon the future-where he has stood without
change or faltering-and will continue to stand,
in spite Of covert assault or open denunciation.
The cause of the Compromise and of the
Administration cannot fail to be materially
strengthened at the North by this frank, manly,
and emphatic committal of Senator FISH. As
long as he remained in an equivocal and doubt
ful position, he could be quoted, however un-
Justly, as a follower of the "higher law''
school, and an associate of men who denounce
the Constitution as an "atrocious bargain -
and who abused the northern friends of the
Compromise as "dough-faces" But the peo-
pie of New York now find that the man whom
they have deemed worthy the highest honor in
their gift, the most recently elected Senator of
the United States from their State, agrees in
all respects, on every point, in the leading
measures of his Administration with President
FILLMORE, and will give his entire policy an
unqualified and vigorous support Must not
that policy be presented with new reason for
their approval and acquiescence to the Wines
of New York, when they find man who has
SO long and SO entirely possessed their conf
dence as HAMILTON FISH, planting himself up
on it without reservation, willing to stand or
fall with it by the side Of the Administration
The CASE or RoRT MoPaIs one of the nIleoed