The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-23

the fair and honest purpose of those officers to
execute the laws, in two States at least it has
been effectually resisted. refer to the cases in
Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and Syracuse,
New York. What was there done is now the
subject of judicial investigation; and | am con-
tent to wait the result Of that investigation, be-
fore form an opinion whether il is or is not the
intention of those States to have the law en-
forced
So far the law has done good. II has awak-
ened public attention to the necessity of having
its provisions carried fully into execution 1t has
attracted around it the patriotic feeling Of
large and intelligent portion of the people in
those States. The subject is yet pending, and
am not prepared to pronounce a judgment upon
the result. trust that am not hoping against
hope when | say that believe, in time, and in
good time, the sentiment of the people of those
States will be regenerats on this subject. They
will find that it carries, with IL portion Of their
constitutional duty and they will find. also,
that it carries with it the safety Of the Union.
1t has been pl ced upon that distinct issue by
almost all of the Southern States, and, among
others, by the State of Virginia; aud do not
despair of that law yet doing its office efrc.ually.
Then as to this resolution further. ] had un.
derstood from gentlemen who voted for thuse
measures as compromise. that they wee t" he
received by the country AZ he great tranquiliZing
measure OF peace--to end the discord and i'll
ceiling which always attend the agitation of the
subject of slavery in our delibrt atoms. object
TO this resolution, becau Z is not the usual and
proper mode o'lrgislatve action Our function.
are to express the legislative will Of the country
trough the forms of law and under the sanction.
Of laA. The resolution on the table has no
,h,t. If Il, IF .inn, aud
f,r whatever end introduced, its effect must be
rather 10 renew agitation than t. quiet it.
We are all aware that while these ques ions
we're peQds,g, the safety Of t is Union was most
seriously endangered but, in the language Of
Mr. Jetf rson, had hoped ard believed that the
blow which threatened US had passed under
The ship. The public ind has become, to some
extent, lramquz"d. The people of the Snuih-
ern States VII" felt themselves aggFieved by it,
1t not reconciled, are disposed to acquescr; aud
in such condition OF thugs, submit, To wra,
useful end should the subject be further agia..d
he'e! Sir, did not s,mpathze in the slightest
degree will what fell fir, IN the honorable Sena
tor from South Carolina, Mr.. RHETT. wh' a..
dressed us yesterday and the day before, when
he dec AIRED himself for .i,uninn. There is
State which made greater sacrifices TO OBJ ali
this Union, than the State which have the hon
or IN part to rep. esent. She has made another
great sacrifc' to reserve it, by her acqniesce e
in the measures which are referred to in thi
resolution. The transactions OF the ast Con
gre g, so far MS hey may affect the ms tuition o.
slavery, are it'll ne. matters done with and end.
ed. For what has passed, Virginia doe. no
seek disunon None can look with greater hor
ror than do her reople, upon dirnion Tor dis
unions sake But the Union which they cher
ish must continue a Union under the Consti,u
ton. A Union by force, or Union in which
the forms of the comp ct are alone regarded
whilst the rights or the minority are violated
her past history shows she will be the first to
repudiate and to disown.