Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-14

opinion. Let the following excellent article of
the New York Express attest that they are bad
| counsellors. Moderation tempered with firmness
| hes always better effect than rash threats and
| vain attempts to intimidate
| THE RECENT ELECTION IN GEORGIA..
| The Georgia Elections present what must astonisL
foreigner, the spectacle of submission TO the Pee
| ple,-whether or not, this Government, tins Union
shall continue OF, break up The submission to d
People, by the ballot box, OF the question of the very
| existence OF Government is such novelty for Eu
roPean contemplation, that it will be hardly under
stood over sea, even if thoroughly ccmprehended by
our People. 1t is not to be presumed that ali who vo
| ted for Mcdonald against Cobb were practcal Dis
unlonlsts, though Dsunoniss in theory bur is not
to be disguised that if Georgia could be put alongside
OF South Carolina, this Union, as a Government of
consent independent of force, was gone To main
tam Government against such junction. it would
nave been necessary to wage civil war.
The question has been put now twice to the Peope
of Georgia, whether they would summit to the Com.
promise bills or dissolve the Union, and twice now
they have DECIDED upon Acquiescence preferable
Dlsunon: They do not like these bills, il is clear
The admission OF California mo the Union under
practical Wilmot Proviso, to them, went down hard
The putchase as they say with their money of the
slave soil of Texas to make free soil in New Mexico
was disagleeable. The refusal to exempt bv law the
Mexican conquests from the operation of Mexican
antl-savery laws was very Objectionable their eyes
The enactment by statute of Congress against the
slave trade in the District of Columbia is establishing
precedent, they say that may be used for the aboIl
ton of slavery itself there But, for the sake of the
Unlon they acqulesce in and submit to these bills in
the belief that the North will do likewise and cease
their anti-savery expressions upon Southern rights
and Southern property The patriotic people of Geor-
gla have given us this pledge in the election of Howell
Cobb, Democrat, whom the Wings of Georgia have
supported because, speaker of the House of Repre
sentatlves, he lent the influence of his position to the
settlement OF what were the most alarming slavery
issues.
Now that Georgia, in company with Mississippi and
Alabama, have resisted so successfully the Dsunionsts
among them, and 30 periodically sacrificed their prelu-
dices upon the common altar of the Union and their
country, we feel il double duty that the North should
respond, and should be faithful TO the Constitution and
the very letter OF the Compromise Bills. Let us not
t1atter ourselves there Dsunlonists among U.s.
There are none in Georgia Mississippi who admit
themselves TO be Dsunionss. There are no Dsunion-
lists 60 nofnine, any where out of South Carolina. But
that man is Disunlonst call himself what he may,
who panders to sectional excitement administers to
sectional prejudice, or keeps up sectional issues OF
all classes, the most dangerous those who, with
Union on their lips, have Disunon in their hearts The
Northern States are too full OF such men--men who
mock at public pers, deride all who apprehend them,
and who will, even, mark the prediction seize upon
this noble, generous Georgia tribute to show us that
Georgia. even cannot be disturbed in her adherence to
the Union.
III But there are some things in the Georgia election
which should make men otthe North seriously reflect
First, all party lines have been broken down by
absorbing issue. What broke down such powerful
bonds? Howell Cobb has been a very Objectionable
Democrat The Wings balIoted for weeks in Con-
gress before they would consent make him Speaker
The Wings of Georgia, nevertheless, almost mass,
have rushed TO the polls and made him Governor
There was an issue more potent han Wing or Demo
crat, which was, Union Disuuion, and that broke
down all party lines. Second: the soemnity of this
issue should be dwet upon Defeat it was death,
not TO party, but the Government, the Union. Sci.
dom never is there such stake at the ballot box
There awful solemnily in the issue itself.
which lowered above any party contest have ever
had in this country We have often settled at the bal
lot box grave questions of Constitutional construction
and we have made war and made peace by voting
but never before have we debated and voted whether
the Government itself, the Constitution was to exist
makes our heart beat with lvelier pleasure than we
ever tell in an election beIore-N Z. Eepress