The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-18

treasury upon a somewhat unscrupulous parti
Fan paper of the opposite party, and thus giving
it the means of rendering itself more mischiev.
ous.
] have before said, and repeat it, that if the
contract system was not in existence, and the
question before us was the election of printer
| know no reason why Donelson & Armstrong
should not receive my cordial support. But il
expressing this preference for those gentlemen
| do it not solely and exclusively because they
support the compromise, though that has its
weight, but because they are Democrats, and
editors of Democratic paper in this city--the
"organ," II you please so TO call it, They are
opposed, and very properly, to secession, or
they could receive no support from me for any
position; but they are not understood 10 be
opposed to the proper and legal exercise of re-
served State rights. Hence reasonable State.
Rights men can, and the contract law out of the
way, doubtless would, support them. The
defense Of State rights, 10 the extent of pre-
venting encroaehments upon them by the gene
raj government (Which it has constant tenden-
~ TO make) is the duty Of every editor, and still
more, OF every representative. Ii recreant to
that duty, they are unfit to be clothed with any
trust Much as ] revere the Union of the
States" ii thought the power of the Union
was used, regardless of the Constitution, in a
manner destructive of the rights and interests
OF any State, would resist but The resistance
should be first under The Constitution--shoud
consist in IN appeal to the Judiciary, the United
States Supreme Court, the last peaceful arbiter
III disputes among the States, and between the
States and general government Ifthe decision
or that court was adverse TO me and mine, it
would be quietly submitted to; but if in our
favor, and dsregarded, or upon some pretext
eVaded by the general government, and it's OPP
preston continued, so help mc Heaven, would
advocate forcible rcsistance-for that would
tneh become duty both to State and general
government. Sill ,,s,
lfSouthern sccessonsts had sought II legal
q constitutional remedy for their real or imsgit
nary grievances, no one would have gainsayed,
thSlr right so to do, or oppose their effort; but
their error was, in advocating as n FIRST remedy,
and the only one to which they were willing TO
resort, ono outside Of the law and the Constitt.
ton. No one can class me with either the
Northern or Southern extremes in sectional SEN
timent. am, like most Of the great West, of
and with the nation rs q whOle--not with the
sectional North or South. neither opposed
all the compromise measures, because they were
not as favorable to the North as could have been
wished and thus took rank with the Freesoilers :;
nor do denounce such as were favorable TO
The North, because Of their imagined encroach-
ments upon the South, and thus act with their
Southern opponents. | voted for most of them
and readily acquiesce in all not because think
all OF them are right-and not so thinking no
motive shall induce me to say so--bnt because
whatever OF evil the measures contain sink into
nsignfcsnce, when compared with the greater
evils which we may reasonably expect to result
from reopening and Regulating them. For the
votes which ! did give, have no whining re-
grets-such as we have heard expressed for a
dodge on the Fugitive slave law | then es.
teemed those votes right; and have subsequently,
discovered no reason to change my opinion.
Under tie same circumstances, the same votes
would doubtless be given again. MY negative
vote upon the passage of the fugitive slave
law, was u vote, not against executing the pro.
visions OF the Constitution requiring the delivery
offugitives, but against bill containing features
which esteemed unnecessarily harsh--features
indicative, as have elsewhere said, rather of
angry than Of enlightened legislation. But the
previous question having been sustained. no Cd.
portunity was permitted of Directing to any Of
its features, or proposing amendments, and the
only other means left of dissenting from any of
The bull, was negative vote against the whole
of 1t. There is a wide difference between ex.
PiNooihS oplniOIs uuNtIst W measure, or seek
ing to amend it while pending, or opposing il
on its passage because of ohjectinnahla features.
and continuing that opposition after it has be-
come law. The former is a right to be exer-
cised by every independent representative-,he
latter is incompatible with the duty of a good
citizen. The compromise has passed, and the
measures composing II are, il is 10 be hoped
settled; and no person has right % 90 back 10
the period OF its passage, and attempt 10 make
a vote for or against il the exclusive test of De-
mocracy. And such attempt, whenever made
and by whomsoeyer, will prove Notifying
failure.
While saying THE, however, must be per
mtted further to say that il is the duty Of every
good citizen to acquiesce in all provisions Of the
Constitution and observe in good faith all laws
necessary to enforce them, although those laws
may contain provisions which he objects to hay.
ing embodied in them; and especially Is this his
duty when evils greater than the laws contain
are likely 10 result from his refusal 10 observe
them. And believing all Democrats TO be good
citizens, and notification Of law, or of n con.
stitutiona provision, no part Of the Democratic
creed, | therefore believe il right and highly
proper for the party, a. SUCH TO ayow their nc.
quesence in all tie provisions Of the Constitu.
ton, and their observance, in good faith, in all
laws HeCtsNUl 10 enforce the prOVlslOns, ma
10 place that avowal upon record, that the coun.
try may see and know their position, TO con.
denim or sustain IL, az the majority may deem
proper. have, therefore, acted with those who
sustain the compromise, ard shall continue 20 10
do; but il is not hence to be inferred that
wish on the one hand 10 denounce or punish
those who opposed it, but violated no law in
such opposition, or on the other TO myself vic.
late law, as is proposed by the committee in
this printing matter, for the purpose Of re,card.
ing those who sustain IL.
INSTANTLY. I rise to point Of order, that
i is not competent for the gentlemen 10 discuss
the compromise measures in connection with this
subject
Mr.. FITCH. Tbccompromise has been con.
nected often with the printing by others in the
previous debate have followed their example.
though, perhaps, IL was erroneous in it, inception
But the gentleman makes his point cf order too
late, for have no more TO say upon the subject
| Of the compromise
Mr. SrANLY. All want il fair play.
want the same privilege extended 10 Others rs
| to the gentleman from Indiana