The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-17

that the event was not greeted with Wing
shouts Of oxidation from the South, -And
have to say that il Mr. Fillmore, Mr. Webster.
and the Northern Wbigs generally. hid aided
Butler and the American Democracy, with HON
he acted in Congress, to stem the slavery agita-
ton at its origin the country would have es
capped the calamities it has entailed. In speaking
OF opinions, and in settling character it may be
we'll enough to refer occasionally to the record.
The disorders Of the last few years are but the
natural development of causes lying aback to
them. The debates of Congress will show those
causes and the chief actors in them, and history
will know where to fix the responsibility. Now
! do not propose to 60 into this retrospect |
will mention one or two instances for the pur-
pose Of showing where his friend and mine
stood in the past before come down to the
present For more than ten years this country
has been violently distracted by the spirit of
aboli ion Tha! spirit, at first feeble, exhibited
itself chiefly in the form Of petitions and memo
rails to Congress for the abolition Of slavery in
the territories Of the Union, the District of Co
! lnmbia and Of the slave trade between the
States. II was through Congress that the
! Abotionlsts proposed to create strife in the
Union, and it was in Congress that the Demo
cratic party undertook to arrest their march.
Strong efforts were made, chiefly by the Demo
cratic party, to arrest in tho beginning this fatal
agitation.
At the commencement of the twenty sixth
Congress, Mr.. Wise of Virginia submitted a re-
solution that all petitions, memorials, and reso.
lutions for the abolition of slavery or the slave
trade in the States, territories, or districts OF
this Union should be considered as objected TO-
and the question of reception laid upon the Ia
bic without debate Therefore, instantly Mr.
- NJ, V,.slx ,t.J - -
necessary to object TO the resolutions he OBJ
jected. Upon motion to suspend the rules for
its introduction, ! find the name of William o.
Butler recorded in the affirmative and the
names Of Messrs Adams, Gddngs, Fillmore,
etc., ETC., in the negative. Afterwards, sir, at
the same session the famous twenty first rule
was adopted, wholly excluding abolition petit
tons, whether they referred to the States terri
tories, or the district of Columbia Hero again,
the name of Gen. Butler was recorded in the
affirmative, and Adams, Giddings, Fillmore, and
others, and regret to add some Southern
Wings, in the negative. Everybody knows Mr..
Adams instantly commenced system Of agita-
ton for the repeal of that rule During the four
years that General Butler remained in Congress
he uniformly voted against the repea3 while
the flvorte Of the gentleman from Florida, as
uniformly voted for it. The Kentuckian who
is not to be trusted fought steadily against abo-
litionism, and every other anti slaveryism of the
day, yet my friend fcoHl Florida reserves his en-
tire confidence for those who fought on the
other side. MIR. Chairman, one other remins
cence: in the course Of hin speech while speak
ing particularly on the 509ject of slavery, the
gentleman from Florida says 81 will never
give my support to a man whose position is not
definitely and clearly known" This is very
we'll, and am glad to hear it. Further on he
says: 81 have never hesitated to express my
opinion. am in favor of the election Of Mil
lard Fillmore for the President of the United
States" That also is very clear, and by com
bining the two, it follows that the opinions of
Mr.. Fillmore upon the question of slavery, are
definitely and clearly known to tie gentleman
| from Florida Now, sir, it is we'll known to the
public, that MIR. Fillmore, in his famous letter to
tho Erie Aboitionists, "a copy OF which now
hold in my HANDY took ground in favor of the
abolition of slavery in the District Of Columbia,
and OF the slave trade between the States
have never seen any recantation OF these prin-
| ciples--never but from q comparison Of the
positions of the gentleman from Florida, one of
three conclusion must follow-either Mr.. Fill
more has abandoned those principles, or the gen.
ileman from Florida has adopted them, or he
prefers to all others for the Presidency the man
to one of these three, and the gentleman at his
leisure may select between them
Mr. CABELL, of Florida When the gentle
man says to this House that Mr.. Fillmore has
not written, published, or said anything in op.
position to the sentiments of that letter, must
say that he should take his insinuation or charge
OF ignorance to HIMSELF for it is perfectly well
known to US all that the letter in which Mr. Fill
more especially retracted his opinion on the
subject Of the abolition of the slave trade be-
tween the States was published during the last
canvass in all of the papers throughout the
| country And yet the gentleman says he is moi
acquainted with it, One single word more.
| wish the gentleman to understand that my po
sition is this-and my remarks were addressed
| entirely and exclusively to the connexion of Mr.
Fillmore and other candidates for the Presidency
with the compromise bills: | said that would
90 for no man who was not in favor of the final
| ity of this slavery agitation, and believed that
that end could be accomplished by adhering to
those measures. Mr.. Fillmore's position upon
tina. subject was perfectly we'll known, but
| did not know Mr.. Buffers opinion in reference
to il, although am perfectly well aware of his
course while in the Congress of the United
States desire to have the opinions Of cand-
dates for the Presidency in reference to these
| particular measures.
Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE Does the gentle
man consider these particular measures as GOV.
ering the whole question, and is he perfectly re-
CARELESS about the fate Of the institutions of his
section, so that he can get somebody TO agree
to the finality OF the compromise do not
think that this system of measures SAYS one
word about the slave trade between the States
| ask the gentleman if he will prefer Mr.. Fill
more for The Presidency, should he be in favor
| Of the abolition of the slave trade between The
| States.
Mr.. CABELL. Certainly not But Mr. Fill
more is in favor of no such measure, as will ap
pear by reference to his letters to Gov Gale and
to Mr.. Brooks. to which have referred
Mr. BRECKENRIDGE. / am about to aIlude
to that Now, sir, he tells me a fact that did
not know, and plead guilty to the charge of
Ignorance; ; for suppose it to be true-from
the statement of the gentleman from Florida
that Mr. Fillmore published letter retrac.ing