The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-29
Address 10 the wings Of the United States.

second Congress of the United~SLies, address
you under an inporious sense Of duty. Events
have occurred at this capitol within the last
twenty days which are worthy Of your serious
and immediate consideration. They are likely
to affect the future unity of the Wing party, AS
they have already disturbed the harmony of its
members. We desire TO state them accurately,
that you may estimate their tendency and force
correctly. A plain narrative of facts in proper
conuexiop, will accomplish this purpose, and
will serve at the same time, to impart correct
conception Of our own motives and conduct
In the early part of this month, at meeting
of senators, il was determined to invite con.
sultaion between the Wings of the Senate and
House Of Representatives. Who initiated this
movement, or for what purpose, is known from
the following notice, which was published in the
newspapers of this city on the 7th day of April,
! 1852, by direction of Hon. Willie p. Mangum,
of North Carolina
"Thc Wing members Of Congress are re-
quested to meet at the Senate chamber on Fri
day evening next, the 9th inst, at seven o'clock,
to consider of matters of Importance TO the
Wing party.
"Wednesday, April 7, 1852"
At the time and place suggested by the notice,
some sixty eight members of the two Houses
assembled Mr.. Mangum was called to the
chair, and Messrs. Chandler and Dockery were
appointed secretaries. Before any distinct pro-
position was submitted to the consideration of
the meeting, after the statement from the chair,
a motion was made to adjourn to a subsequent
day, that more numerous attendance Of the
Wing members of Congress might be obtained
Remarks were made by several gentlemen indi
! cative of desire to limit the attention of the
meeting to the single object of determining the
time and place for national convention to Sc.
lect Wing candidates for the Presidency and
the Vice Presidency. And it was urged that
the most important results might flow from the
determination Of the time and place for the con.
yenton as each point was calculated to affect
the nomina ion. 1t was then suggested (by Mr.
Marshall, of Kentucky that it was deemed
material the meeting should pass upon another
proposition before proceeding to determine the
time and place for the national conventional
proposition which affected the persons to exer.
else the right of determining the time and place
for holding the convention. He observed that,
at the commencement of this session of Con.
gress, certain gentlemen had retired from
meeting OF Wing representatives because that
meeting refused TO lay on the table resolution
endorsing the position of the present admins
tration upon the series of measures known as
the compromise measures"-that some of the
same persons had, during the session, publicly
assaed the said resolution as an Untrue express
sion Of Wing sentiment in regard to those meas
ures-and that these persons were present now,
to assist in determining the time aud place for
the Wing national convention. Considering
the position Of the administration on this class
of questions, the condition of political parties,
and the fact that by some, the resolution re.
ferrtd TO was deemed cardinal as n principle it
was thought by many TO be the proper course
to restaie, in the meeting of the Wing members
of the two Houses, the position which the Wings
in Congress hold on the compromise measures,
before proceeding TO the steps preparatory for a
convention of the Wing party. He then re-
marked that, before the time and place for hold
! ing the national convention were determined, he
designed to submit a resolution to the meeting
embodying the principle proclaimed by the Wing
Congressional caucus of December last; and he
hoped all present, to participate in the proceed
! ngs. would agree TO the same.
This view was met by the argument, from
one quarter, that the Wing members of Con.
gress were only authorized to fix the time and
! place for the national conventions; and therefore
any resolution TO test political opinion was
beyond their province TO consider in The meeting
In another quarter il was argued that the at
tempt to harmonize the opinions Of Wings on
/ the compromise mcaapres their effect, or upon
the questions springing from the institution Of
slavery, was useless that the proper course
was to agree 10 disagree" where radical differ.
ences were known to exist and that true policy
required all TO abstain from an effort 10 engraft
new principles upon the long established creed
Of the party, leaving every section to think and
| 10 act at will where a common platform was in
accessible.
The debate was participated in by severn
! gentlemen. and we only seek TO state the points
Of il. The chairman remarked that, before sub
hitting the question of. adjournment he fell
bound 20 say that, should the resolution indi
Gated by the member from Kentucky be Offered
at the next meeting, the chair would refuse e
entertain il, and should decide it to be out OF
order This statement the chairman made il
advance, that gentlemen dissatisfied with On,
view entertained by the chair might proceed {,
select some one else TO preside.
Tho annuncation Of rercgone determine
ton by the chairman 60 limit the subjects I,
which attention might be directed in a meeiinl
convened under general notice TO consult oi
matters Of importance 10 the Wing party, ant
4 this refusal, in advance, 10 consider a poica
proposition which is, in the opinion Of many
vital 10 the Union, and essential 10 the iniegrit
Of the Wing party, at once invested the fulur
action Of this Congressional consultation wit
IN interest and importance that had not there
tofore attached 90 IT, The assumption OF ih
chair was met by instant remonstrance. Tb
right 10 present the resolution was pressed nov
AZ point of principle, and notice was give
that at the next meeting it would be insiste
upon. On this issue, the meeting was adjourne,
to the Goth day Of April.
At the appointed hour, on the evening Of th
goth Of April, the Hon. w. p. Mangum cale
the meeting TO order. SO soon a. the jouma
was read, Hon. Edward Stanly, Of North Caro-
lima, offered the following resolution:
f" Resolred, That il be recommended TO hol,
the Wing national convention in the city 0
| Baltimore, in the State Of Maryland, on Wed
nesday, the 10Th day Of June next, for the pur
pose Of nominating candidates for Preaident AM
Vice.President Of the United States"
Mr. Marshall, Of Kentucky, Immediately pre-
scented the resolution Of which notice had beei
given at the former meeting and asked that ]
might be adopted rs a substitute for the propo
4 Al. N.-sl