Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-03-17
THE RICHMOND TIMES.
a. SEE FIRST PAGE.
Democrats and the. Compromise.

Democrats and the Compromise.
The Southern Press takes Gov Cobb, of |
Georgia, to task, for saying that the Compromise
measures of the last Congress were adopted in |
accordance with Democratic principles The
Press reviews the history of the Compromise
both in and out of Congress, with the view of
showing that it is not q Democratic measure
The bill admitting California into the Union, |
according to the Press passed the Senate by a
vote of "a to Is, majority of those voting in the
affirmative being Wings and majority of
those voting in the negative being Democrats.
In the House of Representatives, there were
$50 votes given in favor of the same measure,
The Texas Boundary and New Mexico bill
passed the Senate by a vote of 80 to 20. Of
the majority, precisely one-half were Wings,
whilst of those voting in the negative majority
were Democrats. The vote on this measure in
the House was as follows: yeas-58 Demo-
Gratis, 40 Wings; noes-46 Democrats, 81
Wings. Showing slight Democratic prepon-
derance in favor of the measure. In regard to
the abolition of the slave trade in the District of
Columbia. As Democrats voted in the affirma-
tive, and 81 in the negative. The Press ad-
mits that the fugitive slave law received a ma
jority of the Democratic vote North and South.
This measure, and that relating to the Texas
boundary, are therefore the only features of the
Compromise that received the sanction of the
Democratic party in the last Congress. As to
the manner in which the Compromise was re-
ceived by the Wings and Democrats of the
country, the Press speaks in the following IRON
ical vein;
"This great Democratic scheme of principles
was originally proposed to the Senate by that
great leader of Democracy, Henry Clay, in pur-
suance of resolutions and a speech previously
delivered by him in that body, and when it went
to Georgia it was sustained by the eloquent la
bors of those two eminent Democrats, Messrs.
Stephens and Toombs in conjunction with the
present Governor, and by the aid of all the
Wing papers in the State, except two and four
fifths of the Wing party, against the opposition
of all the Democratic papers, except one, and
the mass of the Democratic party. A similar
state of things arose in Mississippi and in Ala
bama In South Carolina-all Democratic
this great Democratic achievement was unani-
mously denounced and Democratic Virginia re-
elected to Congress, every candidate who had
opposed it. And after all this, governor of
Southern State, goes to the Sachems,
and Sagamores, and Braves of the Tam
many wigwam and tells them, as if they had
been out on scalping expedition all this time,
and had not SEEM or couldn't read the papers,
that the Compromise is great Democratic ex-
plot of constitutional principle And all this
Is done for the protuberant purpose, not only of
getting admission into the Baltimore convention
for the governor and his party, without those
regular credentials from the Democracy of his
own State which they can never obtain, but also
TO make platform, to exclude the mass of the
party in large number of Southern States, in
Guiding Virginia"
The organ of the Southern Rights Democracy
might have gone further and told how the Dem
cratic Congressional caucus laid Major Folks
Compromise resolutions on the shelf at the COM
mencement OF the present session of Congress. |
This unceremonious disposition of the aforesaid
resolutions, certainly did not look as if the De-
mocraey We're disposed at that time, to acknow-
ledge the paternity of the compromise measures
That they cannot rightfully claim the authorship |
of that great plan OF pacication the facts stated
by the Press clearly demonstrated. But even if |
the adjustment had been carried through Con-
gress mainly by Democratic votes it could not
now be claimed a Democratic measure. By |
their course on the occasion to which we have |
referred, the Democracy virtually disowned and |
renowned it, and that too, the most critical pc
riod of its existence.
Very different was the course of the Wing |
party in Congress. Their first step on assem-
bling at the federal metropolis, was to adopt |
resolution decaratory of their appreciation of
the adjustment. and avowing their determination
to adhere to it as final settlement, in principle
and substance, of the dangerous and exciting
questions which it embraces. In other words
they planted themselves distinctly and firmly ON
the policy indicated by President Fillmore, in
his message of 1850, and reaffirmed by him in
1851.
We do not claim the Compromise as purely
Wing measure. We know that although origi |
mated by leading Wing statesman, it was car |
ried through Congress by the joint efforts of
the moderate and patriotic men of both parties.
But we do contend that since its adoption, the
higs have proven themselves its truest friends
ana supporters. whilst the course of the De-
mocracy as party has been all that its worst
enemies could desire. This great measure has
acquired strong hold in the affections of the
nation and Is every day growing in popular IA
vor, and for this fortunate condition of t;nas IRA
are in our judgment mainly indebted tn the firm
aud patriotic position assumed by the n,essnt