Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-10-01
,,r. stephens speech.

;nst. the A II Stephens the leading
On The ~ tnr of Congress from Georgia. made a
Vhg mei WAGON of which the following is an ex-
mech a. from the report of the Journal and Mes
aaet taken w.
songer ELECTION to General Scott the Wing nominee.
HIS SsoTded upon the reason OF his nomination, up
vas tOnh' IF his nomination under the circumstan-
ID lhe la0' ,rhich it was effected With regard to
ces undo. nersonal opinion upon the Compromise,
Cen c.d that he had very little if any His opin
he beltr had any, were shaped and controlled by
ions feelings, and principally by his desire to be
srOnssSi PRESIDENT A Compromise platform was
ecceu, bv the Convention which nominated him.
adopeGi ~ men in that Convention voted against that
SiEH" Bat Mr.. Stephens regarded the records
platte .ss better evidence of the views of the par
Of 1.h nominated Gen. Scott, than the action of
y EnIo.sronsble nominating Convention. In Con-
40 Ti ISaro was not single Scott man from the
gress IN "a vor of the execution of the fugitive slave
NOFp Wiling to regard the Compromise as a final
Jaw, u ont of The questions il embraced. Every
eH,or and Fillmore man. the contrary, either
WeGI FIR il. or was willing to acquiesce in it as
7oS' of the Plan of Adjustment.
Tlase facts show the tone and temper of the Par
l'h;ch nominated Gen. Scott He received the
.;nation because he was not committed against
anortv Cen Scott's opinions upon the ComprO-
tnS never were known in Washington City, before
Ehsr the passage of the Compromise. When in
""rlv mart of 1851 the Union representatives of
w .r;a with others from the North and the South,
Cnod hat has been called the Union Safety Pledge.
u declared that they would support no man for that
t:sb office who did not regard the Compromise as a
ssrty or who was in favor of the repeal of the flu
Dl: ;ro Slave law. or any amendment of it which
Md impair its efficiency no expression OF opinion
asd he obtained from General Scott MIR. Fillmore
n MIR " ebster were known to be IN favor OF lt
~ hat time il was not known which would be IN the
A. .ror the COMPROMISE or the anti Compromise
49, and Gen. Scott was silent upon the whole
subject. 80 4ho
D.nn svIrania Convention for the Presidency. which
Undated the fugitive slave in express terms. Gov
1o5nston was nominated by the same Convention fo
election who put in his pocket the bill OF the
1sgsature repeating the law of PennsylN Ania, BY
Itch the tails of that State were diSallOwed the
Soatb for the confinement of fugitive slaves
Cen Scott did not dsapprove the Pennsylvania Plat
S,rn and Gov. Johnston caRvassed the Stale, urg
N, the repeal of the fugitive slave law, and with
Cen Scott as his candidate for the Presidency
Trton in Ohio, canvassed his State upon the same
nIatform-the repeal of the fugitive slave law will
len Scott by his silence upon the Compromise
lend himself to party in Congress. in Pennsyl Iva
MA in Ohio, and throughout the North, organized il
onrositiun to the Compromise.
And this party went to Baltimore, demanding
victim. determined to sacrifice Webster and Fill
more and to do it with Gen. Scott. Since his nnmi
nation, Gen. Scott, it is said, has unequivocaly en-
dmsed the Compromise; and letter from him t
Mr. Clay, and his speech to the Mississippi deIega
ton. are quoted as evidence Of the fact. With re
card to these documents, Mr.. Stephens said he coul
not deny their authenticity, but he doubted it. Tn
letter came from an anonymous correspondent of
newspaper in Tennessee; and the speech from
gentleman in Mississippi MIR. Stephens could onl
say. that in Washington City nothing known
the letter or Of the speech. and that if Gen. SEQ
was in favor of the Compromise, he might preser
his opinions himself to the Southern people, an
not leave them to find their way to the light fron
unknown or irreponssihIe sources.