The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-03


free consent. ~, psi,skusl principles are net
established BY si'~ ~sll % hAs VI = Nsi4onxl
convention, 90 amp other scr 81 cosvsn-
ton, bF y ppfty 90 a.y eel ~ msn Nv
principles ~ action s~suis Doe, usy ows r~Ass-
ton. and ass The fe~ppn.es 81 yy osn unbiased
Judgment The Wig sprmbess Of conss.s.
acre cAliea upon 80 esiernlns tine ssus s.d
place for holding the Natlors eonvensson, la
our editors. our 0srresp'cdsni., ant oar party"
says my colleague. and he eaaevs sAs called 90
sesPond 10 tbls Customary dsty." The call for
that meeting says no s8ch taing. Tasss b. 40
lniimsslon Of any snea ilm'iatseH ypaa st* ob.
Ieess. u was expressly patlished, Tat ~~ ws.~
10 meet TO consider o. matters Of imp .rssncs
70 The Wing parry and shi. wss shs crssaic
Law OF the eascus. The chairman pa..esS.d no
power to iimii the consideration Of inc n.ess.g
to such subjects az he nsigAs choose The charge
OF " naked usorpasi,n 81 power i.s. at bis o~a
door aud not al that fine banhls lad.s aal /. No
offered the resolution Ia qaeAioa.
when the Wing me heFs q Congress met
in Washington cIty,io De<casosr, that very ,s~o.
luton was offered, which, al lhs meeting Of s,.r
9th of April, | indicated an Intention 10 a.,
again What right had Wig members Of Coo.
gress thea To reqare an sf'irmstis. rsspon~s 4,
that resolution A. preliminary stsp 20 ,h,,,
associated action, rs Whig~, 10 HE Legislation Of
Congressi Their powers as r,cmb Is III Coz
gress were limited by the C5nst,asion. their
political association, by the Implied iastsucslon~
OF those who cent them here, ~ their express.
pledges aud their duties were PLATA aud snfors.,
BILE under their oaths Of Office. Why did ,hsy
then go into clucas, and undertake TO pas. a
resolution which was not binding on the parry.
and coulf not bind the people. OF any part shers-
of! My colleague says, because so .ess. AZ
al Tor
members of Congress-" What, sr! could we
establish power, or prescribe duties. ar al tate.
votes on any subject, by the result Of The can.
Gus! No! We could determine what We Re-
gard as principle, on which we shorii assori
ate, politically, as members Of the same rol.,l
cal organization; and this much claim We ha.,
the same right 20 do in The caacu. Of The OH Of
April, or the caucus Of the 20lh Of April, whether
we met with or without a limitation uDon the
objects for which we had assembled. Nv en-
league, however begs the whole question In bls
speech for he says:
Had The honorable gentleman Offered reso.
luton of reimbursement, before or after Mr.
SrANLY's, and not as an amendment thereto, 1
would have voted for IL; for thought the mem.
bers of that caucus might consider and adopt
such resolution rs expressive Of their o.rn
views, and without any reference to the national
convention"
Without arguing the power or rights of
Caucus any further, reply, that had tho genie-
man looked at my resolution as it was offered.
he would have seen that it only pro fesses to ex.
press sour OWE views" AMI without in the slight.
est manner attempting to refer to the determ-
nations OF the national convention, except 80 far
as to Indicate how far our own views will
bind us to the result. If, as members of Con.
gress and gentlemen, We could not pass the resi-
luton offered rs expressive ofour own views"
how can the delegates to national convention
pass resolutions expressive Of their views?"
Why may not some Mr. Mangum, in the chair OF
that convention, tell those delegates that II is
against The usage of the Wing party to adopt "a
platform of principles, and that precedent estab
fishes the parliamentary lap which merely re-
qulres the candidate nominated to write letter
stating has pie'os and purposes, 1t is said.
"Coming events cast their shadows before"
and God knows how long it may be before we
shall have the precedent of the Goth of April
pleaded upon more extended and more popu
lar theat'e Al.eady the idea has been advanced
that there will be propriety, necessity, or piu
dence, in passing resolution indorsing the
hnality of the compromise" through the Wing
National Convention as part of the Wing plat
form.
How easy the transition from such position
to the ruling of a resolution to be out of order
which establishes the supposed platform, as be-
ing against usage, and the objects for which the
national convention assemblies What do the
delegates assemble to perform? To select cam
ddates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency.
Why may not the President of the IL stional con-
venton declare that this is the only object for
which they have met, and that the people will
hear the nominee, and judge of his principles at
their own. homes or at the ballotbox! Will il
be replied, the delegates assemble to consider
all matters of Importance to the welfare of the
party! ! say, so were we called for the same
express purpose on the 9th of April, and yet
our chairman declared his determination to limit
the consideration of the meeting to the mer,
duty of fixing time and place for holding a
national convention, and refused the privilege
OF" expressing our own views" as to the ex-
tent to which we proposed to commit ourselves
by that act, or the basis which we were will
ing to act for the purpose with others And my
colleague stands here to endorse the doctrine of
that chairman; and free press, unmindful of
the principles such a precedent involves, pro-
nounces condemnation upon me, and asperses
my motives for resisting it | have had no mo-
tive but to assert a principle, which | soemnly
assert that do believe is closely nav. insepar.
ably, identified this day with the Union of these
States and the common welfare of my country.
men. If the future shall exhibit the fatal con.
sequences to flow from failure to engrave that
principle now on the administration of public
affairs, and to require the popular favorite for
Presidential honors not only to avow it any,
where and everywhere, but to yield to its main
tenance and acceptance by the old and the young,
the in1uence--the frel bold, earnest influence
of his standing and position then though it
may be too late for beneficial purposes, or 10
arrest the wreck of national fortune. and the
overthrow of our federal institutions. | at least
shall be able to say to the ghost of this gIoriou,
Union
"Thou canst not say did it never shake
Thy CORY locks at me.''
My colleague says however, that he woul
have voted for my resolution had it been offered
before or after Mr. STANLY's-but not as an
amendment or substitute, for in that view IL scns
om Of order : Why! Did parliamentarian ever