The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-26

THE TWO PLATFORMS.

AOuUw VI OCIdRb 0uu muSaA6ss
No. 81.
THE TWO PLATFORMS.
The South, it is said, has gained great trl.
umph in the two conventions at Baltimore, both
of which have adopted the fnality OF the CON-
promise. cannot help, however, surmlslng
that, though the parties concerned, apparently
har monte so perfectly in this matter, they do
not so well agree in their Interpretation of what
is meant by this fnality. The Southern wing
of both parties, presume understand by fnal-
ty, not merely that the measures of the compro
mise including the fugitive slave law,are not in
future to be evaded, agtatsd, altered, or rescind-
ed, but that they are to be considered the end
the ne plus ultra of Northern pretensons in all
future time. They certainly do not insist on
the fnality of that measure, because they ap-
prove them--for scarcely one man Of either of
these Southern parties had gouo beyond "acqui-
escence," which is very different thing from
approval; but because they hope and expect
that this will be the last, the final, attempt to
NEEDLE with their institutions, disturb their do
mestic quiet, endanger their lives and property,
and deprive them Of their just share of the pub
lie domain. 1t is these considerations which
have rendered them 30 solicitous for the fnali-
ty of the compromise. IL ia not an approval OF
the past, but desire to provide against the iu,
ture, which has produced that otherwise strange
and unaccountabe zeal for the fnaty of mea-
surcs which they met in the first instance with
such a burst of Indignation. and which, with the
single exception Of the fugitive slave law,
do not believs single Southern man in his
heart approves at this moment.
On the other hand, among large portion OF
the Democracy of the North, and still greater
proportion Of the Wings, the finality ofthe com.
promise means nothing more than that the
South 10 understood to pledge itself to subms.
sion to what has been done. 1t does not mean
that nothing further shall be attempted by the
North, or that no more sacrifices shall be re-
CURED from the South still less does it mean
that the doctrine insisted on by Mr.. Webster
and all the Freesoilers, that no State recognize
ing slavery shall in future be admitted into the
Union, shall be abandoned but amounts to an
assertion of the principle on one hand, and re.
cognition on the other.
With these opposite interpretations Of the
finality of the compromise, the present appa-
rcnty harmonious cooperation of all parties in
its assertion so far from settling the great ques.
tons which have agtated the country for some
time past, seems to me only prelude to their
future and more violent agitation. II may pro-
duce a delusive harmony during the tendency
of the Presidential election, and this is all that
can be nationally anticipated. 1t is uncomfortable
that the Democratic Freesoilers should have all
at once acquiesced in the nomination of General
Pierce based on the endorsement of the Anality
of the compromise as it is understood at the
South, except merely for the purpose of securing
the triumph of the Democratic party in the pre-.
sent election That this is their sole object,
and that their acquiescence is merely temporary,
appears sufficiently clear from the declaration of
the gentleman who represented the Democratic
Freesoilers of the State of New York, at the
late ratification meeting" in the Emporium,
that A." he was prepared to stand on the platform
laid down at Baltimore that he most unquali-
fiedly approved Of that platform-for this elec-
ton-and would faithfully, and cordially stand
upon it," Only for" THIS ELECTION" no longer
Should this gentleman, when the election ia
over, take his stand once more on the Buffalo
platform, no one will have right to say that be
has violated his pledge.
From the Freesoilers let us turn to their twin
brothers, the Abolitionists, who everybody
knows are at the bottom of all these sectional
dissentions, and have the power to perpetuate
them at pleasure by their own zeal and numbers
aided by British money, British influence, anc
their union with foreign abolition societies, will
whom they are associated in the conspiracy
against the peace and prosperity of the Union
These fanatical incendiaries are more rabid thar
ever. Instead of being queled or silenced by
the two declarations of the finality of the com
promise, they are only reused to new efforts
and it remains to be seen whether in conjunc
ton with the many recruits they will probably
receive from the disappointed and discontinued
of both parties, they may not rally sufficient
force to prevent the nominee Of either of the
Baltimore conventions from receiving njority
of the votes of the people. The choice must
then devolve on Congress, and, it will then be
seen who is, and who is not in favor of the
finality of the compromise. For the next few
months, the winds may be ulled but the storm
| fear is not yet past. Ii the South has any
pilots, they should not sleep at the helm. If
has eyes to see, ears to hear, it must compre
bend that there never was time which was
more necessary to be wary watchful, and jeal
Gus. The people Of the South may think they
have gained great victory, but to me it seems
they have only obtained suspension of hostl
ties for a few months-by surrendering every
thing but law which affords them neither sc
curity from plumber, nor the means for its re