The daily union., 1852-04-08

member OF the House OF Representatives, and voted or
Mr. Wises resolution. which was similar IN IT'S pfovs-
ions TO that oil Mr., Patton, and which afterwards became
the 2st rule. This rule the law OF the House for
period o SIX years, IL my memory serves me correctly
and during that whole time public business obsrucl
ed IN Congress, and this House kept in upoar oil
excitement BY struggle between northern and southern
membersthose OF the North eontending that the const
tutional right OF petition nulfed by the rule.
and therefore demanding its repealhose Of the South
insisting that the maintenance oi the rule excluding abo
on petitions essential to the safety OF that peculiar
institution oi theirs which constantly and vehe
menlly assailed by the fanatics of the North. This
fexcitemsnt-ths uproarcontinued until the session of
Congress Immediately succeeding the election Of James
A. Polk % the presidency, when the 2is rule was re-
peaed This Honse will bear me wiiness--the whole
country knows-ihe honorable gentlemen from Kentucky
/ Mr. BREcKINRIDoEl must himself admt--hat with the
repeal Of that rule excitement and have ceased
upon this hoor on the subject OF abolition petitions The
democratic party was in majority when i was repealed
the e0ccee&ng Congress largely democratic, but did
not restore the rule. There is overwhelming demo-
cratic majority in this House nowabOlitlon petitions are
Fscsved and referred without debate and without cre
atDg the slightest excitement in the House. In view OF
such facts as these think can claim, from the candor
OF the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr.. BREcKINRIDGE1 ]
the admission that the patriotism and wisdom OF Mr.. Fill
mores votes the subject referred 10 stand vndcated
| The mputation OF The gentleman from Kentucky that
Mr.. Fillmore was free soler, is idea In the
presidential canvass II was advanced upon every stump
IN Tennessee Then we were told that should we vote
for General Taylor and he should be elected and die be-
fore The expiration OF his term OF Office. we should fall
into the arms OF the abolition party because by that event
Mr.. Fillmore would accede to the presidency. The
southern people told everywhere that their interests
would be unsafe in The hands Of such an abotionst
| How stands Milard Fimore's presidential record !
How stands this prediction OF the democratic payl Will
the honorable gentleman from Kentucky--will any
did manperss in repeating the mpuations made against
him during the last presidential canvass In the prov-
dence Of God General Taylor did die. Millard Fillmore
acceded to the presidency In addressing such
dence as this need not attempt to describe the state OF
the country when this event ranaplred Congress had
been IN session more than seven MONTHS making
cessfu efforts TO adjust the difficulties growing out of the
MN ndnnlr nf folo war
into the Territories which had been acquired by conquest
from Mexico. The North insisted upon prohibiting the
introduction OF slavery into those Territories by
gressional enactment; the South vehementy claimed
the right to participate equally with the North in the ad
vantage OF that conquest and TO the institution Of
slavery into that territory. The contest between the
two sections OF this Unon up to the time referred 10,
had defeated every attempt to extend the laws and urs
dclion OF this government over the country referred to-
Dscarding all narrow and selfish motives OF action,
loyal to the obligations OF patriotism, against the pas
sons and preudices OF that section OF the country in
which he lived he unhestatngly welded all the iniu
ences which legitimately attached TO the high station
which he occupied in favor those measures then pend
ing before Congress, known as the compromise meas
and thus secured their enactment INTO ascs. For the
value of those need but refer 10 the we'll known
opinions and hopes of the wisest and best of all parties
in every section OF the country Defyng the caumnes
and aspersions OF southern sunoDists and northern abb
oonlsls-faithu TO the whole countryside President
has steadily and firmly insisted that the measures re-
ferred to should be regarded ds final settlement, in
principle and substance Of the dangerous and ereing
subjects schch they embrace" Thus, by his official acts
he has indicated himself from the mputatons made
against him while candidate for the vice presidency
and repeated against him this debate by the honorable
gentleman from Kentucky. He makes new appeal 10
the fears OF the South upon this subject Mr. Chairman
let me tell the gentleman that such abolition as has been
developed in the official OF the present President
of the United States does not excite the fears ankle
ties OF the South All the people of that section would
be happy to know that there other kinds OF abo
| litionists in the countTy
Thus, as believe, having "vndica,ed the truth OF his
tory" propose notice briefly reckless assertion
| OF the gentleman from Maine, MIR. APPLEToN,l who,
in written studied, and well digested Speech expressly
gives his opinion that il democrat had been elected
President OF the United States in l84s, the compro.
measures OF the last session would not have been
necessary Does not that gentleman know that by that
countrys hstoryi II were disposed follow the bad
examples which have been set me, while struggling
am, for the perpetuy and preservation OF my country
and its institutions, would begin with the question OF
anDexing Texas the Mexican war; the acquisition
OF Mexican territory and rapidly down the point OF
time at which the compromise measures were adopted,
and prove that the democratic party warned at every
step IN the progress OF those that the policy
pursued by that party would inevitably produce the
sequences which the gentleman from Maine says would
not have been produced had democrat instead OF a
whg been elected President OF the United States will
not however upon such question, and on such an oc
cason, indulge in party criminaons II will not, how
ever be violation OF this purpose 10 refer TO the we'll
known fact that when the treaty of peace conclu
ded with Mexico. democratic administration was in
power James X. Polk President OF the United
States; and against all the influence which he could
WELD, the Wimot provso, excluding slavery from the
territory acquired by that treaty, 0eatedy passed the
House. receiving almost the unanimous vote OF the rep
resenatives from the North, of both parties Every
motive whether selfish patriotic, that be presumed
TO influence the conduct OF a man combined 10 inspire
President Polk with the strongest desire TO settle and ad
just before the expiration OF his presidential term, the
national difficulties which had grown out OF the acquisi
ton OF territory made by the successful termination of
the war with Mexico Bills having this object in view
had been introduced in the Senate and in this House,
and supported by all the influence which the President
could WELD, had failed repeatedly. In view OF these
unquestlonabe historic truths, how the honorable
gentleman from Maine Mr.. APPLErosl unbusbingy
declare, that il democrat had been elected President in
ls4s the dangers and difficulties sought be remedied by
the compromise measures would never have arisen
MIR. Chairman, my friend from Georgia [Mr CHAs.
TAIN. following the bad example OF my friend from Ken
lucky, in speech delivered time since claims the
adjustment of the last Congress OF the United
States a democratic achievement and gives a faint
and damning praise to the good wings who came up and
helped them to do the noble work.
My friend from Georgia not member OF the last
Congress, which fact 10 extent, him for
The position that he assumed. Had he Witnessed
did, day after day, week after week, and month after
month, the combined efforts of Lewis Cass and Henry
good and true, of both political parties aborng to
the country from conflict Of arms IL not IRON dlssolu
hon. he would not have made that assertion Had he
been here and your present Speaker and members OF
this House, wings and democrats acting IN like manner
anxious, above all things 10 adjust the difficulties
ing of the acquisition OF Mexican terrtoryhe would
have witnessed and acknowledged the proud and crafty
ing fact that the passage OF the compromise
was n triumph OF patriotism party.
II could trnthfuly claim these great measures as
purely party achievement-a whg acbevement-I would
trufh forn