Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-05-07


institution Of slavery it is recognized by the Con-
stitution, the fugitive slave law and the hnailfy
Of the Compromises to open willingly the sources
of the most noxious agitation, and to reveal the
means of assaing anew the harmony, and may hap
the existence Of the Union Have the dissensions OF
the past nculcated no moral Shall the progress
and peace of the future be married by the renewed
efforts of o fanatc;sm which halts at no barrier
erected by moral power and exultingy proclaims its
obedience only to power higher than human law
Shall the ties that link the various parts of noble
country together yield to the force of demagogue-
ism which wears the mask OF liberty only to perpe-
trate crime or that it may, with comparative mpu-
nty excite passion, to reward ultimately desire
for selfaggrandizement? Will the Wing party,
der ersting circumstances shroud honest convictions
of public duty in silence that candidate for the
proudest honor of earth may have his opinions inter-
preted variously to suit the changing prejudces
prepossessions of particular ATTITUDES? Fellow
Wings! such policy will not-should not succeed.
1t is unworthy of great party whose sentiments
conservative. and whose aim is the prosperity and
happiness of the people Its tendency is to reduce
the Wing party to mere heterogeneous compound
of dscordant sectional factions the ballotbox to
receptacle for votes obtained by fraud upon or
other of the sections of the United States and the
Presidential election to trial of chicanery and dis
stimulation among political mountebanks. We do
not seek to make an injurious ascrpton of motive to
any man or association of men; but we repudiate
and refuse, for part now and hereafter, 20 lend
our support to any candidate whose principles are
not plainly Defined or to join in any crusade against
popular rights, the honesty of politics. the pal pa
BILE interest of the country for the purpose of achiev
ing temporary political triumph.
But to return. What was the ingredient in Gen.
| trys amendment that induced the Chairman to
rule it out of order =? The only aim of the amend
ment was to exclude a conclusion. 1t framed
distinctly with view to absolve the Wing men,
bers present from implied pledge to support the
nominees of the National Convention unless those
nominees shall be publicly and unequivocally
pledged to regard the series of measures known
as the Compromise measures as final settlement of
the dangerous questions they embraced and to main
tain them inviolate." What inference can be
drawn from the refusal to grant this exemption
but that the determination existed to commit all
who participated in the meeting to the support of
the nominees of the National Convention wheth-
err he shall be pledged to support the Compro-
mise not Some of the undersigned are
bound by our solemn public declaration, made in
1850, that We will support for Office unless
he is known, unequivocaly and beyond controversy
to be determined to maintain, support and execute
the laws known as the Compromise measures-Fug-
tive Slave law and all. We shall religously redeem
our word. We felt after the defeat of Gentry's
amendment, that silence acquescence, under the
circumstances, would commit to an inconsistency
and justly awaken suspicion of our sincerity. Re-
garding the vote on Gentrys amendment as the en-
phatic declaration by the meeting either that the
persons present remained uncommitted as to their
own support of the Adjustment measures or that
they refused to establish any such test of the quail
fcation of the nominee of the National Convention
no cour remained, consistent with our conviction
of duty and sense of selfrespect, but to withdraw
formally from the meeting and to retain the position
we designed to retain.
1t has been charged that it is our deliberate pur-
pose to distract the counsels of the Wings and to
create an unnecessary schism in the body of the
Wing party. 1t has been charged that our object is
to open afresh the agitation upon the slavery ques
TONS and to create sectional strife, in order to pre-
vent concentration of Wing strength at the APP
preaching Presidential election. 1t has been charg
ed that we present insulting terms to the North by
requiring the reteraton of pledges TO maintain and
to enforce laws which exist the statute book and
which no member of Congress or political asprant
has manifested intention to disturb. These state
ments, felowWhigs, are uni ust and untrue. If any
schism shall in the Wing party, it will result
from the attempts of whose present distinction
is alone attributable to the with which they
have heretofore fed the flames of sectional fanacism
and whose future hope rests mainly upon the crea-
ton of sectional divisions. Our effort has been to
induce the Wings to assume a national ground-a
conservative and patriotic position-the only posi-
ton upon which the statesman and the patriot can
maintain the harmony Of these States preserve
the existence Of this Government.
So far from opening agitation upon the slavery
questions our avowed object is and the effect of the
proposition we assert must be, to terminate citation
by assuming as starting point for the canvass that
the entire party north and south, faithfully abidcs
by the law it exists and maintains the Compro-
mise measures final settlement of the exciting
questions they embrace. How is it possible that
this position afford basis for renewed citation
nlesS there determination not to abide by that set
Element? The principle We assert may be avowed as
consistently by the opponents of the Compromise
measures by those whose exertions enacted them
When partners have litigated questions arising in
their former dealing, and decree has been render
ed asserting the true state of their account would it
be considered insulting unfair that, in opening
new books should demand Of the other that the
decree be accepted the basis which they renew
e business :! Would the answer be considered salts
factory" You have your decree-enforce it if you
can but do not require acknowledgment of its
justice, by compelling to assert tina, will abide
by it g! Had two neighbors disagreed and referred
their respective claims to arbitraors does the loser
forfeit dignity by acknowledging the award and
newing business upon the basis thereof? These
homely illustrations point the view take of the
present duties of all patriots in this Government
The original compacts of the Constitution establish
ed the terms of this Confederacy and constitute the
organic law of Government. After a series of years
sectional disputes arose. and the Missouri compro
f mise was made to quiet controversy relating to Ger
q tain governmental powers and constitutional ques-
d tions.
: It was faithfully executed by the United States
and submitted to by the people of the saveholding
n States. After another series of years new acuuis
z tions of territory made-new disputes arose
l. touching the same powers and the same questions
It new Compromise made, whereby the bal
e ance of power was yielded by the sIaveholdine
the free States by the admission of California int
n fhn 20 81 do SsaH h,