Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-04-30
ADDRESS
10 the Wings of the United States,


The undersigned, members of the thirty second
Congress of the United States, address you un-
der an lmperious sense of duty Events have oc-
Cured at this Capitol within the last twenty days
which are worthy of your serious and imlnedi-
ate consideration. They are likely to affect the
future unity of the Wing party, as they have al
ready disturbed the harmony of its members
We desire to state them accurately, that you may
estimate their tendency and force correctly A
plain narrative OF facts, in proper connexion will
accomplish this purpose, and will serve at the
same time, to simpart correct conception of our
own motives and conduct.
LII the early part of this month, at a meeting
of Senators, it was determined to invite consul
tation between the Wings of the Senate and
House of Representatives. Who initiated this
movement, OF for what purpose, is known from
the following notice, which was published in the
newspapers of this city on the 9TH day of April,
1852, by direction of Hon. Willie p. Mangum, of
| North Carolina:
"THE Wing MEMBERS CONGRESS are requested to
meet at the Senate Chamber Friday evering next the
9th instant at O'clock consider matters ofmporance
| to the Wing party.
"WEDNESDAY April 7, 1852"
At the time and place suggested by the notice.
some sixty eight members of the two Houses as
sembled. Mr.. Mangum was called to the chair.
and Messrs. Chandler and Dockery were appoin-
ted secretaries. Before any distinct PROPOSE
ton was submitted TO the consideration of the
meeting, after the statement from the Chair, a
motion was made to adjourn to subsequent day,
that more numerous attendance of the Wing
members of Congress might be obtained. Re-
marks were made by several gentlemen indca-
tive ola desire to limit the attention of the meet
ing to the single object of determining the time
and place Tor a National Convention to select
| Wing candidates for the Presidency and the Vice
Presidency. And it was urged that the most i'm
portant results might flow from the determination
OF the time and place for the Convention, as each
point was calculated to affect the nomination. 1t
was then suggested (by Mr.. Marshall, of Ken
tucky) that it was deemed material the meeting
should pass upon another proposition before pro-
ceedlng to determine time and place for the Ma
tlonal Conventions proposition which affected
the persons to exercise the right of determining
the time and place for holding the Conventions
lie observed that, at the commencement of this
session OF Congress, certain gentlemen had retired
froma meeting of Wing Representatives because
that meeting refused to lay on the table resolu-
tion endorsing the position ofthe present Admin
lstratlon upon the series Of measures known as
" the Compromise measures'-that some of the
same persons had, during the session. publicly as
sailed the said resolution as untrue expressi
OF Wing sentiment in regard to those measures
and that these persons were present now, to as
slst In determining the time and place for the
Wing National Convention Considering the po-
sition of the Administration on this class of ques-
tons the condition of political parties, and the
tact that, by some, the resolution referred to was
deemed cardinal as principle, it was thought by
many to be the proper course to restate, in the
meeting OF the Wing members of the two Hou-
SEES, the position which the Wings in Congress
hold on the Compromise measures, before procee-
ding to the steps preparatory for Convention of
the Wing party. He then remarked that, before
the time and place for holding the National Con-
yention were determined, he designed to submit
aresolution to the meeting embodying the prin-
cipleprocairned by the Wing Congressional eau
Gus of December last; and he hoped all present,
to participate in the proceedings would agree to
the same.
This view was met by the argument, from one
quarter, that the Wing members of Congresa
were only authorized to fix the time and place
tor the National Convention; and therefore any
resolution to test political opinion was beyond
their province to consider in the meeting. In
another quarter it was argued that the attempt to
harmonize the opinions of Wings the Com
promise measures their effect or upon the
questions sprnging from the institution of slavery,
was useless; that the proper course was ito agree
to disagree" where radical differences were known
to exist, and that true policy required all to alb
stain from effort to engraft new principles upon
the long established creed of the party, leaving
every section to think and to act at will where a
common platform was inaccessible.
The debate was participated in by several gem
tIsmen and we only seek to state the points of it.
Inc Chairman remarked that, before submitting
the question OF adjournment he felt bound to say
that, should the resolution indicated by the men,
per from kentucky be offered at the next meet
ing, the Chair would refuse to entertain it, and |
should decide 1t to be out of order. This state
meht the Chairman made in advance, that GENTLE
men dissatisfied with the view entertained by the
Char might proceed to elect some one else to pre-
side
Inc annqnclation OF a foregone determination
by the Chairman to limit the subjects to which |
attention might be directed in meeting convened
under general notice to consult on matters of
Importance to the Wing party, and this REFUSAL
IN advance, to consider political proposition
which Isl IN the opinion of many, vital to the Uni
on and essential to the integrity ofthe Wing par
fy, at once Invested the future action of this Con-
gressional consultation with interest and inn