The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-29

o0I0R&tG9 IIOU1 lilo ptlsUoSy o~sOusVSt9o VI tu0
people. 1t avowed the determination OF it
friends to remain uncommitted, and to abstain
altogether from taking steps nitiatory to ma
tional Wing convention, unless the condition
was satisfactorily met IL was not inconsistent
with Stanlys resolution, but cumulative thereto
by the imposition of condition affecting only
the actors in this Congressional meeting, and,
implicitly, relieving them from = committal
to sustain the nominees of convention which
might fail to require the same condition of
its candidates. 1t did not dictate, or seek to
dictate, the programme OF the national conven-
tion but merely asserted an affirmative endorse
inert of the finality Of the compromise"
basis Of union among the present Wing MEN,
bers of Congress- Was that improper? Can
the Wing members Of this Congress-, who claim
to be national in their feelings, unite upon
candidate on any other basis! OUGHT national
Wings anywhere, North or South, to agree, for
a moment, to forego point so vital to the
preservation Of the peace of societys
We did ardently desire the Wings in Con-
gress to sdopt the proposition as conclusion
Of their own, and to publish it 10 the country as
one of the bonds of their political association
It required no sacrifice Of principle--no recantn
ton Of opinion-no remuneration Of error; only
observation-disclosures nsistent with the noblest
by settlement designed to restore pence to a
distracted country, and to carry into execution
honestly the compacts Of the Constitution
We frankly state that it was our deliberate pur.
pose to announce at the Threshold an unalterable
determination to mid in no scheme for an elec.
ton associated with or allied to mon whose
policy IL was to ignore the final settlement of
those dangerous and ex ,iting questions which
are embraced by what is termed "the adjust
ment" With the candor of freemen we pre-
scented in the proposition submitted to tho meet
ing the position to which we shall adhere
We rest its vindicaton upon the fact that il was
assumed from solemn sense Of duty to our
selves and to our country; and we rely for a
justification OF our course in these proceedings
upon the honest impulses of the people, and the
patriotism of all who love Vie Union, and wish
to perpetuate its blessings.
TO assert the converse Of our proposition
ato agree to disagree" on questions connected
with the institution of slavery ms it is recog-
missed by the Constitution, on the fugitive slave
law and thefinality of the compromises to
open willingly the sources Of tie most noxous
agitation, and to reveal the mems of aesailing
anew the harmony, and, mayhap, the existence
of the Union. Have the dssensions Of the paat
inculcated no moral Shall the progress and
peace OF the future be married by the renewed
efforts of fanaticism which halts at no barrier
erected by mortal power, and exutiDgly pro.
claims 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 Il demagoguism which wears the
mask Of liberty only to perpetrate crime or
that it may, with comparative impunity, excite
passion, to reward ultimately desire for self
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Will the Wing party, under
existing circumstances, shroud honest convic.
tons of public duty in silence, that our candi-
date for the proudest honor Of earth may have
his opinions interpreted variously to suit the
changing prejudices or prepossessons of partic-
ular attitudes Fellow. Wings! such policy
will not-should not succeed 1t is unworthy
of great party whose sentiments are conserv-
alive, and whose aim is the prosperity and hap
piness of the people. It's tendency is to reduce
the Wing party to mere heterogeneous COM
pound of discordant sectional factions the bal
otbox to . receptacle for votes obtained by
fraud upon one OF other Of the sections Of the
United States; and the Presidential election to a
trial Of ckicanery and Discrimination among poiit-
ical mountebanks. We did not seek TO make
an Injurious Ascription Of motive 10 any man or
association Of mon; but we repudiatA and re-
fuse, for our part, now and hereafter, to lend
our support to any csydidate whose principles
are not plainly defne1,sor to join in any crusade
against popular rights, the honesty of politics.
or the palpable interest Of the country, for the
purpose Of achieving temporary political tri
umph.
But to return. What was the Ingredient in
Gentry's amendment that induced the chairman
to rule IL out of order? The only aim of the
amendment was to exclude conclusion. 1t was
framed distinctly with view to absolve the
Whia,members present from an implied pledge
to a port the nominees of the national conven-
ton, "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 ques-
tons they embraced, and to maintain them
inviolate" What inference can be drawn from
the refusal to grant this exemption, but that the
determination existed to commit all who partic-
pated in the meeting to the support Of the nom
nees of the national convention, whether he shall
be pledged to support the compromise or not!
Some of the undersigned are bound by our SOL
emn public declaration, made in 1850, that we
will support no man for Office unless he is
known, unequivocully and beyond controversy,
to be determined to maintain, support and exc
cute the laws known as the compromise mea.
sures-fugiive slave law and ALL We shall
defeat of Gentry's amendment, that silence or
acquiescence, under the circumstances, would
commit us to an inconsistency, and justly awaken
suspicion of our sincerity. Regarding the vote
on Gentry's amer dment as the emphatic declara-
lion 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 conven-
ton, no course remained, consistent with our
conviction of duty and sense of self respect, 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
purpose 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 questions, and to create sectional
strife, in order to prevent a concentration Of
Wing strength at the approaching Presidential
election. 1t has been charged that we present
insulting terms to the North by requiring the
reiteraton Of pledges to maintain and to4oh-