The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-14
The Compromise.


We commend the following article from the
Louisville Journal to the attention Of those
gentlemen who think that the Compromise has
but one side to it, and that acquescence in the
Compromise means nothing but adherence 10
the Fugitive Slave law:
"The Democrat says that the Southern Demo.
cratic opposition to the Compromise ID to what is
already passed and executed and cannot be
changed. But there is Southern Democratic
opposition to portions of the Compromise that can
be changed. We all know that the State Rights
men of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, &c, con-
shutting large majority of tho Democratic party
OF those States, did, in their late memorable con-
liict with the Union party, insist, through their
conventions, their meetings, their newspaper or
gans, and the speeches and manifestoes Of their
candidates, that the detesied Compromise should
not stand, but should undergo important modifca
tons as condition Of the Souhs adherence to the
Confederacy. They insisted that the slave trade,
iniquitously abolished in the District of Columbia,
should be restored; that pecuniary inducements
should be held out by the Government to CaliGor
MIA to let herself be cut in twain and her southern
half made a slave State; that the Missouri com
promise line should be extended to the Pacific
ocean; and that guarantees the rights Of the
slaveholding States should be established, or that
the Union should at once be dissolved.
"The Compromise admits Of being changed in
other features than the Fugitive Slave law and the
mass OF the Southern Democracy, if they had the
power, would change il in other features They
sustained most overwhelming defeat in their con-
flict with the Union party, and now, for pocy,s
sake they inclined to cay little as to their vie
and designs; but let them once see good ground to
hope that they could accomplish the purposes they
have at heart, and all their old hostility to the Com
promise would blaze forth afresh. and they would
once more inscrbe upon their banners, .the sub
version OF the Compromise the subvcrsion of the
Union They are biding their time; and many, if
not moot oil them believe that their time is at hand
"Our neighbor processes to think that the south.
ern opposition to the Compromise is "no real oppo-
sition at ALL" II rs fercer, far fercer than the
northern opposition to the Compromise. Few or
none OF the northern opponents of the Compromise
threaten or contemplate the dissolution of the
Union if they cannot procure the repeal of the Flu
gtive Slave law; but the Southern Democratic fire.
eaters have fcrcely threatened, and still threaten,
the dissolution ofthe Union if they cannot procure
change OF the Compromise in the features often.
sive to themselves. Our ncighbor admits that his
southern friends "feel indignant at being asked
to support the Compromise. Undoubtedly they
do; but their indignant feelings are good reason
why they should not be called on, aye, and if ne
ccssary, compelled to stand by measure indis
pensable to the safety of the nation.
"The support Of the Compromise in the South lie
as important as its support in the Norih--its sup
port is alike important in all sections of our Con-
federacy. Neither that part of the Compromise to
which the Freesoers and Abolitionists object, nor
those parts Of it to which the fre-eating Democracy
of the South object, could be destroyed without in
voving the destruction of our National Union"