Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-04-13
THE JACKSON AND HILLYER RESOLU-
TI0NS


THE JACKSON AND TILLYER RESOLU-
TIONS
The Enquirer, of this city, and its affiliated
presses making the air vocal with their exul-
taton at the recent vote of the Northern wing of
| their party in Congress upon Jackson's and Hill
| yer's resolutions. The Enquirer dwells with en-
| phasis and triumph on the fact, for which it cites
an analysis of the vote from the Washington Tn
| ion, that more Northern Democrats than Northern
Wings voted for the passage of these resolutions,
and deduces thence the conclusions that its party at
| the North are loyal to the Compromise and
with that, to the constitutional rights of the South
| than are the Wings. We presume at least, that
such Is the conclusion aimed att otherwise the CT
tation OF the fac ttself were worthless. It proves
that or it proves nothing. Now let us concede it
for the nonce, and what follows! If the affirmation
OF teaty to those be the test of soundness
and worthiness of public trust in the Democrats
of the North, what shall be thought and said of
those Southern Democrats, aye, of those I7rginio
Democrats, from whom similar approval cannot
be got, even by forceps? Let the Enquirer estab-
hsh its demonstration-leti it convict the Northern
Wing party beyond a redeeming suspicion of that
treachery to the Union and to the Constitution
which preserves it, that even silence upon the
question ofthose measures implies and into what
woful pickle does it reduce its own Vargauia De-
mocracy when the same inexorable test is applied
to 1t We have put the interrogation to our
neighbor before and he has remained silent; but
silence can afford him refuge from this trouble
some dilemma. We "hope we don't intrude,'
when we again ask the Enquirer why, when its
party in concave, thought it necessary to reafirm
the resolutions of '98, and IA and 49, it had no.
thing to say about the vital measures of which, so
much to It's satisfaction, the Northern Democrats
IN Congress have just endorsed with their appro-
val Upon this point we pause for reply.
But the deductions of the Enquirer, from its
facts' are very striking and very peculiar From
the fact that thirty-five Northern Democrats out
OF the lmmense~maj o1ity Of the party in Congress
could be found to vote these resolutions in Con-
gress, 1t iners that they would have been equally
willing to vote the same way in the caucus which
preceded the organization of the present House
OF Representatives, had they not regarded the
Compromisesas a '.inality,' and did not wish to
see the same subject brought up again in the halls
of the National Legislature. Now, if that were
true, or approached within million degrees of
the truth-if the objection of the Democrats in
caucus to voting the principles affirmed in these
resolutions was that they opposed the introduction
OF finality' into Congre IS, would that objection
have been weakened, nay, would it not increase
tentod IN force, when the very effort which they
had defeated III caucus repeated in the House!
Inc opposition IN caucus, says the Enquirer,
sprung from desire to keep the subject out of
Congress, but no do the same men get a
chance than they bring it into Congress, or allow
it to be brought in, and vote on it with ssceali-
ty' which docs our neighbours very soul good
Let us inform the Enquirer's simplicity on this
subject. The vote of the other day had nothing
to do with the disposal of the second Office in the
Government with all its train of patronage, emolu-
ments and Offices 1t was mere thunder" of which
each man might dispose of his share as it pleased
him. 1t left the free-soil gentry to do as they
pleased. 1t allowed Messrs. Rantou Preston
King, ct ID omne genus, to deny Or to affirm, to
speak or not, just as suited them. But when any
thing practical, in party way, was to be done
when these mems votes were wanted upon the
giving and getting of office-when, as Gen. Bayly
said in his letter which the Enquirer has publish
ed-'they (the free-soilers) had their own views
to carry out."-why, it was wholly out of
place to make any declaration upon the subject
as much so as if they had met in the African
Church inthe city of Richmond, and were busy
accommodating their platform .to the present con-
dition of the country
If indeed this vote of Northern Democratic Pol
iticans means any thing that can be trusted--ifit
gives any assurance that they have mended their
ways, and are any less prepared than they used
be, to cozen their Southern allies or these last
and less ready to be tricked-for,
"Doubtless the pleasure is great
of being cheated at to cheat
why then "Laus Dec" say we. 1t is SO