The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-23
For the Souther~ Press.
What 10 the true Psllcy 81 tho SeufA In ec
card 70 the next Presidential 1leetiens

gard 70 the next ProoeQons1At 2Seetlen
The Hon. Alexander II. Stephens, distin-
guished representative in Congress from Geor-
gia, and staunch advocate of the &" finslity Of
the compromise" in private letter to a friend,
now become public, declares himself utterly
opposed to sending delegates to the Baltimore
convention" meaning, presume, the Demo
cratic convention. In this | perfectly agree
with him but should have been better pleased
had he extended his disapProbaton to Wing
convention should such one be contemplated
1t is clear from this letter, which is extremely
we'll written, that Mr. Stephens il becoming
aware that the compromise is not exactly a
"6nality," and that a cooperation Of either of
North, must be brought about, not by conces-
sions or guarantees to the former, but by ac-
quiescence in new encroachments of the latter.
In order the more clearly to comprehend the
actual position of the South, il seems necessary
to take brief glance at the present state of the
TIVE great parties, now dsputing the ascendency
in the government of the United States
That section of the Wing party which seems
about to rally round Mr.. Fillmore, or Mr. Web
ster, make it sine qua non that their candidate
for the Presidency shall maintain the finality"
Of the compromise in all its parts while that
portion of which Mr.. Seward is supposed to
be the head, maintain it is not final, either with
respect to the fugitive slave law, or against
future nggressions of the Abolitionists. On the
other hand, it is said that n portion of the
Northern Democratic party, in like manner rally
round the finality of the compromise while it
is certain that far greater portion, called Free
soilers, are sternly adverse to it, on the ground
of the fugitive slave law, and especially, because
it does not embody the Wilmot provso in so
many words.
As yet, no party, North, East, or West, has
shown the slightest disposition to cooperate
No party has ventured to come forward in oppo
sition to the settled, avowed policy of the Abo-
ltionists and Freesoilers. No Northern party
dares to do so; for these two adjuncts of one
and the same faction, would at once array
themselves in opposition to any candidate who
declared himself willing to make the slightest
concessions to the South and holding, as they
almost certainly do, the balance of power in the
North, would defeat any obnoxious aspiraut to
the Presidency.
Why then, it may be asked, should either
party in the South send delegates to the Balti
more convention, or any convention but their
own? The only rational ground for such a
procedure, would be the expectation, or the
hope of their being instrumental in Directing
or, at least, influencing its proceedings. Is
there any ground for such expectation or hope?
They will assurcdy be in minority in sup
porting their principles; and should they VEN
ture to stipulate any conditions favorable to
themselves, all parties, Wing and Democratic,
will combine against thtm--for they will oc-
cupy position in which all are more or less
their opponents. At most, they will get nothing
but the finality of the compromise" and is that
an object worth contending for?, Does any
man, not naturally or wilfully blind, believe that
the fugitive slave law can be enforced in Yer
mont, where it has been nulliied by an net of
the legislature or in Massachusetts, New York,
Pennsylvania Ohio, Michigan, and other Wes-
tern States, half peopled by Yankee Abolition.
lists, and German Socialists? Do they believe
that either the authorities Of these States, or of
the United States, would, if they could, enforce
this law, at the risk, nay, with the absolute
certainty, of running their political prospects by
their doing their duty? Almost everywhere,
experience has proved that the public officers
cannot if they would, and would not if they
could, enforce this law, and that if they did, the
courts and juries would acquit its violators, even
when resistance was carried to the extent of
murder. What then, do Northern politicians,
and Southern acquiescents, mean by the final
ity of the compromised" They mean only that
it shall be final as respects everything injurious,
insulting, or offensive to the South, and null
and void as to the only measure in which all its
representatives heartily concurred.
The sole agency of Southern delegates to a
Northern convention, will be limited to choice
of evils; for it is scarcely within the reach OF
possibility that candidate for the Presidency
in the least favorable to Southern rights will be
selected, for reasons have just specified. Their
choice, if they make any, must be Hopson's
choice, or that of the French people-that or
none They will exercise the right of acceding
to the selection, not of the candidate who is
most agreeable, but of him who is least disa
greeable. AS in the case of the compromise
"they must take the best they can get" and be
thankful for the smallest favors. They must
accede to the support of a candidate who's e
"pledges" are least hostile to their rights, their
interests, and their safety. 1t seems TO me that
this would be placing the South in false and
degraded position. Surely it is not reduced so
low in spirit, or in strength, as to stoop to such
On nj 2 Ruf II hoo Iofol, boo,, ooa,,