The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-10

speak very plsinly en- this subject, for We feel
that tho welfare and perhaps Tie organized *
Iislence of the great conservative party to which,
We are attached, are involved in the crisis. u
the North thinks It can elect Gen. Scott, let II
nominate him but il it fancies it can do so with
out Southern votes, let it sbi'k the slavery ques-
ton, try the experiment, and six months hence,
take the lantern of Diogenes, and make dIligent
search for Southern Wing.
These utterances may be harmonious IN the
ears of the Administration, but if so, its musical
taste must be peculiar. ns
But the WEBSTER demonstration at New
York, the very text of the Republics sermon,
affords the proofs of its hypocrisy, even as
regards the Northern wing Of the party. AT
that meeting, the very name Of Gen. ScoTT
was ignored by FREDERICK R. TALLmADGE, In
enumerating the Wing leaders lie said
"He was glad of this movement but he could
not help but refer to the great sun OF our pollt-
cal armament, now disappearing in golden glory
in the western horizon of life-the more than
mighty HENRY CLAY, tremendous and long
continued cheers) that mighty intellect is no
| more able to lead us. Who hare zoe then! We
haue the glorious FILLMORE, CHEERS and laugh
teri and we have with him the mighty Daniel
(cheers) Mr. r. went on to eulogize Mr.
WEBsTER."
And complaint is made that the government
officers took no part or interest in that meeting
How sweet it is to see such brethren dwelling
in such amily!
The Republic must try some other tack. 1t
has proved itself utterly incompetent to advance
the interests even of the one "indiyidual," who
fosters and feeds it, How absurd, them for it to
make even show Of organship for three |"
Gen. william o. BntIer and the FreesOilers.
The formal reputation of the Freesolers
by Gen WILLIAM 0. BUTLER, has called forth
similar Reputation of him on their part. The
N. Y. Eoening Post, the central organ of the
Freesoil Democracy, thus summarily and slight
ingly treats Gen. BUTLER's claims to the candi-
dacy. 1t ntimates that he is the victim of a
trick, because he has had the maniness to come
out boldly and speak the truth. The Post APP
pears to think that suberfuge and silence are
very important elements in "playing the game
for the Presidency"
GENERAL WILLIAM o. BUrLER--A letter
from Gen. William O. Butler, on the subject Of
the compromise and the fugitive. slave law APP
pears in our columns to day. 1t should be read
in connection with what his friend, Mr. Brecken
ridge, Of Kentucky, had to say of it yesterday on
tho floor Of Congress.
Gen. Butler, it is well known, has been men
TONED among those who might be the candidates
of the Democratic party ut the next election OF
President. Some person has had the address
to convince him that he did not possess the con
fidence of the Democrats of the Southern
States, and that it was necessary to write such n
letter as this for the purpose of standardization.
The speech of Mr.. breckenridge, our readers will
perceive, was made with the same design; its
object was to put Gen. Butler right with the
shareholders, and to call their particular atten
ton to The declarations of loyalty to the com.
promise contained in his letter.
So far as the letter is a declaration of Gen
Buffers opinions, it was quite unnecessary
They were rs we'll known here, at the North, ms
they were to his personal friends in Kentucky.
Nobody who had the least acquaintance with
contemporary politics, was ignorant of the fnct
that he approved of the compromise measures.
The politicians of the slave States are divided
into two classes; on one side are those who
maintain extreme Southern views, like the repre-
sentatives from South Carolina, Mr. Soule of
Louisiana, and considerable number of other
prominent men in the different States; on the
other side are the friends of the compromise,
Union men as they call themselves, and it was
well known that Gen. Butler belonged to the
latter category. As a politician in slave State,
everybody knows that he shares the views of the
shareholders, and if any man here or at the
South has affected to believe otherwise, it was
a mere pretence for some party purpose.
1t is bad omen, on going into battle, to be-
tray consciousness of weakness and an
expectation of defeat. Gen. Butler was not
strong candidate at the North, and this letter
implies that he is distrusted at the South. One
who perceives that he is thus situated, might
we'll have spared himself any further trouble in
the matter. 1t is hard to coax back the public
confidence when it has once departed Yet,
with view of doing this, Gen. Butler goes
considerably beyond a declaration Of his own
opinions on the compromise question, and adds
that he approves of the resolutions Of the Demo
cratic convention in Kentucky, making the at
tachment to the fugitive-slave law test Of po-
tical orthodoxy, and condition of political
fellowship. Il has been observed by shrewd
politicians, that the greater the anxiety shown
by public man to recover the confidence of
any class, the less is generally his chance of
success.
While, therefore, we find the opinions of Gen.
Butler as proclaimed by him in this letter, to be
precisely those he was known to entertain, so
that in this respect it communicates no new in
formation, we cannot congratulate him on the
skill with which he is playing his game for the
Presidency. 1t seems to us that he has taken
the advice of those who are friendly to an
other candidate
Senator MALLORY, of Florida, has writ.
ten very urgent and earnest letter to the Sec