The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-28


The speech Of mr.. stephens.
We arrived yesterday at the House of Rep.
rssentatives in time to hear the greater part of
the speech of Mr.. SrEPHEss, of Georgia. The
main object of the speech, as we understood it
was to insist on the inality of the Compromise,
and to urge union of it's friends from both
parties, in the ensuing Presidential contest. II
10 not necessary for us to repeat the high esti-
mate Of Mr.. STEPHENS talents we have hereto.
fore expressed. So that we may be permitted
to say that they were exhibited on this occasion
At great disadvantage. The truth is the Com
promise is failure, which no ability
s.Nor forid prose nor honied lines Of rhyme
can avert or disguise. The only part of that
scheme, the only plank of that platform-the
Fugitive slave law-whch mitigated its often
siveness to the South-has practically failed
Throughout all the North but two or three
cities remain where its execution can be relied
on, and there only at an expense of five times
the value Of good slave, and then only to re-.
cover one who has been taught by his sympa-
thisers that it is his right and duty to cut the
throat of his master on the first opportunity.
Such slave is worse than worthless, and his
reclamation il a curse instead of benefit to
the South.
Mr. STEPHENS admits, or contends truly that
neither party-Whig or Democratic-can be
relied on to maintain the Compromise, and that
its only hope is from union of its friends from
both. Well, if this were to occur, or whether
it occurs or not, another and perhaps the most
important element of the Compromise would
be sacrifced-and that is its fnality and the
quiet it stipulated in the phrase Of" final set
Element" But if the friends of both parties were
to combine it is not certain, it is not even prob
able that they would constitute majority. 1t
is absolutely certain that agitation, the most
active and acrimonious would Immediately re-
suit all over the country. So that as peace mca-
sures, as an attempt to buy peace for the South
by ACCOMPLISHMENTS of territory and of rights, it
has resulted as all such exredients always have
1t has only whetted the appetite of the ag-
gressor. The Compromise then is an utter
tailure-nothng remains of it for the South but
nothing but the splinter of plank, as the plat
form for new party. And when we consider
that on such splinter it is proposed to embark
in contest with every Northern ism, led on by
the fame of brilliant military chieftoin, il must
be obvious that the attempt is infatuation.
Now, we did well hope that the Southern
Union party, of which Mr.. STEPHENS is dis
tinguished leader, would, on seeing the failure
of the Compromise, and that by Northern senti.
uient, proceed to cooperate with the Southern
Rights party in some effective manner. For
the supporters of the Georgia platform are alb
solved by events from any further support OF
the Compromise. They are absolved by the
terms of their own pledge, they are impelled by
their own pledges and their honor to renounce
it. We need not 60 any further than Mr. WEB.
sTER for authority, for the doctrine that con-
tract, and Compromise is the most sacred OF
contracts to the parties ratifying it, when broken
in one part or condition, absolves all from it,
other obligations.
But if the Union party persists in this posi-
ton of Mr., STEPHENS, we must give it up. We
would decidedly prefer connection with the
Democratic party, with all its Freesolers in
cluded. Nay, we had perhaps as well now give
notice that we have good reason to believe that
the Freesoilers themselves are willing to make
better compromise with the South than this
abortion, SO called For that was wretched
and incongruous compound, equally offensive to
Southern rights and Northern fanaticism. For
If it was expedient by any shuttle of squatter
sovereignty, or the right to admit State, to ex
cude slavery from new territory, it was absurd
to provide for it's assertion, in its most odious
form among Northern ant-slavery population.
Whilst, therefore, we suppose we can make
with Freesolers themselves better compro
mise for the South than that of 1850, we will
hardly go in for any such aplatform as danger
GUS splinter of the latter.