The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-27

HES, WItllCut giving IRE performance w sotnc eoS
pcion that was about 10 become the special
supporter and advo,ate Of his claims to higher
official honors thsn he has yet enjoyed" And,
If absolutely and Internationally pledged to
support the nominees Of the Baltimore conven-
ton, and TO act with the Democratic party Of the
United States, how could he in the same speech
say of himself, -"not feeling authorized, as a
member of the Union party Of my own beloved
State, at present absolutely to commit myself in
regard to the complex question Of ,oho she'll be
elected President in 1852, shall without saying
more in praise of New Engand's gifted son,
myself bring forward witness in his BEHALF" &c.
Here he acknowledges his allegiance to the
+" Union party" of Mississippi that party which
rose from and lived by divisions in the Demo
cratic ranks. Who, as much AZ he, stroye to
keep up that division, 10 inculcate the idea that
old party distinctions were abandoned, and to
drown the issues presented in the resolutions of
the Democratce State Rights convention by the
delusve cry of 4" Union or disunion p Will any
truthful man among us say, that adherence to
the Democratic party Of the United States, and
support Of the nominees of the Baltimore con-
vention, were issues in the last canvass Of this
State; or does any one doubt if they had BEEN
that the Union party would have been dis
solved.
The alarm bell Of dsunion was ceaselessly
ringing and the phantom of civil war was raised
in land where no army existed, or was in con
temptation. These were the horrible expedents
adopted to induce the people to accept, rs a
choice Of evils, that compromise" which con-
sttuted Gov. Foote'S political capital. Even in
the letter | am reviewing, written, as it was, to
show how faithful he had been to the Demo-
CRITIC party, he so far yields to the force of
habit as to return to bis old theme, " the CON-
promise )" and he minges it with the selection
OF n candidate for the Presidency. In connec-
ton with superstition of the editor of the
Richmond Enquirer, that the Baltimore conven-
ton would, in some form, adopt declaration
of acquiescence in the measures as passed. en-
forcing the faithful execution Of the fugitive
slave law, and burying the agitation Of the
slavery question, he says: s. This have never
doubted would be the case and when this shall
have been done, with Gen. Cass, or some other
genuine compromise candidate for the Presi-
dency, the succese of the Democratic party in
the Presidential election of 1852 will be certain"
Genuine compromise candidate" 1t is not
enough for him that the convention declare the
policy of the party to be quiescence in relation
to that legislation known as the compromise
measures In addition to this, there must be
genuine compromise candidate. But ifDhe be
Democrat whose life has illustrated the great
principles of Democracy, as recognized from She
days Of Thomas Jefferson down to ours, but
did not approve of the compromise measures
who fears they will not give peace 10 the coun-
try-who is not "genuine compromise man"
what then? Will the gentleman adhere to
his Congressional pledge, and the associations
based upon it; or will he abide by his canvass
declarations? 1t is not only beginners who
weave tangled web when they practice to de-
ceive ] leave him in his mesh, to disentangle
it if he may, by the instruments he has always
at hand, and by which it was woven. His com
promise pledge, his unqualified declarations of
an intention to support the nominees of the Bal.
timore convention, and his position in the fol-
lowing sentence of the letter now under consid-
Grafton:
--" though could easily mention several
worthy gentlemen, BESIDES Of the Democratic
party, for whom would vote, if Gen. Cass were
out of the way
are attitudes which will probably seem to
plain dealing men irreconcilable with each other
In connection with his charge that with
others,) everywhere denied all regular affilia-
ton with the national Democratic party of the
Union" he further says" what was Colonel
Davis attitude, you will see sufficiently OK.
planned in the correspondence between certain
worthy gentlemen of the county of Noxubee,
in this State, to which invite your special at
tention" When was rs delegate to the
Democratic convention of the 9th of January
last, my attention was called to an article copied
into the Flag Of The Union, containing the as
serton that at n public meeting in Noxubee
county, l had been asked whether or not
would support the nominees of the national
N. xl.tT I. I
emphatically, NO. would not When, by in
vitation, | addressed the convention, | referre ed
TO that statement to brand it publicly as false
hood, and if tho gentleman now comes forward
in more general terms to renew substantially
the same SANDER, pronounce him a liar
Nor can he escape by his reference to worthy
gentlemen of Noxubee county. They addressed
themselves to different question from that
contained in the Islander which publicly brand.
ed as soon as it came to my knowledge. Those
gentlemen (six in number) when called on by
him with whom | had the discussion in Noxu-
bee county, state
According to our best recollection of what
occurred on that occasion, you propounded two
questions to Col. Davis as a Democrat, which
were as follows: Are you willing to 90 to the
Baltimore convention with the Democratic party,
should they, as usual, hold such convention;
and should that convention re-enact the Balti-
more Democratic platform of 1914 and lS4S
no more and no less, and nominate for the Presi
dency and Vice Presidency Lewis Cass, Levi
Woodbury., II. s. Foote, Dickinson, Dallas
Buchanan, or any other reputable Democratic
statesman, he or they subscribing to that plat
form, will you vote for the nominees of said
conventions! Col. Davis was sitting to your
left, in front of the platform he turned his head
and asked if you would have his answer then, to
which you replied in the affirmative Col Da.
Wis rose and said: In answer to the first ques-
ton of the gentleman, answer NO--a member
of Congress has no bniness President making
in convention. In answer to the second ques-
ton Of the gentleman, answer NO-Tll vote
for no man whom my heart and conscience don't
approve and took his seat amidst the rapturous
applause of his party friends"
Though this does not quite agree with my
recollection of what occurred, and the style does
not strike me ms my own, or that of my oppo-
nent on that occasion, the replies are substan-
tally snch as might have made. After an
interval of eight months | rely more upon
knowledge of what my opinions were, than upon
the remembrance of the lanuunpe used was