The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-07-01


or unsatisfactory. / regret that any thing
should have happened to encourage the belief
that loyalty could be accepted on condi-
tons, and especially on the conditions of for
bearing to repeal a repealable statute. But
since it is so, can only say that we, on
whom the recent action Of the Government
bears, as it seems to us, unjustly, are in the
Union for richer or poorer, for better or
worsc--whother in amajOrity or in minor
ity, whether in power or powerless, without
condition, reservation, qualification, or llmi-
tation, for ever and aye that we are IN the
Union, not because we are satisfied with adj
ministration, but whether satisfied or not,
not all by means of compromises or under
standing, but by virtue of the Constitution,
and that all other parties are in the Union,
on the same terms, for the same tenure, and
by virtue of the same obligation, and Othey
will find their case to be when they offer to
plead violations of extra constitutional condi-
tions to Justify secession. Whatever is ire
pealablc in any Of the acts Of the late Con-
grcss, no one will be mad enough to attempt
to repeal. Whatever is repealablc in those
acts, whatever shall be repealable in future
acts of Congress, whether it shall favor free
dom or slavery, no matter under what cir
cumstances, nor with what auspices, nor
with what solemnities it may have been a.
dopted, must abide the trial of experience,
Of reason, and of truth. 1t is only in this
way that the Constitution can be maintain
ed and the Union can be saved. Its securi-
ty consists in the adaptation to the physical
and moral necessities of the broad and ever
extending empire which it protects and de-
tends, and in the facility with which, with
out violence or sudden change, errors of ad-
ministration can be corrected, and new ext
gcncics can be met; so that the State, free
or slavcholding, which may at any time be
least favored will be at all times safer under
this Government, when worst administered,
than it would be under any other, however
wisely administered or favorably conducted.
81 think, my dear sir, that all this is vir-
tually confessed now by those who, while
they sec that their complicated schemes, that
suppression of free debate, which they thought
essential to the safety of the Union, have
failed, nevertheless admit that the Union is
no longer in danger; and therefore think
that we may, at least, congratulate ourselves
on the discovery, that not only are extra
constitutional compromises unnecessary, but
that the Union has strength and stability
enough to endure, Notwithstanding that such
compromises, under the influence of an I'M
wise legislative distrust, are sometimes I'M
necessarily and unavailingly made,
81 am, sir, with great respect, your hum
bic servant,
WIN. II. SEWARD.
Now, sir, if I had time, would refer to
some more striking proofs of his objects and
purposes His speech at Cleveland during
the last Presidential canvass, when he was
seeking to make the constituents of the hon
orable member over the way, Mr.. Giddings,)
believe that they ought to sustain the whigI
ticket is one, if you want to understand the
ends he aims at.
But if you want further light upon the
subject, look to the fact that when a slave
was rescued by mobat Syracuse, and when
motley crowd of men, women, and chill
dron, white and black, were arrested for re-
sisting the legal authorities, he went into
court and volunteered to become their bail.
He invited them to his house, and treated
them to its elegant Inequalities. X What
does all this mean? Is it not to encourage
rebellion, insuHection, and resistance to
law? Is it not to deny that the Constitu-
ton can impose any obligation to execute
the Fugitive Slave law? Is it not to deny
the constitutional validity of that law? Is
it not a hypocritical claim that there is a
higher law, which absolves him from that
oath Of allegiance which he has taken to his
country, and which binds him to maintain the
Constitution of his country? Yet this is
the doctrine he teaches, and this man, with
that powerful political organization which he
controls, is to be oar Leaders, he? Under
his auspices General Scott became candi-
date for the Presidency; and if Gen. Scott
is nominated at Baltimore, he will owe his
nomination to William III Seward; and,
therefore, Gen. Scotts nomination cannot,
under any circumstances, nationalizc the
wing party. As soon as the Compromise
measures passed, all the papers under Mr.
Seward control raised up the name of Gen.
Scott at the masthead as their candidate for
the Presidency. Conventions were called
a. he earliest possible time in New York,
IyuusJ wanna, aud Ohio, which formally
nominated him for the Presidency. But no
resolutions passed those conventions recog-
nising the series of measures to which I
have referred as a compromise, to be adhered
to and executed by the North and the South.
But Gen. Scott is said to be really in ia
vor of these measures. All the worse for
him if that be true. When Webster voice
was heard reverberating through the land in
tones such as no man ever uttered, implor-
ing, and urging, and convincing the people
that there were obligations imposed upon
them by the Constitution which required
them to stand by these Compromise mea-
surcs, and to execute the Fugitive Slave
law; and when Fillmore, with all his infu-
cnco as President of the United States, was
endeqvoring to persuade the people of the
North to settle these questions upon some
great national basis, Seward seized upon
Gen. Scott, and welding him as warrior
wiclds his battle-axe, he Glove into the dust
Fillmore and WebsteTy and all the patriotic
men of the North who stood with them up
on this patriotic ground. Gen. Scott was all
the while profoundly silent upon the sub
jet. If he was in favor of these measures
when this mighty struggle was being made
before the tribunal of public opinion, the re-
suit Of which involved the best interests of
the Republic, present and prospective, why
did he not como up and give to Webster and
Fillmore the influence Of his mighty name,
and aid them in harmonizing the country,