The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-18

North. have never seen Northern DemOcra
fall, bravely defending our constitutional rights
that the eyeut was not greeted with Whil
shouts OF exuitation from the South. Aud
have to say that if Mr. Fillmore, MIR. Webster
and the Northern Wings generally, had aidet
Butler and the American Democracy, WITHIN hon
he acted In Congress, TO stem the slavery agita
ton at its origin, the country would have es
capped the calamities il has entailed. In speaking
OF opinions, and in settling character, it may b.
well enough 10 refer occasionally to the record
The disorders of the last few years are but thu
natural development of causes lying aback Il
them. The debates of Congress will show those
causes and the chief actors in them, and history
will know where to fix the responsibility. Now
do not propose to go into this retrospect.
VIII mention one or two instances for the pur
pose OF showing where his friend and mine
stood in the past before come down to the
present. For more than ten years this country
has been violently distracted by the spirit oil
abolition. That spirit, at first feeble, exhibited
itself chiefly in the form of petitions and memo
rails to Congress for the abolition of slavery in
the territories of the Union the District of Co,
lumbia, and Of the slave trade between the
oe"ttS. ~ WAS tiEOuSu SOUBftSo liIt
Abolitionists proposed TO create strife in the
Union, and it was in Congress that the Demo.
cratic party undertook to arrest their march,
Strong efforts Were made, chiefly by the Demo.
cratic party, to arrest in the beginning this fatal
agitation
AT the commencement of the twenty sixth
Congress, Mr.. Wise of Virginia submitted a re-
solution that all petitions, memorials, and reso.
lutions for the abolition of slavery or the slave
trade in the States, territories, or districts OF
this Union should be considered as objected TO-
and the question of reception laid upon the Ia.
BILE without debate. Therefore, instantly Mr.
Fillmore, of New York, stated that if it was
necessary to object to the resolutions he OBJ
jected. Upon motion to suspend the rules for
its introduction, ] find the name of William o
Butler recorded in the affirmative; and the
names of Messrs. Adams, Giddngs, Fillmore
ETC., etc. in the negative. Afterwards, sir, al
the same session the famous twenty first rule
was adopted, wholly excluding abolition petit
tons, whether they referred to the States, terri
tories, or the district of Columbia. Here again
the name of Gen. Butler was recorded in the
affirmative, and Adams, Giddngs, Fillmore and
others, and regret to add some Southern
Wings, in the negative. Everybody knows Mr..
Adams instantly commenced system of agita-
ton for the repeal of thatrule. During the four
years that General Butler remained in Congress
he uniformly voted against the repeal,i while
the fayorte of the gentleman from Florida as
uniformly voted for it. The Kentuckian who
is not to be trusted fought steadily against abo
litionism, and every other anti slaveryism of the
day, yet my friend from Florida reserves his en-
tire confidence for those who fought on the
other side. MIR. Chairman, one other reninis
cence: in the course of his speech while speak
ing particularly on the subject of slavery, the
gentleman from Florida says: 81 will never
give my support to man whose position is not
definitely and clearly known" This is very
well, and ! am glad to hear it. Further on he
says: 81 have never hesitated to express nv
opinion. | am in favor of the election of Mil
lard Fillmore for the President of the United
States" That also is very clear, and by com.
bning the two, it follows that the opinions of
Mr.. Fillmore upon the question of slavery, are
definitely and clearly known TO tire gentleman
from Florida. Now, sir, il is well known to the
public, that Mr.. Fillmore, in his famous letter to
the Erie Abolitionists, "a copy OF which now
hold in my hand,) took ground in favor of the
abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia,
and of the slave trade between the States. /
have never seen any recantation of these prin-
ciples--never; but from a comparison of the
positions Of the gentleman from Florida, one of
three conclusion must folow-either Mr. Fill
more has abandoned those principles, or the gen.
tleman from Florida has adopted them, or he
prefers TO all others for the Presidency the man
who holds them. The whole thing is shut M
to one OF these three, and tho gentleman at his
leisure may select between them.
Mr.. CABELL, of Florida. When the gentle.
man says to this House that Mr.. Fillmore has
not written, published, or said anything in Oh.
position 10 the sentiments Of that letter, | must
say that he should take his insinuation or charge
of ignorance to himself; for il il perfectly we'll
known to Us all that the letter in which Mr. Fill
more especially retracted his opinion on the
subject OF the abolition Of the slave trade be-
tween the States was published during the last
canvass in all OF the papers throughout the
country. And yet the gentleman says he is moi
acquainted with IL. One single word more.
wish the gentleman TO understand that nv po-
sition is this--and my remarks were addressed
entirely and exclusively 10 the connexion Of Mr.
Fillmore and other candidates for the Presidency
with the compromise bills said that would
90 for no man who was not in favor Of the final
ity Of this slavery agitation, and believed that
that end could be accomplished by adherinp 10
those measures Mr.. Filmore's position upon
that subject was perfectly we'll known, but
did not know Mr. Buffers opinion in reference
to IL, although / am perfectly well aware of his
course while in the Congress of the United
States. ] desire 10 have the opinions of candi-
dates for the Presidency in reference TO these
particular measures
Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE. Does the gentle.
man consider these particular measures as GOV.
ering the whole question and is he perfectly re-
gardless about the fate Of the institutions Of his
section, so that he can get somebody TO sgree
to the fnality Of the compromise! do not
think that this system of measures says one
word about the slave trade between the States.
ask the gentleman il be viii prefer Mr. Fill.
more for the Presidency, should he be in favor
Of the abolition Of the slave trade between the
States.
Mr.. CABELL. Certainly not Bot Mr. Fill.
more Is In favor Of no such measure, as will ap.
pear by reference 10 his, letters 10 Gov Gale and
TO Mr. Brooks, 10 which have referred.
Mr.. BRECKENRIDGE. am about TO allude
TO that Now, sir, he tells me a fact that did
not know, and J plead guilty to the charge Of