The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-28

vust0 hoI0 romaln6Q tue remnant OIL mop
that the South could be induced to prefer tn
preservation and protection Of her own mos
vital interests to the perpetuston of old part!
names in the coming canvass and thus presen
an unbroken front to Northern cupidty apt
fanAticism, the Southern Press resisted the re
organization of parties, even temporarily, OF
their former basis. At the opening of this scs
sion, and for some tne after, the discussions il
either House were such as to justify a reasona
BILE hope Of rallying the State Rights party
under separate flag: and perfecting an indie
pendent Southern organization for purposes o
protection, IL not Of resistance. But the un
happy strife between the State Rights ant
Union men Of the Sou.h--more implacabe to
wards each other than the common adversary
soon marred the prospect Of perfect Southern
union. FooTE's rirebrand performed its part il
the Senate and the quarfel.ovcr the carcase o.
the Compromise in The House effected the
.ama dhtord ayd division there and at home
Even a:ter. this, however, the opon and insolent
defiance of and resistance to tito faithful execu
ton. Of the Fugitive slave law at the North
gave additional reasos for appposing that the
section.l division Of parties Would become still
more broad and deep, and end in total disrup-
ton Of the old party ties, Of late so loosely worn.
Partially thisresult was accomplished, the liga
tures Of. party have been looscned--but the very
causes that seemed<les.ined ta unite the S. nth,
drove her sons stl wider apart The "fnalty"
Of the Compromise was made the issue, and
over it they commended as fisrcely as the Greeks
and Trojans over the dead body OF Patroclu s.
The attempt was boldly made by the Conpro
missrA of both parties to put under the ban eve
~ Southern man who had resisted The passage
of the Compromise measures, OF dared to rrur-
mur at the bad faith of the North in disre-
gardng even its own hollow truce. The Slate
Rights party s.A9d IFS ground, and the final
severance of party ties seemed inevitable, " hen
suddenly more cautious counsels swayed the
North, and it for once receded. The Southern
men, it was found, were not prepared to pass
under the yoke and grace the triumph of their
conquerors, by declaring the measures they had
80 sternly resisted to be thrice blessed and
tacit understanding prevailed, at last, that for
the sake of harmony the past should be for
gotten, and new departure taken The "Union
Democrats" strove in vain to keep up the apitn-
ton on these measures: but the sense of the
House was against them and even they dessted
from their labors. When South Carolina. hay.
ing persisted in her efforts to obtain redress and
prepare an organized resistance to these meas
ures long after the rest of the party had acqui,
esced, also concluded not to move, the sole re.
slstance party left in the South was that which
planted itself on the Georgia platform, and TAX
ing It's stand on the last plank-the faithful
execution of the Fugitive slave aw-souoht to
perfect separate organization on that basis
SO long as that party was consistent and true
70 ito professions and positions we felt in homo,
bound to applaud and sustain its resolution
though, at the time, announcing our belief i,
Inc impossibility of standing long on so insecure
footing. The result has proved the truth Of
our prediction. The Presidential maelstrom
which first drew the State Rights organization
into It's vortex, is now sucking in The last planks
OF the Georgia platform too, which are floating
towards the Wing Convention. Although there
still remain at the South some few remnants of
each OF these independent organizations, I'M
moved and immoveable, yet there is at this time
no regularly organized Resistance Party" out
OF the limits of South Carolina, the only State
that will have no formal representation in either
OF the Baltimore Conventions 1t is true that
the Southern Rights party of the South still
preserves substantial union and strength, but
win the same purposes-its plan of oper atoms
and sphere of action are changed.
II has ceased its warfare upon the Compro.
mise measures, as well as its local contests, and
atepped forth on the broad field of national
pa'l'lcs to take part, and controlling part, in
the approaching Presidential election. With
mat party for veal or for VICE. through good
and through evil report" we are and have been
identified and although, had our counsels been
adopted, they would once have pursued differ
ent course, we yet feel bound to act with them
in all points not incompatible with our convic.
tons Of right. While, therefore, we neither re.
psnt of one single step we have taken, since the
establishment of this paper two years ago, nor
repudiate one sentiment we may have uttered
during that time. we feel it our duty no,o to CO.
operate, ~ far as we consistently can, in t! {
pending movements regarding the Presidency, ir
which our State Rights men must take 80 con
sPicuous part.
In this changed aspect of affairs the question
arises What ought the State Rights party to
do! In orr editorial of Monday last, we at
tempted briefly. but frankly, to explain our view.
on this subject and are happy to learn that they
meet ths approval Of those whose judgments we
respect and whose commentator encourages
us still farther 70 expound them.
separate Southern organization for this can
vass is difficult in practice, doubtful in proprety
and only to be contemplated ~ last resort
when 1t must prove powerful for destruction, il