The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-23

Nc one can doubt that the masses Of The 5afnes
Frecsoil Democracy were induced to 90 into the
union by the hope and expectation that the Gu
tire Democracy would unite in the great purpose
to divorce the general government from slavery
and resist all future compromise with wrong
aud by their conviction that, in case this hope
and expectation should be disappointed, that
they who were now foremost 10 recommending
the union would be- foremost in repudiating it
That there was ground for the opinion SO
confidently expressed in respect to the preva.
lence of freesoil opinions among the Democratic
masse-, was made sufficiently apparent by the
answer of the candidates TO the in errogatoriss
touching their positions on the slavery question:
among which answers, that of Mr. Chaifeld
nominated by the Hunkers for Attorney Cen
eral, WAS decisive, explicit in its anlsavery
character, as that of either of the radical Demo
Gratis. Not many months, however, elapsed, be.
fore occasion presented itself for testing, in a
more striking manner, the consequences of the
union.
Congress assembled in December, ls49, and
the whole question of slavery and slavery ex
tension was brought into discussion. The re-
suit is now before us, strengthened by the nfiu.
ence of several prominent Democrats and aided
by the whole power and influence of the Wing
administration. Henry Clay succeeded in car
rying through DO h houses tn II series of bills
now known AS the compromise measures. 1t is
due to the memory of that distinguished states.
mau to cay, that those measures, IA sketched in
the resolutions submitted by him to the Senate,
though they did not yield single demand OF
the free soil Democrats, were yet much less OBJ.
noxious III their Character than they finally be-
came through the alterations by which it was
sought ~ recommend them to slave State Sen.
ators. But it is due to truth, further to say,
that not single amendment was made in any
one of the compromise bills, designed to make
the bills more acceptable to the opponents of
slavery Every change was against liberty.
The admission of California into the Union
secured indeed the territory within its limits
against the introduction of slavery, except
through the act of the State ITSELF and the pro
hibition of the slave trade in the District of
Columbia relieved the city of Washington of
the slave pens which had disgraced it, though it
continued to slavery itself, and to the ordinary
traffic in human beings within the district the
full protection of national legislation The
other acts, which converted a vast district of
free territory into slave soil--assumed five mil
lions of the Texan State debt undertook,
without any constitutional warrant, to bind
future Congresses to admit slave States out of
New Mexico and Utah, should the inhabitants
allow slavery--and, in plain violation of the
Constitution, in derogation of State rights, and
in disregard of the common principles of Justice
and humanity, attempted to degrade the freemen
of the North and West into the slave catchers
of the general government, were all utterly re-
pugnant to the principles of radical Democracy
CONTINUED TOMORROW.