The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-24
VOL. IT.
Correspondence of the Express.
PRESIDENTIAL MOVEMENTS.

WAsHINGToN, April II.
The Presidential movements here continue to
be the engrossing topics, and they absorb all
other matters of interest. 1t is vain to disguise
facts, and to face them always is true herosm.
An impression prevails-be it true or not it
is yet the impresson-that Mr.. Senator Man
gum made the speech in the Senate he has
made in consequence of the lure OF the Vice
Presidency on the Scott ticket; and an impress
sion prevails that like lure is held out to Mr..
Senator Jones, of Tenn, In consequence of
which is the division manifested among the
Southern Wings in Congress- must not be
censured for writing you of the existence of
this impression. | did not create it, 1t is my
bqunden duty, as your correspondent, to wri e
you not only facts, but wide spread rumors af
tectng public men and when these rumors are
put by me into print, but confer an obligation
IN giving them u reason to contradict in public
what is everywhere whispered in private. The
rumor and the belief among many, therefore, is
that at supper parties and dinner parties coai.
ton has been formed between Mr.. Mangum
and er Gov. Se,card on one side, involving
others on their respective sides, that with Gen.
Scott as the unwriting or unwritten candidate tor
the North, is to be run Mr.. Mangum South, or
MIR. Jones, with the distribution Of other high
offices among their followers in North Carolina
and Tennessee, and Kentucky. Hence this
astonishing coalition!
Mr.. Mangum was selected, rumor adds, to pre-
side over the Wing Congressional G ucus at Pri-
vate meeting, where Gov, Seward was the prom
inent spirit, and il was there determined that
the Wing compromise resolution of the first
Congressional caucus be ruled out Of order. An
Al. H., ii 4 ID
word Off : but such rumors are. as current in the
Washington circles as any item of news in cir
cuaton | have before me names of men
alleged to have been present at these private
dinner and supper caucuses, but it is not my
business to invade social circles, further than as
they produce public measures. The Scott
speeches agreed upon in these caucuses to fol
low Mr. Mangum, from Tenncs ee and North
Carolina, and to b; ok him up, will soon tell
what need not write.
II is agreed, too-and Mr.. Mangum's speech
already discloses it-that tho Wing compro.
mise resolution Of the early Congressional eau
Gus, is to be repudated not only for the coming
Congressiona! caucus, by being ruled out OF
order, but in the Wing national convention, re
pudated as uncalled for and unnecessary also.
Some of the Southern Wings in this new move
ment insist upon it that the waving of the issue
now is but its Adjournment TO more fitting
body-the Wing national con, ention-and such
of them as are in earnest fOr some of them arel
are but dupes, as dupcs they should be. The
whole compromise, as iinality," is to have
the go-by, them in the convention, and such is
the supper and diHner caucus understanding
among the high contracting parties, and the go
by it will have and should have in the present
position of things Why? think ! hear you
ask in establishment. Way! Hear me, then,
and will tell you why
We Northern Wings can never fight for
Southern Constitutional Rights on Northern
ground, if Southern men abandon US. The
provision in the Constitution for the rendition
Of fugitive slaves is to US a most unpopular,
often n most revolving and shocking duty, but
il is a duty imposed upon us by the Constitu
ton, and as sacred, solemn part of the instru
ment as any other section Of il. If such lead
ing men as Mangum, Stanly, Jones of Tennes.
see, or any portion of Kentucky, ever abandon
us when we struggle in the North for the un.
questioned, UNREASONABLE rights of the Sonth-
ern States, we must fall before the unpopuarity
Of the fugitive slave provision of the Constitu-
ton. We cannot stand up for men who refuse
TO stand up for themselves. We have no
earthly interest in protecting the odious parts
Of the Constitution, surrendered by the South
itself. We will never be cachers Of negroes
that North Carolina men or Kentucky do not
want. IL we can evade that provision of the
Constitution by Southern acquesence, we most
assuredly will. Slave catching, next 10 slave.
trading, is thought by most people to be the
meanest Of all occupations. We Wings who,
in the North, have sacrificed ourselves, our 20.
pularily, our power, to preserve the consecratpd
=. NAa.ls..g... Il L.,
Adams bcqueathcd US, are dissolved from all ob.
legations 10 continue this self sacrifice when
such men as Messrs. Manrum, S'anly, Jones.
and others, acting for their States, acquit us
from the contract
And why should we continue the sacrifice;
Answer thou me that, Messrs Editors You have
given the country from Western New York an
anti-savery man for President, whose education,
every feeling Of whose nature. beyond all doubt,
was and is anti-slavery, but who, upon becoming
President, and taking the oath faithfully to adj
minister the government under the Constitution,
remembered there was South as well as North,
and who now, for this remembrance only, is
smiled by all the violence OF Abolition, assisted
even in this assault by such men as Mr.. Mangum
in his echoes Of what they say, viz that Mr..
Fillmore is unavailable among the Wings Of the
North, and in the demand Of his immolation
therefor. This Southern man admits, in his
all others. But he advances the extra judicial
dici,rn that he is not available in the land Of his
boyhood and birth, and that the State which has
hitherto crowned him with its highest honors will
now turn its back upon him Why, however il
may We asked, suppose, can he not carry North
ern Wing votes-an averment by the way, as I'M
founded as cruel in MIR Mangum's mouih-whv,
Or ADMITTEDLY but btcauSc he has been faithful 10 The
Constitution and 10 he South, as well as to the
North We see in Mr.. Fillmore, therefore, land
the same may he said Of Mr.. Webster, for their
course is one,) Northern men sacrificed by South
ern men, and sacrificed by Southern men, too,
because, in obedience to their oaths n support
the Constitution, they have supported in good
faith that provision Of it which secures the rights
Of the South
The path Of duty, therefore, for Northern ma
tonal Wings if Mr.. Mangum and his followers
persist in their course and are sustained al home
or even by divisions at home, is clear; and that
path is, to let the South take care Of itself, its
fugitive slaves and all. If South,rn men encour-
age the rc-opening or the. keeping open the anil
slavery issues why, let the re-opening come, and
If slavery be an institution that cannot stand the
test Of law, or religion, or popular opinion II