The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-05
Speech of Hon. II. Marshall, of Kentucky

| COMPROMISE MEAsUREs-WHIG CONGRESSIONAL
cAUcUs--THE PRESIDENCY.
Speech of Hon. III. Marshall, of Kentucky
In The House Of Representatives., May 20, 1852
[ooNcLUDED.
Mr.. Chairman need but TO refer to the de-
cisons of the chair on that occasion--to the
card of the president of the caucus, since pub
lshed-to the testimony of all who witnessed
those proceedings down to the time when my
resolution was voted down and | retired delin-
itey from the meeting, to prove that my col
league has profoundly mistaken the history of
that memorable transaction. No assurances
were given TO me that my resolution would be
considered by the meeting. On the contrary,
when ! retired, it was with distinct under
standing on my part, that the vote laying my
appeal from the decision of the chair upon the
table, expressed the definite and fixed conclu-
sion of the majority present, that the chair had
ruled correctly, and shat the time and place for
holding national convention" constituted the
only legitimate object for the consideration Of
the caucus. Whatever assurances may have
been afterwards extended to my friend from
Tennessee, Mr. GENTRY, by his colleague
MIR. CULLoM, were given without my know.
ledge, and cannot serve to alter the complexion
of this affair
While it will be impossible to recur to the
course OF events with such particularly as to
display in single speech the minutia of move
ments which conduced to awaken in my own
breast sense of the high Importance of insist
ing upon the adoption of a resolution affirming
the compromise measures to be a final settlement,
of the questions they embrace, ! feel that it is
due to my own course to refer to some of the
leading features in the political history Of the
few past months My colleague has observed
that the resolution had been passed in a Con
gressiona caucus at the commencement of this
session of Congress, and constituted, already,
part of the Wing creed If that were definitely
so, what possible harm could have resulted
i from its repetition by caucus of Wings Of both
| Houses
Bntmy colleague should have remembered to
state tina, Northern gentlemen who were in the
caucus to which he refers, seeded rather than
submit to the principle of the resolution, and
that they, Immediately afterwards, publicly re-
pudiated 1t as forming any part OF the Wing
creed, protested by the majority of Northern
Wings They did not agree that it constituted
proper link in our political chain, or that it
made any portion of the Wing catechsm. The
subsequent vote on the resolutions ofthe gentle
men from Georgia afforded persuasive evidence
that the seceders from the Wing caucus at The
commencement of the session. estimated the
d., termination of Northern Wings correctly
Further: so far members Of Congress could
establish by votes, the tendencies of Their con
sti.uences their own, that vote left to
ne, and to other Wings from the slavehodng
States, no evidence whatever that a faithful
I, adherence to the compromise, and de-
4 termination to proclaim the principles and
4 laws thereby established as a final settle.
ment of sectional and disturbing elements,
would henc, forth be considered by them as part
"of the Wing creed" That vote exhibi ed
j nearly the whole Southern Wing party in one
direction, and nearly the whole Northern Wing
party in another line. In other words, it indi
Gated rupture, or the necessity of agreeing to
disagree" on an important question affecting the
welfare, possibly the very existence the Union
The call for the meeting OF the oh Of April af.
forded the first opportunity for consultation,
and it was a capital chance, because we were
to meet in a convention of the two Houses.
need not again refer to what occurred in caucus;
but to prove the expectation and the determine
ton of the opponents of the compromise
when speak of these, mean both members
of Congress who opposed the passage of those
measures, and members of the press who op-
posed them-"our editors and correspondence
IL will insert in my speech a few extracts
from the New York Tribune of the 9th Of April,
and from other prints. The Washington cor
respondent of the Tribune, who wa last year
Freesoil candidate for Congress, and who il snid
to be co-propretor of the Tribune, in letter
to his paper from this city, dated April 1852,
uhe same day the consultation was invited by
Mr.. MANGUM) says
The wings AND THE Presidency The
Wing party is composed of two wings-a North
ern and Southern wing The Northern division
is opposed to slavery, and always has been the
Southern, OF course upholds that institution.
The previous jars and The present divisions of
the party have arisen out of the conflicts of the
two sections on this subject Between them,
there has been, and is, an inevitable antagonism
These divisions, and the consequent embarras-
ments, have been for two or three years, and are
now, greater than common, from the circum
stance that the party has been, and ia, in power
in the Executive Department Of the govern
ment, and the necessity has thus devolved upon
it of presenting line of action for the whole
party upon this question.
The administration of General Taylor adopt.
ed the lei alone policy. 1t proposed to have moth
, ing to do with the subject OF slavery. IL said
Leave the fugitive law alone, leave California
and New Mexico to cCme in as States when
they get ready, aud leave them TO settle for
themselves all questions of slavery arising with
, in our own boundaries This WAS the policy
of the Wing administration of General Taylor
on the slavery question.
"Under Mr. Fillmore the policy was changed.
The present administration insist that the line
of action of the Wing party on this subject shall
he what it never was before, viz a perfect
agreement and concurrence of opinion, and
action upon it, by both divisions or sections OF
the party. While it is fact that the two wings
never did agree before on the question of slavery,
it is proposed that noW they shall agree. A
course Of policy for the whole party in thus laid
down on the slavery question. Certain measures
have been passed by Congress. Chief among
hem is the fugitive slave law, and the law estab
fishing territorial governments without restrc-
ton as to slavery. The doctrine is that the
Northern Wings, as well as the Southern Wings,
shall sustain those laws ju as they are And
not this only they shall also agree and declare
that the slavery question is finally adjusted
/ , Il 4 fnl1r ,.N,1