The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-02

IL 10 w NC tocOnciled Win Wndt ne Calia HIS ON
avowed cherished opinions in regard to the i'm
proprlety Of Congressional legislation on the
subject of slavery, whether that legislation
should be intended to benefit the South, or TO
benefit the North" leave it to him to explain
who could excite the laughter OF the United
States Senate by mentioning his consistency.
! 1t is not easy to say what he means by the
principle of neutrality-suspicious. it
might be defined by reference to the legislation
ne extols, to be the power of the majority to take
from, and grant TO the minority as interest or
caprice may dictate For example, it justified
the ngenously named bill "To suppress the
slave trade in the District of Columbia )" but
forbade legislation to protect slave property in
the territories, which, like the District Of Co
umbla, We're the common property OF the
States
We did not agree in 1913 in relation to the
question of slavery in the territories We voted
together, it is true, on the final passage of the
bill known as the "Clayton compromise" against
which he had argued, and upon grounds which
] never occupied | assented to the proposition
Of Mr.. Calhoun, that any Mexican law abolish
ing slavery in the territories acquired, was re-
pealed by their acquisition he sad " his Judg
! ment could not assent to IT,. had confidence
that the Supreme Court of the United States
as then constituted, would sustain the PROPOSE
ton; he announced different opinion. was
willing to rely for the temporary government
proposed on the officers who would be selected
by the President, (Mr. Polk) he considered that
plan of government filled with danger from what
ever point it was viewed. This was when emf
grafton had but commenced--when the charac
ter of the population was yet to be determined
But when, in 1850, population Of antisavery
cbarnctpr (rpu1prpI so in small lpnrpa law
the failure of the federal government To act,)
| had collected on those territOries--when Mr..
Fillmore occupied the Presidential chair, and all
the change of circumstances were suggestive
OF the positions he had taken in l84S, then-he
abandoned them. | offer one example by way
OF illustrations In l848-see Congressional
Globe, lst session, 30h Congress, page 999-
Mr.. Foote," in relation to the territory ac.
quired from Mexico, said =" Again, he contended
that slavery could not exist without legislative
protection" But in 1850, see appendix to
Congressional Globe, lst ession, 3lst Congress-
page 993, he said : Sir, would scorn to ask
or to receive aid from Congress, in support of
our equal right to enter this territory, with our
property, with our Northern brethren" This is
the grave, constitutional question upon which
ne could not change front at any dctation, and
therefore incurred my dispIeasure. must have
been unreasonable, indeed, requiring from him
more than the ieats of tumbler, if his change
was not sufficient to satisfy me-
lie renews his attempt to make capital out
of what he terms my Taylor-Cass speeches in
1913; and says of the speech ] made at Ray
mond, that he will venture to say there was not
Democrat present who was not grossly Of
Tended. do not doubt his ability to venture
any assertion. He particularly refers to the
Il Nrff fh,,, H., al,
tor, as having censured it in the strongest Ian
guaee, as did every Democrat present whom
he heard say anything on the subject" We
know that Gov. McNult said nothing to him
that he would on no occasion recognize him.
holding him to be an assassin of character and
"consiituiionally liar" quote the striking
expression of McNutt, which, when first heard
it, thought was too harsh but which further
observation has convinced me was just
| stated in former communication my opin-
ion OF the effect OF my speeches in the Presi.
dental canvass of 1913, as well as that of the
course which he pursued. What he thinks of
the effect of my course in that canvass is of lit
tie Importance to me; what he may say he
thinks, is of less. He announces, however, that
he had long ago in very deliberate manner
and in writing" given me his opinion. More
than four years ago. heard of his having put
forth several ISLANDERS against me, and sent
him formal note calling upon him to avow or
disavow them. Among them was the statement
that | had labored to secure the election of Gen.
Taylor, whilst pretending to support Gen. Cass
And, that had shown a want of devotion to
the Democratic cause.
To the specific matter of this inquiry he gave
the answer to which suppose he aludes. He
denied having questioned my motives, or made
any accusation against me; said he had left my
future vindication against what he had hoped
would turn out to be mere Wing aspersions,"
to be attended to by myself; had never ac-
cused me of want of devotion to the Demo.
cratic cause )" and that he had not failed on
many occasions to suggest certain grounds of
allowance (too obvious to need mention) for
what might seem to some rather lukewarm
support of the Democratic candidates" Unn-
vited and disregarded lie introduced into his
reply speculations, ard opinions, and express
sions Of regret and dissatisfaction at my course
in the Presidential canvass of l84S. Such was
the manner and the occasion of the very DELHI
crate written opinion to which he refers.
He has warned me that if keep up this
controversial warfare" with him, that my
friends will have to deplore my "want of dis
creton." That may be so; certainly feel
humbed by controversy with one 40 regard
less of all the obligations recognized by honor
able men; and had not his position been such
as to give a force to his words beyond what
was due to his character, [ should probably
have left his falsehoods to counteract each
other. Were to attempt to answer all he has
told, and all he may tell, should expect to
have such fate as befe pain-dealing man
who heard that his political antagonist had been
making false accusations against him, and went
out to disprove them. His INSCRIPTIONS OPP
ponent laughing at his occupation, said; whilst
the former was disproving one old lie, he would
tell dozen new ones
have endeavored as briefly as was consistent
with the task of proving negative to expose
the more prominent of those ISLANDERS against
me, which have been drawn from their place of
deposit by the approach of that session of the
legislature at which he says it "was known"
he "must be re elected to the Senate, or be de-
fcated" congratulate myself that they have
been thrown to the surface to expire in the light
like vermin turned up by the early spring furrow
of the farmer.
Itwould have exhausted the bitterness of an
ordinary heart to supply the rancor which he
mauifests towards me. NOT so with h;o H.,