The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-22

tive Slave law shall be enforced. He looked TO tn,
Q Democratic party alone as the great conservative
power to preserve and maintain our Government
he looked to the doctrine OF strict construc ton
which can make Government immortal, anc
to the Democrats for the endorsement OF the prin
ciple, and TO them alone. And however good some
of the intentions OF the Wing party may be in re-
ation to the great question Of the enforcement OF
the Compromise measures he did not think there
was much hope from that quarter if he had to trust
to their political action within the last twelve
months. We know that President Fillmore is IL
be sacrificed because he has taken ground tina, the
Fugitive Slave law is TO be enforced as il is.
He then alluded TO the Wing caucus held last
night, some account of the proceedings Of which
was given in the papers Of this morning. He un-
derstood that those who were for standing up Tor
the Compromise were confined 10 section and
not numerously as to that. He understood that
the Compromise was not only unpopular, but that
1t was ruled out OF order To talk upon the subject.
If that was true, he said we have small hope from
the Wings OF the North in ISOLATION 10 the matter.
He took il for granted that General Scott will be
their man, and that they will not allow him to sal
any thing alone, but by the consent of MIR. SEW
ARD, and in vague phrascoogy, which answered
their turn in the last Presidential contest. He
paused to give some gentleman an opportunity TO
reply; and the gentleman from North Carolina was
called upon for that purpose.
Mr. CLlNGMAN hoped that he would not be
required to say any thing, as he at the caucus
rather as spectator than actor. The gem
teman from Massachusetts, MIR. FowLER,) who
communicated the proceedings of the first caucus,
or his colleague, (Mr. OUTLAw,) the chairman OF
that caucus, or the gentleman from Kentucky y,
| (Nlr. Ma RsuALL,) should be called upon.
Mr.. HOWARD remarked it must be tolernbly
apparent that the Wing caucus which met last
night, OF which much had been said, was not
very communicative AZ to the principles which
1t intends to act during the Presidential election
He understood that, when the Compromise was
ruled out OF order, only eighteen gentlemen were
found willing to stand up to it as tinality, and
that the public peace should be mainta ined in re-
latjon to the subject
Mr.. STANLY asked the gentleman to permit
him to ask question.
MIR. HOWARD acquesced IA voice: "Pro-
| vided you ask another."l l know the gentle
man will not be 80 dscourteous not 10 an.
| swer.
Mr. STANLY. That's another affair. "a
laugher.l He dsliked to interrupt his fciends by
| asking questions; but, when he should get the
| fioor, he would show gentlemen there great
| error about all the proceedings Of the caucus.
| This would take up too much time now. If the
gentleman from Texas should answer the question
| he wns about to put, it would enable him to get
| the satisfaction which he had yet been able
| to obtain from gentlemen of either party during
| this session Why did not General CAss fur
the Fugitive Slave bill the day it passed the
Senator
Mr., HOWARD. You had better ask General
| CAss himself
| Mr.. STANLY. That might be impruient, and
it might offend the old gentleman Laughter
| Mr. HOWARD. ! never conversed with HIM
|
spccches--(The gentleman here paused TO hold
private collo9uy with a friend
| Mr.. STANLY. The gentleman can't answer
| There's "too much noise and confusion"
| Mr.. HOWARD. General CAss might have had
| private reason for not voting.
! Mr.. STANLY Exactly.
| MIR. HOWARD. In all his speeches, before
and after the passage Of that bill, General
| CAss expressed himself in favor of the Fugitive
Slave law. His langua ge is clear and distinct upon
this subject, as might be seen by recent number
Mr. sTANLY. He expressed this in his speeches,
and voted the other way. A voice: Gle did not
vote."1 Why did he voyc?
| Mr.. HOWARD. wish TO know OF the gentle
| man-!or infer that General Seat is his Magnus
! Apollo-wbcther he state if General Scott APP
proves OF the Fugitive Slave law il al present
isls and whether, if elected President, he will en-
! ploy the power of the Government to execute il?
| MIR. STANLY. He would be perjurcd man If
he did not.
| Mr.. HOWARD. All laughter
| Mr.. STANLY. That's full answer, as far as
can answer.
Mr. HOWARD. The fret is a question Of mo-
rails, and the second question OF law; but wish
to ask whether he knows, as matter of fact, that
General Scott is in favor OF this measure, and will
resist its modification or repeaR
Mr.. STANLf. He 10 as good Compromise
man my friend from Texas. daughter For
further information refer in full to my letter pub
shed few days ago. daughter, and several
voices, Good good, STASLYP
MIR. HOWARD. | did not hear the gentleman
distinctly. Did understand him to refer me 10
General SCOTS letter. A voice: "No, his own
! letter."1
Mr.. srANLY. refer you to General Scott;
and, when you get General Cass's answer, will
not vote for General Scott if hc docs not give you
| his. T. not that fair2
Mr.. HOWARD. ] should likely be cheated il
accepted Of such bargain. Ii is suggested that
the gentleman from Massachusetts, could give
! more lucid answer as TO what light hc understood
! the Compromise to have been acted upon.
| Mr.. FOWLER. There other men here to
| tell tho truth bcssdes myself.
| Laughter, excessive AMI long contnucd.l
! Mr.. HOWARD. The gentleman gave such lucid
testimony on a former day, that was in hopes he
would cnlighten this occasion. He Gays
! there are other gentlemen who tell the truth
! well as himsolf. That may be- If Trey happen 10
know II; but the misfortune u, my Whig friends do
not know whether General Scott stands up TO tho
! Compromise or not
Mr.. srANLY. j will answer The gentleman;
! know it,
MIR. HOWARD. On the Compromise
! MIR. srANLY. ] cay he is true a Compro-
! mice man as you are. aud a better Compromise
man Than my friend from Texas, which could
Sho" u J nhu chance'
Mr.. HOWARD. The Fugitive Slave law in
\ cudedi
Mr. sTANLY. Ycs. all the Compromise inca.
Mr.. HOWARD. II the gentleman can state
this oi his own knowledge, or by authority Of
General Scott shall be proud TO know it. be.
icvc, however, that the gentleman from Msssa-
! chusetis also has to be consulted. The gentleman
! from North Carolina can relieve US from all diff
Guilty II he can cay whether General Scott has au.
/ thOfized him to make the declaration.
Mr.. STANLY. ] will answer have not talked
! with General Scott for three months. | have got
other duties 20 perform, and great deal Of bust
ness on hand; and / suppose he has. General
Scott speaks for himself flc IL able To- do so; but
! tell the gentleman, "a ! have told my coustitu.
ents, what know OF my own knowledge, from his
own lips There is no mistake about that II
beard my friend from Texas say particular
| thing, and should repeat that heard him, my
veracity being unquestoncd and unimpo,cbable,
take II for granted that | would be believed as
having spoken what knew. IL not that authority
enough Before the Compromise measures were
passed, during their tendency, when Texas was
90 much alarmed, and my friend from that State
changed his vote 70 get one OF them passed, Gene.
ral Scott was as anxious for the passage Of those
measures ss the gentleman wns, and ss true, firm
aud unyielding.
Mr. OUTLAW wished to know from his col.
league Why General Scott did not say hs
own sigpaturel
Mr.. STANLY said that was a strange question
Laughter ] His colleague knew s well az he did
that General Scott 10 ia favor Of the Compromise
Why not, then, say so. lie supposed that every
gentleman has his own notions OF propriety 10
the manner Of doing it. And he thought that
General Scott would be descending from hs high
position, aud acting unworthy part, IL he should
write letters every ten days 10 log-cabin, cross.
roads, or dram.shop politicians, who might ask