Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1852-05-20

try together yield TO theforce of dem
agoguism which wears the mask of lib
erty only TO perpetuate crime; or that
it may, with comparative impunity, ex-
cite passion, 10 reward ultimately a de-
sire for self aggrandizementl VIII the
whig party, under eciSting circun,-
stances, shroud honest convictions OF
public duty in silence, that our candi-
date for the proudest honor on earth
may have his opinions interpreted va
riously TO suit the changing p-ejudices
or prepossessions of particular lati-
tudes? F'ellow-whigs! such policy
will not-should not succeed. 1t is
unworthy of a great party whose SEN
| timents are conservative, and whose
aim is the prosperity and happiness Of
the people. lis tendency is to reduce
the whig party 10 a mere heterogene-
Gus compound of discordant sectional
factions; the ballot-box to receptacle
for votes obtained by fraud upon one or
other of the sections of tie United
States; and the presidential election TO
trial Of chicanery and dissimulation
among political mountebanks. We do
not seek to make an injurious ascrip-
ton OF motive to any man or associa-
ton of men; but we repudiate and re-
! fuse. for our part, now and hereafter,
to lend our support TO any candidate
whose principles are not plainly defined,
or to join in any crusade against popu-
lar rights, the honesty OF politics, or
the palpable interest of the country, for
the purpose of achieving a temporary
political triumph.
But to return. What was the in
gredient in Gentry's amendment that
induced the chairman to rule it out OF
order! The only aim Il the amend
ment was to exclude a conclusion. Il
was framed distinctly with view to
absolve the whig members present from
an implied pledge 10 support the nomi-
nees of the national convention, "un-
less those nominees shall be publicly
and unequivocalIy pledged to regard
the series OF measures known Us the
ment of the dangerous questions they
embraced, and to maintain them in
violate What inference can be
drawn from the refusal to grant this
exemption but that the determination
existed 10 commit all who participated
in the meeting TO the support of the
nominee of the national convention,
whether he shall be pledged to support
the Compromise or not! Some OF the
undersigned are bound by our solemn
) public declaration, made in 1880, that
we will support no man for Office un.
J less he is known, unequivocally and be.
J yond controversy, TO be determined
) TO maintain, support, and execute the
: laws known as the compromise meas
ures, fugitive-slare law and all. We
| shall relgiously redeem our word
, We felt, after the defeat of Gentry
amendment, that silence or acquies-
: cence, under the circumstances. would
: commit US TO inconsistency, and Justly
awaken suspicion of our sincerity
Regarding the vote on Gentry's amend
! ment as the emphatic declaration by
the meeting either that the persons
! present remained uncommitted as tc
: their own support of the adjustment
measures, or that they refused to es
; tablish any such test ofthe qualification
Of the nominee of the national conven
t ton, no course remained, consisten
I with our conviction Of duty and sens,
] of self-respect, but to withdraw for
: mally from the meeting, and to retair
: the position we designed to attain.
!, 1t has been charged that it is our de
a Iiberate purpose to distract the coun
# sels of the wings, and to create an un
: necessary schism in the body of tht
: whig party. 1t has been charged tha
# our object is 10 open afresh the agita
e ton upon the slavery question, and L
r create sectional strife, in order to pre-
0 vent a concentration of whig strengtl
If at the approaching presidential election
i 1t has been charged that we presen
b insulting terms to the North by requ
0 ring the reiteration of pledges to main
it tain and to enforce laws which exis
= oli liC SldtUtI UoOh. anu Hiftii IL
i member of Congress or political asp
l. rant has manifested an intention t
t disturb. These statements, fellow
e wings, are unjust and untrue. If an
: schism shall occur in the viii
n party, it will result from the attempt
o of men whose present distinction
e alone attributable to the success wit
d which they have heretofore fed tn
d flames of sectional fanaticism, an
T" whose future hope rests mainly upo
= the creation of sectional divisions
o Our efortkas been to induce the whie
e to assume national ground-a cor
n servatiye and patriotic position-th
n only position upon which the state:
d man and the patriot can maintain th
i harmony of these States or preserv
l. the existence of this government.
le So far from opening agitation upo
% the slavery question, our avowed oil
ie ject is, and the effect Of the propositio
we assert must be, to terminate agi,;
: ton by assuming as starting point io
s. the canvass that the entire party, mort
Of and South, faithfully abides by I'll
l- law as it exists, and maintains the con
ID promise measures as a final settlemen
10 of the exciting questions they embrac'
st How is it possible that this position ca