Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-08-20
M. r.ua,x,.cr Of Virginia.


parties.n From it we propose to make few short
extracts Speaking of the period of time immedi-
ately subsequent to the passage of the Compromise
acts, Mr.. F. says:
The passage of the compromise acts by Congress
in Sept 1850, was far from terminating the strug-
ole Of the friends of the Union 1t is true some of
those measures became by their passage final, and
are by their nature rrepealable But there was one
that one to which have before more particularly
referred-n which the South had vital and pecu-
liar interest. which was subject to repeal at any
time and which, whether repealed or not could be
of little practical value to unless sustained by
sound public sentiment at the North, where it was
to be executed The contest them so far as the law
was concerned, transferred from the Halls of
Congress- to the direct tribunal of the people them
selves Open rebellion TO the execution of the law
was Familiarity proclaimed. Its consttutionality We
hemently denied. The pulpit. the press, county and
C rporation meetings. and legislative assemblies
Numbered their denunciations against it, and pro-
claimed warfare for its repeal, whilst ferocious
mobs were melted and encouraged to resist its en-
forcement. Some idea may be formed of the frenzy
which animated the opponents of this measure by
quoting the sentiment of a convention, which during
that period assembled in Pennsylvania 1t was there
declared that George Washington was as infamous
and vile for signing the act of 1893 as Willard
Fillmore is for signing the act of 1850 both were
infamous; both laws were infamous" Never
there a period which more urgently demanded the
| active influence and patriotic exertions of every
sound thinking man who possessed influence in the
North to aay the spirit of open discomfort, and to
suppress the reasonable projects Of the enemies of
the Union Any existing in that day, who was
blessed with the power to give sound direction to
public sentiment and who, from any purposes of
selfish and vaulting ambition. withheld the exercise
| that power, was guilty of fragrant dereliction of
duty, which the people of this country will never
cease to remember to his injury.
| In casting our eyes back to the fall of 1850 and
1851, we find the highest intellect and the modest
patriotism Of the North everywhere in motion, and
earnest and unceasing in its appeals to resist the
tide of fanatica resistance of that law. then sweep
ing over the free States. President Fillmore accom-
panied by portion of his Cabinet, visited the States
of Massachusetts and New York, and sought by the
weight of his high character, and by the exercise
| of all the legitimate influence at his command, to
soften the excited pref udices of the people, ard 10
turn their reflections into the current of public du-
ty Henry Clay, from the capital of Kentucky,
sent forth warning voice to his friends at the North
Webster, reused by the magnitude of the danger,
travelled from point to point, and brought the
sive powers of his mighty intellect to maintain up
hold and support the supremacy of the Constitution
and laws. Pierce, Choate Dallas, Dickinson, Doug
lass, OConnor and host of Others brought all the
influence of their abilities and well-earned popuari
ty to aid the triumph of the cause of CoNsTITU
TIoNAL UNION.
AS the course of Franklin Pierce is not SO gen
orally known at this period that of his three more
ilustrious compeers, and it is fit and proper that
II should be better known. Will present from the
columns of the National Inteliigencer, of the 2Sth
of November, 1850, sketch of the sound and patri
otto remarks made by him the Goth Of that month.
at Union meeting held at Manchester in New
Hampshire. The whole proceedings OF the meeting
cover near four columns of that paper.
aGESERA1 P1ERcE's SPEEcu-The President then
duced General Franklin Pierce and that gallant gentleman
received with enthusiastic cheers Dscaming any
pose anything like tfga5 nadrs 81 he he
emotions There much in the appearance of the
oppressed him when he cast that vast calm
multitude and remembered that they had gathered
there consider wh,sh i0r years that Rss
question was whether the Union should be perpetual
! but whether there should be dsunion.
He in the United States Senate when that word
heard for the first time that floor, and shall he for
the thrill of horror it through that body deep
and solemn succeeded and Senators shuddered as
they slowly turned their eyes upon the bold author Of the
while of the secretaries reading resolution in ia
Pierce They hiss again Let the men who do
it show o lem M rose two men, the r
General Pierce have who seek destroy the
Union. Zone of them replied No. fyou will let us ex
General Pierce You shall have your oppotuni
ty all in goo time Let the discussion and he that is
defeated go the WALL and yield the question That is
the way to manage such matters in free country There
If precipated into by fanatcism, cannot
conquer Both sections of the country may be inundated
said that of the North could bring men in the field
that the South could MUSTER but it would be
found when the trial should come that the who
that boast would not be of the who
/ to forth to meet the from the South
reat cheerng1 Gen Pierce said the men, then in the
hail. who had abandoned themselves to the natuation of
dsunion sentiment would probably live to and
of their In the coming days of de-
creptude when the inrmes of shall have
them, they would gather their children around them
confess how they betrayed into moral
as legacy say to them: STAND BY YOUR UNIoN-AND
CoUSTRY' He said he deemed it uuneces-
into formal argument in support of the Union.
The resolution embraced ali that could be said that SUBJ
he had doubt that the Union would down.
measures recommended carried. The defeat the
first attempt overwhelmed him Nth apprehension under
standing that the compromise intended the South
Of greater security for Of their rights than they
felt they had for time past possessed Who did not de-
plore savery But what sound thinking mind regarded
that the only evil that could upon the land! The
that would dissolve the Union did
slavery than he did but with it have lived
peace prosperity and security from the foundation of
situations to the present time If the Constitution prorided
for the return Of fugitive saues, That
was what he WANTED that what fathers
AGREED should do and that what the FRIENDS
established by them wanted do. TI1isses. /
These, said Gen p, the arguments of the higher law,
suppose
manity. They were the men who always preaching
against Yet how peaeeab1e disseln.ie of the
Union to be accomplished If portion of the States
ue? The slaves would escape their would pursue
them If the slaves protected in the free States, the
owners would pursue with armed forces Troops would be
raised resist them baalions would be added battal-
ions each sde and the free States would be the battle
ground where such armies would be found engaged beyond
what Napoleon the most terrific of his bloody
battefeds 1t the fear of such dreadful
that caused such universal revolution of feeling through
The of the nation opened to the of the
danger Even those who opposed in Congress felt they