The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-06-17
mistaken, unseduc'd, untorriGed.

mistaken, unseduc'd, unterrified.' -
Then follows MIR. Orr of South Carolina, in
speech in the House, Immediately after the
nomination, in which he holds the following
language:
"But other questions have arisen since his Con
gressional career opened, of the most delicate
texture and gravest Importance, which he has
met as II patriot and statesman. His voice
was among the first heard on the floor of Con-
gress in opposition to the fanatcal schemes Of
the Abolitionists, when that question-so full
of danger and dissension-was introduced here
He proved himself eminently conservative upon
that issue, and proclaimed boldly for maintain
ing the constitutional rights of the South; his
action was conformable to the creed you adopt
ed last week at Baltimore, long before that
creed was reduced to form and shape on paper
Your resolution there is, that Congress has no
power under the Constitution to interfere with
or control the domestic institutions of the sew
eral States and that such States are the sole
and proper judges of everything appertainng
TO their own affairs not prohibited by the Con
stltution; and that all efforts of the Abolition
lists, or others, made to induce Congress to in
terfere with questions of slavery, or TO take in
cpient steps in relation thereto are calcula-
ted to lead to the most alarming and dangerous
consequences, and that all such efforts have an
inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness
of the people, and endanger the stability and
permanency of the Union, and ought not to be
countenanced by any friend of our political
institutions. If there should be one 10 cruel
and ungenerous as to question his fidelity to
the constitutional rights Of my section--and |
do not ask more than that from any man--let
him recur to his speech in reply to Mr. Slade,
of Vermont on the Abolition question. To the
constitutional rights Of the South he has been
faithful among the faithless when others have
been swept off by the wild waves of fanaticism
and turned their hearts and hands against the
just rights of their Southern brethren, he
through all the changes and vicissitudes of for
tune-has stood as firm as his native granite
hills, resolved that the Constitution alone should
be the polar star Of his political hopes and
prospects. And although he was saddened by
seeing, for brief season, that cloud Of fanati-
cism which lowered over the entire North, OBJ
scure the sun of the republican faith even OF
New Hampshire, he never qnailcd in the gene
raj gloom. but trusted firmly that returning
reason and justice would dispel its murky folds,
and that it would again shine forth in all its
brightness. Nor was he disappointed; for abol
ibiWt 1atu Ito olito tkcIc NEfc bWtpb oh iihp
autumn leaves before the wintry blast
Let me, then, conjure Southern men Of the
opposition to pause, and consider long and well
before they enlist under doubtful colors to wage
q war against one SO true 30 faithful 80 bold,
20 fearless as Franklin Pierce has proved him
self to be in unfolding the Constitution. How
many others fell when the tempter came
When State after State deserted and embraced
A hnl,t;nn,oy,, ou1 Eroa Collier, op1 madness
ruled the hour, he calmly surveyed the impend-
ing ruin, sounded the alarm, and rallied his
native State on the side of reason and justice
BE not ungrateful to one who stood by you
when the issue was far more moment0us than
a party triumph or defeat It would be $40
not Of the smallest grade. II your nominee
has proved, and still proves, his devotion to the
Constitution, support him if your principles de,
mand it; but never strike down q true Irienu
to serve faithlcss enemy
In the face of such record, OF such support
and such testimony, what DO We see nc I'VE"
York Evening Post elect'oneerihg Tor nm
ex-senator Dix. and cx-Frec-Soiler John Van
Buron and Al. AboItionist Henry b. Stanton
with a crowd Of other Free Soil Democrats
praisinr and advocating the nomination as
loudly as they praised and advocated the MONT
nation Of Martin Van Buren, in 1913, made on
Principles and for Purposes directly opposed to
those on which the nomination Of Mr.. Pierce
Is now made!
Once more we appeal to our Free Soil Dem
ocrstc friends not committed to the nomina
ton You now know the antecedents Of the
candidate and his present position. On inc
paramount question he is and always has been
directly and vitality opposed to you. You kno"
the platiorm-no sophistry can explain away
the fact that it was as fairly adopted rs any
platform ever was by political convs0u'"