The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1852-03-11

cember last. What vas the Union in dam
ger again us bis constant presence neces-
sarv to preserve it2-Is he the turtle on
which the elephant stands, which supports
this our world!
What created the crisis which happily for
us. he was present to meet?
He saws no one knows better than. do,
that che accomplished several important OBJ
ieets By going on to Washington last De
cember" Then the others are lamentably
ignorant. Why does he conceal his valua-
bic services? &c mentions, it is true, the
passage through the Senate of bill grant
ing alternate sections Of land to the South
ern railway; but he did not think would
consider that an achievement which demand
ed his great "political sagaeity." Because
he knew that | had been pressing that mea-
sure since 1S48, and had twice gotten it
through the Senate. The only difficulty was
in the House Of Representatives, and there
It principally arose from their rules of pro-
ceedino. / did not consider it the accom-
plishment of an important Object when ne
introduced his resolution for the reception
of Kossuth, which he afterwards withdrew.
NV pride as Mississippian, was not graft
fed when saw a Senator of the State had
gone at the call of Mr.. Webster to receive
instructions as to the resolution he should
introduce, and been sent to an Office of the
Senate to learn how to execute the purpose.
did not consider it an important object
to introduce a resolution re-afirming the
laws of the land, but in no degree settling
the doubts about their meaning, to renew
agitation as it seemed to me, for no public
good.
Had his resolution declared the construc-
ton which he IS here understood TO place
upon those laws, It's passage would have been
an important object, but | fear that is one
which he could not in "full term" accom-
plish.
There is one important object" which [
have no doubt he did effect by his presence
at the opening of the session. That is the
receipt of his per diem and mileage-the lat
ter always exceeded by about five hundred
dollars, the sum which by computation of
the post distances and legal rate of allow
ance, could claim for myself Whether
this arose from my not having renowned
locality" or, because had not Ftparticular
clearness and accuracy F'upon questions of
juridieal Interpretation" or for other rea-
sons which l will not suggest-it is left for
others. to decide
But he says he would have considered
himself "most eensurable indeed, l." if he had
so acted as TO leave the State unrepresented
in the United States Senate during the month
of December.
The first weeks Of long session are the
lnac onf - ,f Il - i
have been censnrable for him to have left
his seat vacant in December, what are We to
think of the conduct which leaves it vacant
now, as it has been since some time in De-
cember? If he had been really intent on
securing a full representation for the State in /
the United States Senate, would he not have
desired that Gov. Guion should have exer-
cised the appointing power and at sub
sequent period, when the duties of chief ex-
ecutive of the State devolved upon Governor
Whitfield, would he not have resigned, 50
as to have enabled him to make an appoint
ment? In the latter case, a small portion
of the session of Congress wonld have been
lost but if it had been known that an ext |
gency existed requiring attendance, full and
immediate, the number of days lost would
have been very few.
Finally: did he not know that by hang
ing on to his Office until the Legislature met,
his seat must be vacant for longer period
than he could occupy it? The time requir-
ed for him to travel from Washington city
to Mississippi, added to that the new mem
Der would require to travel to Washington /;
and also the time necessary for the organiza-
ton of the Legislature and election of the
new member could not fail to exceed the
time which he could remain in the Senate, if
he returned to jackson so as to be inaugu-
rated at the usual date Was his presence
so much more valuable than that of another,
as to justify the claim he sets up or is he
on such terms with the crisis maker that he
could limit the critical period to the day
when he must leave Washington, so as to
reach jackson in due time for his Inaugural
ton ? If he has also made an arrangement
to prevent another critical period from oc- !
curing before his successor should arrive, his
constituents, when they learn it, will have ,
cause to thank him for that, among other
important objects which were accomplished |
by him, and which they "will realize one of
these days"
He habitually, and very improperly, calls
me leader of the party in which l have
served, and according to his custom of attrib-
uting his own thoughts and acts to others,
he says in his last publication, that seeming
ly | have of late set myself up for a leader,
and value myself ''very highly as a party
tactician." 1t is not so have neither
lately nor formerly claimed to lead in party
too distinguished forintcllecs and attainment
to follow any man. I have a contempt for
the character ola party tactician; and have
never been more disguised with his vanity
than when l read the declaration in his last
article, presented as evidence of his intel
lectual acuteneSs, that he foresaw the sad
justment measures must in the end become
extremely popular throughout the Republic;
that it was the policy of the Demo-
cratic party to rally to the support of the
compromise; that the Wings Of the
South were generally ready to unite with
them in support of it, &c. Those who have
been at loss to comprehend how he passed
from the position he occupied when Mr..
Clay introduced his resolutions, to that on
which he stood in the recent canvass, here
have key to unlock the secret. 1t is sick
ening to contemplate such self-exposure.-
What can be mean by political principle p
It need no longer excite surprise that he
thought the democratic party" ought to
! have been ttre-orpanized uDou the platform