The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-13

momnorS Ptesens. Inc pubic notice was short,
| and there are several absent from the oity Tho
chairman stated tho object Of tho meeting to be the
determination OF the time and place for holding
Wing National Convention to nominate candidates
| for the Presidency and Vice Presidency Various
propositions were made as to the time, the 18th,
10th, and nth OF june being respectively recon-
mended At this point 1t was suggested that tho
place had better first be fixed, because by that
selection the other question might DO settled mas
much as the facilities of travel and distance would
necessarily exert an influence tho decision. Many
opinions were expressed and arguments urged for
| different localities
:, Mr. Humphrey Marshall, of Kentucky, thon took
the hoor and changed the current of debate by ve-
hementiy protesting for re-enactment Of the
luton passed by tho same caucus at tho beginning
OF the session, and declaring that tho Compromise
given to any candidate. Tho ball being thus OPEN
ed, Mr.. Walsh, of Baltimore, Mr.. Outlaw, of North
Carolina. Mr. Cabell, of Florida, and Mr. Gentry,
OF Tennessee, followed, pretty much in tho same
strain tho last manfestDg becoming Difference for
the opinions of others, and the Same liberaty Of
sentiment which has heretofore characterized his
views Mr. Parker Of Indiana, wing, who in
free soil district bravey indicated the constitution
atty of the Fugitive Slave law, Mr.. Sackott of
| New York, Mr. Stevens ofPennsylvania and others
addressed the meeting in oonciliatory spirit, stat
| ing there was no disposition among the wings of
the North to advocate sectional issues or to disturb
the compromise measures. They had given tho
strongest evidence of their sincerity in this respoct
during the present and last sessions. All they
| asked from the South was what they required Of
them ut the outset, just and upright acquiescence
This was the temper of their remarks, and it is put
forward as the sense of the Northern wings, in both
| branches of Congress.
| motion was then made to rofer the time and
place OF holding the convention to joint oom-
mittee and while it was pending, another was intro
duced to adjourn sine die At this stage Of the pro-
ceedngs, Mr.. Mangum asked leave to offer some
remarks. He said he felt it due to his own position
to state, in view of rumors which had reached him,
OF the intention of gentlemen to introduce matters
before tho meeting, which, in his estimation, wore
wholly irrelevant, that he should decide any such
propositions to be out of order. If the sentiments
OF the majority, under such circumstances, did not
correspond with his own he would readily relnquish
| the chair. Several of the Southern members ex-
| pressed satisfaction at this declaration. 1t was
| then finally determined to adjourn until Tuesday
| week next.
| Correspondence of the Express
WASHINGTON, April 10, 1852.
| The wings in caucus, numbering about sixty Som
aters and Representatives assembled in the Senate
chamber last evening, and held on as the telegraph
will have told you, till after ii p NJ, the meeting
having been called at o'clock. What was done
during these four mortal hours we outsiders can
only guess at but rs heard one of the members
remark, after coming out there would be rich read
ngs for the reporters, if they could only get at it.
There was evidently much debate and much feeling;
and yet nothing was done, nothing at all, beyond
adiourning to meet again some ten days hence
Inc South, am told, was very poorly represented
in the caucus. Georgia not there, nor was Ala
bama, which has two good wing representatives in
Congress. The Missouri Senator was not there The
Mississippi wing Senator, Mr.. Brooke, was not there
North Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Ken
lucky, all whg States, were there and all these
States, (but Kentucky, and she in part,) through
their members, so far as they spoke at ALL spoke in
the most earnest and solemn manner against any
nomination, or any action Of tho wing party which
should leave open the Compromise bills to agita-
ton under the protection or sanction of wing adj
ministration. Mr.. Gentry, Of Tenn, is reported to
have made most touching and powerful appeal to
hiswhig Northern friends, and not without effect
The North was represented in full all classes, all
compositions, all shades. Hon. Thad. Stevens and
Rev. Orrin Fowler, who boltod the previous whig
caucus at the opening of Congress, when the Com
promise resolutions passed. were there. Ex-
Governor Seward, and Mr.. Senator Wade, of Ohio,
representing one extreme, there; and the
Northern friends of Mr.. Fillmore were also there.
Men, with seeming affinities, were in the same
room TOR some hours and, naturally enough, four
hours were consumed and nothing was done.
The only practical point Of discussion involved
was lbut that led to many other matters) this
question: Shall the time and place be fixed to-
night. or shall the caucus adjourn to some other
night = Immediate action was resisted by the
South generally, and by Mr.. Fillmore's Northern
iends' but that immediate action was insisted upon
by the other side The names of the candidates,
however, am assured, were never mentioned and
their principles or policy in manner directly
connected with their names This must have been
remarkable in the midst of so much warm discus
sion, but the fact shows temperance and forbear
ance on all sides.
The adjournment over to another night was, how
ever, presume, but to take time to reflect to con-
suit, to deliberate. All agree in having whig
tional convention, and on the duty to fix the time
and place The only real question is, Shall the
fight that is coming, and seems inevitable, take
place in an open public national convention, or be
avoided, possible by some concert of action among
the wing members of Congress here!" The South
ern wings, almost in mass, say they cannot join the
Northern free soilers in putting down Mr.. Fillmore
and Mr.. Webster, and their national principles of
administration, without some public assurance that
their successors will sustain those principles. This
many of them think they ought to have here or if
not here then in the National Convention it is in
dsponsable for their existence at home that such
assurance should be had Such Northern men, how
ever, as Thaddeus Stevens, Gov. Seward, and Mr..
Fowler make no c0ncealment of their views that
such an assurance would be death to them. What
can be done amid such conflicting interests, it is not
tor me to say.
How what will be done at the next caucus, which |
is fixing the time and place. is to be done, cannot
Of the South as will show all that the whig party
is practically rent in sectional twain Some |
Southern wings will yet cling to Northern wings, |
and some Northern wings will yet cling to Southern
less, and overthrow in what seems to be the rising
sectional storm. | may be gloomy in my visions,
but see no land ahead.
The practical difficulty arises from the attempt in
New England to demolish Mr.. Webster, because Of |
his 9th OF March speech-and in New York, from the
attempt to demolish Mr. Fillmore because he did |
not veto the Fugitive Slave law. General Scott is
the instrument used to do it-not, am assured,
with his sanction consents nay, in spite of it, per-
haps-and yet such is the naked, tangible rresis-
tible fact. Theorise men please, this is the Eng
lish OF all this action This is what it means--no
moreno less New England is to be asked to
crifce Mr.. Webster and has put Mr.. Fillmore upon
the altar Of the abolition Moloch. If Mr.. Webster
had made no 9th of March speech, and Mr.. Fillmore
had vetoed the Fugitive Slave laws, no man can
doubt that both would have been overwhelmingly |
popular both at Christiana and Syracuse. The
South is asked to look and this sacrifice go on
When New England mandates the illustrious Web
nvincble son--the gallant whig States of Ken
lucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Indiana
expected to send their delegates to Philadelphia to
look on, and assist at the sacrifice. Can it be done!
We shall see.
| trust that in speaking Of Gen. Scott as the in
str,,ment though the unwilling instrument, of this |