Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-02-05

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stood unon the same principles, while many even
of tho non;nteryention men, irritated by their de-
! fat had determined, with a view OF Furnishing the
Sutb 70 offer no resistance to these measures, but
to obIipe Gen. Taylor to sign or veto the bills
! SEEING that almost the entire North was hostlie-
! on nv reaching the city early in November,
made such INQUIRE as were necessary to ascertain
- wore the views of the administration, and
whether it was likely to make any effective resist
apce to this hostile line of policy. majority OF
the Cabinet were Wilmot Proviso men, while part
| of the minority were Indifferent. L came soon to
the conclusion, from all the information that L
could obtain, that if the Proviso were passed, it
would not be vetoed; while, with respect to a6oh-
ton of slavery in the District, could not learn
that anything was determined on except to avoid
the issue if possible. Seeing the dangers that
( threatened my section, expressed my apprehen-
sions to my colleague, Mr.. Mangum, and to Gen.
Foote of Mississippi, both of whom happened to
be here at that time. Our letters then published
were intended to put countrymen on their
guard, and prepare them for the struggle: When
Congress assembled, it is well known that the
manifestations were such as to excite alarm IN the
country. Several weeks elapsed before the organ
ization of the House completed. Though
some little impression had been made by our efforts
vet it appeared that majority of about twenty
votes were still for the Wilmot Proviso, as indicat
ed by the division on proposition introduced by
Mr. Root, of Ohio. Happening TO obtain the floor
at the opening of the debate on the Presidents
Message, [, in my speech of the 22d of January,
1850, after surveying the ground which the Nor
thern Wings had occupied to a man IN the pre-
ceding Congress, declared, most emphatcally, that
the time for change in their line OF policy had
come if they looked for further cooperation from
our section The first favorable Indication occurred
few days afterwards, when the proposition Of
Mr. Root coming up for final action, was defeated
by a vote of the House. The incidents of that
memorable session are too well known to require
review of them. After Gen. Taylor's death, and
the accession of Mr. Fillmore, the bills commonly
called the Compromise Measures became laws.
Being unwilling that the South should lose all
the territory acquired from Mexico refused to vote
for the bills dsposing of it. The Fugitive Slave
Law being the compensation offered for the
other measures supported, because right IN ITSELF
AS the Constitution had already provided that
fugtives should be delivered to their owners, was
not willing, for the sake Of getting a new law on
that subject to consent to surrender to the North
the whole of that territory, it being sufficient to
make more than ten States as large as North Caro-
lima. When, however, those measures had passed
rrevocably, though the bargain had in my opinion
been an unwise for US, yet resolved to insist
upon the North carrying out the fugitive slave
law which they had offered us in exchange for the
territory given up to them, and which could not of
course he gotten back.
1t ought not to be forgotten too, that even after
they obtained the admission of California, and the
passage of the other territorial measures, out Of
more than eighty Wing members of Congress
from the North, only three very willing to vote
for the Fugitive Slave Law, its enactment being
mainly due to the support Of the Northern demo-
cracv and Southern members generally. The
great body of the Northern Wings still stood u on
their anti-slavery ground. They still constituted
"a formidable band hostile to our section, deter
mined to use all the powers within their reach for
our injury, anxious to convert Government form
ed for our protection into engine of OPPRESSION
and to substitute for the limited Constitution of
the United States political system, that, in all
time, was to be our great enemy. Though re-
pulsed and foiled in their efforts they did not feel
discomfttcd, and were intent on recovering the
vantage ground, which they had for time lost
For myself, having already met trouble and diff
Guilty enough from their efforts, determined not
to give them aid, but on the contrary to use my
best exertons to prevent their getting into power
again, until they abandoned those principles Their
first movement was the opening of fierce war, on
those Northern men who had shown disposition
to do us Justice, and had aided in the passage of
the Fugitive Slave Act. 1t was their purpose to
render such persons odious throughout the entire
North, and build up, on their destruction, con-
trolling political party. a part of their plan
sisted in superseding such men as Fillmore and
Webster, with presidential candidate of hostile
| views. Their thoughts were at once turned to
Gen. Scott, who, in accordance with their wishes,
avoided committing himself publicly, in relation to
any of the so called compromise measures. Though
urged again and again by Southern men to take
position, by letter speech, he steadily refused
to do it. 1t is known to you, felowcitizens that,
in 1949, advocated his claims rather than Gen.
Taylor's. l need not recapitulate my reasons for
so doing it this time. Though neither he nor
Gen. Taylor had taken any distinct ground upon
the slavery question as then pending yet for party
reasons preferred Gen. Scott to Gen. Taylor, who
had not been connected in any way with the action
of the Wing party.
Soon after that contest, however, viz in the
summer of 1849, Gen. Scott published his Canada
letter, in which, while expressing his wish for the
annexation of the British provinces he went out OF
his way to declare hostility to the acquisition of
Mexican territory. This occurred in the height OF
the controversy about the territory already acquir
ed. 1t was, in substance, saying to the North
am for Strengthening you, but against the South.
1t must not be forgotten that the British posses
sions are larger than the whole United States, and
yet while in favor of obtainng them he against
Southern acquisition, lest we might likewise be
strengthened so as to be able to resist the North
If he had in express terms declared for the Wimot
Proviso, he could not have exhibited himself as
more hostile to us. The great object of the free
soers was, you know, to prevent in the first
place the extension of slavery, SO that the number
Of roioht after q time bacoIne GREAT tC