The Woodville Republican, and Wilkinson advertiser., 1853-12-27

OF The only feature OF the Compromise favor
able to the South
Thus, it appears that the Baltimore plat
form was triumph cor the South; for whiIe
it avoids any expression of appreciation Of
those measures OF the Compromise which
were thought detrimental TO Southern inter.
ests, it explicitly aud emphatically approves
the measure, TO which the only concession was
made to the demand Of the South.
Now, is thereany thing ambiguous or fraud
ulentin such resolutions May not aman,
with perfect consistency, oppose the enactment
OF particular measure as unjust aud impol-
tic, aud yet, when il becomes a law, consent
to adhere TO and abide by it Does not this
thing occur in every instance in which 4 law
docs not express the unanimous opinion Of ihe
peoplef And did the Baltimore Convention
perpetrate a fraud on the country in withhold
ing its opinion Of the merit Of the Compro-
mise, whileitresolved to adhere TO and abide by
it as the law Of the land, and as a solemn coms
pact between the North and the South In
deed, the original supporters Of the Compro.
mise did notcommeud every distinctand sep
arate measure their approval was bestowed
on the samtary operation Of the whole,
The Democratic party nictin the Baltimore
Convention in n spirit Of conciliation andhar-
moay. The absurd attempt TO enforce an
unifomity.of opinion inrespect to a subject
concerning which there was much discrepan-
ey ct sentiment, was never suggested in that
assembly of intelligent gentlemen. This how
ever was done; it was resolved to adhere to
and abide by the Compromise /; TO preserve
| the Fugitive Slave Law inviolate and to dis
Ecountenance and suppress anti-slavery agita-
ton. What more could thecountry demand
five had not seen so much Of whig eiffon-
tery, we might effect sonic surprise at the crit
icism of the wing press on the above para
graph from the Union newspaper In jew
Of the notorious fact that the whig party in.
the South were by no means unanimous in
their support Of the Compromise, and that
the whig party in the North were not entires
ly unanimous in their opposition to the Com
promse,swe might with propriety express sur
prise at the indignation with which the whig
press affects to regard the declaration Of the
Union. But the Inconsistency of the whig
press is far more glaring In their censure d
the phraseology Of the Democratic platform.
The public will hear with astonishment since
this recent demonstration of the whg press,
that the whig platform carefully and cautious
| ly avoids any approval Of the Compromise,
and is obnoxious to the very censure which
the whig press urges against the democratic
| platform. We make no reference to the sus-
picious circumstances under which the whig
platform was adopted, and by which the good
faith Of the convention was discredited--we
say nothing of the reputation of the platform
by large and powerful section Of the whig
party. The platform in It's own language ex-
poses the Inconsistency and hypocrisy. of the
whig press in its censure of the resolution of
the democratic Convention. This is the Ian
guage Of the whig platform in regard to the
Compromise:
| "That the series of acts of the thirty-seeond
Congress, the act known as the Fugitive Slave
| law included, are received and acquiesced in
the whig party in the United States, as set
tlement in principle and substance, Of the dan
gerous and exciting questions which they en-
brace; and SO far as they are concerned, we
will maintain them, and Insist upon their en-
forcement until time and experience shall
demonstrate the necessity of further legislation
! to guard against the evasion Of the laws on
the one hand and the abuse of their powers
on the other-not impairing their present eff
cheney; and we deprecate all further agitation
Of the questions thus settled, as dangerous to
our peace and will discountcnance all efforts
to continue or renew such agitation, whenever,
wherever or however the attempt may be
made, and we will maintain this system as es-
sential to the nationality Of the whig party,
and the integrity Of the Union"
Is there any expression Of approval or dis
approval here! "The series af acts" are ire
ceiyed and acquiesced in" but not approved.
The doubtful expression, received and acqui-
esced in, will warrant an inference Of disap-
proyal, but is absolutely inconsistent with any
idea of concurrence or commentator. II the
whig convention meant to approve the Com
promise-as the whig journals Of the South
would now have US to belieye--why did they
not say so in express ternsl The answer is
obvious and satisfactory the whg con
vention did not inteud to approve the Com.
promise, or else they so disguised their design
in ambiguous phraseology, as to deceive the
anti-Compromise wing of their party, and to
perpetrate fraud" upon the country. There
is no possible escape from this dilemma.
II is not irrelevant to the point before as, to
observe the difference between the whg plat
form and the democratic platform in regard
to the Fugitive slave law. The one treats this
statute as an ordinary enactment, subject to
modification and repeal-the other respects it
as a solemn compact, possessing the sanctity
of constitutional stipulation, and TO be OBJ
served and maintained with sorupulous fdel-
ity.
II is simply Misrepresentation Of fact in a
democrat to assert that the Baltimore Con-
vention pronounced judgment on the Compro-
mise measures. The whig press, in making