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


did not, in consequence of my being unwell lol
some weeks, find time to visit all the counties O
our district l determined, therefore, to avail my
self of the first leisure time to address you Ill eX
PLANTATION of nv views, and to defend myself agalns
attacks This regarded as alike due to myself
whether should or should not again be candl
date before you. That Is a question which car
be decided with more propriety at the close OF nay
present term of service than it could at an carrier
day. VaIuing l do my character as man, anG
reputation as a statesman, more than mere ponuca
success, shall leave all considerations only con-
nectsd with the latter to future day.
For several years past old party topics have been
lost sight Of and overri1den entirely by questions
connected with the institution of slavery. though
for a great while Abolition societies have been ac,
tive in the Northern States, yet the agitation do
not assume formidable shape until within the
last half-dozen years. During the Mexican war;
there being prospect that territory Wouia DC ac
ouired, the Wilmot Proviso was brought forward
The effect of that movement was to provide that
in whatever territory we might acquire, no slave
holder should settle with his property. by this
means the territory would be carved into free
States, and by its political afinties strengthen the
North. This was the main object of Northern
politicians. They intended that while no more
slave States should be admitted into the Union, a
number of free States might come in, so as toglve
them the entire control, in few years, of the Gov
eminent. 1t was their purpose not only to secure
thus all the political power of the Union, but in
the end to effect the abolition of slavery, or the
passage of measures destructive to our interests.
On our part we resisted this state of things, not
only because of its mischevous tendency, but also
on account of its gross injustice. The Southern
States besides paying liberal proportion of the
taxes necessary to sustain the war, actually furnish
ed twice many soldiers as the North. AS our
population was in fact but little more than halt
theirs, we thus contributed, proportionally, four
times as much as their section. Feeling indignant
at the attempt to exclude us entirely, we struggled
to effect either such a settlement as might leave
the territory open to every citizen of the Republic,
so that he could go inio it with such property as
he could hold at home, or at least to get some
equitable division. Most Southern men were will
ing to take the Missouri line compromise, though
it would have given on " one-tnrd OF the terri
tory acquired.
The Congress in which this measure was intro
duced, passed by without any final acton. When
the next Congress assembled in December, 1917,
the subject was renewed. 1 found that every
single Wing from the free States, and large por-
ton of the Democrats likewise, steadily supported,
on every division, the principle of the Wilmot
Proviso. When, feeling indignant at such palpa-
BILE injustice, we demonstrated with Northern
Wings, we were often told not to be alarmed, that
they only intended to use this question means
of stopping the Mexican war, and of splitting into
two the Democratic party in Nav York, who were
divided on the question. They declared, from time
to time, that they did not intend to push the
matter to practical issue, and that we need feel
no alarm whatever. They assured us, most en-
phatically, that they intended to take no ground
in the end that would oblige Southern Wings to
abandon them. On the side of the Democrats there
were many against US likewise, and Gen. Cass,
the head of the party, occupied in his Nicholson
letter, position unsatisfactory to us, and which,
subsequently was repudiated also by the bulk of
his party in the South. Gen. Taylor, our candidate,
took no position whatever on this subject, but we
preferred riskng the chances with him, to one,
whose doctrine was Objectionable. The first at
tempt at settlement which came near succeeding,
was that known as the Clayton Compromise. This
measure was bitterly opposed by every Northern
Wing in the House of Representatives They de-
clarsd that it was, in its tendency, merely cacu-
lated to elect Cass and that if it were defeated
they would afterwards give better settlement,
DC. do not suppose that any Southern Wing
was induced to take ground against the bill on
the strength OF these assurances alone, thoug it
is probable that such promises operated in aid of
other objections. In fact, it is due to the eight
gentlemen from the South VINO assisted in defeat
ing the measure, that l should say that though /
did not act with them, yet concurred in the opin
ion that this bill fell far short of doing the South
justice. These gentlemen, and all of US from that
section, in fact, had right to look for better adj
Justment. am sorry to be obliged to say, how
ever, that after the termination of the Presidential
contest, there were no favorable indications
on the part of our Northern political allies AT
the following session, commencing in December
1s4a, they not only voted regularly for the Will
mot Proviso, to exclude us from all share in the
conquered territory, but when Mr. Colts resolution
was passed for the abolition of the slave trade in
the District of Columbia, they were found voting
for It, There was, as you we'll know, fellow-citi
zens, a meeting of the Southern members of Con.
gress to devise means to protect their section. We
were then met by the same sort of solicitation on
part OF Northern men, snd such Southern Wings
as sympathised with them. They declared that
r this movement was all a scheme of certain Demo.
Gratis to break down Gen. Taylor's administration
before 1T came into power, and implored us to take
no rash steps, but to trust to their good conduct
at the proper time. Though 1 attached myself
no weight to these declarations, yet am satisfied
that they served to sooth and quiet many South
ern members. At the close of the session there
was another vigorous effort to settle the te1ritoria
question. [ allude to Walkers amendment, E
proposition of a Democratic Senator, which came
TO us from the other wing of the Capitol where
1t had been adopted by handsome vote. This
was, IN my Judgment, better settlement for the
South than the Clayton Compromise, and all the
Southern members made an honest effort to pas
It, 1t met, however, the same kind of opposition
from the body Of the Northern Wings, and por
ton of the Democrats, aud was defeated, as al
nT0a re ho1