The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-10-06

goth of February srkngy confirmed by this arucie
in the Enquirer We suboin them, and ask of southern
men to read and digest;
aAnd another and yet greater error connected with this
whole subject consists in the demands altogether too ex-
acting made upon the public of the non-ayeholdng
States many of which | have seem and of which
have felt No stronger proof of this predsposon be
given than the refusal the part of southern members of
this body TO permit the insertion in the ugtvesave law
of provision allowing the right of trial by jury TO the
person claimed in the county whence might be alleged
he had escaped his restoration there should he then de-
mand it.
81 could comprehend the motives for the rejection
Of this proposition just within itself and which would
have given great satisfaction the North and have pre-
vented much of the hostility TO the law 1t would have
been entirely compatible with the constitution for the de-
livery TO the master would have been but a commitment
10 be consummated and become final by the verdict of the
jury when demanded was in favor Of the general prin
cpes of the law, and among the earliest TO urge the
justice Of its passage and the injury done TO the South by
the delay The refusal TO accept this proposition seemed
to ntepose unnecessary barriers in the OF the invests
CATION of questions of human liberty for certainly the
objections which might reasonably have been urged
against the submission of these cases to a northern
jury, and which induced to oppose the provision
had application to southern jury, which have
no preudices TO overcome in the examination of the
rights Of the parties. But not inch of ground was
yielded and | determined not give my to the
law 1t bed of Procruses, and had wish to
be shortened heightened by rigid adaptation to it,
found place for Had the northern senator's been
firm upon the point this tribute great principle inter
woven with the American heart and institutions, would
have been secured.
1850 S'''-
rent, while he who opposes it put forth all his
strength and then may become its victim Popular
feeling power hard resist and the reproach of being
doughace belongs TO him who panders TO it, and not to
him who strives to maintain the constitutional rights of
ALL even in opposition to his own community, which holds
in its hands his political life and death This is precisely
the condition which southern has had to
in with this grave subject and ii is pre-
csey the condition which he comprehend, will
do justice to- when the of northern is in
question II is not enough with many of the southern
politicians that public from the free States maintain
firmly and untlnehngy, the rights of the saveholdng
portion of the Union and stand ready to meet the cone
quence however disastrous themselves rather than par
ticpate in their violation this say is not enough some
times indeed, IL is nothing unless every opinion of the
South upon the general question adopted and unreserved
allegiance profssed to the declaration that
REST CONDITION OF HUMAN SOCIETY.
"SAsery is in opinions | have said than
once before in the Senate and have doubt unaccepa
bly, to many great evil, social and political but it is
existing from which escape and for which the
South is responsible the North, any other tri
buna but to Him who made both bond and free and while
either in public in private life have strength to express
my views Of peculiar regard any section of the
country but in obedience to the dictates of my
science shall uphold the right of the South
to determine every question in relation to this species of
property for themselves and the duty of the whole Union
to carry into effect the constitutional provision in good
faith and with kind feelings. do not know any northern
who is disposed to beyond this. Nor is there any
southern man who should desire it."
Such were General Cass's opinions winter and they
in different at the State convention. We
heard every word of his Speech and approved every word
of it, If henceorth he must be ranked with Benton and
Van Buren,, then must we be ranked with the New York
Evening Post and the Buffalo Repubca fellowship that
we heartily despise despise the fellowship Of
the Richmond Enquirer. The Enquirer contrasts the
course of General Cas with that of Senator Douglas
THEIR OPINIONS RESPECTING SLAVERY UNDER
NEBRASKA ARE IDENTICAL and is there any one
who thinks Mr. Douglas regards slavery otherwise than
a great social and political evil
The truth is all such articles that of the Enquirer
would be merely udicrous if they not mischevous
Perhaps we extending comments to too great
length but there other points in the article that
orbear touching upon The Enquirer accuses
General Cass OF midity and want of moral inrepdity
Perhaps the best to that accusation is that the
ment write, General Cass is probably addressing
meeting Of the people of Indiana in support of the
Nebraska ac-a that possibly the Enquirer has
been led believe is very popular in that section Of
the Union He is also probably telling the people before
him what their duties towards the South 1t may be
that he will say again that slavery is social and political
evil but the denuncations of the Enquirer it
hardly be timidity that will prompt him to do-so
But does Gen Casss long life reveal single instance of
mdity want of moral intrepidity2 Instead of
turing boldly out sea- has he as the Enquirer asserts
chung noously shore directed his by vary
/ ing and deceitful landmarks Let us
Forgetting his from the time he entered the North
Territory with pack upon his back until he
sent to the French by General Jackson the minis
ter of his country period of more than twenty years.
during which in relation of hte--and he almost
every relation of life in and peacewas he accused Of
timdity or want of moral ntrepiditywe find that two
great marked his These the quintuple
! treaty and the Nicholson letter,
/ A tmd man. or a lacking moral ntrepidity, would
noand such is the verdict of the agewithout instruc-
tons from his government and in the face of the almost
overshadowng power that brought to bear upon the
French cabinet have addressed that cabinet such pro-
test General Cass addressed it. Said he in that
memorable document The next dispatches from the United
Gtasa efler The receipt of my communication will bring
information either that my been approved
by the President that my mission is terminated Is
there dty in this language, uttered ut most critical
crisis in the affairs of this country Had timid man. or
wanting in moral intrepidy, occupied the post of
American minister ut Paris at that time the quntupe
treaty would have been communicative American doc
trine of free trade and sailors rights would have been
abridged or maintain il, country might have been
precipatea into ipermnable and disaStrous Gen
Cass by most consummately gallant and bold stroke of
policy defeated the deep designs of combined European
despotism upon American interests and established the
inviolability of the American flag.
A timd man. wanting in moral inrepdity
would not have written the Nicholson letter When that
letter wGs published the legislature of every northern
State with single exception had declared for the doc
thine of the Wlmot proviso Northern public sentiment
in the democratic well the wing party, well nigh
unanimous that doctrine Gen. Cass's State had
embraced it in the most authoritative and imposing form
He knew well he knew any thing that the strong
tinent of the North could be Immediately changed