Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-04

tuents. Can any doubt that agitation viii ~ conse
quent upon the adoption Of this measure? Pas no te
Missouri compromise been Of great beneet TO 'pe ooan
try Has II not wrought wonderful chadges! ~ more
than third of century it has given eohPs peaoe
and tranquility to US to extee1 Whch wouid never
have been enjoyed had that rmpac1 nS' peen
into can well recollect t scenes which transpired at
its adoption I know whst fearful apprehensions were
entertained by the sagaciou patriotic, and wise
in the land Those apprehehsiohs were entertained
for the safety and preservation Of this Unions and when
that pacfcation completed, when the compact was
soemny entered into between the Worth and South was
ratified by the national will twas not resisted by one
Legislature in the States, was 1t opposed by indiy
duals All acquiesced in it End what has been the re-
suit to country Sir theconsequences are TOO mag
ni6ceut be contemplated S wide and expanded to be
embraced at glance ov territory mas extended ior
hundreds of miles along ne Atlantic sea-board from
Georgia to the Rio Grande Our vast domain has been
spread from the Atlantic the Pacific, embracing thou
sands of miles Of seaboad there In numbers we nave
oustrpped all former Examples by the increase of our
population Our rapi strides in wealth, in commerce,
and in high renown unexampled in the annals OF the
world Has thssrown out OF the Missouri compro-
mise or it not coequent upon it? You may say that
these things are nos necessary consequences but at all
events they have sued since it adopted, and since
the country has yen harmoni.ed by the influences which
have emanated Som it. Sir it has been of vast import
ance to the PROPERTY and glory of this country from that
time to the prsent Its results impressed upon the
American mid and heart and the nations feelings and
pride have lnited in sanctonng the benefits resulting
from the yopton Of that measure. 1t is compact,
solemn COMPACT. Shall retain it shall throw it
asdeY sail we teach disregard Of compromises? What
Is there hitch will give sanctty the last compromise
If Won rip the former Of oil respect it atoms
and tmple it under foot? 1t is the principle of truth
that oud be preserved The word Of section Of the
iJYio should be kept with the other
resisting this attempt to repeal the Missouri COM
nyiise acting IN accordance with the most solemn
dges given to the American people by the Executive
nd by the second functonary Of this Governments and
insist that in doing am dscharging duty which is
obligatory upon Though do not attach any great
Importance party distinctions for is said there
none; get IhdUe dlwdys been Democrat, and sup
ported tie principles affirmed by The Administration, feel
bound 10 ootc against the proposition 10 disturb the compro
mise Of 1850. am determined with all earnestness and
sincerity to stand by the present Administration upon the
principles which has ayowed and which the second off,
Of this Government also announced in his letter OF
ceptance. Sir, will support the Baltimore platform,
though never had any great respect for platforms gene
rally We had none in Texas, unless they were punch
made out of rough timber which very strong
and substantial and generally rested the ground SO
that of course did not think great deal about them
have always thought that for any well constituted par
N the Constitution of the United States was perhaps the
best platform that could get and upon that plant
myself There is precisely where stand. But if the
Baltimore platform within the purvew OF the prin
cples Of the Constitution that does not exclude it from
my support by any Therefore, shall go for the
Baltimore platform and its hnaity resolutions for this
is expressly declared in the fifth article of that platform
"Rseesoed, That the Democratic party will resist all at
temps ut renewing Congress out of it, the agitation of
the slavery question under whatever shape color the at
tempt may be made
Now, sir there is an affirmation of its fnality That
puts il at rest far the Democratic party in making
their nomination for the Presidency concerned. Up
that declaration supported with my feeble aid the
candidate of the party placed upon that platform and
in his letter Of acceptance he recognised that the
don of his becoming candidate of the party, not be-
the platform made but because it was in
cordance with his principles In his letter Of acceptance
he says:
81 accept the nomination upon the platform adopted by
the Convention not because it is expected of candi
command
appreciation of my Judgment"
Sir here was reimbursement Of the fifth article of the
Baltimore platform, which affirmed the fnality of the
compromise of 1850 Can any doubt the import or
meaning of it, did not. When saw it exulted that
the candidate Of the Democratic party would if elected
ratify what had been done by the Government in 1850
had hoped that long might be connected with this
Government, or in the shades Of retirement, if
should have the felicity of reaching them in quiet might
live in peace under own vine and fig tree, with none
in all the land disturb by agitation Them if that
was fnaty Mt that time why is it not fnality now
What harm has resulted from the Missouri compromise
from that time to the present? What new intelligence
has sprung upon us! What new light has dawned which
requires the humiliation of solemn compact made be-
the two sections of this Republic and from which
harmony has resulted? II,
Mr. King than whom no purer man has lived-unsu-
lied in his fe pure in his death, having evidenced the
vd patriotism throughout his political career and
descended to grave with honor and in his let
ter accepting the nomination of the Baltimore Convention
as candidate for the Vice Presidency:
"The platform, as made by the Convention, meets my
dial appreciation. 1t national in all its parts and am
only stand upon It, but upon all occasions to
defend it."
Is that conclusive not only that the Chief Magis
trate would defend the compromise of $780, but that if
in the event any unfortunate contingency the second
officer of the Government should the Presidency
had from him solemn guarantee that he would pre-
that compromise invioate, and would put down
agitation whenever it might attempt to rear its angry
crest?
know Mr. President, at one time it wosapprehended
o
IS Abolitioniss would attempt agtate, and, posi-
BILE, to procure repeal of the fugitive slave law That
threatened in the newspapers. The New York Tr-
bune among Others denounced that law, and proclaimed
to the world that it would wage unceasng upon it
until its repeal accomplished But, sir that discor
dant had died away before this Congress had
bled. The requiem of Abolition seemed to have been
sung II there utras in the South their dissatis
factions enced they had acquiesced in this great
healing measure; and the wounds which had afflicted the
body-politc cicatrized and well. rejoced in it.
every patriot in the land rejoced in it. All felt joyous in
the accomplishment of consummation devouty to be
wished further assurance was given to US that peace
would be preserved in the inaugural of the President of
the United States He then told u.s. referring to the ag
tation of the slavery question:
al ervently hore that question at rest and that no
sectional ambitious fanacal excitement may again
threaten the durability four institutions obscure the light
Of our prosperity"
will not be charged with opposing this measure as
meeting the appreciation of the Administration, al
though have in prints the assertion that It is
SUCH 1t is repudated in advance measure OF the
Administration The President would not deny the prin
cipe upon which his acceptance OF the nomination was
predcated he would repudate all his preconceiyed