Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-15
THE PERsUAsIONs OF A FRIEND.

THE PERSUASIONS OF A FRIEND.
Perhaps the National hatelligcncer will
| hearken to the gentle remonstrance Of a politi-
cal friend, although it stops its ears against
such circumstances when they come from po-
litical opponents. Time and again we have
ventured to speak to it in the words of friendly
warning; but our wellmeant words were I'M
needed. Now, we luckily have the effective co.
operation of the Richmond Whig journal Of
the first class, and of like politics with our
Washington contemporary. II demonstrates
kindly, it persuades pleasantly, it argues sensi.
bly,. Surely the Iaelligencer cannot treat it
with the cold disdain that the journals opposed
to it have received at its hands. But without
further comment, we give the article Of the
Whg:
at is with no little degree of modification
that we have witnessed the efforts Of the Ma
tiondl I,ateUigencer to represent southern senti-
ment as being against the repeal of the Mis-
souri, restriction or, at least, to give currency
to the opinion that the people of the southern
States are Indifferent about the matter. It's
efforts in gathering up, during the agitation on
the Nebraska bill in Congress, every scrap that
appeared in southern paper the least unfa-
vorable to that bill, and publishing them as
| southern sentiment, together with such CORE
spondence, to the same effect as came into the
| possession of the editors of the Iateltigencer,
we had hoped would cease after the passage Of
the bill, and particularly since the unanimity
| Of the South in favor of the repeal Of the Mis-
souri, restriction has been so clearly manifested
| that it ought to be apparent to every one. II
is with feelings Of much regret that we see this
paragraph, mlsrepresenting southern sentiment
| on the Nebraska bill, quoted so conspicuously
and endorsed SO readily by the Intelligencer.
at is the experience Of the veteran Wash.
| ington correspondent Of the Journal of Com.
merce' and this veteran correspondent got
his information from two Northern and anti
| Nebraska Wing members Of Congress- who
had been out on an excursions up the Valley Of
| Virginia--had met some crowds Of people,
and were rather surprised to find that the
! Nebraska bill was never mentioned by them
Is such evidence as this to be presented to an
intelligent public as worth more than the opin-
ions Of the Southern press, with scarcely
| single exception, and the almost unanimous
vote Of the Southern Representatives in Con-
gress in favor Of that bill, sustained by the ap-
prevail of the mass of the Southern people
| But we can tell the Hateligencer and the wet
i
Daeyce, how il is that they mistake Southern
sentiment on this question.
"They misconstrue nnanimity for indife1-
ence. II is different at the South from what il
\ is at the North in this respect. At the North
there is apparently, If not in sincerity, diver
| sity of opinion about the Nebraska bill. They
are divided among themselves and arrayed in
different factions. Hence there is exhibited
| agitation and excitement among the people
| But at the South an entirely different picture
| is presented The people are pretty much Of
one opinion. There is nothing TO create an
excitement among themselves. They we're in
| favor of the repeal Of the Missouri restriction
| from the FIRST, and, so far as possible, they
wanted 70 avoid any war Of words about it.
| Their object was accomplished, and they are
satisfied TO let the matter rest--to indulge in
no course In reference to il caioulsted 10 keep
up agitation and provoke farther uDfriendly
feeling-they desire n restoration of the reign
of good will,' provided il can be effected with
out the sacrifice of their rights and privileges
! as American citizens. But let the effort be
made to repeal that billet the people of the
North persist in aggressing upon the South,
and the fact will soon be seen how far South
! ern people are indifferent, or feel mo interest
i in tie SUBJECT
| I'VE TelCT w WIS SHDJtcb uOWy HOt iOf Tue
purpose OF creating controversy or arousing
| southern indigestion. We had far rather bury
the tomabawk--let by-gones be by-gones, and
| have peace between the North and South; but
we DO protest against such representations OF
Southern sentiment going forth to the public
through the columns OF n journal OF such high
respectabinty and extended circulation as the
National Inteltigcnccr, when we have every
reason TO know that they are incorrect. The
Intelligencer has in several leading editorials
recently published, manifested CON- endable
spirit in behalf Of allaying sectional contro-
versy. They we're forcible and we had hoped
would effect much good, but we fear that their
efforts are likely to be altogether counteracted
SO long as articles of the nature Of the one
quoted and commented favoraby upon in the
fatelligcncer Of Friday are circulated by that
paper.
at is certainly not by making representa-
tons that the Southern people feel no interest
in the Nebraska bill that they attach TO the
matter no Importance, and that those at the
South who favored that bill we're 'misled by
their own passions on their misconception Of
Southern intelligence and manliness' that the
purposes OF the Northern fanatics are TO be de-
feated They are not the men TO fail to draw