The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-10-04
GEN. JAMES WATSON WEBB AND THE MISSOURI
COMPROMISES

GEN. JAMES WATSON WEBB AND THE MISSOURI
COMPROMISE.
Few ofhe prominent journalists of times have made
boasul pretensons TO conservatism and nationality
than the distinguished editor Of the New Yor Courier and
Enquirer Gen. James Watson Webb. Bit when the Mis-
souri, Compromise repealed, he produced sensation
in the political world by the vehemenee with which he de-
nounced the outrage, and the trueulen violence with
which he flung aside all further claim to nationality and
enlisted under the banner OF aboonsm in the Quixoe
crusade for the restoration Of the SACRED compact In
zeal Gen. Webb like all new convers-he manifested
enthusiasm in his sectional position which made
him competitor Of the Stewards the Chases, the Gid-
dngses and the Halcs not to mention the Fred Doug
asses for abolition applause whilst his paa abilities and
his extensive influence enabled him 10 eclipse the Tribune
and the Times and almost to render their wnkling little
lights invisible He resolved to be satisfied with nothing
short of the restoration of the Missouri restriction
nothing else could wipe out the disgrace which re-
suited from the violation Of the sacred compact of
thirty years standing. No matter if Kansas asked for
admission free State, General Webb was resolved
slam the door in her face and force her to stand
outside until Congress restored the SACRED compact
to this he dedicated all the influence civil and mill
~ which he had acquired by years ofaborous exertion
and for its accomplishment he ready to crown the
close of his eyentful life with martyrdom.
1t may we'll be imagined that when these high resolves
of Gen Webb were known by southern men, they were
prepared exclaim III Ia Brute! and for the time being,
to remble for the consequences If General James Watson
Webb the father of the late whg party the profound ad
vocte of the constitutional rights of the South could turn
aboonst and even seek out-Seward Seward himself
in warning upon the South it hard to tell who at the
North could be relied on The impression might have
neryed the strong of southern If they had
been reminded that if General Webb was true to his
antecedent his fiery zeal in behalf of the Missouri Compro
mise would abac and ooze out and fly away after few
spasmodic efforts ut gaining distinction abolition
champion - 9
Whether Mr. Seward became alarmed at the rivalry of
formidable competitor for the leadership of abolition
ism General Webb and therefore determined to head
him of by bold stroke of policy whether the result
Of the late elections particularly in Maine satisfied him
that the "sacredcompact' hobby would bear further
riding unable to decide; is it necessary for
purposes decide the question but it is certain that
for Mr.. Seward has managed through the in
strumentay of the Republican movement at Syracuse
to abandon Gen. Webbs great cd-compact ISSUE and
to leave him 'high and dry" without wind water sails
or steam prosecute his crusade for the restoration of the
Missouri Compromise The worst of the catastrophe is
that everybody says that Seward has served him exactly
right. In his forlorn conditionwthout issue, with
party without mpathzershe is forced to bear the
eers and rdcnle of his late abolition associates whilst his
old friends turn with disgust from who has on him
yet the odor of his late completely with Fred Douglass and
Joshua r. Giddings
The predicament in which General Webb is left by the
action Of the aboonsts and wings at Syracuse will be
fully appreciated upon reading the following ugubrous
Of the death of the Missouri Compromise
He says: @e
The Missouri Compromise is past hope and past praying
for 1t is BY enemies stabbed and by friends drug
ged into the sleep that knows waking. We have stood
to the last have hoped for it when Others have aban
doned themselves to amentng, have held when
others have folded their hands and have minered unto
when others have been for shutting it off and Kidding the
world OF 1t forever We have dealt honestly by it
was and sl is honest belief that its restoration was
necessary to the being of the country We know that
had served the country well that II had been for
the time disabled by natural by violent MEANS and
that still capable under honest treatment being
brought back to good, wholesome strong condition. and
again becoming important defence against evil We have
worked for it faithfully and perseverngy We have work.
cd in vain The breath Is longer in it, Let tho coffin
pass"
What now becomes of all those solemn appeal, TO the
religious feelings of northern men, which enlisted the
three thousand cergymen to turn politicians the
country from the dsgraceu violation of the SACRED COM
pact that the abolitonss had always heretofore repudi
ated and spit upon, but which had become essential
for tho preservation of national honor and to avert
from our country signal providenta visitation The
republican, movement brands these appeals sheer hy
pocrisy and exposes the wckedness Of the abolition lead
who have kept the country agated for years on
the preence of insisting tho restoration OF the Missouri
Compromise. How much wrath have these potcoreIi-
and Stephen A. Douglas for pefpcrang the outrage Of vi
oating that sacred old compromise We never doubted
that the time would come when the country would pro-
nounce the passage Of the KansasNebraska bill recog
nising the great principle of congressional non-nerven-
ton, marking of those epochs which illustrate and
make glorious political history We confess however
that our expectations realized than had anti
cpaed They realized however in the formal abandon
men of the issue which the aboonss have proclaimed
their purpose wage DIFFERENTIATION against all who
aided in repeating the Missouri Compromise The editor
OF the Courier and Enquirer says truly that the Missouri
Compromise is Dead and with it die all the hopes of Gen
Webb Of suppanting Seward The champion of the abo
litioniss Smarng under the disappointment Gen Webb
halfway ntimates and threatens that he will not co-ope
rate with the republican party in their warfare upon
The Soutb Rntf R,r