The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-02-21

Democracy Of Berks county, has been re.
Gently quoted to prove thst be would have
Opposed the repeal ofthe Missouri Compro.
mise. But this b an inference just as un.
warranted in regard 10 Mr.. Buchanan, as il
would be in regard to the many members ol
his own purty-Southern statesmen includ.
ed-who we're willing, in 1915 and Q to
waive the question Of the the constitution.
ality Of the Missouri Compromise, and extend
the line to the Pacific Ocean. That offel
was rejected and different basis Of settle
meht adopted. The Democratic party ant
the people of the South, consider the Kan
sas and Nebraska bill, to be only legiti
mate and necessary consequence of tn,
, Compromise measures of 1850. Indeed
recurrence to the discussion on those meas
ures in the South and that memorial period
shows that they could not have been justi
fled there, and would ReVef kaye been &C.
eepted had they not been supposed to EN-
body the principle Of non-intervention with
slavery, Us applicable to all the territories
of the United States. That these are like.
wise Mr.. Buchanan's views can be easily
gathered from his letter of November 18th
1850. We gave place to the last letter
written by him on the sectional questions
as it will more clearly exhibi, the tenden-
cies Of his opinions, than anything we
codld say
RicHMosD, February il, 1853.
"GENrLEMEN-On thy arrival in this city
last evening I received your very kind let.
ter; welcoming me to the metropolis of the
Old Dominion, and rendering me the honor
OF public dinner, regret-deeply regret
that my visit to Richmond will necessarily
be SO brief | cannot enjoy the pleasure and
the privilege Of meeting you all at the fes.
tive board. Intending merely to pass day
with my valued friend Judge Mason, my
previous arrangements are of such char
acter that must leave here tomorrow, or;
at the latest, on Saturday morning.
"But whilst / cannot accept the dinner, I
shall ever esteem the invitation from SO
many of Virginia's most distinguished and
estimabe sons; one Of the proudest honors
of my life. Your ancient and renowned
Commonwealth has ever been the peculiar
guardian of State rights, and the firm sup
porter of Constitutional liberty. of law, and
of order. When, therefore, she endorses
with her appreciation any Of my poor efforts
to serve the country, her commeHdation is
sure guarantee that these have been devo-
ted to righteous cause.
"You are pleased to refer in favorable
terms to my recent conduct 'at home in de-
fense ofthe Federal Constitution and Laws.
This was an easy and agreeable task, be-
cause the people Of Pennsylvania have ev.
er been as loyal and faithful to the Consti.
tuition, the Union, the.rights OF the sove.
reign States of which it is composed, as
the people of the ancient Dominion them.
selves. To have pursued different course
in my native State, would, therefore. have
been to resist the strong current of enlight-
ened public opinion.
"I purpossly refrain from discussing the
original merit Of the Compromise, because
consider it. to employ the expressive Ian.
ghage of the day. as "finality"-a fixed
fact-a most important enactment of law,
the agitation or disturbance of which could
do no possible good. but might produce much
positive evil. Our noble vessel of State,
ffeighted with the hUpes OF mankind, both
for the present and future generations, has
passed through the tnost dangerous breakers
which she has ever encountered, and has tri-
umphantly ridden out the storm. Both those
who supported the measures of The Comprom.
ice as just and necessary, and those who, re-
garding them in different light. yet ac-
quiesce in them for the sake Of the Union
have arrived at the same conclusion--that
it must and shall be executed. They have
thus, for every practical purpose. adopted
the same platform, and have resolved to sus-
tain it against the common enemy. Why,
then, should they wrangle and divide and
waste their energies, not respecting the main
question, which has already been definitely
settled, but in regard TO the process which
has brought them. though from different di.
rections, to the same conclusion! Above
all, why should the strength ofthe Democrat.
c party OF the country be impaired and its
sscsndancy jeoparded for any such cause,
We who believe that the triumph OF Demo.
cratic principles 10 essential not only to
The prosperity of the Union. but even to the
preservation Of the Constitution, ought re.
;iProcally to forget, and. il need be, TO for
give the past, and cordially unite with our
political brethren In sustaining for the future
he good old cause Of Democracy. Il must
'e source Of deep and LISTING pleasure to
very patriotic heart that our beloved coun.
~ has SO happily passed through the ate
rying and dangerous crisis. The volcano
laa been extinguished, I trusts forever; and
he man who would apply . frebrand, at the
resent moment. to the combustible materi
Is which still remain, may produce IN erup.
ion to oyerwhelm both the Constitution and
he Union. s IN II
With sentiments of high and grateful re- I
pect, ! remain your fellow citizen, Il