Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-01-15
Political Consistency The Petersburg In
felIigenceT.

Political CoDsistenoy--Th Petersburg IN
felIigencer.
twill be remembered that we publisheda Tow
DAVIS since, from tho Richmond National Amer
lean. an article, embracing resolution adopted
by the Virginia Legislature, on the subject Of
the Missouri Compromise, in the winter OF
1859, and for which resolution the present
editor Of the Petersburg Intelligencer voted,
thereby showing that he was then in taUor OF
that compromise, and threatened "a determined
resistance at all hazards and to the last extrem-
ity if the esprit and principles of that act
should be "disregarded by the adoption Of
the " wilmot proviso" The Intelligencer of
the 10th instant contains nearly column Of
editorial in defence Of this vote then given. II
says:
In voting for the aforesaid resolution, we did
not advocate the Missouri Compromise, per sc. We
merely recorded our preference for it over the
Wilnot propiso, for the question narrowed
down to choice between the two measures"
But the editor, Mr.. Syme, in voting for the
resolution, whilst he did not advocate the
Missouri Compromise, per Sc" did protest,
"perse" that the esprit and principles of the
act Of Congress commonly called the Missouri
Compromise must not be disregarded by the
enaction of the Wilmot Proviso and that, il 80
disregarded, Virginia "per Sc" would resist
the aggression, mt all hazards and to the last
extremity! He did lot simply record his
preference for the resolution over the Wilmot
Proyiso, as we understand the matter, nor was
the question narrowed down to choice be-
tween the two measures" for, the Missouri
Compromise act was law then in force, and
operation, and Mr.. Syme "per SC" declared,
that it should not be disregarded, "scithout
fight or q Joot-rdce!
Here is the resolution for which Mr.. Syme
voted, to wit:
RESOLVED, That II, in disregard of the spirit
and principles Of the act of Congress on the adj
mission of the State of Missouri into the Union
generally known as the Missouri Compromise, and
Of every consideration of justice, constitutional
right and fraternal feeling, the fearful issue shall
be forced upon the country, which will result from
the adoption and enforcement the Wilmot Pro-
viso as an act of the General Government, the
people of Virginia have no difficulty in decd-
ing between the only alternatives that will thea
Iemain, Of abject submission TO aggression and
outrage on the one hand, or determined resistance
on the other at all hazards AID to the last ertren
ity"
Now if Mr. Syme had then been opposed,
as well to the Missouri Compromise" as to
the q Wilmot Proviso," his opposition to the
latter could easily have been shown without
endorsing the compromise, by moving TO strike
out the words, "of the spirit and principles Of
the act pf Congress on the admission Of the
State of Missouri into the Union, generally
lnopn as the Missouri Compromise, and, :"
which being stricken out, would have left the
resolution simple denuneiation Of the Wimot
Proviso, by declaring 1t disregard of every
consideration Of justice, constitutional right,
and fraternal feeling" &c, &c.
But we spprehend that the truth was, not
a single member of the Virginia Assembly
was then opposed to the Missouri Compromise,
but on the contrary, they were in favor of the
esprit and principles Of the act, " as the whole
country then was, and they were Men willing
to oppose !" at all hazards, and to the last ex-
tremity," any attempt to disregard" the
Esprit and principles" of this Compromise.
Nevertheless, if Mr.. Syme, who has, we be-
liove edited the Intellgencer for some fifteen
or twenty years, during which time the Esprit
and principles" Of the Compromise have been
repeatedly applied to other Territories than
Missouri, If 1--WE say he can point to any edi-
torial of his, prior to the year 1854, in which
he opposed the missouri Compromise" line,
we will admit the justice Of his present con-
struction of his vote on the above resolution,
strange though it appear to us.
As an additional reason for our opinion, that
the politicians of Virginia have not, until very
recently, opposed the spirit and principles"
of the Missouri Compromise act, we beg to
refer our contemporary to the vote in Con-
gress in 1s45, upon the proposition of Mr..
Douglas to apply the esprit and principles"
Of the Compromise, to that portion of Texas,
lying north of SO IL degrees. The prohibi-
ton reads thus:
And in such State or States as shall be formed
ont of said Territory, north of the said Missouri
Compromise line, slavery or involuntary servitude
Except for crimes) shall be prohibited"
For this prohibition the following Represen-
tatives in Congress from the South voted, viz
Georg;a-Edward j. Black, Alexander II. Ste
phens. Hugh A. HARRISON, John III. Lumpkin, How
ell Cobb, and William III. Stiles.
South Caroiina--James A. Black, Richard +.
Simpson, Armstead Burt Isaac z. Holmes, and r.
Barnwell Rhett.
North Oarolina--Thomas L. Clingman, Daniel
NJ. Barringer, David S. Reid, Edmund Deberry,
Romulus ~ Saunders, James ]. Mckay, John r.
Daniel, and Archibald III. Arlington.
Aississippi-Jacob Thompson.
Louisiana--John Slidell, Alcee Labranche, and
7 n Dawson