Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-03-10
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Mr. Mason has twice elected the Senate by the
Democracy OF this State, the ground that il
cessary vindicaie the Fugitive Slave bill of which
he the author Mr.. Fillmore signed that hill
aud made IL law. In the of those who oppose it,
he alone il responsible for it, Senator Wilson sid the
other day. III Massachusetts, that his right hand red
with the blood of the Fugitive. Ii Mt. Mason's reeec
ton necessary for the that he introduced that
bill into Congrcss-how much necessary is that of
Mr. Fillmore who sanctioned signed and the first
force tg IL the friends of Mr.. Mason sucerc in the
they urged in his behalf they bound by consis
teacy aud conscience support Mr.. Fillmore lie is
sailed most veh.meny and villainousy in the North
this very ground and the there IL to conder
Bile extent against the Fugitive Slave Law. Will the
South permit him to be beaten down that issue. Will
not Southern Democrats his support in such
conflict y-L yrchbarg VirginidH.
The view thus taken by our Lynchburg contem-
porary is pertinent and to the point The friends of
Senator Mason lalong maintained that it would be
shame and disgrace to the State, and afford
sion for extreme exultation and rejoicing the part
of the Abolititionists, not to reecct Mr. Mason To
the Senate-not to testify their renewed confidence
in the man, ,oho The author Of the Fugitive
Stare bill. This argument was used continually
and with great effect during the whole of the can
last spring. Ii maintained that IL the Wings
and Americans succeeded in obtaining a majority in
the Legislature, Senator Mason would be stricken
down. aud that the entire South would feel the blow
leveled Mt him. and that the Abotonist would exult
his defeat triumph for themselveS-inas
much, 80 the reasoning ran as he was the father of
the Fugitive Slave Law The people were conse-
quently appealed TO, in almost every Democratic
speech that made, to sustain the Democracy and
aid them in returning Democratic Legislature for the
special purpose of re-eectng to the Senate the au-
thor of the Fugitive Slave Law--upOn the ayOwed
ground that the reelection of such a man would be
the most unpalat,ble thing earth to the Adolf
zionist aud would constitute moreover the highest
and conclusive evidence of full and stern de
termination the part of the South To maintain her
rights by renewing her confidence in who had
signalize his devotion to her best interestS-n this
particularly that he the actual boRd tiie author
of the Fugitive Slave law The sincere South-lov-
ing Democracy. who think, and talk aud dream Of
nothing but Southern rights, horror-struck at
the thought Of the bare possibility of Mr. Mason
the embodiment Of the Fugitive Slave bill-beng
elected from his seat in the Senate The whole of
Abotondon, they cried would be mad with joy at
such result; and the South, in Mason overthrow,
would receive blow from which she would never
recover.
That was the great Democratic argument during
the canvass last spring. And precisely the same ar
gument was uSed-and the only that used
by the Democratic members of the present Legisla
ture the day of MaSon's reelection in December
last.
Now, we contend with the Virginidn, that if the
argument used in Masons sound and good
it is not less 50 in Mr. Fillmore's Mr.. Fillmore
promptly affixed his signature to the Fugitive Slave
Law the moment it passed the two Houses of Con
gress. And we ask, in the language Of Mr. Mlson's
friends whether the South would be doing justice t.
h.r- q, lii. l.. 4.
whelmed with defeat because of his devotion TO the
constitutional rights of secton' If it was I'M
portant for the South sustain and reelect the au
thor OF the Fugitive Slave Law, is it any less ncun.
bent upon her to sustain and renew her confidence
in the man who signed it, and without whose sigma
ture it could have become n law On the
contrary, 7ill not all true Southern men admit that
Mr.. Fillmore is entitled to tcnod more gratitude at
the hanIs Of the South than Mr. Mason IS, for hi-
noble and manly in reference to this question.
Mr. Mason is Southern man. and in the part he
took in the Enactment Of the Fugitive Slave Law it
required Of him sacrifice. lie well knew that
his conduct in this matter would provoke no denun.
citation, no assault persecution from his own peo-
pie and his own section; but he all the while
sustained aud encouraged by the perfect conscious
ness that his would be approved and endorsed
by the entire Souh, without single dissenting voice
Not 80 with Mr.. Fillmore He was "a Northern man:
and, in signing the Fugitive Slave Law he was well
aware that he was sacrificing in a large measure his
own popularity at home and that he would be Wis
itel with the seyerest dennnciatiOn and abuse by
large proportion Of the Northern people But great
rs was the temptation 10 discard and trampe upon
his convictions Of duty lac neither fnched, nor fll
tered, nor h,sitated; but with promptness aud
iirmnesS that all true patriots everywhere must com.
mend and applaud, he made his oath aud the con.
stituton the light Of his feet and noby forgot self aud
all sectional feeling in his determination to discharge
his duty to the country, and babe consequences per
sonal and political, take Of themselves.
We do not believe that the Southern people 50
justly distinguished for their sentiments Of gratitude
generosity, aud chvary, will consent to see a man
to whom they own much stricken 20 the earth and
crushed by the pitcss peltings Of the Northern Alb
oliuonsts on the hand, aud Of the Southern DE.
mocracy on the other. On the contrary. we believe
they will rally almost ~ one man to the support of
Fillmore, their nobest aud best benelactor now liy.
ing. For the sax Of the whole country and. particu
larry Of the South, we Invoke them to do it,