The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-09-23

&c the land, SO the American party at the
~ hava called upon their brethren at
- Co,,tb. tn curse for them the Kansas
M NJ Rill and its friends, that they
,,,oy he able to drive them out of the land
.ba{ belongs equally to both; but unlike
Ralaam. who obeyed the command OF TOD
Tier than Balak, and blessed the Israel
ties instead of cursing them, the Southern
Americans have obeyed the command OF
their party rather than the voice OF duty 10
the country and the South, and they have
therefore cursed the Kansas Bin anu Is
friends, and are continuing to curse IL no"
every day. Some ofthem openly adVoeare
its repeal-others more cautious denouhce
il as a cheat and fraud, but say they do
not desire to see it repealed. am at a
loss to conceive how this can be. 1t they
honestly believe the Kansas bill I'd be
cheat and fraud, they cannot, as honest
men, it seems to me, do otherwise than vote
for its repeal. By the Missouri Compro-
mise, Kansas would have been a free State,
because il is North of the Missouri line.
Now if under the principles contained In
the Kansas bill she becomes slave State
how in the name of honesty and good faith,
can those who believe that bill to be cheat
and a fraud vote for her admission into the
Union? How can they consent to receive
stolen property! As honest men they can
not thus consent to cheat the North out OF
their territory, any sooner than they could
consent to cheat neighbor out of his land,
or acquire any of his property by fraudu-
lent and dishonest means. They must
therefore vote when the question comes up
with their brethren of the North, for the
repeal of Kansas Bill and the restoration
of the Missouri COMPROMISE.
Mr.. Fillmore, with his views on the ex-
ercise of the veto power and the sentiments
expressed in his Rochester speech, in which
he denounces the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise as a ''pandora's box out OF
which have issued all the political evils that
now aff1ict the country could not do 9th
erwise than sanction bill restoring this
compromise and repeating the Kansas bill.
He has been written to recently by Mr.. Ken
dali, american assistant Etector for the
county Of Orange, asking achether he W0ut6
or aroutd not sanction such a bill, and he
replied By sending his Rochester speech. /
am required If I remain IN the american
party, to sanction has course upon this all
absorbing question, to denounce the Kansas
Bill and consequently to adcOcate Its repeal
and the restoration Of the Missouri Compro-
mise cannot do it, will not do it. l should
be false to myself, to my known opinions on
this question, false to the duty which l owe
my State and my Country, were to consent
to such course. In my opinion it is moth
ing more nor less than treason to the South.
| entertain the same opinion about the Mis-
souri, Compromise that most of the Ameri-
can party do about the Kansas Bill. l be-
lieve, and have always believed that it was
a cheat and a fraud. The North have never
kept it, and they never meant to keep it in
4 L ID Il H..
of the North, which has always been will
ling to stand by the Constitution and its
compromises, the South never would have
gained any slave States under the Missouri
Compromise. Florida and Texas would
have been refused admission into the Union
because they recognized slavery in their
constitutions, but for the Democratic party
at the North. Neither of them received
solitary vote from any other party at the
North. The Fugitive Slave Law only re-
ceived three votes from the North outside
of the Democratic party, and therefore
could not have been passed but for that
party. The Kansas Bill did not receive
vote from any other party at the North but
the Democratic party. 1t has not now a
single friend in that portion of the Union
outside of the Democratic party. AT the
South, where upon its passage it received
the entlfe vote or all parties with the eXcep-
ton of two in the Senate and seven in the
House of Representatives, strange to say,
the American and Old Line Wing parties
are now arrayed against it.
/ know that / have nothing to gain by this
course. Had | consulted my personal in
terest or ease, should have remained where
[ was, with the American party. l know
that in separating from that party, 1 am
separated from most of my warmest and best
friends-friends who have delighted to hon
or and sustain me. | owe them debt of
gratitude which / would gladly repay by
any personal service l could render them
but | cannot, consistently with my con
science, with my sense of justice and of
right, with my convictions of duty to my
country and the South, consent to act with
them in the present contest. l believe most
of you are honest in the opinions you ex-
press and the principles you advocate. l
believe most of you are actuated by patriot
ic purposes, and | ask that you will extend
the like charity to me; but if this is denied
me and my motives should be assailed and
impugned, conscious rectitude of purpose
will sustain me amid all the anathemas that |
may be hurled against me. Inow respect |
fully resign the Presidency of your Club, |
gentlemen. and with my best wishes for
your individual happiness and prosperity, l |
am with great respect, your friend and ODE |
dent servant, GEORGE D. GRAY. |