Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-15


as provided for in the several compromises and
the best men of the SIayeholdng States, who
are sensible of the iniquity cannot venture to
declare their sentiments, lest they incur the
imputation of deserting their own section in a
contest in which defeat would he humiliation,
and for which the leaders who have produced
it, would subject them to the charge of failing
to stand by the cause of their peculiar Institu-
ton
The persons who have sent me to this Con.
vention, are the first of the slave holding re-
gion who have come forward to vindicate the
cause of our common country against this sec
tional influence They are body of business
men of Baltimore who feel that their city espe-
caly and the State of MARYLAND have a great
stake depending Oh the preservation of the
Union aud the peace of the country If the
bonds which unite the two portions of the I'm
ion, distinguished by free and slave institutions
should be severed, the nature of the different
interests growing out of the species of property
Ill which it consists on one side, must involve
continual conflicts for its recovery, when Gvng
to the other for freedom, and the animosity
thus engendered cannot fail to bring on those
protracLed and bloody wars of ambition and
conquest which have characterized nations of
contiguous Territory in every age, and which
have produced the most relentless hostilities
between those of kindred blood The wars be-
tween England, Scotland and Ireland-the
wars between France and England-of France
and the northern nations of the continent
wars which make up the history of Europe,
would have their parallel here MARYLAND
would become the Belgium of this side of the
Atlantic-the Potomac the Rhine. The shores
of all our great Rivers dividing the hostile
States would frown with fortrcsseS and ccntu-
rics of bloodshed ensuc, unless the peculiar
cause originating the strife, which make an car
ly end Of it, by the intestine war of coIors has
tcnmg It's own extinction.
Those | represent, abhoring the thought of
civil war pressed on the mind of every man by
the sectional feud, which although now show
ing its violence onl y upon remote frontier, is
nevertheless at work in every spirited heart on
the continent, have desired me to submit to this
Convention, conyoked to take the initiative in |
the nomination of a Chief Magistrate to up-
hold the cause of the Free States in the con- |
tr0versy, proposition marked by Justice and |
moderation, to restore good feeling and con- |
cord, and certainly there never was a contest |
where the plain honest idea that directed Jack |
sons administration was of such easy applica- |
tioh in settling a difficulty. Let the North ask |
moching but arhat is clearly right, and submit to |
nothing that Is rrong, and it cannot fail to bring |
the quarrel to an honorable termination. The |
dispute about the Territaries was adjusted so |
to the whole country that all par
ties, however widely differing on other subjects,
N tde it a point to give in adhesion to the set
tlemcnt in every subsequent elcctiOn--all the |
candidates for the Presidency before and in the |
last canvass in obedience to the several no.
conventions, stood upon it as a plat /
form
The present Chief Magistrate did more Bv |
the very terms of his Inaugural address. closed |
by q solemn oath, lie may be sld to have |
sworn his allegiance to the compromises Of the |
Slave question, declaring they should not be |
disturbed if he could prevent it during his term |
of service. He renewed the VOW in the mes
sage to the first congress he met and before |
its close became the active instrument in abo- !
iShlng every compromise made on the subject |
since the foundation of the Government. 1t |
was done with the SuddenneSS of the explosion !
of a mine of powder. The system planned bv !
Jefferson and his c0mpatriOts to prevent the |
extension of Slavery and its dangerous tenden-
cy to disruption of the Union-the safeguard !
superadded under Monroe's administrations
LowndeS, Pinckncy, Calhoun, Crawford-al |
the great men cf the South aiding and Clay |
especially distinguishing himself, after two years
of struggle, in its cffcctuat;On-the late dispo-
sitiOn Of the controversy about the Mexican !
acquisitions accomplished by the same great
man, supported by Webster, CasS, and by Ben
ton also Oh the main point--thc exclusion of |
Slavery by the prohibition of the Mexican laws,
in word, all the real statesmen of the coun.
try, compromises Oh the subject made by, and /
pronounced by them as binding in honor as
the compromises Of the constitution, were
blown up by the accession Of President Pierce |
and Mr.. Douglas to the scheme of Mr. Atchi- |
son and few Nulliiicrs who prepared the
mine,
Now the simple remedy for this ruin is to !
rebuild the work overthrowG, and nothing is |
easier, if resolved upon by the North, and per |
sisted in without regard to party names or
party crics-or individual designs or prcdilcc-1 |
tions. There is not an honest patriot in the
North Of any party who does not condemn this |
act Of bad faith. Many it is true, warped by |
schemes of selfish ambition and looking to their |
advancement through Southern influence, say
the mischief done, cannot be repaired. The !
compromises cannot be restored because the
Senate and the President hold q veto to for
bid it. There was immeaSurably a stronger !
veto against the eXpunging Rcsolution-the |
ball which Benton solitary and alone put in |
motion. But public opinion triumphed then !
over the strongest wills and the ablest men of
the country. 1t cannot be withstood by the
puppets now on the scene. In the meantime
the strong representation of the North in the |
House can hold everything in allegiance until !
the Nations voice shall pronounce its irresista
BILE decision.
That the South will acquiescc in it, what
ever the violent men, who seek dissolution of !
the Union, to make Charleston the New-l York |
of the Sonth none can dOubt. How can it |