Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1856-09-06
Fra The ch.rlsslsa MsEsary,
Buchanan on Slavery.

The GROWING act Oi Mr., bufhanans oeha'
torial career was his vote in behalf Of the
annexation OF Texas, measure Of the first i'm
portanee to the south. Soon afIer. he was
called 10 Mr.. Folks Cabinet. In 1916 the
Wilmot PToviso was introduced into Congress,
and the agitation which followed surpassed, in
extent and interest. thar OF any former period,
The Legislatures OF almost every State at the
north took action upon the subject and instruct.
ed their Representatives in Washington TO
support the Proviso. The country was engaged
il a foreign war; the successful prosecution Of
which was greatly prejudiced by such divisions
At home, and various expedients were proposed
for settling them. Prominent among them, and
as counter movement 10 the Wilmot Proyiso,
was the proposition TO extend the Missouri
Compromise line to the Pacific ocean. Mr..
Calhoun, backed by many leading men from
the south, gave i, his support. Ii was regarded
by them as a solution Of the question, fair and
satisfactory TO the south. But the north, then
as now, would tolerate no justice to the SOUTH
and the proposition was defeated. But what
was Mr.. Buchanan's course in the mntterl He
was member of the cabinet, aud Of course he
could take no active part but, determined that
lU suCu uil ioSuC sulGN lHllutNCt
not be wanting TO promote peace and justice to
the south, he wrote in October, 1877, letter
to the Harvest Home celebration of Bucks
county, Pennsylvania, in which he forcibly
advocated the extension Of the Missouri Com.
promise line TO the Pacific ocean. He stood
with the SOUTH and in opposition to an over.
whelming freesol opinion at the north.
In 1850 the Compromise measures were
passed. They were denounced, and justly, in
every section of the SOUTH as asserting princi-
pies equally unconstitutional and aggressive
upon her rights. We need only alude to the
enormous fraud practised upon the south in the
admission Of California-the joint work Of a
faithless administration and "squatter sover-
eighty" By that compromise the south gained
what has since turned out to be a miserable
and impotent cnactment-the Fugitive Slave
law. But even this paltry loon, in exchange
for California Utah, and New Mexico, was
repudiated by the north, and fanaticism visited
with political death northern men who had
consented to it. What on this point, was Mr..
Buchanan's course? In 1850 he wrote letter
to the democracy of Pennsylvania, in which
he spoke as follows
"Rest assured that all the patriotic emotions
of every true-hearted Pennsylvania, in favor
OF the Union and the constitution, are shared
by the southern people. What battle field has
not been illustrated by their gallant deeds and
when, in our history, have they ever shrunk
from sacrifices and spderngs in the cause Of
their country What, then, means the mutters
ing thunder which we hear from the south 2
The signs of the times are truly portentous
Whilst many in the south openly advocate the
cause Of secession, large majority, as firmly
believe, still londly cling to the Union, awaiting
with deep anxiety the action of the north on
the compromise lately effected in Congress-
Should this be disregarded and nulified by the
citizens of the north, the southern people may
become united, and then farewell to our blessed
Union. Fam no alarmist; but brave and
wise man looks danger steadily in the face.
This is the best means of avoiding it. | am
deeply impressed with the conviction that the
north neither sufficiently understands nor ap.
preciates the danger For my own part, have
been steadily watching its approach for the last
fifteen years. During that period | have often
sounded the alarm; but my feeble warnings
have been disregarded. lnow soemnly declare,
as the deliberate conviction of my judgement,
that two things are necessary to preserve this
Union from the most immediate danger.
~. Agitation in the north on the subject of
southern slavery must be rebuked and put
down by a strong, energetic, and enlightened
public opinion.
"2. The fugitive slave law must be executed
in its letter and its spirit.
"To Judge correctly of our relative duties
towards the people Of the south, we ought to
place ourselves in their position, and do unto
them as we would they should do unto US
under similar circumstances. This is the
golden rule. 1t was under its benign influence
that our constitution of mutual compromise and
concession was framed, and by the same spirit
alone can it he maintained. Do the people of
the north act in this Chistian spirit while stig-
matizing their brethren of the south wi h the
harshest epithets; and this, too, with knowl-
edge that the consequences of these assaults
must be to place in peril their personal safety,
and that of all they hold most dear on earth.
J repeat that this constant agitation must be
arrested by the firm determination and resolute
action of the vast majority of the people of the
north, who are known to disapprove it, or the
sacrifice of our glorious Union may, and prob.
ably will, be at last the consequence"
Again, in 1852, in speech in Pennsylvania
Mr.. Buchanan said
"The fugitive slave law is all the so nth has
obtained in this compromise of 1850. 1t is a
law founded both upon the letter and the spirit
of the constitution, and similar law has
existed on our statute books ever SINCE the
administration Of George Washington. History
teaches us that but for the provision in favor Of
fugitive slaves, our present constitution never
would have existed. Think We that the south
will ever tamely surrender the fugitive slave
law to northern fanatics and aboitionists 2"
Such was Buchanan's course in reference to
the compromise Of 1850, and the fugitive slave
law. This brings down his record on slavery
to his signature of the Ostend letter for the
aqusition of Cuba, and his endorsement of the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise line, and
Of the Kansas.Kebraska bill. To sum up the
record:'
In 1896 he advocated and voted for bill to
prevent the transmission Of incendiary publica-