Washington sentinel., 1856-07-29
From the Charleston Mercury.
RuShunan on slavery.

/
nexation of Texas--a measure Of the first i'm
portance to the South. Soon after, he was
called to Mr.. Polk's cabinet. In 1916 the
Wilmot proviso was introduced into Congress
and the agitation which followed surpassed, in
extent and interest, that Of any former period
The legislatures of almost every State at the
North took action upon the subject, and in
structed their representatives in Washington
TO support the proviso. The country was en-.
gagged in foreign war, the successful prosecu-
ton of which was greatly prejudiced by such
division at home, and various expedients were
proposed settling them. Prominent among
them, and as a counter movement to the Will
mot proviso, was the proposition to extend the
Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific ocean.
Mr.. Calhoun, backed by many leading men
from the South, gave it 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.. Bucbanans course in the
matter? He was member of the cabinet,
and, Of course, could take no active part but
determined that in such an issue, his voice and
| influence should not be wanting TO promote
peace and justice to the South, he wrote, in
October, lS47, letter to the Harvest Home
celebration OF Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in
which he forcibly advocated the extension of
the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific
Ocean He stood with the South, and in op-
position to an overwhelming Freesoi opinion
at the North.
In 1850 the Compromise measures were
passed. They were denounced, and justly, in
every section of the South, asserting principles
equally unconstitutional and aggressive upon
har rinhfc Wn ol 1l,,aa - he
nous fraud practiscd upon the South in the ad
mission of Calilornia-the joint work of n
faithless Administration and .Squauer Sover
eighty BY that compromise the South gain
ed what has turned out since to be a miserable
and impotent enactment Of the Fugitive Slave
Law. But even this patry boon, in exchange
for California, Utah and New Mexico, was re-
pudiated 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 a let
ter to the Democracy ofPennsylvania, 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 sutferings in the cause of
their country? What, then, means the NUT
tering thunder which we hear from the South?
The signs of the times are truly portentuous
Whilst many in the South are openly advoca
ting the cause Of secession, a large majority, as
firmly believe, still fondly cling to the Union,
awaiting with deep anxiety the action Of the
North on the compromise lately effected in
Congress. Should this be dsregarded and
nulifed by the citizens of the North, the
Southern people may become united, and then
farewell, long farewell, to our blessed Union.
| am no alanmist; but brave and wise man
looks danger steadily in the face. This is the
best means of avoiding it, / am deeply i'm.
pressed with the conviction that the North
neither sufficiently understands nor appreciates
the danger. For my own part, / have been
steadily watching its approach for the last ff.
teen years. During that period | have often
sounded the alarm; but my feeble warnings
have been disregarded. i now solemnly de-
clare, as the deliberate conviction of my judg
ment, that two things are necessary to preserve
this Union from the most immediate danger:
81. Agitation in the North on the snhect Of
Southern slavery, must be rebuked and put
down by strong, energetic and enlightened
public opinion
- The fugitive slave law must be executed
in lis letter and in 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 that they should do unto us
under similar circumstances This is the golden
rule. Ii was under its benign influence that
our Constitution Of mutual compromise and
concession was framed, and by the same spirit
alone can it be maintained. Do the people Of
the North act in this Christian spirit, while
stigmatizing their brethren Of the South with
the harshest epithests, and this, too, with
knowledge that the consequences of these as.
saults must be to place in peril their personal
safety, and that of all they hold most dear on
earth. | 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 dsap.
prove it, or the sacrifice Of our glorious Union
may, and probably will, be at last the conse-
quence"
Again in 1852, in speech in Pennsylvania,
Mr.. Buchanan said:
"The fugitive slave law is all the South has
obtained in this Compromise Of 1850. 1t is
law founded both upon the letter and the spirit
Of the Constitution, and similar law has ex-
listed on our statute books ever since the
administration Of George Washington. His.
tory teaches us that but for the provision in
favor Of fugitive slaves, our present Constitu-
ton never would have existed. Think We that
the South will ever tamely surrender the fugi-
tive slave to Northern fanatics and Aboli-
tionsts2'
Such was Buchanans course in reference to
the Compromise Of 1850, and the fugitive
slave law. This brings down his record on
slavery, to bis signature Of the Ostend letter
for the acquisition Of Cuba, and his endorse.
ment Of the repeal OF the Missouri Compromise
line and Of the Kansas Nebraska bill. To
sum mp the record:
| In 1886, he advocated and voted for bill
to prevent the transmission Of incendiary pub.
lications through the mails.
He advocated and voted for the admission
Of Arkansas
He opposed and denounced petitions for the
abolition of slavery in the District Of Co.
lumbia.
In 1887, he voted for Mr.. Calhoun's resolu.
tions, which embraced complete, conclusive
and direct assertion of the constitutional rights
Il o. -