Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-07-18
nn.,, !. From the Charleston MO-.

South. Soon after, he was called :" N to the
cabinet In 1916 the Wilmot Proviso WI ,n.. fok's
dnced INTO Cong ess and the agitation which n nmro.
ed surpassed in extent and interest, that os Follow
mer period. The Legislatures of almost y, any Tor.
at the North took action upon the subject ~ plate
structed their representatives in Wasbn or anu IN
port the Proviso. The country was ancon 20 sup.
foreign war the successful prosecution of 49,, IN
greatly prejudiced by such divisions at bouno Was
various expedients were proposed for settTna and
Prominent among them, and as counter l III Them
to the Wilmot Proviso, was The proposition eneht
tend the Missouri Compromise to the Pac;6o ~ 10 ex'
Mr. Calhoun, backed by many leading men f, Ocean
South, gave it his support. 1t regarded nv lhe
as solution of the question, fair and satisac,.len
The South. But the North, them as now WY 10
crate Justice to the South and the propost;o toll
defeated But what was Mr.. Buchanan's cnUn. was
the matter He was member of the Cab;na. IN
OF course could take no active part but detaan O
that in such issue, his voice and Influence shG
not be wanting to promote peace and justice to th
South, he wrote in October, 1s47, letter to tho Tue
vest Home Celebration of Burke county, Pennsvvanr
in which he forcibly advocated the extension ot s'
Missouri compromise line TO the Pacific Ocean I m
stood with the South, and in opposition to an ne
whelmlng Freesoll opinion at the North WEI
In 1850 the Compromise meaSu res wer nos,
They were denounced, and justly, in eveFv sa",;-
OF the South asserting principles equaly nnoao
stltutlonal and aggressive upon her rights Wn,,
only allude to the fraud practical leeu
the South in the admission of California-tbo Gpon
work of faithless Administration and Squatter So
| ereignty" By that compromise the Soutb a, EO'
what has since turned out to be uiserablo aa'eu
potent enactment the Fugitive Slave Law Rnt o1 In
this paltry boon, in exchange for California T zen
and New Mexico, was repudiated bv the Moth YOU
fanacism visited with political death Northern m ~uu
who had consented 10 it, What, on this noint Wei Wei
Mr.. Bucbanans course? In 1850, he wrote Io "aS
to the Democracy of Pennsylvania, in which Ia
spoke as follows ue
8 Rest assured that all the patriotic emotions 90
every true hearted Pennsylvania, in favor Of ba
Union and the Constitution, shared by the Soutb
ern people. What battlefield has not been ;Inst"l
ted by their gallant deeds; and when, in our history
have they ever shrunk from sacrifices and sufar.w1
in the cause of their country What, then, meons
the mutteripg thunder which we hear from tbo
South The signs of the times are truly porentnorS
Whilst many at the South openly advocate the csuso
of secession, large majority, | firmly beliaro
still fondy cling to the Union, awaiting with deer
| anxiety the action OF the North the comnrom;Gro
lately effected in Congress Should this be dsregars
ded and nulfed by the citizens of the North ,ho
people may become united, and then farewell a lone
farewell, to our blessed Union. am no al armiso9
but brave and wise man looks danger steadily in
the face. This is the best means of avoiding it. 7
am deeply impressed with the conviction that tbo
North neither sufficiently understands nor appreciates
the danger. For my own part, have been steadily
watching lis approach for the last fifteen years
During that period | have often sounded the
alarm but my feeble warnings have been dsregarded
now solemnly declare, as the deliberate conviction
of my judgment, that two things are necessary to
preserve this Union from the immediate dancer
"1. Agitation in the North on the subject of South
ern slavery, must be rebuked and put down bv
strong, energetic and enlightened public opinion
90. The fugitive slave law must be executed in lis
letter and in spirit.
"To judge correctly of our relative duties, towards
| AZ IL H.
in their position, and do unto them as we would that
they should do unto under similar circumstances
This is the golden rule. 1t was under its benign
influence that our Constitution of mutual compro.
mise 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 stigma
tiZing their brethren of the South with the harshes
epithets, and this, too, with knowledge that the
consequences of these assaults must be 10 place in
peril their personal safety, and that of all they hold
most dear earth [ repeat that this constant agi.
tation must be arrested by the firm determination
and resoute action of the vast majority of the people
of the North, who known to disapprove it, or the
sacrifice of our glorious Union may, and probably
will, be at last the consequence"
! Again in 1852, in a speech in Pennsylvania, Mr.
Buchanan said:
1.-THE fugitive slave law is all the South has oh
tanned in this COMPROMISE of 1850. 1t is a law found
ed both upon the letter and the spirit of the Const
tulion and similar law has existed on our statue
books ever since the administration of George Wash
ington History teaches us that but for the provision
in favor of fugitive slaves our present Constitution
never would have existed. Think ye that the South
will ever tamely surrender the fugitive slave law to
Northern fanatics and Abolitoniss 2"
Such Buchanan's course in reference TO the
Compromise of 1850, and the Fugitive Slave Law
This brings down his record on slavery to his sig.
nature of The Ostend letter for the acquisition of Cuba
and his endorsement of the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise line, and of the Kansas Nebraska Bill
10 sum up the record:
In 1886, he advocated and voted for a bill 10 pre-.
vent the transmission of incendiary publications
through the mails.
He advocated and voted for the admission of Ar.
kansas
He opposed and denounced petitions for the aboli-
ton of slavery in the District of Columbia
In 1887. he voted for Mr. Calhoun's resolutions,
which embraced complete. conclusive and direct
assertion OF the constitutional rights of The States,
of slavery, and of the obligations of Congress TO
"strengthen and uphold the institution of the South
In 1S3S'39 and 40, he voted constantly with Mr..
Calhoun, in laying Abolition petitions upon the
table.
In 1845, he advocated and voted for the Anneya-
ton of Texas.
In 1847. he sustained the Clayton Compromise
In 1850, he urged the faithful execution of the
Fugitive Slave Law upon the people of the North,
and openly demonstrated against the State OF Penn
sylvania denying TO The Federal authorities the use
Of he's prisons for the detention of fugitive slaves
In 1854 he advocated the acquisition of Cuba
In 1856, he suslalns the repeal of the Missouri
Compromise line and the Nebraska bill
On all OCCASIONS and under all circumstances. in
the face of opposition in his own State, and among
his own people, during career of thirty six years.
in Congress, in the Cabinet, and in retirement, by
his speeches, and by his votes, Mr.. Buchanan has
been the unwavering and consistent defender Of
the Constitution, the equality OF the States and the
~bt nd honor of fha orth ohollo thp