Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-08-29

sity of modification or repeal" [ then
thought that this exciting subject was at
an end. and there would be no further oc-
casion to introduce it into the legislation
of Congress. Territorial Government
had been provided for all the Territory
except that covered by the Missouri Com
promise, and had no suspicion that that
was to be disturbed. have no hesila-
ton in saying what. most of You know
already. that was decidedly opposed TO
the disturbance of that Compromise.
Good faith, as well as peace TO the -coun-
try, seemed TO require that a compromise
which .hadzst for more. than thirty
years should not be wontonly disturbed.
These were my sentiments then, fully and
freely expressed, verbally and in writing,
to all my friends, North and South, who
solicited my opinion. .
1.-THE repeal seems to have been a
pandora's box. out of which has issued all
political evils that have afflicted the coun-
try. scarcely leaving hope behind"
Gensure cannot be more severe, nor
disnpProbalion more hearty and entire
He stigmatizes the act as a breach of
goo faith he arraigns the authors for
sacrificing the peace and safety of the
Union to the unholy desires of criminal
abolition. He deprecates the repeal OF
the Missouri restriction, as the source and
cause Of all the calamities which now af-
fict the country. Exhausting the Ian,
guage of invective, he refreshes his recoI-
lection Of classic story for an expression
sufficiently strong and comprehensive to
convey the full force of his censure and de
nunciatiOn. Nay. more ; he discloses the
fact that though not fully engaged in this
controversy, he threw the weight OF his
personal authority against the interest
o the South. Verbally and by writing
he exhorted bis friends North and South,
TO oppose the repeal of the Missouri re-
strlctIon.
Thus upon this great assure, which
dominates the public mind and controls
the canvas; which rallies the North on
one side, and the South on the other the
issue upon the result of which hangs the
destinies' of the country, on this master
question Of the day, we find Fillmore,
lrue TO the instincts and habits Of his life,
arrayed among the enemies of slavery
and the South. We might forgive his
original opposition to the repeal of the
Missouri restriction, if he would pledge
himself against its restoration but it is
tie inevitable inference from his language
that he will aid the Black Republicans in
again imposing the odious stigma and
burden upon the South.
Such is Willard Fillmore record. And
we demand if there is any other man in
the country who has exhibited greater
consistency Of hostility to slavery and the
interest of South The closing chaps
ter Of his life is a repetition of the first
His last word on slavery is an echo of his
early denunciations. Other men with
less discretion may advocate the mea-
sures palpable violence and revolution,
and thus defeat their own object. But
Mr.. Fillmore obstructs the Abolition
movement by no such intemperance of
language or insanity of conduct. His
policy is thourough, but it is practi.
cable. He would not alarm the South
by any intolerable act of wrong or oppres-
sion. He would lull its suspicious and
sooth its resentment, until, being enclos-
ed in the 'scaly fold, voluminous and
vast" slavery will be crushed with ease,
andtwithout the possibility of resistance.
There is not an act of his life which be-
trays any sympathy with Southern inter
est. With what effect then can he claim
the confidence and support of the South?
II it were possible to blot out the record
of his conduct down to the present year,
he would still be unworthy ola Southern
vote for upon the issue achich is to deter
mine TIL fate of the South, he eSpouses The
cause Of the 16OlaioniStS. The South takes
its last stand on the repeal of the Missou-
r! restriction, and Fillmore assails its Po-
sition. 1t matters not from what Quar-
ter the blow may come it is enough that
we feel its effects. We know that it is
not friendly hand that inficts it. '..t