The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-06

coniederaey great peril II my privilege TO be mem
Der OF the Congress before which these questions came
The disagreement was whether slavery should be prohb
tied and excluded by law from all the Territories thus ac
quired whether the instrumentation line OF 80 deg
80 min should be extended TO the Pacific and made per-
manent rule of adjustment There those from the
North who insisted on the former proposition which was
Embodied in the Wmot proyso and southern men insisted
upon the latter. As compromise OF these conflicting
views the adjustment commonly called the Compromise OF
1860 adopted and il based upon the great unda
mental principle Of popular seEgovernment BY this adj
ustment the North by reason of Its greater numerical
strength OF the stronger propensity Of its people TO emf
CRATE TO lands gained an advantage, IN which the
South aequesced great its desire TO secure an Ell
cent law for the recovery Of fugives from labor This
settlement of the territorial question not intended as
temporary expedient for the adjustment Of the pending
question, but fixed fua and permanent rule to be
Territories In that sense / was understood and pro
claimed by the two great political conventions which met
in Baltimore in 1852 and it with this view OF the
OF 1850 that President Pierce In his inaugural ad
dress said:
al ferventy hope that the question is at rest and that
no sectional ambitious, or fanatcal excitement may
again threaten the durability of institutions, or oD-
scure the light of our prosperity"
Thus when public necessity required the organization
into Territories of what is now Kansas and Nebraska
bill passed in Congress, which, among other things
repealed the Missouri restriction of $780, because II was
inconsistent with the principles which underad that COM
promise of $780, which both parties endorsed in 1884, and
which President Pierce said in his first annual message
SHOULD sutfer shock during his official term The re-
suits which the agtators of the land gave that bill are
efforts of the opponents of the present administration again
opened AT this juncture when ii be confessed the
hearts of many stout strong men in the democratic ranks
beginning give way before the strange wild tor
of Misrepresentation sehood and anatcism, Pres
dent Pierce grappled and discussed the slavery question
in its every relation He think all who hear will
admit exhausted the subject in that connection He pre-
sented in his annual message of 1885, fer the first time in
State paper the momenous issues involved in the slavery
question upon which the recent political canvass has pro-
ceeded and upon which the Judgment of the United States
has been pronounced His views thus promulgated
because the political issues which the public mind was
divided called for full and frank avowal OF his senti-
ments
These issues had assumed character of sectionaty
which threatened the peace and harmony If not the safety
to his high trust If he had hestated to speak in Language
of unmistakabe clearness He could not and did fan
orasee the consequences to himself which would follow
SO far abolition hostility and personal denuncation
could affect him. But his whole political history had been
continual warfare upon sectional fanatcism and could
he faer in the hour of peril and danger He had
temporized with aboitonsm either congressman or
private citizen and he could not do so as the Chie
Magistrate He had no new principles to adopt and to
promugate but he had only to recur to his own anece
dents for sentiments that suited the existing emergency
and in that respect the task easy 1t is for such ea
sons among Others that coincide in the opinion that
there peculiar fitness not necessity in making pub
lie mention this occasion of the administration which
to lay down the rens of power which for pres
Dental has held with such strict regard to the high
est interests of the Union
There another train of thought Mr.. President sug
gesed the sentiment in honor of President Pierce and
his TO Wnlcn nave called
and which it would be profitable to follow did time
permit | will not, however, detan you by remarks in
that direction at this hour when there so many elo
quent gentlemen to follow for ought not
This occasion, this victory celebrate this delbera
together has relations not alone to the past reaches
and lays hold the future Our enemies in the recent
battle though defeated, have lost neither zeal
age. They engaged in the construction Of basis
of party organization for 1860 How full of warning
fact to all who especially responsible for the policy
of our great party What lesson ofcauton and circum
specon of the Importance of earnest kind cordial coop
GRAFTON between the northern and southern portions OF
party Of sacrificing need be- darling objects OF local pol
, icy to the vast general good, does it incucael
The common enemy with numbers but little less than
our own, insped in many localities by emotions of re-
gous anatcism nurtured in misguided pulpts have only
retired little way to organize for long, UNFOLDING and
persistent assault upon the next administration To repe
these assaults and keep the citadel FROM falling into their
hands will require not only fidelity in the Of
party but high of justice, power Of concession
the qualities of magnanimy and patriotism in individual
members Fortunately, great chieftain, James Bu
chanan is competent morally and intellectually for any
occasion emergency that may arise In the great part
signed him His intellect has been expanded his virtues
strengthened by the wide and varied experience of long
life Of usefulness to his country His clear and penetra
ting vision will rise above all local and narrow Objects and
embrace the happiness and welfare of the whole continent
IT. then, the fidelity of party is equal to our leader II
such efforts be made to strengthen his hands
due alike to him and cause the constitution and the
Union will gain strength by the defeat of that sec
tional party which Is aspiring to rule the land.
Gen Peaees remarks received with great applause
and his arguments ELECTED the heartiest endorsement