Washington telegraph., 1856-06-04

fugitive slave law, it is within her sovereign
ty and beyond our power
And further to have said, that in such
contingency, II, for cue, will never give nv
vote to extend the arm of the Federal DOW
er for her cOerciOn.* Such is the extent 10
which strict construction is carried in the
Democratic party
Now, as We have seen there is no unity
of sentiment among Democrats upon slave
ry questions, where do we discover the uni
ty? Is it to be found in questions relating
to the disposition of the public lands p
Look at the votes taken in this Hall. and
yon Will end that the Democratic members
have been divided upon every sort cf land
question. Is it upon improvements of rir-
ers and harbors?-upon the homestead biH>9
upon the Pacific railroad?-or any other
leading subject of legislation Tue same
contrariety of position IS found among Dem
ocratic members in all 1t was bu; the
other day that the Democratic member from
Virginia SIR Letcherl read us strict con-
struction lecture upon the Pacific railroad,
and yet my colleague is liz favor of the mea-
sure.
In regard to internal improvements, let
me ask my colleague whether he did not
vote for the last river ans harbor bill of the
last Congress. which was passed by large
majority IN the House having Democratic
majority of S6-which also passed by a
Democratic Senate, but was vetoed by the
President upon the ground that it was un-
constitutional!
Mr. Smith. l did vote for it, and |
should vote for It again; and do not look
to the President to forn opinions for me up
on the constitutional questions.
Mr- Zollicotfer. Nj = argument is thus
illustrated. that there has been no unity of
opinion or action among Democrats, either on
the slavery question or any other, unless it
is that unlty which holds together body of
men Of diverse and extreme opinions for
the sake of party success.
1t is proper to say, that while | belong to
the American party. for reasons which
have assigned 10 my constituents, and am
ready to assign on all proper occasions, there
are those who are said to belong to the A.
me-ican or Know Nothing party from whom
| differ SO widely upon slavery questions.
and upon other questions that | can have
10 political afiiliati0n with them. There
were Some such for time In the National
Council al PHILADELPHIA, and [ very plainly
81 declared them. Il is right and proper
that we should be candid upon such matters:
and think my colleague has fallen into
very great error in prOpagating the idea the
ether day. and in his speech a year ago
and as he Is in the habit Of doing that the
Democracy Is a unit IL elementary princi-
pies, Of sound national materials, and ought
to be securely trusted BY the patriotic mass
es. who would guard and preserve the Con
sEi;u;ion and tie Union. L is great ial-
lacy, sir.
The Americans have nominated sound
national men for President AID Vice Pres
ident, whO will faithfully regard the cousti-
;utlonal rights Of every section Of the Union
Sly colleague says that unless the South can
unite and defend those men in the North,
who stand BY the guarantees Of the ConSti-
tuition. the Union as gone Why, then
should not Union loving lnen in the South
at once unite upon MiiiaTd Fillmore My
colleague says the only effect OF his nomi-
nation is to divide the South Why
should it be so Why would the Demo
cratic party nominate a separate ticket, and
thus divide the South In the struggle
for Speaker, the Americans, sinking party,
voted for Democrats, to prevent a northern
sectional organization; but Democrats would
not, under any circumstances. vote for an
American With such spirit of proscrip-
ton, what do they mean by saying the South
should unite? My colleague says the Am
ericans have no hope of carrying any State
in the North Let him wait and see,-
What States have the Democrats carried? =
Where is the evidence that any man they
can nominate can beat Millard Fillmore?
1t is true the Americans have to contend
against both the Democrats and Republican
parties--the Republicans in the North
wishing TO merge everything into sectional
organization against slavery. and the Demo
erats desiring to sink every question but the
Nebraska bill, and It's interpretations bnt
the conservative men Of the North, South,
East and West, seeing the danger to the
Union which must follow the formation Of
two great geographical parties. and knowing
Mr. Fillmore as the true and Iied patriot
who guided the ship of State in the storm
of 1850. will gather around his standard
and build up great national party, to stand
as break-water between those extreme
parties which for political success, would
seem to be ready to put even the stability of
the Government TO the hazard.
Thousands of conservative men in the
North. temporarily drawn into combination
with Republicans against the Nebraska hill.
have already Abandoned them, and thousands
more Will continue to DO SO, as the Rrpub-
The language here quoted have seen attri-
buted TO the distinguished gentleman in what
purportS TO be extract of a speech which was
published IN the newspapers; but am al present
unable 10 state what particular speech. DO not
find the language employed in his remarks in the
Senate in 1850 when the present Fugitive Slave
Act was discussed. for which act he voted. with
an expression OF the wish That the provision of
the Constitution for the rendition of iusiiives
iroua service had stood uHaiied by Congressional
legislation 10 that day. and shat the moral sense
of the community had been relied on. and State
legislation let to provide for It's execution but
expressing a willingness, within the limits OF his