Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-11-06

sumo Il voluntarily. When any paper
claims authority to speak for me. then it
may be the time TO question me in regard
tolit. but not before.
But 20 proceed with the answers to your
interrogatories. Ihaye to say first tina. the
imputaIion of hostility. on my part. to-
wards the administration of Mr.. Buch>
snsn. is founded upon nothing that have
ever said or done. ! voted for him as
President, and not only entertain NO feel.
ing of hostility towards him. but wish
him success. He has only to carry out
the principles of the Democratic party, a.
We understand them in Virginia, to com.
mand my. cordial support. These. so far
as applicable. will afford the test by which
shall Judge his Administration, and
support or oppose it's acts. as they con-
form to. or depart from these principles.
Nor shall I be disposed TO apply that test
in any captions. or unkind spirit. but as
Justly and fairly as can. More could
not say for any Administration or man.
I never would commit myself. uncondi.
tionally, to support the future acts Of any
man. but will Judge them as they arise.
TO sustain them. v hen believe they are
right. and to oppose them when l think
they are wrong. Ny opinions upon all the
great political issues may be known
through my votes and speeches. to those
who feel enough Of interest in them. 10
look into my past course and these will
afford the best evidence ofthe tests which
l shall be likely to apply in judging Of
the conduct of public affairs. Whilst I
remain in the Senate Of the United States,
shall stand there as the representative
OF the principles and interest of my State.
so far as / can understand them. and in
the pursuit of these objects, should not
scruple to differ, il necessary. with any
administration. In saying this, it may
be perhaps fair to add that hope and
expect 10 be able to support Mr.. Buch-
anan's administration IN the main. En-
tire concurrence in the views Of any man
would be too much to hope. or expect.
In answer TO the other interrogatory
which you propose as to the conduct of
Governor Walker in Kansas, have liz.
lie hesitation in saying. that disapprove
it. The Kansas. Nebraska act was pass
ed under the hope that this. the last oil
the territorial questions. involving the
subject Of slavery, might be settled upon
some common ground where party
conld be rallied from the North and the
South. the East and the West. strong
enough to defend the Constitution against
the assaults of its enemies and TO admin
lister the government justly upon other
than purely sectional ideas. 10 rally a
party which might be abe to maintain
II, T1oSoo
was an object ofhigh political importance
and justified some sacrifices of feeling
and even of interest. Accordingly, the
bill was not such as would have been
framed by the delegates of either section
if it had been submitted to them alone
Many, perhaps most Of the Southern men
(of whom l was one) believed that prop.
erty in slaves was as much entitled tc
the protection of law in the Territories o.
the United States, as property in anything
else; but whilst the Northern friends o.
the Kansas act would not concede this
they agreed to unite in repeating the Mis-
souri, restriction so as to remove the bar
under which the domestic institutions oil
the South had been placed by the Federal
legislation. Accordingly. bill was pass.
ed upon the principle OF non intervention
in regard TO slavery, SO far as the General
left that whole subject within the control
Of the people Of these territories. when
they should apply for admission as States
This although not all that We thought
the South entitled to. was great advance
upon the old order of things, SO far as
she was concerned. because it remoy.
ed an unjust and odious discrimination
against her domestic institutions. from the
statute book. a moral triumph. which
was o! vast importance to the South. and tc
the institution of slavery itself. Nor could
could the North object bill which mere.
y carried out principle by which it had
recently gained so largely in series o.
acts, denominated as the Compromise
measure. To all it ought have been ,
subject Of congratulation that common
ground had been found where party
might be rallied from all sections OF the
country to administer the government
Justly. and without sacrificing the cons.i,
tu.ional rights OF any portion Of the I'm.
ion. The sole hope Of accomplishing SC
happy result depended upon submitting
this question Of slavery to the people OF
these territories. when they came TO form
their constitutions as States. without in.
reference Of any sort on the part of the
General Government. With the decision
Of the people themselves. so far as the
character Of the New States was concern.
ed. the democratic party of all sections
declared they would be satisfied. To full
FL. then. the conditions ofthis agreement,
it was all important that there should be
no interference on the part of the General
Government. either through its Legislative