The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-02
SENATOR DAVIS AT HOME.

Senator Davis, of Mississippi, made an elabo-
rate vindication of his position before his fire.
eating constituents on the llth ult. In the
first place, he attempted to reconcile his 4th of
July speech, made out at sea, in which he glori
fed the Union, and denounced its enemies as
trihing politicians, with his well-known posi-
ton in 1850. He admits that at that period he
was opposed to submission to the compromise
measures" but insists, nevertheless, that he
was no disunionist He claims credit for ac-
quie5cing in the decision of Mississippi although
he strenuously urged the people to contrary
course. Perhaps, therefore, in legal point of
view, he was no disunionist, as he waged no war
upon the United States, and made no actual
resistance to the Federal laws but the same
defence may be set up by Mr.. Garrison, by
the editors of the Charleston Mercury and the
New Orleans Delta and the defence of Mr..
Davis would 60 to the extent of denying that
a man can be a disunionist without joining an
open rebellion. His argument proves too much.
The report of his 4th of July Grafton first
made its appearance in the Boston Post, a
this city with high commentators, and by all
the Pro-Slavery prints in the country as
masterpiece of wisdom and craftsmanship.
That speech, followed up by others in Maine
made in the same national " vein, gave Mr.
Davis a reputation in the free States and an
Influence upon the public mind in that quarter
which he never possessed before. That reputa-
ton foupdad ,,roy tho ot;o,, n q -o,o<- Il L 49,
willing to enjoy all summer, and the influence
1t gave him he made no scruple to use to
influence the Northern elections But the game
is now up. His Establishments failed TO cheat
majority of the Northern people out of their
votes and he goes home and repudiates or
attempts to explain away, his declarations
which secured him the hospitality and the con,
fdence of New England. The Ocean speech.
he now SAYS, was incorrectly reported: and
where he was understood to refer to Southern
fre-eaters, he in reality meant Northern Adolf
tionists Hear him
! "If had been asked what Interpretation
might possibly be put upon the published sketch
Of the remarks made by me at sea on the fourth
fof July last, speculation would have been ex
hausted before it would have occurred To me
that my State-Rights friends would consider
described under the head of triAino
politicians.
" | have thus defined who were not meant
and viii now tell who were meant First. they
were the noisy agitators who. were constantly
disturbing the public peace, and proclaiming
that Slavery is so great an evil, that the preser
cation of the Union is subordinate to the purDose
Of sbohshing it they who object to any pr6tee-
ion on the high seas or elsewhere. being given
20 slave property BY the Government Of the
United States-Who would rejoice in any insult
offered to the national flag, If borne by vessel
sailing from Southern portland who have
been for some time back circulating petitions
for dissolution of the Union, on the ground of
the incompahbility of the sections. And to
these may be added the few, the very few of
Southern men, who, fancying that they would
have advantages out of the Union which they
cannot possess within it, however fully the
compact should be observed and State eoualitv
maintained, desire its dissolution. and tak;ng
counsel of their passions, decry the labors of
su who seek to preserve the Government as our
fathers formed il, and to develop the great pur
poses for which it was ordained and eStab-
Eshed.'
This is g paltering in double sense" The
remark which he thus attempts to explain awax
has no sort Of application to the Anti-Slaverx
classes upon whom he now attempts to palm il.
He described Disunionists as {" trifing nol;t;.
eians, and ii is laughably absurd TO pretend
that all Anti-Slavery men are disunion;sts
80 silly an excuse will scarcely he received
even in Mississippi; and we feel quite assured
that no Mississippi slave could escape Aagella.
ton by rendering such an excuse. Mr. Dav;s
yill hnd it in vain to reconcile his Northern
sbuncombe I" with his Southern .bupcorbs. ;,
and it would be more frank and straightforward 10
admit sub rosa, among the more KNOWING ono.
Of his constituents, that his object while in New
England was to humbug the Yankees. and
secure as many votes for the Pro-Slaverx Ds.
n.ocracy as possible.
Mr.. Davis was not only Disunionist in ls50
but he avows in advance that he viii be in 1860.
1 Republican President be elected. 1t NAV
be urged with reason that the States have
right TO secede in the event of clear invasion
Of their constitutional nights; but secession be-
cause of the election of President constitu-
1onany eligible is simply treason and when
the threat shall be carried into action, it VIII de-
serve to be punished accordingly. He says:
Whether by the House or bv the people, if
s1 AbolItIouist be chosen President of the
United States, YOU will have presented to YOU
pge question of whether YOU will permit the
Government to pass into the hands of your
avowed and imPlacable enemies, Without