Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-11-01
The Oppositlon Meetlnc.

gether IN the negnpOrn0Od OF the Bel ana Everett nead
quarters Front street. when procession was formed
and proceeded to the place fixed upon for the meeting
and barbecue This was in the extreme Southern part
of town. on the brow of the hill overlooking Mr.. Dud
ey's MILL The stand was erected between two noble
oaks and was handsomely decorated, the frontal
ment being large bell, or figure of bell, formed Of
green leaves and twigs, we suppose.
We suppose five hundred would be very liberal es-
innate Of the whole number on the ground Of these,
some were citizens of Wilmington and not
we think the majority were not. There were some
Democrats-several, in fact.
Hon. VIM. A. Graham, the guest Of the occasion,
had just commenced when we got down. He charged
the detection Of Martin Van Buren, upon the Democrat
c party although such detection was the of cleo
ting Gen. Taylor the Wing candidate, and defeating
Gen. Glass; the Democratic candidate for the Presidency
Mr. Grahams party got the benefit of ho and that was
the way mr. Graham got to be Secretary of the Navy
under Mr.. Fillmore for Mr.. Van Buren's movement
made Mr. Fillmore Vice President, then President, and
then Mr. Graham Secretary of the Navy. The fact is
that Martin Van Bulen had been thrown overheard on
account of Texas, and he was mad-he had power and
influence with certain portion Of the Democracy OF
New York on account of certain squabbe about Or
ganlZaLlO0, SUCH was CnC Ou AAuAA~ "
Barnburner fight. If Mr.. Graham had looked back 70
1848 in his party, he would have found lhurlo"
Weed its exponent and Mr. Seward one Of its Senators,
and Horace Greey one of its prophets They made no
split and no fusthey had no longer journey to take to
land them in the Free Soil camp They were there al
ready.
But the so-oaled Compromise Measures OF 1850 were
passed. Any who paid any attention to the series
Al. Al froOoo cd to
tally without regard to the provisions or principles OF
the Missouri Compromise. If that settlement was
inaity founded upon principle, its principle was the
right ofany State to come into the Union with or with
out slavery as the constitutional convention of her peo
pie might decide This principle was embodied in the
Compromise Measures of1850. The Kansas and Ne
braska bills OF 1854 did nothing than declare in
words what all acknowledged to be an existing fact
The Missouri Compromise had already been set aside
The formal announcement of its repeal violation
of the pledge to abide by the Legislation OF 1880 as
final settlement of the slavery question, bGr on the con-
trary it was carrying out the spirit of that legislation
The real violation would have been in contrary course
Mr.. Graham, after having referred to the division In
the ranks of the Democratic party in the State of New
York. by Martin Van Buren, and others, attacked Gen.
Pierce on account Of the quarrel with Judge Bronson
who had got the position of Collector of the Port Of
New York. and charged him (Pierce) with wishing to
give the patronage and the Offices to Abolitioniss
The history of all this matter is a brief one. The
Hunker and Barnburner quarres in New York State
arose out Of personal eaousies These eliminated in
1848, when Van Buren, was the means OF making Mr..
Graham Secretary the Navy, (u1de SuPra) Subse-
quently the BuliaIonians in, stacked their arms
acknowledged the corn and recanted their Free Sosm
How honestly all this was DONE it is not for US to say
about honestly, we presume as New York politicians
usually do such things We don't know that even John
Van Buren, or the Buffalo Platform went as far as
Mr. Everett and the Massachusetts resolutions for which
he voted. We have read Van Buren's recantation-we
never have read Mr.. EYeretts Yet Mr.. Graham felt
no hesitation in advocating the of Mr. Everett
But to the Bronson affair. In $50 we think, GER
tanly in 1852 all sections of the Democracy of New
York voted together and stood upon the same platform
"a platform acceptable to the hardest of the Hards
and the most hunkerish OF the Old Hunkers." All
alike supported Franklin Pierce and the New York State
ticket. The reconciliation supposed to have been
made in good faith The Ratchet was to be buried
bye-gones were to be byegOnes. General Pierce was
elected. Mr.. Bronson appointed Collector Of the
port Of New York. In that position he wholly Ignored
the existence of any reconciliation at all He knew
nobody outside of his own Old Hunker set. In doing
so he violated the comfy of the party, well as its
good faith, while he jeopardized its harmony. He was
not asked to appoint Free Sellers Aboitionss, but
he was expected to act in good faith to al sections Of
the Democratic party. AS extreme Southern Demo
Gratis, we never could sympathise with the hue and cry
raised against General Pierce about this thing. 1t is
ptful charge if justified by the facts of the
1t is worse than piul when it most palpaby is not So
But Mr. Graham contended that Squatter Sovereign
ty was contained in the Kansas and Nebraska BILL On
the other hand the Southern ard many of the Northern
Senators who voted for it, commended that was not So
The fact is, that in one thing Mr.. Douglas has been
consstentn another he has been the reverse He has
consistently adhered to his original idea of the power of
territorial legislature over the question of slavery there
in-he has not adhered to his pledge made to his COL
leagues at the time the bills were passed. to obey and
abide by the decision CT the Supreme Court with refer
ence to such powers. To all conscientious men the
opinion OF the Court as fully expressed it be-
that neither Congress a territorial legislature can
intervene for any other purpose than to extend that pro-
lection which every citizen has right to claim for his
property In the face OF this and OF his pledge to abide
by it, Mr.. Douglas adheres to his cid notion of the
power of territory, and asserts that no matter
what the Court may say power OF territorial gs
ature to abolish slavery in such territory is undoubted
Mr.. Graham said that now the Democrats ought to
stand back and give his party chance. He said the
majority OF the Southern people had gone for the Dem
ocrats, who had two administrations since the Wings
had one and that they had managed badly. He ap-
peaed to the Democrats to return the favor and go now
for his party. When did Mr.. Graham and those who
act with him concede anything to the Democrats? Was
it in 1852 when Mr.. Graham ran On the Scott ticket