The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-02-02
A True Portrait OF Modern
DemOcraCy.

"a the -. q. SENATE on the Z6th INST, and COM
hiend il 10 the perasal Of Potter county dem
ecraas. Itis not often that so complete a his
sasy Of the pepocFatif pagty-North and
Soulh-eaA he fOnsd 80 much condensed, and
With SO strict adherence to the truth.-Eo
JoUR .r satt
rBlr WILSON [Rep. Mass. said that
during the past seven weeks these halls
llaye ruDg with disunion, and the Union
Threatened with disruption in che event
vi an elecli sn Of Republican President
SsstefdsS he had gathered up and pre-
sented some of these threats, and the
Senator from Mississippi replied. He
gas glad to see, yesterday, seme degree
ST feeling, audrhe took it as prenlanito-
~ symptom of retreat; and we shall see,
during the session, many retreats from
.he position taken. The Senator from
aIississirpi (Mr. Davis charged the Re-
publican party with practical secession
IN 1886. The call in 1856 was addressed
10 all men gho we're opposed to the spread
II Elsyary3 and such call would have
yummGned Washington and Jefferson.
ueh from the South did come, and some
Of these men were expelled from their
states aiterward. The Republican party
nominated q. candidate, and laid down
lroad principies, but adopted no sectional
policy on oree& aaa stands to-day where
ttood the men who framed the Consttu-
tion. So much for his right to speak to
men who have adopted new creed and
threatened to pull down the Government,
if they are not successful. The Repub-
lican party stands on the old policy. But
. rev school Is now attempted, and we,
who choose to follow the Fathers, are
threatened with dissolution Of the Union
The Eenator ffom Mlssissapi objected
because had attended festival at Bos-
ton in 1851. ! stand to day by every
word Of that speech. The rel ort was net
perfect, however. In that speech | did
SAY then and there what | have said all
my life, that disagreed with those gen
temen on their views of the Constitution
and Union, for | never uttered a word
or dreamed a dream Of hostility to the
Union. But | did pay to them a tribute
of respect for zeal and fidelity. have
paid the same tribute of respect to the
SeratOr from Mississippi, for his ability
aud fidelity, and disagree with his views
about as much as do With those Of Gar
Tison. One represents the one extreme,
and tho other the opposite. Mr., Wilson
defended himself for paying like tribute
to the Engishmen. lie said he would
explain what he meant by save power.
He meant the political influence of Slave
ry upon this country. In the early his
tory of the country, the political power
ofSlsveyy was utterly contemptible. The
leading men ef the South, and especially
of Virginia, were opposed to the exten-
sion Of Slavery. There was small body
of men who were in favor of Slavery, but
now this body of men has increased till
it is great power, and till they have
obtained the control of Southern States
Would Virginia send Washington here
now, or Jefferson, with such avowals as
he made on the subject of Slayery-avow-
ais never equaled by any men ON the con,
tinent? This power has banished all that
class of statesmen, and also all the old
Henry Clay Wings, and, with few ex-
eeptions. all the cid National men have
been driven away, and this Congress nov
from the South is composed mainly Qf the
disciples of Mr., Calhoun.
Mr.. MASON inquired if the Senator
from Massachusetts meant by Slave Pow
er the representation of slaves provided
for by the Constitution
Mr. WILSON said he meant the hold
ing of four millions of slaves as property
TO the value of two or three thousand mil
lion dollars, and holding them as an ele-
lnept If political power. This power is
a bold and aggressive power, which gov
erns the Southern States and the Federal
Govcrnmcnt to-day. Slavery had made
aggressions upon and dented the Right
Of Petition from certain portion Of the
coumry-a right won by our ancestors GU
battle fields. This right of petition was
cloven down in these halls for seven years.
Is not that an aggression on the rights Of
freen eny For asserting this right the
Slave Power passed a vote of pensure on
John Adams Of MASSACHUSETTS; and Josh
ua r. 'Giddings for submitting series
of resolutions, which he had perfect
right to dc, was also e,nsured. Again,
after that, the mails of the United States
were examined by Postmasters in the
Southern States. The mails we're riaed,
and in Charleston they we're burned, and
the Postmaster General said he could not
approve, but he would not condemn. Was
not that aggression? Then came the
question of Texas For years thu neu-
trality laws we're violated by this Power
There Mr.. Calhoun, in public dispatch,
:.A..IAoI tha nnoral sense of the country