The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-07-17
One OF the sssympathisers" Lies Nailed
Down,

The lie, loudest and oftenest proclaimed, by
the Northern enemies of "a republican form
of government" who wish to become the per-
sonal and political vassals of bogus aristocrats
whose basis for the pretension that they are
the ordained rulers of tais country, is the fact
that they own niggers-the lie most iterated
and emphasized by these voluntary serfs, is,
that after the Presidential election of 1860 the
South could not get "compremise.n The
fact is, the Southern conspirators, with the aid
of Others who were misguided attempted, by
the threat of secession, to coerce the voters
who had chosen the President, to surrender
ignominiorsly their views of public policy.
The Crittenden compromise AS certain propo-
sitions were miscalled-it being in reality the
| Breckinridge compromise-was the one for
which the strongest effort was made. The OBJ
ject of this compromise was to put into the
Constitution of the United States guarantee
that all territory held or hereafter acquired,
| land Breckenridge asserted in public letter
that the proposition in italics was his, and of
immense Importance, while Crittenden said he
would not insist upon retaining it, south of
SO deg. 60 min. should be slave territory.
| There were three prime objections to this
/ /. 1t fastened slavery upon a vast region
/ without regard to the wishes of the people.
/ Whether the people wanted it or not they
must have it.
| 2. The intention of the Breckenridge con-
/ spirators was plainly enough to get this pro-
4 vision into the Constitution, and then enter
| upon system of fllibustering to end in war
/ for the extension of slavery over Mexico. As
| Henry Winter Davis, Of Baltimore stated the
case, the object was ito extend slavery to
/ Cape Horn. The scheme was a handsome ore,
| to have used the whole nation to realize the
| Southern 6libuster's dream of a vast slave
holding empire surrounding the Gulf of Mex
/ leo, the free States to form a mere appendage.
3. When the Crittenden Compromise was
pending in Congress, six States had already
seeded, and would have refused to vote on the
amendment of the Constitution. Therefore,
as three-fourths of all the States must agree
to constitutional amendment before it be-
comes part of the Constitution, the Critten-
den Compromise, if adopted by Congress,
would have required in order to conclude the
| business, the vote of every State remaining in
| the Union save two-Vermont, Massachusetts,
and Wisconsin, or any other three States
would have defeated it.
1t was because this most Objectionable and
most impraetic lble measure, this insult and
impossibility, was not supported, carried, by
the friends Of the then incoming Kdministra-
ton, that the Republicans are now abused and
berated by partizan mal;gnants and traitor
sympsthizers, as opposed to all Cancellation
and compromise; and accused of obstinacy in
advocacy of party platform, and an unwhole-
some pride of opinion and indisposition to
peace, by some who should know much better.
There were practicable, honorable and just
settlements of all sectional difficulties proposed
and supported by Republicans. The standing
charge against the Northern sectional party
had been that it was their purpose to interfere
with slavery in the States. How was this met?
1t was met by the Corwin amendment to the
| Constitution of the United States, as follows
| ART. Is. No amendment shall be made to
the Constitution which will authorize or give
to Congress the power to abolish or interfere
| within any State, with the domestic institu-
tions thereof, including that of persons held to
| labor or service by the laws of said State.
This received the constitutional requirement
| of two-thirds vote in both Houses of Con-
gress. On Thursday, February %, 1861, thi:
amendment passed the House. 12s yeas to Sc
nays. On the I'd of March the Senate passed
| it. "a yeas to IL nays. As to the fugitive slave
law, Abraham Lincoln always held the opinion
that it was the duty Of the Federal Executive
to enforce it. He always said so. As to the
/ question of slavery in the Territories, it was
/ proposed to admit all the Territo ries into the
Union as States, without inquiry as to theil
domestic institutions. But the Southern con-
spirators demanded that the Government
should become their direct implement in the
extension of slavery. The theory that an hon.
| orable compromise and settlement Of sectional
difficulties was refused the South, is not only
the oflenest iterated, but the most infamous liz
| that the sympathizers with and supporters Of
secession in our midst are guilty of circulating