The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-28

Tie North assiast the South. The two sectioni
had" he said. common interests as well ~
3 common history. Tho blood that was min
gied at Yorktown. rs at Eutaw. could not b
kept at snmity forever. The Wings Of Bunker
Hill we're the same a. the Wings OF Georgia.
This utterance threatened to raise . storm
about his head at home. and In the ensuing
Presidential campaign he was actually charged
with being an Abolitionist. He was accused
OF having said In q speech at Mallorysvile
Ga. that slavery was moral and political
evil" Mr.. Tcombs acknowledged that he had
called slavery n political evil. and he de-
nounced tho Democrats for dragging the
slavery question before the people to
operate upon their fears Il was. he
said. a buRbear incossantly used to cover up
the questions really at issue for tho moment.
The result OF the election, however. In 1914.
was adverse In Georgia as In the Union tlsrge
to the Wing party. but Toombs carried his
Congressional district and In December. 1S45.
took his seat In the Twenty ninth Congress.
1t Is interesting to review some Of tho names
associated at that time with the House OF Rep-
resentativea We encounter those OF Jefferson
Davis. Jacob Thompson. W. L Yaneey. John
Blidell. Alexander II. Stephens. Howell Cobb.
n Bsrnwell Rhett, n M. T. Hunter. and John
Quincy Adsma Robert @ Winthrop, Stephen A.
Douglas. David Wilmot and Hannibal Haniln.
In those days young members did not have to
wait year or two before they were permitted
to make their mark. They were not'suppoeed
to need the discipline Of silence. Before
Toombs had boon in tho House six weeks he
made speech which placed him in the front
rank ofcontempDrary orators. 1t was speech
against the Oregon programme on President
Polka programme epitomized in the cam
paign CRY OF nifty -four forty or fight" It WINS
In this speech that, turning to his Southern
colleagues, he said. Let us repress my un-
worthy sectional feeling which looks only to the
attainment Of sectional power. That Mr..
Toombs as Clay Whig was opposed to tho
tarin bill OF 1S40 goes without saying. 1t de-
serves. however. to be recorded. in view OF SUBJ
seQuent events. that In September OF tho year
Just nsmed he declared to his constituents that
the President had marched An army into
Mexico without authority OF law. The con-
quest and consequent dismem berment OF Mex
ico." said Toombs. however brilliant may be
the success Of our army. will not rebound to
tho glory OF our republic" Neverthe-
less. on the opening OF the Presidential
contest OF 1S4S he recognized the mex
pediepcy OF renominating Clay and CO.
operated In the arrangements by which the
Wings who had opposed the Mexican war
reaped its political benefits BY nominating one
Of It's heroes for the Presidency. We should
not omit to mention that during the ensuing
campaign Toombs attacked the Clayton COM
promise. which proposed that all questions
concerning slavery in the territory ceded by
Mexico be referred to the Supreme Court OF the
United States. Mr.. Toombs declared that the
Mexican law prohibiting slavery was for the
present valid. and that 1t WAS for Congress and
not for the Supreme Court to change this law
DE- hol In 1khA H.
already occupied the ground on which
he was to stand in 1850 He demand
ed that what was recognized by the United
States Constitution as property In the slave
holding States should by act Of Congress be
in the territory taken from Mexico.
Sc This boom" no said may be worthless. but
Its surrender would involve our honor. We
can permit OF no discrimination against our
section or our institutions in dividing the
common property Of the republic. Our rights
are not to be abandoned or bartered away in
elections" Owing mainly to the
efforts OF Mr.. Toombs and Mr.. Stephens
In this canvass. Zachary Taylor received
the electoral vote OF Georgia. The national
distinction now acquired by Mr.. Toombs was
due not only to his success in his own State
but to Q speech. which. delivered In New York
during q critical period Of the canvass. was
candidate. It was naturally expected that
Toombs and Stephens would have much infiu-
once with the Administration. but. as
It turned out tho Taylor Cabinet was
not attentive to Southern counsels. Dur
ing the fight which presently broke out
over the compromise measures in Congress-
The Northern papers printed sensational &C.
counts Of an alleged rupture between Presi-
lent Taylor and the two leading representa-
lives Of Georgia. 1t WAS said that Messrs.
Toombs and Stephens had called on the Presi-
lent and expressed strong disapprobation Of
his attitude toward the bill to organize the
Territory OF New Mexico. So much troubled
was the President, according to the news
papers. by this interview. that he never raj
led. dying on July 8. 1850 The truth is that
neither Toombs nor Stephens had visited the
President at ALL either during or previous to
he latter's fatal illness.
HI.
That Mr.. Toombs resented the prepondernnt
influence exercised by Northern Wings In the
Taylor Cabinet Is. OF course. undisputed. It
vas he who led the Southern Wings out Of the
Nhig caucus called for the purpose OF nom
mating Speaker. Tho course which he pur-
ued on this occasion led finally under a plu-
ality resolution. to the election OF a Democrat,
Howell Cobb OF Georgia. over Robert c. Win
hrop Of Massachusetts. I4 the bsequent de-
,ates on the compromise measures Of 1850. Mr..
Coombs proclaimed In the clearest terms
he right Of secession and the duty OF tho
southern States to use 1t II their just
laims under the Constitution were de-
lied. We reproduce an extract from one
Il his speeches at this time. because the posi-
ion. which was to be maintained by force in
061. has never been defined with more con-
seness and lucldity. I'VE had" said Mr.. |
speaking to the representatives OF
he Northern States. "our institutions when
'ou sought our allegiance. We were content |
With them then. and We are content with them |
low. We have not sought to thrust them |
lpon you. nor to interfere with yours. II you |
'elieve what you say. that yours are 80
much the best to promote tho happi- |
1855 and good government OF society. |
Vhy do you fear our equal competl- |
lon with you In tho Territoriesl We
My ask that our common Government shall
rotect us both equally until tho Territories
hall be- admitted az States into tho Union.
hen to leave their citizens free to adopt any
omestic policy In reference to this subject
~