Newspapers / Raleigh Times [1847-1852] (Raleigh, … / Jan. 25, 1850, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of Raleigh Times [1847-1852] (Raleigh, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
COiYGRlSSIOXAL. -S E N A T K.- Wasuisstim, Jan. 17, 1850. The resolution hiTdoJiire uffi-rcd by M' C'e- piens, c. illinj for information as to ,H proceeding, inurm tiiflis, lie., of the President, ecc.,iu relation tn ("4ifT!ilav was fnben . ' Mr. Smith moved to lay llie resolution upon the table.- ' ' : Mr Douglass was determined, lie said, that tlie S 'n-.itn should be fully informed on the subject. 51 r. Smith st- ted that the information had been nlreaily laid before the Senate, every word of it, , mill it would lr a useless expense to cause other copies l be made. Mr. Clay suggested that it would be better to wait and see the character of the information which was before the House. If it was not satisfactory another call could be mnde. A long discussion followed, in which Messrs. Dawson, Douglass, Smith and others took part. Mr. Clemens took occasion to state thai the in formation, when called for, was from tims to time delayed. Democratic Senators had voted to delay it. From the democracy of the North, the South had nothing to exp?et. The democratic Senators had voted to lay this resolution on the table, with tho purpose of preventing proper information for the South in relation to the Slavery question. The North would always take such a course aB would shield themselves from their constituents, on the subject of slavery. Mr. Dickinson said he ought lobe exempted from the charge, for ho voted against laying the resolu tion on the table.. Mr. Clemens. May God deliver me from such friends as the Northern Democrats are. I would sooner trust the Northern Whigs, who had begun earlier. Look at the resslntions of all the North ern legislatures ; look at their popular conventions, mid it will be seen that they are all hostile to the South. lie would not countenance the belief im posed on the South, that Uie would he aided by Northern Democrats, when they would take snch a course here as would shelter themselves, by re fusing information. Mr. Shields disclaimed for himself the imputa tion that he had been guided by such a motive, in voting to lay there3olution on the table. Mr. Clemens said that notwithstanding the gen tleman's disclaimer which was meant to be offen sive, he would repeat what lie had said, and would b personally responsible for it, here and slse wnere. Messrs. Dodge of Iowa, Butler and Foote inter posed, and nrged upon the Senators the propriety of preserving order and avoiding personalities. Mr. Duller said the Senator from Illinois had not, he was certain, intended anything offensive. Air. Shields. I do not.' I did not vote to lay it on the table with the view to evade tho question of slavery. JIo had, in disclaiming it, intended no personal offfneo. Mr. Clemens was glad that the matter was end el. There was not a free State North or West that had not passed anti.slavery resolutions. Mr. Dodge of Iowa. You are wrong. Iowa lias not.-. ''''.'''', Mr. Bright also denied the fact. Mr. Davis, of Miss., requested the Senator from Alabama to yield for one moment. He was him self subject to be much excited in treating this question. But he would suggest that it was un necessary and improper to aggravate the difficulty liy bringing tip topics not before the Senate. He Imped that the discussion would be confined to the subject. ' Mr. Clemens would accept the suggestion ; and lie would now say that it was unnecessary to pass the resolution, as the information asked for was before the House. He moved to lay the resolution on the table. At the request of Mr. Dickinson, the motbn was not laid on the table. . Mr. Dickinson said that for liimself he had always stood up for the South, and always would, and wlienever the sectional issue was made, he would repudiate it, no matter wheth er it arose from the North or South. The great body of the Northern people were as sound on the uhject of slavery as any other part of the people. Take fifty men out from each section and all this agitation would cease. Ho intended to stand by the Union ss H was. .The agitations of the sub ject in one qaarter famish, the food for agitation in another ouarter. The sweeping denunciations of the North, such as we have heard from the Sena tor from Alabama, treated sectional agitation at tho South. He was sorry the subject had been introduced, but was glad to see it coming U a head. If the North ever marched against fhe South, so help him God, if he had a sword ts draw, he would draw on the side of the South. He would sustain fhe North, too, in opposition to any urgent demands from the South. But the North never would march agnint the South. The sword would never be drawn. Fromthis heat, a better spirit of concilia tion would soon be produced. He, srosld say to the Senator from Alabama, that by one of his fjiceches, he did more ta provide assaults of the North upon the South, than all that the Garrisons and Phillips had done. It would do more to pro mote agitation and incendiarism at the North, than T1 that had ever bees done by abolitionism in the trmst fiendish portion f its carer. He would snp Dort (he Union as long as it would secure harmony and neace . but, without - them, as ha had once said, the Union was not worth keeping. The re marks of the Senator had a tendeacy to dissolve tho Union, by retmdinting the Northern psrtion of tho Democracy. The Democracy could not stand unless it was united. As a sectional party It could notrfand. If the Democratic party was divided by sectional lines, so wonld the Whig party be, and (he Union would be at ouce reut la'sieees by Section! factions. "' r i ' ' ; 1 Mr. Duwiics did not WVirre 1hat the Northern piemocracy was nijffleudbjr to the South. He re tied much upon ihoif mure aid in settling this question. Mr. Clemens saH it would I recollected, that 1 silowed his remarks to be arrested fey the sng estHwof the Senator front Mississippi, Mr. Dh- vs. and liedoeni'-d itttntVf Inferences should Lv utdwu as to nnurlu whidi IiB bad uot conclud ed. No ens knew what he had intended to say, or how far he considered the Northern Democracy unfriendly, and what proofs of it ha iuteuded to M r. Davis of Miss., was sf the same opinion. Mr. Douglass said that, npon inquiry, he had understood that the Speaker of the House had de clared that he was not aware that the information was in the House. , Mr. Clemens explained that the documents were on the Speaker's table, but not opened. He would r ow say, that the South could not rely upon North ern aid either of democats or Whigs. Here and there were Southern friends. But the masses of the Northern people were against us, and so were the Legislatures, and tba popular Conventions. He would show this at a proper time. He would now state that he regretted that he had not answered more calmly a remark from the Senator from Illinois, Mr. Shields. He now perceived that he had misconstrued the remarks of that gentleman. He was aware that he spoke under excitement o( feeling, and takiug the advice of his friend from Mississippi, Mr. Foote, ho would promise to keep his temper bet ter. -'. . After an explanation between Mr.Douglass and Mr. Downs, in regard to a remark of the latter, Mr. Whit combe uked the yeas and nays on the resolution. Mr. Downs moved to amend by adding a further Clemens accepted it as a modification. The resolution passed, and the Senate adjourned to Monday. ;: SENATE. '' Washington, Jan. 21, ISM. In the Senate, to day, Mr. Foote's resolution providing for the admission of California into the Union, was taken up for consideration. Mr. Cass niade a speech, in which he defined his position on the Slavery question. After which the Senate adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House, to-day, had under consideration the motion to re-consider the resolution ponponing the election of remainder of officers until March, 1851. A motion was made to lay the resolution on the table, which was carried Ayes 106. Noss (not given.) Mr. Burt moved that the Sergeant-atArms act as Doorkeeper. The Speaker ruled that the resolution was in or der. .-.-.' ; : An appeal was taken and the Speaker's decis ion overruled, by Ayes 101, Noes 102. The Speaker laid before the House a Message from the President in reference to California. Af ter the reading of which, the House adjourned. From the Republic. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Upon the Terrritorial Qtkstion .We lay before our readers, this morning, a doc ument which, we lielieve, is destined lo exert a nvre powerful and salutary influence upon the public mind, than any paper which has issued from the Executive office for many years. It is the message of President Taylok in reply to the reso lutions which wore otlbred in the House of Rep resentatives by Mr. Venable on the 31st of De cember, and passed by that body on the same day. From the documents accomp-nying the message which are very voluminous, we aro only able to transfer to our columns to-day the instructions of the Secretary of State to Mr. King, a letter from Mr. Buchanan to Mr. Vorhies, and Mr. Clayton's report lo the President. The remaining papers relate more to the details of what v. is done, than to the policy upon which the administration adopt ed its measures in regard to the Territories acquir ed by tlie treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, : The message now before us is an amplification contained in the annual message in relation to these possessions, and the suggestion of a distinct and specific method of adjusting the vexed and difficult questions to which they have given rise. Any comments which we might feel disposed at another time to offer would be lost sight of now in the eager interest with which the -nicsroige itself will be read, if we may judge of what its effect will be elsewhere from the intense silence which prevailed in the House whilst it was being read at the Clerk's table. The subject is one of the grav est imaginable consequence, and the recommen dations of the President touch the peaco and hap piness of a whole people. Wo cannot have been mistaken in tho indications of satisfaction and ap proval with which they wero received. IVo have no doubt that every member, who is not an agitator Irom choice, or a " llilter-Euder" by position," breathed free and deeier" at the prospect of the solution of difficulties surrounded by dangers. We shall have abundant occasions to refer to this message hereafter, ltcovers the whole ground. It submits to the safe and quiet operation of natu ral causes the disposition of questions which Con vulse and threaten the Union whenever they are sought to be disposed of by legislative interference. NORTH CAROLINA RAIL ROAD. Greensboro , Jan. 17, 1850. Hon. R. M. Saunders, Chairman of the Exec utive Committee on the JV. C, Railroad: Sir : Agreeable to the request of the Railroad Convention which met at Greensboro', tlie Hon. Calvin Graves, John A. Gilmer, Esq. and myself attended the several meetings appoint ed to be held west of this place : and that your Committee and the friends of this great State im provement may know how the good work progress es in that region, I address you through the press. We left here on the 3d inst.,and attended meet ings at Union Institute in Randolph, Lexington, Salisbury, Concord, Rocky River, Charlotte, Mount Mourne, Statesville, Mocksville, Clemmons ville and Salem reaching this place last night. Our efforts were mainly directed to procuring "tho Hundred" individuals or companies who would become responsible for the balance of the stock not covered or taken by independent subscrip tions. The number of individuals or companies who added their names to the list has been encour agingly augmented : Randolph added one; Lex ington five J Salisbury four; Rocky River two; Charlotte and Mecklenburg nothing ; Mount Mourne one ; Statesville none, but two or three promised ; Mocksville and Davie two ; Clemmnns ville one ; Salem two; making twenty two added to the filly-one subscribed at the Convention. I think we way safely calculate on four or five more promised shortly.. ; What additions have been made to" the Hun dred " east of this I am not apprised, save as to the four additional sautes in Raleigh. I now feel assured the Railroad will be built, if every good citizen does his duty and proper exer tions are made. The best spirit prevailed where ever we went. In some of the counties the sub ject had been but little canvassed, but when the subject was fairly and fully presented to them, the people took a lively interest in the Ri ad. Our friends Graves and Gilmer did yeoman's service in the cause: all praise is due to them for their zeal and indefatigable exertions, by argument and statistics, to convince all all of the abso lute necessity of accomplishing this great enter prise. This is the great work of the day for North Car' olina; and I am pleased to find Whig and Dem ocrat contending side by side which shall do most forks success. I saw in the route but two indi viduals avowedly opposed to the work. Permit me to suggest to you, to keep the public apprised through the Raleigh papers of the success of the subscriptions. For, we trust, the nearer tlie subscriptions approach the Hundred, the livelier will be the interest manifested. ' It is desirable that the Company should be or ganized at as early a day as possible, that the re eonnoisance of the route, preparatory to surveys, should be made before the leaves put forth in the Spring. Yours respectfully, J.M. MOREHEAD The very intelligent and usually well informed correspondent of the New York Courier Si Enqnir- er, writing from Washington on Thursday last, says J "The Solicitor of the Treasury, the Hoi. J, dark, has bee dispatched to New York, under instructions from the, Secretary, to supervise person the proceedings against Mr. Wetmore. the draft for the deficit, certified by the accounting officers is paid, there will be an end of the affair. If It is not, Mr. Wet more will have the opportuni ty of tasting the sweets of that political medicine, which bis Democratic friends have pronounced as the only catholicon for tlie delinquencies of defaul ting agenU." . . ret. Int. Washington, January 21, 1850. To the House of Representatives of the United States. I transmit to the House of Representatives, in answer to a resolution of that body, passed on the 31st of December last, the accompaning reports of heads of Departments, which contain all the offi cial information in the possession of the Executive asked lor by the resolution. On coming into office I found the military com mandant of the department of California exercis ing the functions of civil governor in that Territo ry ; and left as I was to act under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo without the aid of any legisla tive provision in establishing a government in that Territory, I thought it best not to disturb that ar rangement, made under my predecessor, until Con gress should take some action on that subject. I therefore did not interfere with the powers f the military , commandant, who continued to exercise the functions of civil governor as before, but I made no such appointment, conferred no such au thority, and have allowed no increased compensa tion to the commandant for his services. With 1 view to the faithful execution of the treuty, so far as lay in the power of the Execu tive, and to enable Congress to act at the present session with as full knowledge and as little difficul ty as possible on all matters of interest in these Territories, I sent the Hon. Thomas Butler King as bearer of despatches to California, and certain officers to California and New Mexico, whose du- tics are particularly defined in the accompanying letters of instruction addressed to them severally by the proper department. I did not hesitate toexpress tothe people of those Territories my desire tkat each Territory should, if prepared to comply with the requisitions of the Constitution of the United States, form a plan of a State constitution, and submit the same to Con gress, with a prayer for admission into the Union as a State; bull did not anticipate, suggest, or authorize tlie establishment of any such govern ment without the assent of Congress, nor did I au thorize any government agent or officer to inter fere with, or exercise any influence or control over the election of delegates, or over any convention, in making or modifying their domestic Institutions, or any of the provisions oftheir proposed constitu tion. On the contrary, tho instructions given by my orders were, that all measures of domestic pol icy adopted by the people of California mnst origi nate solely with themselves ; that while the Exec utive of the United States was desirous to protect them in the formation of any government republi can in its character, to be at the proper time sub mitted to Congress, yet it was to be distinctly un derstood that the plan of such a government must at the same time be the result oftheir own delibe rate choice, and originate with themselves, without the interference of the Executive. I am unable to gave any information as to laws passed by any supposed government in California, or of any census taken in either of the Territories mentioned in the resolution, as I have no infor mation on those subjects. As already stated, I have not disturbed the ar rangements which I found had existed under my predecessor. In adv ising an early application by the people of these Territories for admission as States, I was actuated principally by an earnest desire to afford to the wisdom and patriotism of Congress the oppor- nity of avoiding occasions of bitter and angry dis sensions among the people of the United States. Under the Constitution every Slate has the right of establishing, and from time lo time altering, its municipal laws and domestic institutions, indepen dently of every other State and of the General Government , subject only tothe prohibitions and guarantees expressly set forth in tlie Constitution of the United States. The subjects thssleft exclu sively to the respective States were not designed or expected ts become topics of national agitation. Still, as snder the Constitution Congress has pow er to make all needful rules and regulations res pecting the Territories ef the United States, eve ry new scqnisitioB of Territory has led to discus sions on the question whether the system of invol untary servitude which prevails in many of the States should or should not be prohibited in that Territory'. The periods of excitement from this cause which have heretofore occurred have been safely passed, but during the Interval of whatever length which may elapse before the admission of the Territories ceded by Mexico as States, it ap pears probable that similar excitement will prevail to an undue extent. Under these circumstances 1 thought, and still think, that it was my duty to endeavor to put it in the power of Congress, by the admission of Cali fornia and New Mexico as StHtes, to remove all occasion for the uuuecessary agitation of tlie pub lic mind. It is understood that tho peoplo of the western part of California have formed a plan of a State Constitution, and will soon submit the same to the judgment of Congress, and apply for admission as a State. This course on their part, though in ac cordance with, was not adopted exclusively in con sequence of, any expression of my wishes, inas much as measures tending to this end had been pomoted by the officers sent there by my predeces sor, and were already in active progress of execu tion before any communication from me reached California. If the proposed constitution shall, when submitted to Congres, be found to be in com pliance with the requisitions of the Constitution of the United States, I earnestly recommend that it may receive the sanction of Congress. The part of California not included in the pro posed State of that name is believed to he uninhab ited, except in a settlement of our countrymen in the vicinity of Salt lake. A Claim has been advanced by the State of Texas to a very large portion or the most populous district of the Tsrritory commonly des ignated by the name of New Mexico. ; If the people of New Mexico had formed a plan of a Stale government for that Territory as ceded by the treaty of Ganda Inpe .Hidalgo, and had been admitted by Congress as a State, our Constitution would have afforded the means of obtaining an adjustment of the ques tion of boundary witn Texas by a judicial decision. At present, however, no judicial tribunal has. Hie power of deciding that question, and it remains for Congress to devise some mode for its adjustment. Mean-while I submit to Congress the question, whether it would be expedient before such adjust ment to establish a territorial govcrment, which, by including the district so claimed, would practi cally decide the question adversely to the State of Texas, or, by excluding it, would decide it in her favor. la my opinion such a course would not be expedient, especially as the people of this Territo ry still enjoy the benefit and protection of their municipal laws, originally derived from Mexico, and have a military forge stationed there to pro tect them against the Indians, It is undoubtedly true that the property, lives, liberties, and religion of the people of New Mexico . are better protected than they ever were before the treaty of cession. Should Congress, when California shall present herself for incorporation into the Union, annex a condition to her admission as a State affecting her domestic institutions contrary to the wishes of her people, and even compel her temporarily to comply with it, yet the State could change her constitu tion at any time after admission, when to her it should seem expedient. Any attempt to deny to the people of the State the right of self goverment in a matter which peculiarly affects themselves, will infallibly be regarded by them as an invasion of their rights; and, upon the principles laid down in our own Declaration of Independence, they will certainly be sustained by the great mass of the American people. To assert that they are a eon quered people, and must as a State submit to the will of their conquerors, in this regard, will meet with no cordial response among American free men. Great numbers of them are native citizens of the United States, not inferior to the rest of onr countrymen in intelligence and patriotism ; and no language of menace to restrain them in the exer cise of an undoubted right, substantially guaran tied to them by the treaty of cession itself, shall ever be uttered by me, or encouraged and sustain- dd by persons acting nnder my authority. It is to be expected that in the residue of the territory ce ded to us by Mexico, the people residing there will, at the time of their incorporation into the Union as a State, settle all questions of domestic policy to suit themselves. No material inconvenience will result from tlie waut,ror a short period , of a government establish ed by Congress over that part of the territory which lies eastward of the new State of Califor nia; and the reasons for my opinion that New Mexico will at no very distant period ask for ad mission into the Union, are founded on unofficial information, which I suppose is common to all who I have cared to make inquiries on that subject. Seeing, then, that the question which now ex iles such painful sensations in tho country will, in the end, certainly be settled by the silent effoct of causes independent Of tho action of Congress, I again submit lo your wisdom the policy recom mended in my annual message of awaiting the salutary operation of these causes; believing that we shall thus avoid the creation of geographical parties, nnd secure the harmony of feeling so ne- ccsiary to the l.'neficial action of our political sys- tern. Connected as the Union is with the remem brance of past happiness, the sense of present bless ings, and the hope of future peace and prosperity, every dictate of wisdom, every feeling of duty, and every emotion of patriotism tend to inspire fi delity and devotion to it, and admonish us cautious ly to avoid any unnecessary controversy which can either endanger It or impair its strength, the chief clement of wliiali is to be found iu the regard and affection of the people for each other. Z. TAYLOR. THE RALEIGH TIMES. iii?4 R A LEI Gil, N. C. irikT) fllorning, lamiavji 23, '1830. IT. We invite attention to tho letter of one of our friends, which may be found in tu-days paper. It was not intended for publication hut we could not resist the wish that our readers should see what appeared to ns so interesting, as well as val uable. It accords in tho main with our own views upon the subjects of which it treats and we beg the pardon of the writer for the liberty we have taken. - PETERSBURG INTELLIGENCER. Our thanks aro due to the Editor of this able and sterling Whig paper, Joim'W. Sy.itF., Esq. for his kindness in sending us his dally wit less for tho tviKe ofthe gift, we prize il highly, than for the courtesy and politeness of its -bestowal. CITY ELECTION. The Election for Intendant, Commissioners, am: impressing the "mijority" with "t!. ' - f Southern resolution," itc. More at Ai.dthe Star quotes this pas--a,j", a a I s iys it h precisely the ground taken by the Star last week : " ' We concur ih (be propriety of the I.i-jfs';itiirW now repeating this warning, not becauso we really apprehend that the occasion will shortly arise for its application ; but because we mtttdge the hope that it . may tend to postpone that occa&ion forever, by per suading the Northern majority iu Congress to desist from efforts to enact obnoxious laws. And Aould the stand unitedly taken by the Southern Slates, fail to impress thai' majority with the sincerity of the South ern resolution, it would powerfully strengthen tho hauds of the President in applying his negative (as we doubt not he will,) to measures which, if sanctum ed by his approval, would unquestionably be fatal to the Union." . Tho Editors then go on to say, after quoting from other papers to strengthen their position : "The voieo of the press, the resolutions of tho Le gislatures, the assurances of the Southern memt.-rf of Congress, are regarded at the North as all talk! What else then cnu be done? Why it dues appear to us that a Southern Convention, speaking calmly, temperately nmrfirinly tin? sentiments of the South, would 'bo heard and believed at the North and it is the only voice that would he believed there. This, spoken before the fatal blow is struck, will Save tbs Union ; unless it is done, all who know Ihe temper of the North, must hclievo that blow will be given ; and then, alas ! it will be too i.atk." : We gather, then, that this Convention is to speak "calmly, temperately and firmly, the sentiments of the South !" to pile "Pelion upon Ossa" to su peradd one more agony of deprecation, to allithat have gone before. If that's all, then wo aro call ed to a work of supererogation and the para mount sovereignty of tho Slate is to be entrusted Constables for the City of Raleigh, took place on ' 'k, men's hands, in order that they may meet Monday last. William Dallas Haywood was re-elected Intend ant, without opposition, receiving 225 votes. In the Eastern Ward, Eldridge Smith received 61 votes, and is therefore elected. The other Candidates polled as follows : P. F. Pescnd CO ; T. M. Oliver GO ; O. L. Burch 52. There being a tie between Messrs. Pescud and Oliver, we un derstand the matter has been referred by the Sher iff to the Board, and we have not heard the decis ion. '''-': In the Middle Ward, E. B. Freeman received 6G votes ; T. R. Fentress 56 ; John Primrose 54 ; C. B. Root 20 ; Richard Smith li). The three first named are elected. In the Western Ward, 8. W. Whiting received 52 votes; Silas Burns 45; V. W. Holdcn 32 ; W. F. Collins 14. . ' Messrs. Whiting and Burns are therefore elected. Constables. Hinton Franklin and Wm, H. Putney re-elected. THE RAIL ROAD. We understand that about seventy six of the hundred men have been me up. Of these, 61 were obtained at Groensborough Convention. The remaining 25 have been found, 4 in Wake, I in Randolph, and the balance in Davidson, Row an, Cabarrus, at Mount Mourn, and in Davie. To Gov. Morehead, Graves, Gilmer, and Thomas, belongs the bouor of running up the list in this part of the State. We are anxious to learn what has bee Gen. Saunders success in the Eastern part of the State.' We trust his report will be a good one, and that the work will still go on en til all is made np. We beg those gentlemen who are to be benefitted by this road, and who have not yet subscribed, to do so st ancs. They will fed much better by doinr what their judgement ad' momshfs them is uxtt suty cn tnis subject. " Carolina lVc'imai, SOUTHERN CONVENTION. Onr readers will bear us witness, that one of our chief objections to the proposed Southern Con vention was the indefinite manner in which its pur poses appear before the public, as set forth by its different advocates so that it is difficult to toll what that Convention may or may not accomplish. Our article of last week has called forth com ments from the Editors of the Star and Standaid ; and, passing by, for the present, all else they may contain, we propose to examine their articles, briefly, in order to discover, if we can, tho purpose they deem will be served by this Convention, which they consider so important for the salvation of the Southern States. We premise that we are in favor of awaiting the action of Congress at the present session, in which body our State already has her Representa tives, deputed to speak for her in the hope that some compromise may be effected, by which, while Southern rights are maintained and respected, har mony may be restored, and the Union preserved. If no such result is obtained, we hope to see the united Southern States act, promptly, and at once, God knows we have remonstrated and resolved and protested enough. When the Nashville Convention was proposed, we may be pardoned for supposing that something new and more salutary was to be effected by it some great good to be attained. What, then, is the Nashville Convention going to do t that it is so important that North Carolina should be represent ed therein. What is the impending, imminent danger ? so pressing as lo invoke tho Governor of the State to call the legislature together or his Council or, "at least issue his Proclamation to the People." Wherefore is "authoritative Slate action" so speedily necessary 1 We have examined the last Standard carefully but we have failed to discover any change even indicated in the posture of our affairs any reason assigned for the hot haste with which Delegates are to be appointed to the Nashville Convention or any detailod information respecting the great and important work which that Convention is to accomplish. If we were woi thy of any notice from the Editor at all, we prefer, as he has apparently abused us to bis heart's content, that ho should have given as some information on these heads. For light we asked we wanted to know what this Convention was for ; what it is going to do 1 We are answered with invective-, with personalities which we have neither tho time nor inclination to notice. The Editor is on his tripod; his respon ses are oracular; ominous; alarming: his shoe latchets are evidently rattling with emotion, not to say frenzy; while his troubled knees are (figura tively) smiting each other with alarm : but what it's all for, he does not vouchsafe to let us know he utters a despairing, heart-rending appeal to Gov. Manly, full of 'gorgons, hydras and chimeras dire, then seals his white and quivering hps, and we can know no more. We are compelled to seek the shrine of another oracle in quest of knowledge. ' V It is proper to remark, in passing, that both the Star and Standard quote, with approbation, the views of the Richmond Times upon this subject. Well, that paper is in favor of passing more reso lutionsreiterating, is the word giving assurance to Congress (hat "Virginia, with the other South ern States will reganl the passage of the measures in question, (Proviso, abolition in the District, cVc.) as tantamount to 4 dissolution of the Union." In other words, mora throats are to be thrown out; I more resolutions arc U be passed in the bono of other men at Nashville, and "speak calmly," &c. The Editors nf:t!ic Star are not ilisun'unusts. They go on to say ; "We would not disregard the authority, nor change tlie form of onr Government. But we would resist a palpably unconstitutional and outrageously oppressive act of o bare majority of Cringreiis, stripping one-half the sovereign States of this confederacy of thoir con stitutional rights, robbing them of their honor, and .clothing their citizens iu poverty and disgrace. Wo would tell our Northern brethren so, in a language they can understand, and by an authority they would believe. This is all we would have a Southern Con vention to do." What ponderous, immense, it may be dangerous, machinery is to be put in motion, with tho hope of accomplishing only this result ! We declare, we think all this has been done over slid often enough, in language solemn and serious as language can be so plain, that if mis understood by the Northern people, nothing that we can say will ever be understood enforced by the authority of the State Legislatures, speaking the united sentiments of the pooplc And yet a Southern Convention must be called to speak it over again : "This is all we would have a South ern Convention to do !" If this don't try the patience of the Southern peo ple, we know not what will. We are to speak daggers, it appears, but use none; and speak them forever, in all sorts of ways, and by all sorts of means, to make the North believe in "the sincerity of Southern resolutions. ' Why this mode of un-i loosing the Gordian knot may last forever let's cut it at once let's prate and threat no more ! If resolving and warning and threatening will do any good, we have done enough of it. If not, we have done too much for God's sake let's have no Sou thern Convention io do any more. So far tho purposes of the Convention as reveal ed by the Star; and this is the hopeful and bright sido of the picture. We hinted that it might be mischievous hut of that hereafter. . D" Wo assure 'the Editors of the Star whe i,!iow rather more feeling, we think, than the occa sion warrants that we had no intention of imput ting to them any discreditable collusion in the iden tity of the two plans of the Star and Standard foi getting np Delegates to the .Nashville Convention The construction is strained a little, perhaps, t make it so seem. The child, it appears now, hai two distinct fathers, we thought it looked a litlk too curious to be the offspring of lawful wedlock The Star is not Bio only Whig paper, howevei whose views are identical with those of tho Standj ard upon this subject but our difference with them is not as to the rights of the South, nnd the duly o maintaining them. It isns to the mode of perform ingit. The South has always assorted her rights-n we think her next step should be action prompt vigorous, decisive action, when the crisis demamll it ; when the means we have heretofore tried havi failed ; when our eonstilutionnl rights are palpabfj and tyrannically invaded; when the Union of tin Slates can no longer be preserved. I But Congress is in session ; our Represenfa lives are there; Genl Taylor, the choice of Nortl Carolina, is President. Is it possible that nolhinj can be done for ust They have promised to d all lliey can. Lei I hem avert the crisis, if they car let them heal the breach ; let them quiet the sec lions; settle agitation, and restore harmony. 1 they cannot: if aggressions continue ; if our rigb are disregarded, or taken from us ; if Slavery abolished where it now exists ; would you wantj Southern Convention, for the purpose of (aft-inl "our Northern brcthrcnjjangu.ige they can ni derstand, and by an authority they would believe"! No, indeed ! The people of .North Carolina wou! then rise up in one mighty Mass Convention, ar maintain'tlieir rights at all hazards ! But we have no fear that any Convention is n cessary. This Union will be saved we pray Gi it may stand forever! ! We purposely avoid nil recrimination with i neighbors, of the Star. Our feelings are kind towards them, and we trust may ever be. . V differ that cannot bo holjied, perhaps but i need not quarrel. Itbhall be, however, as tli may elect.' . ' " A Washington correspondent of the Alexnnd Gazette, writing under date of January 18, sav "Mr, .Calhoun has been detained from the Seif for severs! days by indisposition, and I am sori4 learn is, this morning, quite ill with phcumonia, tended with fever, The attack is said to bo ri serious than that which he had last year." 1 i' i
Raleigh Times [1847-1852] (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 25, 1850, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75