The Hypocritical Conservatives.
Four years ago the Republican party made Its first attempt to destroy the
Constitution and provincialize the
South by the election of a President of the
United States and seizing the reins of Government.
The Hon. Millard Fillmors, then himself a nominee for the Presidency, entered the arena of debate to warm his people against the dangers that threatened his country if the sectional Black Republican party should triumph.
In a speech delivered by him at
Albany, he made the following striking declarations:
‘
‘"We see a political party presenting candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency selected, for the first time, from the free States alone, with the avowed purpose of electing these candidates by suffrages of one part of the
Union only, to rule over the whole
United States.
Can it be possible that those who are engaged in such a measure can have seriously reflected upon the
consequences which must
inevitably follow in case of success?
Can they have the
madness or the
folly to believe that our Southern brethren would
submit to be governed by such a
Chief Magistrate?
Suppose that the
South, having a majority of the electoral votes, should declare that they would have only slaveholders for
President and
Vice-President, and should elect such by their exclusive suffrage to rule over us at the
North, do you think
you would submit to it? no, not for A moment.
And do you believe that your Southern brethren are less sensitive on this subject than you are, or less jealous of their rights?
If you do, let me tell you that you are mistaken; and therefore you must see that if this sectional party succeeds, it leads Inevitably to the destruction of this beautiful Fabric reared by our forefathers, &c. I tell you that
we are treading upon the brink of a volcano, that is liable at any moment
to our at forth and Overwhelm the Nation."’
’
Is it possible to believe that the man who uttered these sentiments is now harking on the
Federal Government to make the
South submit to that which he then solemnly declared the
North would not submit to for one moment, and that the crowd, who, when asked by
Fillmore if they, in the
South's place, would submit, shouted ‘"no!"’ are now howling for our blood!
