Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-01-02
STATE RIGHTS
VIEWS ON THE MISSOURI

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The f1HOring ieiter is from The pm ola gen.
HcmaH. crho makes up MS opinions with gredt care
and rhu nYrfr says mtdt he does not think. he
trust horerer in the present case his spfcula
tionS ingenious as tiny are aud presenting many
strong riews Of The mgtteT,) fiRged more
hm they Rred be by has dnTietics for tie fu.
tire ......Uc shaH be rcry IOM TO Jeiiere, that
aig Of our eastern countrymcn are recOnciirdi 10 a
diSmembeTment Of omr country ne add also an
erfrar NJ dctter from another gentiemuR
rtirh, short as ii is, IS eHtitied TO respectful
dtention
&c ~ ashington, Dec %.
Aliho' there will be aeveral questions be-
fore Congress al the present session OF consi-
derabie magnitude and Importance, they will
excite 6ui little interes', compared 10 the al.
mission OF Missouri into the Union The result
at thai question will affect the extent of the
UgOR directly, aud will hasten the petiod tor
new and important notifications ot The c0nfe-
deracy, IL the application of Missouri To he
admitted into The Union shall unfortunately
he rejected, or concessions be required which
the people Of that state may deem uurrasona-
bic the establishment OF new empire bea
sond the mississippi is inevitable. IL is USE
less 10 discuss the question whether Missouri
Is an independent state, aud will remain co.
uuless n portion of il is yielded TO The general
government by her admission into The Union
decide II either way ia argument the priuci-
pie is TOO obvious 10 b. surrendered by the
people of thai stale; and the motives 10 StIckle
TO the g uinih part OF "A hair" have been rene
dered too strong by the i'll advised conduct of
The parent government 10 doubt they will
have their full force-Besdes, in all struggles
OF this nature experience shewS that the mere
assertion 81 uDqnestioaable rights on the part
1T the colony Is considered presGmptuous aud
calls forth more bitter deDuncIaiiOns. | am
mortified 10 think past experience will be sus-
tanned IN tie present instance. | forbear en,
triIuZ into the danger winch delay, or nnrea.
sonabie cXaci!Ons may produce by rendering
the people OF Missouri uuw Hing to loin the
cOSfederacy.- You will readily perceive the
arguments which may be addressed 10 Een ia
removed from the seat of government, and
who perhaps do not so clearly perceive ;he
valne of Union in all tt bearings, aud who
have not been fully accustomed 10 identity
Themselves with the BRIGHT prospects which
await the march OF this great country. This
danger Is by no means cbimerical and deserves
the serious consideration of every man ia tie
nation who wishes 10 extend the Union on the
other side of the Mississippi The shape
which this question has now assumed, is no
lobge, peculiarly interesting TO the southern
states--ihe practical effect OF the principle
npou which Missouri is rejected. would 0pe
rate greatly To relieve the southern states aud
iacumber the north with population to which
they are extremely ayerse they are men of
too much sagacity to believe they are not a.
ware OF it. and too mnch alive 10 their local
interests, not TO resist its operation We mus I
therefore look TO other motives with many of
them (the most iDflmenla) for an opposition
10 the admission OF Missouri which, upon il @
avowed reasons. bears more the appearance Of
burleSQue than sound policy. | lake the frWe
ground Of deposition with the leading aud
most Influential mSn of The northern states,
to be a determination TO restrict the limits of
the coofederacy on this side Of the Mississippi
Ii mi.ht not he safe 10 avOw this doctrine, aud
hence IL Is yelled under popular pretexts, aud
supported by prejudices which resist the III
most powers of reason. The real question is,
| whe Tier the cOnfederacy shall cross The river
| MisSiSsipPis Ii is "a question IN which the
southern are 10 mare Interested than the nor.
| thPTn states. and il should be treated as ma
| tionsl measure. stripping us immedidteiy Of a
| great portioa OF omr wealth and strength and
! reHlOteiy OF all The country lying on tte Yves.
| tern waters II ia measure which voluntarily
| invites an evil which otherwise nligbt never
! happen, aud which every prudent mdn would
| postpone TO the latest period. Some OF the
most prominent men IN this great cOntrOversN
| have always dreaded the growing prepOude
! rance OF political power ~ the west they re-
| sisted the acquisition Of Louisiana. and hav,
uniformly predicted the dissolution of ths
! UNION, from It's magnitude aud extept....iI
| these views they are 40 d0Ubt sincere, am
| ihey have never seen an occasioa so propiiiou
| 10 their Siews-it has accordingly been seized
/ and unless tie question is fairly understood
success - inevitable. Politicians with sucJ
! views will neither force, nor propose ex.
pedierts 90 remove the Ubstasics 10 The ah a,is
| sion ct Missouri II tItefe was really any dis
| position 10 include within The bosom OF ih,
! Union ihis new member. upon terms whici
| would attach her 70 the government no
| thing would he more easy-What is the stat
0f the question 'Fhe constitution of Missouri
contain, an injunction upon the Le2igldtufc 4
pass laws which prohibit the settlement O
persons OF certain description under ~
pretext. and il is said soms persons unde
these general gerins are cffizens aud eutitlp
TO privileges which viii nc taken awas eat