Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-04-05
OLD SOUTH.



TO TIE EDITORS OF THE ENQUIRER
Denteinen,-ln looking over your paper oil the 10Th
inst, which reached me two days ago, / observe a piece
signed to another signed Mis-
give, i think II due TO Mr.. Harrison, as swell as to a nor
ton of the people OF Cumberland, who received with an.
probation, his substitute TO the preamble and resolutions
offered by a cohinittee, at January Cumberland Court, to
give a short explanation of that, and the remarks made i'm
support OF 1t by Mr.. Harrison, whose name is used i'm each
oil hem-by "Mlisgive," in terms of friendly feeling, tho
apparently under a nisapprehension OF his political opinions.
lie may, perhaps, have forgotten a resolution offered by n
gentleman, TO be appended 10 the substitute, rendering 10
the President OF the United States, "the support of The
people OF Cumberland, in such constitutional measures. as
he might adopt against South Carolina" which MI. Har.
rison rejected, and told the gentleman who offered il. tina,
unless he would withdraw il, he would oppose it before
the people. L believe the resolution is quoted correctly y.
lfit is not, "Misgive" can put it right; for. GII have mo-,
been misinformed as TO the author,0 he was consulted he.
fore it was Withdrawn. This, together with the censures
substitute, ought to have satisfied him, that Mr. Harrison
was not prepared TO say with him, "that the President has
done nothing in all this great crisis, but what he ought
righttully TO have done" o
The author OF "Cumberland" says, che does no, profess
10 understand distinctly, the drhto of this too sided sabsu.
tute." Ii is not surprising, that il should not be understood
by a man, who can see but one side of a subiect a
- whole hog man." TO use his own expression who
swallows the pill prepared by his political doctor, without
knowing whether il Is made of bread or arsenic: a man.
who can see no difference between the right of a State To-
separate "when the only alternatives left, are a separatiou
from me onion' and submission to a government without
limitation oil powers or, IN other words, he SAYS, "when
1me dement's oil Union are greatly exceeded by its evils"
This word greatly, is an interpolation upon the language
OF the resolution from which it is copied.
l%nsuPpoTt OF the substitute, which was leveued solely
against the right OF Modification and peaceful Secession.
MIR. Harrison said, that in times of political excitement
we were too apt TO lose sight OF great political principles,
when they come in conflict with our present objects
That he could not understand the meaning of a coH,pact.
by which no body was bound; that he should consider il
no compact at all: That, when the DELEGATES of t,
Free, Sovereign, and Independent States met together in
Convention, they had a perfect right to form a compact of
States, which should be binding OIL each and every one Of
them. they had done so; and no one State could with.
draw from the Union OF its own free will and thereby dis
solve the government, without a breach of its contract
with the rest; That the rightful remedy in case of on
preston, was an appeal TO the most august tribunal known
70 the world the sovereign people of all the separate
States. And, If that failed, the last resort was resist,nc.
which is war, and OF course, does not involve the crime If
treason In the people OF a State, for obedience to the laws
OF their own State, thus assuming a hostile attitude apains,
the General Governments; That, if he was in error, the
error was committed in 1914, for, at that time, all Virgi.
MA was opposed to this right OF peacefully dissolying the
Union, when the Hartford Convention met i'm ron.
clave, Tor the known purpose of concerning measures.
not simply 10 withhold their support 10 The ~ nv
their votes in Congress, but 10 organize a scheme for
some oil the Eastern States to secede from the Union.
and thus Withdraw their support to a Just and honorable
war, declared by the Congress OF the United States, ia
conformity with the power vested in Them by the articles
OF Union signed by all the States; a war, which has raised
the character OF our Government to the highest pinnacle
OF glory, both at home and abroad, aud was second i'm inn
except the war Of the Revolution, and indeed was abso'
lutely necessary 10 maintain the rights obtained i'm that
Sp'IVuS struggle iOI Incl HOeTly. MIR. Harrison further
said, that the day might yet come, and perhaps it w not
distant, when Virginia would again have 10 DENY this right
OF peacefully destroying the Union, which he ILLUSTRATED
by various hyPotheses: That he did not fear the people
whom he would willingly trust at all times, and under ali
circumstances; but he was unwilling at this period of no
htical Torment, 10 admits principle which would nut if in
the power OF disappointed and designing demaeogues TO
disturb the peace aud harmony of this happy people: That
he had been opposed to it in 1911, and vas still opposed
TO il.
j have thus endeavorsd, in as little space as possible
from the best OF my recollection, TO redeem the action of
the people OF Cumberland, from the insignificant cbarac-
ter imputed TO it by the author of the Communica,io,
signed "Cumberland." And now let me ask. what has
been the result OF this doctrine OF Notification and Sc
ccssiOn! one political aspirant has been engaged i'm urr.
ing OH a portion Of the States TO trample up0n fine riohis
OF the rest; thus collecting fuel, which the other was
throwing on the flames Of discord, and producing the most
serious alarm Tor the fate Of the Union. After comes the
Gegrauing farce, acted IN The lace Of the world upon the
floor OF Congress: one, suddenly protesting great lender
ness Tor the interest OF the manufacturers: and The other
discovering Tor the first lime, in the space Of a few DAYS.
maj SCUM carolina never intended to use forcel These
TWO Fofe"tates meet together, and settle the destnies Of
thlTleen millions OF ireemen, according 10 heir own will
anu pleasure, by uniting, as they say, upon middle ground.
ana concluding a hurried and unsatisfactory adjustment of
all the differences whichihey themselves had been chiefly
instrumental in creating for year,; and then receive the
thanks Of sIort-sighied politicians for their magnanimity; q
compromise, which If allowed TO stand would III the Trea-
sury TO Overlooking, far beyond the wants of the Govern
ment' aud subJugaie the labour Of the South 10 the insa-
uable cupidity Of Northern manufacturers. Finally, after
The cause OF complaint is for a short time suspended. f,e
President IS armed with military power, AZ il would seem
only 70 give TO South Carolina the last tag Of Nulihca-
uon = lew more such scenes, and wo may indeed trem.
pie Tor me late OF the Unionl And what is the character
OF tie Government exercised at home, by these exclusive
hePubhcans IN South Carolina? The most ruthless ty.
ranny ever Practised on this side the Atlantic. How much
Oes'ef woUld 1t have been, II we had continued the dig.
nihed course we had begun, the same which was adopted
by the wise men OF '9S; marched IN solid and ~,uby6ken
PhdIanr 10 The redress ef our tcroHgs; and Uhea the losi