Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-02
Virginia Legislature.
FEDERAL MISUNDERSTOOD,


Committee IF the Whole, the state of the Relation
I 6et,ceeR The United States and South Carolina o,
Friday, the an Janudry.-( Contnued)
Mr. Chairman, Republic is a government of choiee-
IL is founded originally public 0pnonand il rests on
tirey on the affections Of the people There is somethn,
supremacy absurd in the very idea of preserving Repu6
nc, ny tchpPng ordinate, sovereign State into JeI
tooShP and cOnfedeTdcy The very moment is main
tanned preserved by force, applied one of the con
derae parties, IT ceases 10 be Republic Let me ,sI
your attention Tor moment, particularly this idea Nj,
proposition IS that is impossible preserve cOnfedc
rGted Fep"Ohedn government by force. Suppose State
wishes to withdraw from the conicderacy Tor real or
you please, imaginary wrongs and violations bv her com
peers OF the bargain among them. Sine, peaceably and
respectfully as she is concerned declares her 40
cesion GU may subduc her. by the superior military
orce and resources OF the rest of the Unionyou may spill
the blood of her citizens by regular decmaion-or Won
may slaughter in battle half her population Well YOU
nave conquered her theu' you leave but three
men alive Oh her territory suppose you will have to keep
standing army there afterwards to keep them subecon
or' IL eir wishes and affections opposed being
inc same coniederacy with you, the your back
urne the same state of things depressed would
present itself You would only have to conquer them
out TO Keep them conquered, which is hard thing to
do, when freemen concerned. But suppose YOU did
would not the State Immediately be into ye0-
rnce| dependency OF the empire | suppose ali the
soldiers on earth could not compel republicans choose
representatives. or senators in Congress. They might
compel every recrsant WHO preferred his life in vassaage
to the chances O liberty DEATH affect TO c00se them
but you al that it would In fact be no choice but
comPmston Aud ask YOU sir, # State without repre-
senahves senators, and kept in consraint bv force
cou DE regarded as coordinate member OF arcpu6c0t
contederacy?
Agan-the Constitution requires Congress to "guaran.
Tee to each State republican form OF government" &c
ana Is admitted by all commentators that il any State
should prefer regal, imperial form government
mat she could not, from the time of adoption re main
longer In me Union under this Constitution. The quota
tons read from Rawle placed this in clear point of view
suppose, then, State becomes dissatisfied with the ere
P"ohcan form OF government" and elects a King. You
cannot by force compel her choose different form of
accommodation that would be contradiction Of terms
and she goes out of the Union And vet MAT which
easily effected Indirectly
TO exercise directly, By respectful and formal decara
oh Sir our government was not established by force
nor can be upheld by force AS long the people from
common interest or common feeling, prefer it, they will
retain 1T but no longer, and you compel them
continue it longer than they prefer il; aydif lou coJ do
II, you ought to do it,
We hear the quotation very often from those disposed to
put down the States that principles prevail the
Union becomesSG rope of sand. IIltelv heard friend
whom believe TO be patriot and as friendly TO the JJnon
as any man in it, offer this hackne we'd quota
uon' which thought correct, it was original he
s6u o'hers might deprecate it, but it fact which he
gIoned in,-that our contederacy ga rope of sdnd
that was TO be maintained and preserved lust so long
@ voluntary affections Of the people were identified With
ou' 'h"t the moment 1t became ga rope or hemp, iron
w6ufi hnfeUYha y sheG to escape from it, it
come
Mr. Chairman, the reduction by military force of any
one State in this Union, when she is struggling what
she regards her great and vital rshts whether she
night or wrong, rest assured OF it, will be the funeral kne
OF civil liberty in America Let sword be drawn in
inns unhaliowed contest aud no man tell how many
thousands will leap from their scabbards Let one drop
OF blood be split and who foresee The p
10 you thnK The mortal strife will be limited the fields
OF Carolina No SIR fear that consequences would re-
suit, more extended Than willing TO think Of much
less attempt pourray Aud no matter how such con-
troYerSy ends-the termination must be disastrous
government and civil liberty Suppose the rebel State M
dny State that witIdraws for any which occur
garded in tho Proclamation suppose she reduced
aprovnce Of the empire clothed in sackcloth and ashes
suppose her TO have been wrong what she mad con-
tended for-wiI not the inevitable tendency be- deter
oher states from conlendlng against the ovorshadoWng
power OF the General Government when they are
right! Does not every body know does not history de-
monsrae it, that the iuyarable consequence OF rebellion
being crushed, in any government is strengthen the
arm power Sir, this subject is Of peculiar interest
certainly ought to be-to the Southern States. of
these are aidedby set ointerests and peculiar
10 themselves Not only plantation but slave holding
States, their interests aud habits identified The de-
Signs oil those whose interests are essentially different
rom ours nave already been on several occasions partial
~ developed None can doubt what they would do, il
they felt the power Let OF these Southern States
he inundated Tor resisting Il common grievance and
who tell which is fall next? Admit the principle
now asserted in the Procamaton practically and auded
TO the skies by all north of the Potomac that Congress
can consrue its own powers and OF enact,
without any remedy TO the States, whatever majority
may choose and what guarantee has the South for any
property possesses any right it has hitherto claimed
we shouG awake and look at these things before IL
late Jealousy of power is the best safeguard of liberty
we were told by the gentleman from Rockbrldge, (Mr
Nj Dowell) that ono free republic which los, its liberty
ever regained it, agree with him that history furnishes
not single example. But would draw from the fact
very different instruction, from that which it seems to
these republics have fallen, aud in my judgment il should
inspire with greater wachiuncss in preserving our
berry while we have it, and greater pronp
tude IN rebukIng and resisting every Executive cucrOdc
meHt, and especially every tendency military despo
usm-Souih Carolina may Se unreasonable in her COM
painsOr wrong in her redress-hut that will
not prevent the evil consequences which must tall u.s.
she ~ put down by military force in the hands OF Pre-
sident.
Alusons have been made in this debate TO the posi-
tons which would be occupied by different portions of
our State in the OF civil war always regret ap-
peals 10 sectional divisions among The gentleman
from Rockbridge (Mr. Moore) commented an express.
sion which ! have not heard in This debaic--tat nee
(dlluding to the EasO would permit troops 10 march
against 5. Carolina through Virginia. Al that think /,
proper say delicate a subject is hdt should
the time surive--which may Almighty Con. iu lis
infinite mercy. avert when shall be called on 10 de.
eide such question, hope that every Vgusn will be
ready 10 discharge what may then be his dy As the
ntmaiion OF that gentleman, who doubt, standing de
sefvedly high in the confidence the western halt Of
our State is informed OF their opinions, hat II we, Chat
is Eastern virginia. go for South Carolina, they will 90
against us, only repeat the hope that circumstances
may never occur to place IN opposition. As To my
friend from ROckbidgo confess should regret 90 have
TO meet himin such array, for know him 90 be high
minded, gallant, and chivalrOusThc colleague Of that
sion, that in the event Of dissolution Of thc Union Vr
gnd would be border states and he reminds usof pc
ciGrity IN population, which, ~ hat event would
greatly weaken Sir, the gentleman has talked much
Of the improperly of"caculaug tie vauc Of the Union
Does he think hl wc Of the East would "calculse" from
such consideration that ability 90 resist gl1nna
usurpatons should such be attempted. II IS rcmasab,
that our friends at distance, who comparatively bH
slightly oxposcd The Inconvenience alluded 10, shout,
sItfsar aaffsr oh f1