Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-23

si,nc,ty,l: lvcu rcd to The TACT 'at I"S ' , T;
c,crl,,rJ 10 make tic i::resS!n aefoa"' '"t s'"'"
1uIU't w., a. V,v Iy-.. i nd let lc.. the gen.
-. tr,u i;uuclls.d ttat ~iti Erre: c"hF"hiSe
,,s,;,.I uual prmcp!rs-l "hI assert thr"' anu ""ih
49,, ,l, Il, iii ha&ards: uP"u al rr"pc7 "ccaSiosa'u
] ~, iou time has II been m''rc important
n,kc known the opinions of this CoRGu'i sea I'LL
Wen to avoid this constitutional question n"w, Should
consider IN Sr traitor to Virginia aud Ia" WH"tr Soul''
warn gentlemen ri the consequences OF tssr course.
Mr. Van Buren, is their candidate for the Presidency II
nc should, Unfortunately for the l+St iaa-cSts oi INC
country he elevated TO that high dignity, 4t '!ih tca0n
1t with full and distinct knowledge o! Tic pr''o''
pies vi Virginia upon ths anu every Quiet sunj'o.
DO not 10 secure his SUCCESS, bring those pFncpes o
doubt Take your PgesGee but give to nr fearless
and honest and unlesaLng declaration OF the c',,'i
tuliona principles OF FgGIa, OF her opinions upon .i
question, and her una!,cSabie DETERMINATION 70
| them. IT. ;
MIR Parker then examined the evdence OF pubic OPT
MON in relation to this question, and clid tue
OF the counties of Campbell, fuvskna, Haax Nech'en
burg Charlotte, Grccnsre, isle'" .sS'': 'oo""J u
Syosyyauia IN their ,ri,pary meetings, To prove &C.
,naud On the Nortacru States fox penal cnacsenS lnf
the suppression of all n>ndary publications.; anu car
ed upon members FROM those counties To carry out te
wishes of the, constituents Ana he coauaueo-A PuI
it to the canduur Of u,bets from those counties ID siy
II lhcv will not cunraGict the expressed WIZ OF 'eiF
constituents by vote Tor the substitute OF u'e gen
| ;l.nan from GoocGand. 1t does not request the
suppression of those associations by penal enactnenS.
Sir the substitute in asking for the adoption OF such
measures as NAV suppress The circulation vi thr Rcr-
diary publications, conleGplates nothing more a e
influence Of public opinion ! DO mol BROW ""'htFi
absruct OF the views OF Governor MARCY NV te'
is singular concurrence o sentiment between tat mes
sapu and the gentleman substitute. hops, SIR, II Is
OF order to refer to tins message, Wcn 'S
been yauntingy presented to this House men t"c
ccul!culuu from loucEiupd yesterday, lHSulSea III
Strain of 'goriiication OF that urssage lav!%g not tic'i
seen it, expected ind in it all that the South coGd
desire. | mstnAcn--ilost grossly mistaken imeie
is nothing it to checs the hopes OF tie South "heh
examined we find recommendation oil pcial enact
mcnls. lie talks it is true, very PRETTY about the mo-
raj influence OF public opinion, and suggest 10 Tic
General Assembly Of New York, the pr"prcty OF OK
pressing their views and opinions to render TINS pub
lie opinion ctlicacsous Sir beT The arRllon
of the House this 'gIorilcd" per. The Governor
says, IL am fully persuaded that the powerful ener-
grs q" public opinon has been called i'Tt through
out tie whole State, have already produced most sa!u
tary rliects dsabuslng many persons who had ncon-
sIdcratcly concured in the visionary scIeucs ol the
Abolt;ioniss."
"WEen the very small number that still adhere this
cause, the inaJorty of the people OF this
State, including certainly proportioale amount Of in.
tcligcncc and WORTH and embracing men OF all srcls
aud rchgious and OF all parties III politics, utterly and
rrrconciay opposed to them; and that thrlr MEASURES
are regarded with l deepest rcpugasce by all who al
ftctunaty cherish the and harmony OF the States,
including among them phllanthroplss at least en-
ghtcned aud sincere any OF themselves, they will, 1t
is confidently hped BE- induced to pause in then career,
and to sacrifice 'e alter of their cosntnon country
them 10 exerlluS regarded with much aborrrnue b.
so great majcrlty Vi their tellow-ctlzens.
"When, to the Tust influence which may he ancipa- |
ted from the sentiments OF tie people unItrdy and
powerfully expressed and rendered still ecac,OuS,
MtgE they might anG shotd DC, By tic opinions und
ricrS Of Their aSSea6cd representatives.. edcd The
ache'msng 7ce',M Of the arguments addressed to the rcG
ind conscience If Gsc >rho yet adhere 10 the aSuli
ton cause it would be imputlng to theE dep lorabe
degree of mental blindness and fanaca dcluslon, not
to expect general abandonment of their wild schemes
All but thoS: who confirmed in ttatIcsn, rrck-
less Of consequences, it is believed will be constrained
by the dsccd aud constantly incTr@sing tvec Of PUBLIC
oPNoS to give up their dangerous attempts 10 act upon
the institutions Of other States. Those who not be
thus reclaimed controlled, will be too few in number
and influence, pcrSMddcG 10 egcitc apprehension -
What do yea find rrr sir, bat the cuVnciaion OF 4
confidence thar the moral influence OF public opiOn the
added views aud opinions of the assembled representa-
ives and Of arguments addressed 10 the and
Of those wle hare Relther conscience
will be sufficient Ia produce total abandonment of the
abolca purposes of the Aboilioniss Sir the decided
and constantly increasing force Of pubic opinion has
had no influence upon lrse misguided wrctches. Have
been told that their societies have increased with
in saort period from 900 $50? And still the moral
influence Of public sen,ent Governor Marcy thinks is
all. Sufficient You recommendation OF penal en-.
acimcns yet Let us pursue hun further. 'Reying,
he says, the INFLUENCE at a sound and enlightened
pubic UpinUn restrain ana control Tie misconduct Of
the citizens OF free GOVERNMENT especially when Iii.
recled, il has been IN this with uucIampled encr
gy aud Rnanty to the particular evils under conscra
and pcrceTing that It's operations hare 6ccn thus
S4iutary | entertain the best hopes that this
dy of itself will entirely these evils render
them comparatively harInlrss. No recommendation of
penal eaactmrnts STILL aud if lean understand the lorce
and import Of language, every thing is here presented
TO dssuudc from resort TO penal enactnrns " here
did his exccrncy discover that the operations Of public
opinion have been thus far saluary' Dl he find it
the increasing numbers Of the abolition sncIctics Sir,
do not know whether the gentleman r":u Gnochlamd
had been furnished with copy o: Governor Marcy j |
message before it met the pubic eye The sentiments
contained in that message may have been so comnuni.
Gated for his substitute responds aust fully to then
The sentiments OF no two men ever nearly aSslmla
cd without consultation.
But Sir to proceed with this message. 'Bu: if these
reasonable expectations should unhapPlv BE- dsappoln
ed; if in the face of numerous and striking exhibitions
Of public Reproduction, eiclrd irra constituents ky
Just lear Of the fatal issues III wlc the nncurrd efforts
Of the abutonisis may ulnaie end any considerable
portion of these misguided mrn shall persist in pushing
them forward to disastrous Consequences then question"
to c0Grd"racy, will necessarily arise aud must
be met 1t l&n br determined how far the several
States nrurdr within the proper exercise OF their
constitutional powers, and how tar uiimcnt OF the
obligations rsuiug trons their federal relations they
ought provide 10y their laws foe the trial and pun
isiaieul by their iuGicatories Of residents within
their limits, guilty OF ac!s therein wtch calculated
and intended to excite nsurrectun and rebellion in
sister State This power seems to * conceded by the
nessagP 10 exist in the States OF this Union. But, sir
where The recommendation for The exercise this
power by Tie Legislature: !, is to be found where
tins message; very far from it. When disastrous
consequences shall from the OF "any consider
able portion of these misguided men, it must 'thcu
beconiewlat, sir: Not the duty pass laws stay
their progress; but to determine how far the several
States possess the right "whia the proper exercise
of their constitutional powers TO pass such laws
The General Assembly of New York is not invited 10
pass laws To suppress these associations, from which the
South apprrhrnds danger; but coldy told, that
when d"SOus consequences bcia, US, the question, new
our conicderacy, will arise, and must be met" Yes,
sir when buildings flames and wives and
children falling under the dagger of the sc1ve assas-