Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-16

OF noVelly ana ne mas read from q paper from the gran.
tie State TO show that during the progress Of the resulu.
tions of that State similar amendments were offered.
Well, sir, admit the fact, and what does it prove?
Why, sir, merely that those great fundamental princi.
piles ae cherished yet, soen in Ne~ Haapshtre BY. a
portion Of the people. But, sir, does the Senator claim for
himself any credit for discovering that which he (Mr. 81
had avowed from the outset, that his amendment did not
contain n~oocltsss, that the doctrines were primary, fun
datnental, constitutional aud vital political truths: Sir,
has nooats any special merit in the eyes of that Senator:
If so, the Senator from South Carolina has prepared u
feast for hin, and he is welcome to enjoy it.
But, sir, there is another avowed principle in these re-
solutions, that mast not be passed in silence. 1t assumes
that il may become necessary for this nation 10 attach
territory (Ttzas) to The Union, for the purpose of pro.
tcciing and e~z.ending the domestic Institutions (siar.ry)
Of the South. This is asoiemn question, and one which
he hoped would be promptly met and as promptly de-.
cided. fe would not now anticipate the arguments up.
on Il, bat he begged 10 be excused for saying that it was
a most odious principle to him, and sufficient, in his
mind, 10 alarm the friends Of freedom everywhere. He
would take this occasion, however, 10 say, that he had
no connection whatever with the aboHtionists, nor did he
even know any of them; be believed them, so far as he
could learn, TO be a highly respectable portion Of our
feliow.citizens, yet entertaining, as he honestly believed,
mistaken views Of this great question. They certainly
could not be apprized Of the fact, that the very course
they had marked out for themselves, and which they
were pursuing, if reports speak truth, on that subject,
was The worst possible course to attain the object they
have in view, If il he merely, as he supposed il was, TO
induce the master TO liberate bis slave. Sir, does not
this people see that the consequences which have alrea-
dy grown out of their course have been so ia. from pro-
duciog the happy results which they had promised
themselves TO witness from their e%xertions, that excite
ment, mobs, and death have followed in their train'-
DO they not see that the master, iastead Of ioosing his
hold on the slave, has taken a frmer grasp Do they
not see that this question may rock The Republic to
the centre: Do they not know that should they be in
s,rumental in exciting the slave to deeds Of desperation,
they would be morally accountable for the act? Do they
not know that the Constitution itself was founded
upon a compromise; that the siaveholding States were
a party 10 that compromise and that neither this Gov
eminent, nor any Of the nor slaveholding States has
any thing to do with the institution of slavery in these
Staaes, but that it Isl matter exclusively for their own
segsiation, and any interference with it by non.slave.
holding States, can produce no good, and may do great
harm, and is, therefore, unwise and i~mpolitic, to say the
least Of il? He could only give his opinion, he could
not control this matter. He would soy to the citizens of
nor. sssaeholding States, hands of, leave this matter as
sae Consultation left it; preserve the harmony ofthis PEG.
pie and etand by the Union as tits. flour institutions are
mere To o~uriiking than are those ofttese s,ates, let US rest
~contested With our situation, and not, BY any act Of ours,