Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-04-02
RIClIN0yD, FRIDAY, APRIL :, 1871
.rlIl. pEnrEsT-.4sam

| the PRuTEST-.fsan! :,
we have bcen unfortunate enough TO gall the WI
tbers of the author of the Protest t'i tue '
Delegates y but make nm lhe ohiy "'i,""'
Loporo5e in our power By laying his structures oe"le
'iI: W. ,.;, nat ouarrc with Mr.. w. Robert
on, ,hou, STYLES There is no dsPu,ng' they say
about tastes though might fairly plead pe'o'c any
critics in the world 10 the jurisdiction 81 we aoi VI
The Protest. But we do not mean 10 udsei pe wv a'
ner which i certainly curious than tehcuous IN
e., connosi,ion With few brief notes, appended 10
10 GlIawinr communication, dismiss the subject
'''e ''''N TO TnE EDITOR or TIE Ev9tIRER.
uS,p-The comments you have thought proper L
,,L. n, the STYLE and the force of the 'Protest OF
vself and Others against the late Inspection Law, tas
you term it, quite wiling should pass lot VIVA.
Il they are worth As TO what may be thought OF ihal
naner in point of composition, am not very solicit
~. hut most critics. am of opinion, Will not thhK
- ,y worse of IT, an that respect, that ITS style IS not
49,. s,udiously copied after that of the Enquirer,
"boweyer matured by age, or modelled by experience.
As rcrards the force Of The arguments advanced III II,
ouab, 10 have occurred you, that there are obvious
reasons why the objections the law IN question should
no, be too strongly stated well as why yet stronger
objections than any urged against It were not even
limited at ID These points, however, would mol, OF
j themselves have challenged notice from me helhel
would the manifest inconsistency you involve yourseu
in when after stating, that those who signed the pro-
test desired that the General Government should be
appealed TO, and New York again appealed to- you, m
the same BREATH mpule 10 them the disposition to do
nothing !: (2) Nor yet the strange, heterotoS proPo
slon affirmed by you, that 'hc law OF Congress,
about the surrender Of tngtvcs, has been nullfed
by an act of New York., involving The broad ndniis-
sion hat state may nuiiJy an act 81 Congress madc
sirictiu IN pursuance Of TIE Constitution out
oullifynp even notification itself. (i) Inviting as
these themes are, and fruitful Of comment, yet for
bear content merely 10 have pointed public attention
TO them.
..Hut when YOU 20 on to say cot the Protest. at is a
document which TO use It's own confused language)
Il, IN Inuht N Ia
ken under the influence Of considerations not calcu-
lated TO command for the full weight of delihera e
and unbiased judgment on the question submitted to
uhciri dccision you convey an insinuaon against
those who signed that paper which Il proper should
be repeed and rcpclled justice, through the same
channel that gave 1t publicity. by the-bye, the FRO
lest speaks Of ''the course Of Governor Seward as
having been sstaken under Influences, nc. ~ docu-
f men taken under influences, &c, - one OF those m
stances Of curosa fciicitaS peculiarly your own,
and which, while could not hope, certainly should
never aspire, 10 rival In applying to Governor Sc
ward the language you have quoted from the Protest.
certainly did intend to intimate belief that he had
allowed considerations TO enter INTO hls course towards
Virginia improper and rePrehensble In adopt
inr and applying that language to those who signed
+ tha, paper YOU doubtless design 10 cast similar mpu
tatons aud would seem, 10 surnise vaguely that II
was concocted by joint counse!s to subseye some co
vert if not sinister purpose az Lest such impressions
should be made ii due 10 the gentlemen who united
with me in that Protest to saw that II was prepared
entirely By nyself-and not, either rs TO form oil
substance the subject Of conference with them except
. that almost at the moment Of submitting it, IL wa:
shown 10 few friends who sat near me III the House
. and who alone signed 1t before IT was presented. j
d was signed by the others, by leave OF the House
through the day, opportunity offered to examine II
The public may Judge, then, how Tar these gentlemen
5 were implicated plot, Or were likely 10 be Iniiu
enced hr any other considerations than concurrence
IN the views presented by il question OF great pub
t lie interest. For myself, about 10 Withdraw from pub
II lie lie might have hoped 10 have been spared thu
. fiap al the considerations which influenced INC, DE-
not know that, in the pursuit of party objects, nche
The motive. nor the feelings Of those who stand at al
in the way Of the attainment of them, are likely TO h
! mucI, regarded. But may be permitted, in closing
= nv humble career, against the mputaticn oi having
" been Influenced by improper considerations, to place
my solemn assevera,ion, that the act in question wa
dictated bv no motive, OF which am conscious, what
ever except of public duty, and an earnest de
sire the extent of my ability, 10 aid IN wardng Of
the evils which, in my opinion, an unwlse and Ili'con
sidered measure calculated 10 draw down upon TIN
State and this Country
. ~ 1t might shave occurred" 10 Mr. X. and others
j that there were Obvious reasons why no objection
l. shond have been pompousy paradrd IN The form q
? Protest at all The bill had been opposed on The Hoo
. of the House-argucd agaInst-voed against-an
! some of those speeches had gone forth 10 the world
il We ha. supposed, that its enemies might have beel
content with this species Of opposton without takn
II any other step after The passage OF the law, TO weaker
ITS moral effect upon the State Of New ork 1t seem
= 10 rs. that after such law had been passed by de-
!, cded minority of both Houses gentlemen, too, OF bot
, parties coHcurrnp lis adoption, under the influence
the strongest convictions the minority might then hay
in the decision But no, The course OF III
opposition since only calculated TO weake Inc iorce
this appeal upon the Governor and people OF New ok
!, They have publicly protested against IT, They lav
manifested their desire 10 expungc II from the statut
book-ana The Richmond Wing has avowed lis belle
that the Protest will con.rhuts TO produce next winter
the repeal of the law. This IS pretty broad "hihl
J. the people OF New York.
. ~ i've prefer speaking for ourselves What we sa.
in that article tins
.They would appeal New York without doins any Tim
i ourselves pledge which tie LEGISLATURE o ~
sormy OF r Sate lry world also a.
peal 10 Congress for assistance ~ relation 70 S.s md n
nf been nullifed bs act Of New York.
ID whether this going, cap in hand TO the presen
Governor the present Legislature, ana SUNG io JUS
tice or whether this appeal Congress, be doing no
thing this time for ourselves or verse than nothing
is respectfully submitted to the people
81 We would treat the author of the Protest with
respect We will say that he has been guilty OF ms
q represen,aton-but he has fallen into some unaccouh
. able mistake about our meaning. We have quoted on
d own words above. When say, that The law G
d Congress about the surrender Of fugitive slareS Ia
y been nullfed BY act Of New York, land therefor
VIC argue that they might in the same manner deiea
an act about Fugitive felons how was It possible 10
Mr. R to suppose that admitted the right OF Stat
to nuliity constitutional act of Congress; He cor
POUNDS the fact with the right He will scarcely deny
that n York has defeated by her act Of May, lc4o IN
act of Congress about fugitive slaves We do not sa
It right. On the contrary, we have always cor
tended that it was wrong-a wrong against the law
Congress as well as the Constt ton. As y York ha
been mad enough 10 do that, we contended that sh
would in ike manner pass law to counteract and nu
lily any law, which Congress might pass in relation
the sure nder of fugitive ielons Did therefore Jns
T tlfy The law of " York Dad thus attempt TO 'on'
nullify notification itself" Mir K. may hug hlmse
in The discovery he has made Of meaning in on
words: and he had better take patent for hi
act of constructon-but suspect no other Perso
will profit By his patent.
a. Ii is ''due'' 10 ourselves 10 remove the impres
= sion which Mr.. R. has taken up. We meant to con
vey no such impu,aon in regard to him, he says
meant 10 convey towards the Governor of New York
What he meant 10 convey-what 'mproper and repre-
he inended to rhnie 10 lh