Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-08-13
A FARMER.
TO THE EDITOR or THE EN4UiRER

before the late Presidential Election, am your politi-
cal opponent-lf they TO be classed according 10
their political principles, believe that am your po-
litca friend. We have differed about mtn but there
is one point in regard 10 which We have prciessed Ia
hold the sumo opinions and 10 pursue the same objects
You hold the State Rights principles, and so 90 =
You uphold the rights and institutions Of the South,
and for that, give you both thanks and praise HOW
ever widely we may have differed about other things
here We meet and iraternze | should rcJ"'cc, u
could truly hold the language TO all other South
ern Editors who clam credit Tor Southern principles
and Southern feelings. 1t is matter OF regret Of
notification and OF shame, that you have received
little or no support from other leading journals IN
Virginia The patriot ight well have hoped, That Oh
this point least, Southern newspapers oil all parties
would hold the same language but, IN our own STATE
the Norfolk Beacon is the only one known 10 me winch
co.operatcs with you, in good iah anu WIN nearly
zeal How long will Virglnians endure tins How
long will they sustain newspapers which abuse thelr
patronage by pursuing course highly injurious, u
not absolutely fatal 10 their best interests: IL IS Inc
duty of The public press Of Virginia to defend the rights
and institutions of Virginia aud, II II ia'i 70 90 81, We
shall scarcely pause 10 enquire whether us an!e pro-
ceeds from secret hostility, or from an indifference
scarcely less criminal. -
However powerful your press may be, Sir, its IN.
luence is felt by only part of cur people. mere
are many who do read the Enquirer, and some "'o
read ONLY to it, This is the iaic OF all Jour
nails merely political. Hence, the most sinccir OF
yon- friends. and the most Jealous OF your supporters
ought not 10 be willing 10 trust the great cause OF r.
gina and the whole South 10 your unaded exrriinns
YOU YOURSELF would be- the last To desire thus. The
success of the cause OF value 10 you than The
honor Of being sole advocate. Believing that tins -
your feeling, permit me 10 call your attention. anu
through you the attention of your readers, 10 publ
cation which, if properly pa,ronzed, will become your
most efficient coadutor, without being your rival.
allude the Southern Magazine edited and published
BY Edmund Ruiiin, of Petersburg.
Mr. Rufn has engaged III this enterprise under CIR
cumstances highly credtabe TO himself, and emitting
him to the gratitude and supper, OF all State Rights
men, His objects exclusively pubc-the re.eS-
adjustment of the ancient political principles Of lr-
ginia and the vindcaon oSouhern rights and lns'ltu-
lions lie asked no patronage IN advance, but issued
his first number st his cost, and without single
subscriber This risk would not have been encounter
ed by one who weighed in 4 nice balance his per
sona interests against the public mind, the memory Of
the great principles which brought the old Republican
Party into power; aud willing to bear lis full share III
that work. he did not pause TO calculate consequences,
but threw himself at upon public support, asking
il only on condition that he should be found 10 deserve
lit Under these circumstances the circulation Of his
first number was necessarily very limited To my
surprise the newspaper press took little notice
Of his undertaking and hence, only small part OF
the reading public were apprlzed OF It, II i not sur
przing therefore, that his subscription list very
small. Notwithstanding this, his zen did not abae !;
and in spite Of the apparent indifference Of the public
large and the apparent apathy OF his political friends,
lie determined TO make more effort TO rouse them 10
just of the importance of his cn,crprze and Of
\ the necessity Of encouraging and sustaining it, a Sc
cond number issued-stlll at his exclusive
cost ind risk. lie has gone far enough, and much
farther than ought ever to have been exactcd Of hun.
Whe ber he shall 60 on again, or abandon his under
taking altogether, must depend on the support which
he NAV hereafter receive. He IS now waiting 10
certain the disposition of the public upon this point
1 If may Judge Of your opinions from your
an Editor you agree with me, that the time has arrived
when il is ndlspensabl TO the South to revive,
their utmost strctness, the principles Of the State
Rights school, know il has become fashionable with
certain ne wspapers in Virginia, and even with certain
Southern IN Congress-the more shame for them.
to deride those principles "Vrsnla distractions
This is the mere slang and cant Of party, unworthy of
i sober mind, and far beneath the dignity of the Ie-
gisative Hall al principles distractions; they
are but the general laws and rules by which c0nduct IS
to be regulated. And the conduct which has such
regulator is always liable to be wrong, and is rarely
found to be right No Government can be permanent,
which does not in it's action reflect the undamen
principles on which it is based. He is an unwise
| Statesman in free Government whs sacrifices these
principles to the expedien Of the hour, whatever
temporary good it may promise. All general rules are
liable to work injustice OF hardship, in particular
But is this why there should be no general
rules, If it be- all laws should be repealed and all
government abrogated Better, far better is it, that
the particular evil should be submitted TO- than 10 lay
the foundation Of general evil in the instability Of Co
yernment, and the consequent insecurity Of all rights.
owing the disregard this sauary truth that the
Federal Government has acquired degree of power,
not contemplated by lis founders and inconsistent with
tho long duration of public liberty. Power after power
has been assumed the plea of public necessity; each
assumption has served as precedent for still wider
and more fatal grasp, until at length control is
knowledged and scarcely any limit observed Conso-
lidaton has advanced almost to lis ultimate point; the
f.deratve character Of system lost sight Of and
mere numerical majority claim to possess all right
and TO WELD all power II requires reasoning to
prove that under such state OF things the civil and
political liberty which We claim, and which is founded
in perfect equality of rights cannot exist Of all
Governments that which depends the mere caprice
of an irresponsible majority is the most unequal, I'M
iust oppressive and tyrannical.
Have we of the South, interest TO take this view
of the subject Are ignorant of the facts, that the
numerical majority is against already, and that the
arrangement of representation under the census
will give it preponderance in our Federal councils
which ii will be wholly vain 10 oPpose' How unscru-
pulous that majority is, in the use of its power, the
history of Federal legislation abundan,ly shows But
have to prepare for an attack from that quar-,
ter, infinitely more formidable than any which a We
heretofore been called on to oppose. Aboli'i0nsm'