Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-04-06

taries Under these circumstances do gentlemen be-
lleve that the people of New York Will allow their
thores to perscvcre IT. equal. al with
her duty and her interest, s,r.5!- because we nov
take mild and otbcaflng measure of protection: This
would shew state Of .eclicy in New York which |
am not willing To believe exists there The gentle
man seems to expect inst We are 10 treat New York
as spoiled child, who is not 10 be checked IN ITS mis-.
chief lest, forsooh you may make her pou and fret
The gentleman contends that this Jaw is to operate
upon the people Of New York; he enquiries what they
have done, and asks if prepared TO punish tho
innocent for the guilty. Ee insists that thu Lsrisla.
ture has not acted, and he enGuices cf me- If am pre-
pared to assert, that the re-es con %. Governor Sew
ard after he had taken lis stand against Us, shews that
The people coincide with him. aud sanction by them
OF all his absurd notions.
/ have never known the GROUND taken hut upon Two
occasions, that tile Of candidate IN an election
IN which IS involved many issues, shows that tie peo
4 pie agree with him III AL Of them. The friends ot
General Jackson insisted that his reelection in l33
was verdict OF the people agans. the rcc!larier of 4
National Bank and Nj. Ciny has lately taken the
ground in the United States Senate, that the election
Of Gen. Harrison decree Of the PEOPLE against
the divorce Of the Bank and State II so happens
mat did not acqnrsce in these views either coca
SION. Together with the gentleman, repudated the
idea IN Jacksons time Did he agree with me in repu.
dating on tic latte. As dissented from tie
position on the only two vhea have known
y seriously taken, It IS unnecessary for say that
do not agree in IL now.
i But though an not pre- pared say that the re- cleo
ton Of public officer sanction b. the ucooe of All
Of his acts yet Am prepared 10 say that there is no
way by which the sentiments nj u State can be made
known i'll case ike this, except through her publr
functionaries We cannot know the State Of New
York in contest like this, except through her public
authorities How else is the viii of State 10 be as.
certaned: Would the gentleman have the people Of
the State poed upon the subject VIII nothing short
Of this sasfy him lfso, he had better give IN the
contest at II the public functonarcs yho hold
and wic!d the power OF the State, do It manner 10
nure us, il IS Of no moment that the people dsapproye
unless they will interfere IN the
The gentleman urged with great zeal that he saw in
this bill "the edge OF the weapon winch was 10 rend
this Union He said that it squined a, dsunion-it
had awful squirting at dlsunlon. lie stated that he
supposed thought was recommending the bill when
informed the House that ! had assurances from pr.
vate sources, that the would be followed up
by the other Southern States interested but that so
far from its producing that effect with him, il excited
his suspicious. The aYtity with which II was cutched
al by certain politicians made him dsrust lis wisdom
Mr.. Speakcr-The weapon the edge Of which the gen.
tleman in this BILL is like the dagger Of Macbeth It
has existence except ini his distempercd ina
gnalion. Sir am friend 10 the Unon SO long IS It
4 continues what our fathers made IT, There mem
Der Of this House who is So This sentiment IS
not only founded in feeling, which is strong rs any
other member $ but in interest Ii gentlemen will but
look the position of my county the map he will
see that there is section which would suffer
in the event of violent rupture. We are Nrginans,
every inch OF US, III feeling; but we separated from
our brothers by the Mediterranean Of this continent
Let the strife come when IT may, will be in the
hottest Of it. In any event, whether should be
thrown with the North or the South, we would be
border county and suffer all Of the scourges Incl
dent 10 that condition. But, ardent friend of
the Union, means, not as end. | am friendly
10 the Union long il shall continue be the pal
ladiun of our liberties but shall become lis deadly
enemy when il shall be converted INTO engine of op
preston. As long it is Union founded III affection,
will cherish IT. but when il shall be only maintained
by force, j would strike it 10 the dust. friend
Of the Union, but am the enemy Of consolidation
\ And if should he forced which Heaven iorfend,
10 choose between dsunion and consultations would
prefer the former. would rather that the temple OF
liberty should be scattered in runs than become The
abode Of iyrans. | would rather take my chance for
liberty midst anarchy, than quietly lie down in the
chains of despotsm IL might survive the one, could
not survive the other | would rather be hunted
beast OF the forest and die with The that
died free, than 10 live IN peace as an asec subject Of
Il usurper
am friend Of the Union, but because am 40 am
not 10 be frightened from protecting myself from az
gresson and the Constitution Itself from violence, by
the chimera ola dissolution oft The gentleman says
there is class Of politicians who fond Of calcu
ating the value OF the Union. Sir, there another
class who forever conjuring up visions OF disso
luton whenever the States propose TO do any thing
for their protection Let doctrine OF State Rights
be advanced Let gentleman intimate that he thinks
!
snch and at once the wolfcry of dlsunion rased.
There phrases always ready tor such occasions.
In mock heroics, asked, "Who shall calculate
the value of the Union Learn TO calculate the value
of liberty and then you may talk about calculating The
value of the Union
There two standing themes with such politicians,
sa dissolution Of the Union, and ''raguc abractioas,
which, like patent medicines used on all OCCASIONS,
and not in very varied doses. We must be mistaken
for children or tnid women else il would not be sup.
posed that we could be frightened from our propfety
BY this "raw head and bloody bones" OF dissolution
OF the Union which often conlured up and stalk
ed across this Hall
RI, seems let ont most terrible plot of treason
when informed The House that ! was assured from
private sources that if took our stand the pro-
visions Of this bill, we would be promptly sustained
by the other Southern States
The fourth resolution, which passed at the last
session of the General Assembly, is in these words
"Rcsoired, That the Governor Of Virginia be
quesed 10 open correspondence uiM HE Ereeutre Of
each Of tie sareholdng States, requesting their co.ops
ration any md proper Of redress
c::caa iirsinia maybe forced 10 adopt.'
In obedience 10 our request, Governor Gi!mer OPEN
ed this correspondence: and from of the States
replies have been received from their public unctona
res, but not from all. | inform the House that | am
assured from private Sources that the request of the
General Assembly, that the slareloldng States will
Cooperate with US, will be promptly complied with,
as soon as have adopted measures of redress;
and behold! am told that have communicated most
frghtful information.
The gentleman argues that the bill will be nefica
cious and 10 prove il 10 be So he relies upon what
said upon this point in the report Of last winter He
quotes this sentence from that document "Besides,
il would be difficult to enforce il IAN inspection law)
enectual manner. vcs'ei might De inspected one
hour and the next take slave board and he OIL ms
would be the case particularly the navigation OF our
long rivers" Mr.. Speaker, admit The difficulty.
do not contend that the law will afford US perfect pro-
lection like every other law which was ever framed
hy ,nv bnman tribunal il is not perfect. do not be-
leve That il, or any other law can be made so The
nnes,;on IS not whether the bill perfect, but whether
better one can be proposed insist that the gentle
man is precluded from opposing this bill, upon the
ronnd that il will be difficult to enforce il in efec
mai manner until he offer less Objectionable
That the House may not attach too much weight to
what is said in the report Of last winter upon this point
beg leave to state under what circumstances it
drawn As this subject referred 10 Select
Committee at the last session. as the Chairman Of it,
L:L li = e i. IL C 80