Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-26

e o1uhes ol the Acolitioniss, and have neard MN
speak OF disunIon. The first time | heard II wa
struck with establishment, and drew nearer, that
might understand more distinctly the true meaning
ms con gersation Tor was opposed Notification, be
ev,ng II 10 be too hasty measure, and in favo
of the Union party, if their doctrines could be main
tanned honorably though disagreed with Gen. Jack
son in his PROCLAMATION and Force Bill.
Judge Upshur again repeated his opinions, and u
nearly az recollect said Sooner than see The
d." rines of the Proclamation and Abolition entaec
upon our country, ] am FOL disunon" This remark
IN connection with Abolition, | have heard him fire.
quenly repeat, from that time to the present During
u conversation with him at his own residence il
Northampton county, in the month of July last, li5
canvassed the whole subject with great elouuence anc
again repeated his oit.expressed opinions saying
" Sooner than see the doctrines advanced by Cen Jack
sor, the anaca schemes Of the Abolition Its carried
out, would so for disunion al once, as choice o.
criis.
Very respectfully, your ohedient s>rv,nl.
EDMUND c. ROBSON
Hon. A. P UrsmrR
House. OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Feb. 10, 1912
| DEAR SIR Having resided for the last seven years
in your judicial district, | have had frequent opporu
mites of becoming acquainted with your political OPT
mons, and on occasion did ever hear you utter
sentiment which would warrant the charge that you
were advocate for immediate and unqualified
dissolution of the Union. In part of the State
and in no company could you have discussed these
subjects with more freedom and boldness than you
were accustomed TO do in the county where | re.
side. A large majority Of the people there were
| staunch Nuhers, prepared TO sustain the course OF
South Carolina in her stand against an unconstitu.
tlonal law With gentlemen of that party, as | well
know, you in The habit of conversing on poll
teal subjects without any reserve or disguise; and
while regarded you ardenty attached to the doc.
trncs Of the State Rights school, certain it your con.
versaon, fearless and bold was, left no such
impression my mind as TO The character Of your OPT
Mons like that now ascribcd 10 you in a reccHt com.
municaton which appeared in the National Intelligent
Ger.
You at liberty TO use this letter in such way as
you may please.
With much respect your obedient servant,
Hon. a. T. UPsHUR. I. MALLORY
Secretary Of the Nary Washington.
WAsnlsGroS, Feb. IT, 1912
At your request annex extract of letter from
Geo Booker Esq, of Elizabeth City county, gentle
man whose character is too well known in down Vir
gnia, TO need any commentator at my hands.
+. MALLORY
81 have had frequent conversations with Judge Up
shnr many subjects of public concern and upon the
particular subject referred to by you, have frequently
heard him express his opinions. ] have always consi
dered him strict construconis and as much devoted
TO the Constitution and the Union oflhese States as any
man Of my acquaintance. Upon all occasions he has
been the advocate OF strict construction, the only
means of preserving the Union and our liberties.
81 have never heard him speak Of disunion except
the only Of escape from despolism and as the
last resort for The preservation of our liberties; and
feel confident that every one who has had opporu
nifty Of knowing his opinions will bear testimony TO the
correctness of this statement.
every sincerely, yours, &c,
GEORGE BOOKER"
WILLIAMSBURG, February IS, 1912
Mr. DEAR UpsHuR The enclosed has Just been
handed to me by one of the gentlemen whose names
nit It to yon. do SO with the greatest pleasure, be-
cause satisfied that TO every candid mind i. must
convey satisfactory eutaton Of the charge preferred
against you. They the only members OF my class
who used 10 be much with you, and are now at the bar
here
Yet am bound to say that myself do not feel the
surprise expressed by those gentlemen at the mscon
s.ructon of your sentiments by Others. On the con-
trary, myself have been present when believed that
you were thus misconsrucd. am much mistaken if !
was not present at that particular conversation in this
place TO which Mr.. Harrison aludes, and if you and
! were not much amused at the extravaganza of his |
CONSERVATION, while listening TO sentiments and ar
guments which certain pre-occupation of bis mind
rendered him incapable of understanding in their
right sense That on one occasion spoke of this,
and diverted ourselves at the sort of holy horror
with which he seemed to regard US, | do remem-
Der. Ihave accounted for it thus To say "hat if the
Constitution is to be interpreted and administered in
certain way il would be better to dissolve the Union
that that is the way ard the only way in which the
Constitution is 10 be interpreted and administered is TO
run the risk of being understood by him TO advocate
disunion absolutely and unqualihedly. To him the
qualification you annex appears mere nullity. lie
perhaps understands you at the time meaning no
thing by it, he understands it disingenuous ar
flee TO save obnoxious statement; and if neither
of these ideas actually occurs to him, the qualification
passes ont of his mind altogether To his understand
ing il does not at oil qualify the propnston and hence
the proposition stands his memory absolute and un
qualified. This is true in regard 10 men Of dis
eliminating and ingenious minds. When there are
those present by whom OF being ri Chilly |
understood the most prudent man may be tempted
to amuse himself and others, by deepening the impress
sion which he sees has been made, and provoking de-
nunciaons ofihe heresy which his ntagonst imagiaeS
has been uvowed. am very sure that have you
who not remarkable for prudence, badger Mr. Hair
rson in this way and send him away full of horrors
that should hardly have been surprised 1t his attrbu
ting TO you any political heresy whatever without in
tending at all TO misrepresent you And yet declare
most positively, that in all our close and confidential
never heard you express sentiment incon
ssten with those ascrbed to you by the writer's of the
within letter.
see that have used the pronoun "we" in way
which may lead the uncandd to regard me as bearing
testimony for myself seeing that my name has been
lugred into this controversy. But am not seeking TO
shelter my opinions by identifying them with yours
On the contrary am bound 10 add that am the more
IN my UNDERSTANDING your seHtiitHls,
because rent beyond you. To certain extent we
agree. All that is said by my young friends OF you
is equally true of myself too ncucaied the same
IDEAS, and il my TO bring them into your SO.
ciety, and to lead you 10 explain, illustrate, and en-
force what | deemed right and true. Beyond this,
neither of US went in conversation 10Th them But when
we two conversed together without witnesses, or in
The presence only of very particular friends question
often arose on which differed. Events had happen
ed, measures had been adopted, principles had been
avowed, which had led me 10 doubt whether We could
ever expect to see the Government administered on us
true principles. This doubt your sangune inlnd
rejected. sometimes despaired Of the Republic. ion
never did. thought that foresaw evils that would
render disunion inevitable. You did. So far
from having made up your mind to disunlon as posi-
tive good, could never, by my most gloomy va
tcina,ons, do than to shake your faith tor the
moment Sin the remaining conservative power OF ex-
is:ng constitutional dciences in which writer whose
words see are enormously attributed TO you, declares
he has lost call hope. In this state Of mind you could
never rest, and presently returned 10 the conviction
Hall