Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-01
DOMESTIC.
Mr.. UPSHUR'S LETTER.
APPENDIX b. &c.


you reply. In your short letter, you request me ITO
say what opportunities you have had OF knowing my
opinions in regard 10 the value of Union aud what
you understand them 10 be-
For several years ! praCtised in one of The circuit
courts OF this State in which you presided My al.
tendance on that court regular, and sometimes
attended another of your in the circuit
This brought me of;en with you, Gnd under clrcumstaa
that produced free and unrestraned expressions Of
our respective political opinions In Charles City, es-
peclally, where more frequently met, and where,
too had usually Of political discussion, the
hospitality Of an cs!imabe man brought together, under
his roof, yourself and many members of The bar,
at each term OF the court! ! and others differed with
you essentially the subject Of Notification. We
prolessed what seemed 10 To be the pure State Ri ]
doctrines, incucalcd and maintained by MIR Mad So;
report and resolutions adopted by the Virginia egisa
tue, at lis session Of 1919 and 1900. Ion uvoSed hs,
you too, approved 81 That report and 81 those resou.
tons and, from the argument contained II ihH one.
and the doctrines affirmed in the other dcdnccd The
right of State 10 nuiy an ac, Of Congress These
differences produced discussion and controversy with
us This happened sometimes when alone, or when
but few present. al other times, Il took place ~
the presence Of many persons, and IN tavern Your
views were strongly urged, and w.:h great animation
The doctrine of Notification have heard denounced
in your presence, disorGanzng, unsafe revolution
airy, absurd, and destructive If the Union. lis oppo
nens insisted to you that il deceptive, and ca!cu
lated to mslead the People. To these various obec
tons to Nullliication your uniform and unchanging
reply, when given my presence, was, that II The
conservative principle Of our Government; that lis prac
teal application would b. preserve, and not 10 de-
stroy the Union. 1t would restrain Easty Legislation
the part Of Congress. But, above ALL il an If
tscua shield to the rights Of the People, and The So
vereignty Of the States and protected the people Of The
States from the aggression and unconstitutional acton
Of the General Government, without resort to evc.
lutionary measures, which must end III disnnion and
civil war You uniformly dsclainrd, whenever was
present at participated these discussions any wish
design 10 impair the Union. That measure,
You declared, OF the last resort, and about which ali
ought long and deeply 10 reflect before adopted, and
should only hc resorted 10 when The oppressive
course Of The General Government became It's fixed
policy, and could 10 longer be endured. You pro-
iessed 10 place high value on the Union, and that
its continuance was calculated 10 promote the iappi-
and prosperity Of the people, if the Constitution
administered IN lis Tnc spirit, and according 10 Tie
fair Interpretation placed on ii bv It's trainers. But al
the same tme You ar0wed that you placed higher
value The liberty and rights Of the people; aud Tia,
when, by long and continued series Of acts, the Ge
neral Government had manifested settled purpose 10
break down the barriers OF the Constitution, and take
TO itself all power, and, in lis exercise 10 Cypress
part Of the county BY the enactment Of uns quail and
unjust laws 10 build Up and enrich another part d! the
same, then was the duty If every patriot 10 resist such
measures, FIRST by all lawful means and II these proved
unavailing, then ny dsunon.
Such The general outline Of my recollection Of your
opinions, often expressed on these topics submit il
to you, without any opportunity Of correcting what
have written, under the disadvantage Of several inter
ruptons. am your ob't seryt,
To the Hon. ABrl p UrsuuR,
Secretary If The .Hary
RtcnmoSD, February IL, l542
Sir: received your note this morning, in which you
request say reference 10 The pending issue be-
tween Mr.. Bolts and y"ursr!f, what opportunities
have had OF knowing your opinions in regard 10 the
value Of our Un,on and what understand til. III 10 be.
As to my opportunities, they have been numerous.
for, when you lived in Richmond you held Tie Office Of
Commonwealth Attorney, and | acted as Sergeant Iu
the Hastings Court. As officers Of the same court,
we were necessarily very often together. And after
you EFT Richmond and was appointed Judge, whenever
your duty called you here, you in the constant
practice OF staying with my immediate neighbor, your
particular friend, Joseph Mayo, at whose house very
often visited yon, and frequently had tie pleasure Of
your company al my house.
AS 10 your opinions Gas TO the valve Of our Union,
that Subject very often discusscdhy you and others
in my presence We differed in politics upon all qnes
tons except States Rights; and in your arguments
upon that have often heard you % far as to say
that than tie South Surrender her rights or
submit 10 the Abolition doctrine Of the North you
would 90 for dissolution of the Union, as much as
you deprecated such event. In discussion on
the subject do recolect 10 have heard YOU advocate
dissolution of the States Internationally; but an
alternative, have often heard you declare that rs dear
as the Union was 10 you you would dissolve il
Than surrender the rights of the States: and in that
opinion We always agreed
With due respect, yours, !
Hon. A. =. UPsruR w D. WREN.
RrcHMosp. February 10, 1872
Sir Your note ofhe 9Th instant s received in which
you request 10 state what opportunity haye had of
knowing your opinions in regard 10 the value of the
Union, aud wha, understand them 10 be. For the
asst four years have been the intimate friend, near
neIghbor professional associaie Of joseph hayo
ESQ., Of Richmond, whose house, during your seminar
lual visits 10 the General Court, your home, and
N which occasions IL was my habit 10 spend part of
almost every evening at Mr. Mayos, where had an op.
ot holding repeated conversations with YOU
hone, but more frequently in company with Mr.. Mayo
md others, around his iresdethe subject of State and
federal Relations being the almost constant ;heme of
discussions and upon which subject you all times ex
PRESSED yourself III the most free and unrcserved
manner. The impression made upon my miGd BY
hose repeated Conversations rs your opinions in re-
,ard TO the value Of Union, that, long as II
vas kept within its proper sphere Of action by strict
OF the Constitution, estimated its
'alue more highly than yourself l have heard you
peak OF The Union as means Of securing object
the liberty 81 lie country which, when failed to
ue, you regarded il as no longer valuable | have
frequently heard you advocate the doctrine If Nnlli
alton, and insist that il the trne conservative
principle Of our Government.
10 discussing the subjects OF Abolition and the pro-
able preponderancc of Northern and Eastern ingu.
nee in the National Legislature, | have frequently
card you express the apprehension that the tendency
affairs "a tendency which you always deplored) vas
) produce state Of things which would render dis
olution of the Union not only desirable but necessary
} the preservation Of the Liberty of the South. !
These and similar opinions have frequently heard
OIL express, but have heard you advocate an I'M
ualiiied dissolution Of The Union.
;, am, SIR with great respect, your obt servt :,
Hon \. L. CrsurR. WIN B. ARCHER. .
RIcnMoSD, Feb. 10, 1912.
SIR; In conformity with the request Conveyed by
our note Of the 9Th ins proceed to state what cp.
'rtun'iy have had Of asceriainng your opinions with
gard TO the ralne of the Union, and what have al
avs understood those opinions 10 be. \
First, as 10 the opportunity have had of knowing
ose opinions Il
For several years of my collegiate life, was mem.
r of the family Of Judge Beverly Tucker, Professor Of
aw in the College of William and Mary. During The
hole of this period you The presiding Judge of p
e Circuit, to which the city of Williamsburg belongs; ST