Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-05-30

wan, yb;c il created that provision 10 therein made
for the surrender Of fugitive slaves IN all the Staes
and that three hs of the slaves OF the Union are 10
be enumerated in apporoning representation, ana may
ms he subjected 10 direct taxation How are The "PFo
cressive principles OF the Revolution 10 affect these
provisions without subvcrns the Constitution: Tue
of Texas not resisted on specihc grounGs
If objection but on The general ground that II would
c,s,r,,e DESIGN n, some tine and In
he occomp-ird for the total abolition OF slavery IN
the IT, S. 1t your correspondents, lheh, and mot the
dvocaes of annexation who mediate dissolution oil
the Union By virtue of their progressive principles OF
| the Revolution" They have undertaken, in advance,
10 sneak the voice of 'the people oil the free States,
md to declare that they ,cu not submit 10 The perpetua
ZION of an Institution winch acknowledged TO be recog
Missed By the Constitution. They have made this de-
caration without qualification lis lulhlment, accord
inu to their prediction ust inevitable, whether
Twas comes into the Union or not. They regard il
cnly as more probable if Texas should fall under British
DOMINION ard slavery can be there abolished by aci OF
Parliament Their paramount object seems 10 be the
abolition nf slavery in the L s. and not the preserva
ton of The Constitution or the Union.
IL remains 10 be seen, whether these gentlemen speak
only for themselves or for the millions of our country
men whom they believe To have adopted The same fatal
sentiments which they have uttered IL matters liitle
in what shape where this question arises The mere
forms of Government signify tlle when the spirit IS
gone The paper and ink of the Constitution will
sval yeyy little when the hearts OF our countrymen
have become alien to the Obligations OF justice and the
ties of blood. have been persuaded ior some years.
that the sooner this question OF The relative rights and
obligations Of the States under the FEDERAL compact
was presented, and in The simplest form which it could
assume the better for the harmony and security Of all
five ait till "he progressive principles oil revolution
shall deny right to representation OF three hiths
of slaves until II asserts authority TO tax them
all US property or make any other disposition of
them which may be deemed expedlent 10 majority in
Congress, we may not agree as speedily or harmoni
ously as we should for against the acquisition
of Texas or any other question ~Dich VIII permit
us to discuss the interests OF the whole Union in the
shirt of the Constitution. These "progressve princ
nles of the Revolution" never developed in l776
| They claim 4 much later and less iustrlous origin
When consider the agency OF the British people,
and the encouragement Of the British Government in
supplying this continent with African slaves, when il
RENE bered that the early Efforts Of the colonies TO
abolish slavery were prevented ny The "moller
try, ii s indeed curious specimen of political research
which your correspondents exhibit, when they an.
nounce, near the middle Of the nineteenth century,
that the great dcs OK the American Revolutions was
10 kndle the flame Of civil war among the white cl.
zens of The L. States, and peril their Liberties, test
scheme of mad fanaticsn, by experimenting on
the moral, al and political capacities of the negro
II is not the least part Of this revelation
that it comes from England, whose sympalhes have
riveted the chains of the white man al home and in
Ireland while they have emancipaed the negro in the
West Indies. One of the gentlemen who signed the
appeal which you published, has been the agent
IN distributing through the " . the proceedings OF Inc
Worlds Convention, which assemblies annually at
London, to sympathze with the black man the ex.
pense OF the white
| will not believe, that your correspondents have
spoken advisediy, or by authority, when claim
reflect the feelings Of The people of the free States
Though there thirteen Of these honorable gentle
men, (and that is n revolutionary number) am per.
suadrd that they viii find practical we'll
liberal spirit pervadng the population of The
slavehocing States. The Union IS necessary as
II always for the protection of all. Il be pre-
served only by preserving the Constitution which form
cd it and the people of the U. S. will look with in
dgnunt reprobation upon any scheme for aggrandize
ing any section Of the country at the expense of
another They will look 10 The rapid march Of po-
puation towards The shores OF the Pacific, and along
the shores of the Gulf of Mexico with feeling OF
narrow jealousy to The 'lenglh Of the Northern
Southern end of the ever, while the nlcrum strong
The compromises of the Constitution be carried
out admit many States into
Union, whou, inPa,rlng the force of that great
pie by which We have already done much 10 eman-
cpa,e the world Our Union has no danger 10 appre
bend from those who believe that its genius expan-
ive and progressive but from those who think that the
limits of The L s already too large, and the prn
cpies Of 71G 100 old fashioned for this astdi0us age
THOMAS w. GlLMER.