Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-12-05


DIES, 10 establish her supremacy there: and while
England, with rapacicus hand, despois Eastern
princes of province after province, and even con-
dcsccnd> 10 accept Kingdom Oh the Alusquu
shore, as legacy from d Barbarian Chief thai
the United STATES should, from mere Gclicacy, re-
fuse a profiered territory OF three hundred thou
sand square miles, embracing The most fertile
soil on lie globe, and peopled By her own chill
dren cannot be otherwise regarded than as alb
solulc!v QuixoIic. Europe, while rejoicing al
such an unexpected event, is so utterly incapable
OF approaching these submatcd notions OF ma.
tional faith as not 10 hesitate TO ascrbe il solely
10 the influence of party spirit, and note il d
fresh evidence OF tic instability OF our institu
tons. That party spirit may have had some in
uence i'll the rejection OF this treaty, is probable
But the main, and most powerful reason. I'M
doubtedlv, was the deadly anilnosity Of portion
OF this Union 10 our domestic slavery, and The
fear OF extending and perpetualing it. This rea
son has been openly avowed by nearly the whole
press ofhe non-slaveholding States: by their pub
lie lectures, by their most distinguished orators
and By the Legislatures OF several SHAKESPEARE
cuarly that of Observation-Disclosures resolu
lions transmit you, in which is strongly inrima-
ted the expediency OF dissolving the Union %
these States, on this very ground if Texas is ali.
neXed.
Scarcely any circumstance could have fur
nished so striking proof OF Ike dcep-seaci hos
liii,y oil every potion, and almost every indiy.
dual Of the Moth, 10 or system OF Slavery
and their fixed determination 10 eradicate il. il
possible. a. tie rejection of this treaty. and the
Arguments by which they justify il. In ever
point Cl vieW. save one the acquisition oi texas
was o! mere consequence 10 the North than 10
the South To them il 9avea increase of com
merce; a fresh market Tor their manufactures;
another vent for population; new subjects on
whom to levy tribute. To H., security only; and
ST, lriiy at an immense sacrifice in the value oil
our Lands and OF our staples. But the pride OF
increased dominion, The thirst Of wealth, ambi-
ton and avarice-long supposed TO be Inc two
sronges. passions Of our nature--have sunk be-
fore their fana;ical zeal 10 uproot all institution
with which is linked forever, and inseparably the
welfare and almost the existence Of five millions
OF their ieilow-ctizeEs.
Nor is The refusal 10 ratify this treaty SO vitality
important to the South the only extraordinary
proof which The past year has furnished, OF The
cxuhcrant and rancoious hostility Of the North 10
our domestic slavery. At a meeting in May
las, OF the General Conference OF the Methodist
denomination, whose ecclesiastical constitution
and government bear in some respects, striking
resemblance 10 the political Constitution and Co
ycrnmcnt Of This Ccnicdrracy, a pious Bishop Of
the South was virtually leposcd from his sacred
Office because he was q Shareholder. IL was
openly and distinctly stated that the Methodist
congregations in the non-slavehoGing States, en-
bracing much larger proportion oil the MASSES
than any others, would no longer tolerate a slave
holder in their pulpits fact which has been
since cxcmpli6ed. With becoming spirit the pa
lro;c Meihodiss Of the South dissolved all con.
nection with their brc.hercn oi the North. And
for this they are entitled 10 lasting honor and gra-
titudc from lis. Other instances might be ci,ed,
not go striking, lot equally decisive Of the fact,
that the abolition pircnZy is no longer confined 10
Il few restless and daring spirits hui has sliced the
whole body OF line people in the non-slaveholdiDs
States, and il is rapidly supcrscdinS ali other e2-
elements, and tramplins OH all other Interests
II has even been thought that the organized Abo-
liticn vote might decide the pending Presidential
election: and both pal;es al the North have been
charged with endeavorng To conciac il for their
candidate. While England encouraged by these
!aovcmenis, and exaSrecalcd By cur Tariii laws,
is making avowcd wal on rs, that she may strike
n blow at those who are more our enemies than
hers.
"'rhough all these efforts may fail 10 coercc
Congress 10 pass an Act OF Emancipation, aud
can hardly succeed in organizing an cx!ensve
insurreciion among our slaves, il cannot he dis
.uised that they are doing mischief here, ard
may soon effect irreparahle injury They must
ne arrested. Ii is indi>pensably necessary that
they should be arrested in the shortest possible
period OF Tine. The question is how is this 10
hc done? Argument and reIaorstrancc are
clearly useless. All appeals 10 sympathy. 10 in
,erest and to the guarantees of the Bond Of Union,
have failed, as yet, and will, have no doubt,
continue 10 fail Seeing. as we Of the South DO,
ID. pt III
n determination oil one race Or the other, through
crimes aud horrors TOO shocking 10 he mentioned
leaving a devastated land covered with ashes,
Tears and blood cannot doubt that vou will bc
justified by God and Iuturc generations, in adopt
inc any measures however startling they may
appear that will place yoiir rights aud property
exclusively under your own control, and enable
yea To rcpcl all interference with them, whatever
sh; ,c il NAV assume. And as you incur dan
ger Of no ordinary charactcr-one so subtle and
insidious in lis approaches that there is no ascef
tanning how soon il may be too late 10 resist i'll
believe YOU will be equally justified in taking
these measures as carly and decisively as in your
Judgment YOU MAJ deem proper.
THE State of South Carolina has been charged,
and sometimes from high quarters, with enter
tanning desire TO dissolve the Union OF these
States: and the expression ola sentiment looking
that way, bv any OF her citizens. Is widely de-
nounced as reasonable, if not blasphemouS--
There is no State which has given. in lis times ot
: al a more ardent or effective support 10 the
Union than our own. There is no Stale which
has less to gain by anarchy and rcvolulon or
that is less disposed 10 plunge into them wanioii-
IL. Neither her fundamental Institutions, nor her
legislation. bciray love of change. Her people
are steady in their principles, and loyal 10 their
customs, laws, and constitution. But their de-
voiion is not blind. They are not 20 be detraudcd
of their rights under prostuted forms, however
sacred in their origin, nor deferred either b. OBJ
lnuuv or danger from mainta ming them. They
are hv no means inscnsihlc OF the advantages OF
the Union. They are not wanting in those >enil-
menis, which teach them 10 veneiae The las'ii!'-
tons, founded, in part, hy their own wise ara
heroic ancestors nor i'll that pride which Would
lead them to appreciate the glory OF continuing
members of Republic, extending over two mil
lions and Il hall Of square miles, and which
MIGHT one ,lay number five hundred millions oil
enlightened citizens But the Union was com
pact for justice, liberty, and security When
these fail, its living principles are gone South
Carolina can have no respect for an empty
name. still less for one which becomes syno.
nymous TO her with oppression, vassalaSe, and
danger. Ii is vain 10 sound il in our ears, AID
claim for il our allegiance. Our ancestors oi the
old world. wased successful war against Inc
divine right of Kings; and our fathers OF the Re
voluion broke the yoke OF Lords and Commons
Little has been gained TO US BY these Two mobiles
struggles which history records, if we arc now IL
be overawed By The divine right of Union, ant
stepped in wrctchedness under its violated char
ter The iustrious man, who has been called
By universal consent. The Father Of our Country
did indeed leave it 10 us as his parting admoni
ton that we should cling 10 the Union as our arl
of SAFETY But, much as we reverence his pre-
ccpt. his example is sill dearer TO US. Sacred
as we hold his last words, We cannot throw then
into the scale against The history of his Lille; ant
that teaches us TO resist oppression, from what
ever quarter it may come, and whatever hazar'
is incurred.
s'Coming for the first time together. having du
lies 10 perform which 10 some OF you are new
and holding in your hands The dcsiinies Of Souil
Carolina, Won cannot be too strongly impressed
with the necessity of rejecting ma,nrely on tn
impor.an, questions that devolve upon YOU, an,
of rcverenialiy invoking 10 Your aid that AL
mighty Power. who searches all hearts, weighs al
motives. and me.es ont TO all human efforts AUS
measure of Success