Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-07-18
THE ENQUIRER.
Richmond, .Brsly IL.
TIE APPROACHING CRISIS.

TIE MEL
we had boped tha, The ~croaking note OF a!sa'-
fection 10 The %counlry's honor and rights
coun, Of annexation, would have been co"h"eu
u The New York Tribune, Boston Auas, anu a
s,u =, Thai faralical crew. We did not think II
possible, that in The vast West, iuil OF an e.'
and rapidly improving populaiion-occup.."s !,
the middle ground between The long-es'aoishe'
society of the Atlantic States, and an eA'en'',e
wilderness roa med over by the red men Oh 'e
fures, alone-and, from their very posiaoh' .a,'-
inc for q vigorous and united action o. lhe "ho'e
counrry. for The maintenance and strengthening
of The national Tower-we did mol 'hi"A /" :
s;ble, tina, ,iere We should hear a voice ia,'
or a doubt whispered, as 10 the solemn ''.I
lion Of every American 10 meet Tue cli>is' ~ ~.
NAV vel arrive. But we were decei'eu.
Cincinnati Atlas Of The 9th July, in It's uno'se''s-
% horror al the addition OF new slave o'a'es -
the Union BY The admission CT Texas, az
away into an assertion of principles, aonoi'e :
me feelings OF q patriot. 1t contends lia'' " -
ac,ion Of The Texan Congress, TIVE are d. IN
moment virtually al war with Mexico A'uo
ing 10 The prospec,of England and France a'u'"s
and abe,ring Mexico 10 her resistance 10 ou' "s
ey,ssions" the Atlas draws a picture, ho' 'oo
gloomy. OF The horrors Of wal, and IS do"h '"e
correctdoctrine that, iii a case OF sei-ue'e1.e'
where our rights aud liberties are ~anIohiy i"sa'
dsd we hold. that whatever The calamil'es auehu'
a., an war may be, they should be promptly en-
coup,ere6. and with Tie united energy OF a wno'e
| and mighty nation, a terrible example sno"'' oe
80 III ,rr.r,s and wan,on invaders olthe rights
Of Others"
Here, however, lis patriotism is exhausted anu
| looking with The jealous eye OF ami slavery upon
the accomplishment Of the "iniquIty OF ie@ds
,rncr,,ion i, thus pours forth It's revilinSs upon
mo ,c,s and motives OF the friends OF that great
measure, so glorionsly concluded;
npnt in an unjust cause, in q war where we
.ro The oo1yfssors-in a wal undertaken lot the
| extension of Slavery-in a war wnere one pa.
nj The Union seeks TO obtain an Andhc anu cMoIs
advantage over another part-wncrc 'ne o'"H
standard of Slavery floats in The breeze and calls
upop their country 70 rally under it-Wli lhey
obey the call In such a war would lle NolunL
the real bone and sinew OF The Nacoh-iee?
furnish men and munitions 10 nshi Inc ".ssr" au
ful battles Of Siarcry? would shey ao.;%s
| their manufactures, tnCl PipeSh -
IN his Southern crusade for Slavery, anu ht'P
"a riyet upon themselves and their ch'iareh 'nc
ascendancy Of The Slave b1Iwer IN Inc Conhciis
~ he Sa,ion; 10 render The free labor oil the,r own
hands and Of their descendants suosei'ient y
slave labor, and 10 the capricious Pohcy " Wy"
N,s,ers1 In suci a 1raf, ns shond dn',eap"~ no
Mine bit d,stonor. discomftnre ana dlsR'as.m
|, would naturally fall with most sevtrhf npun
those who provoked il. i! might terminate ~ 'uI
total extinction Of S atefy-oI IN "asso'u''o"0
The Union"
If these doctrines be carried out, what an easy
prev would this great and beautiful land DC 10 To-
reign ambition The people OF The Tree States
ac,ualed by a dislike OF slavery, would refuse 10
assist their Southern reighho;s in the defence u
their domestic institutions, guaranteed toihein oy
he Constitution, whose broad folds envelope the
whole country. b. a similar argument: and WIN
similar feelings, the PEOPLE Of The South, indis'
nan, a, the Government monopoly e1tenced 'o'he
fro. STATES. a, the sacrifice Of Southern Interests,
MIGHT withhold their aid 10 their Northern neiel-
bors. assailed By a foreign foe. In either event.
our country would be ovsrrun by ioreisn armies
and The American Eagle droop his wings forever.
Does no, the Atlas perceive the absuTdisy, lhe
wicked ess, the treason OF its views
Blu, it has grossly mis-s,ated The merits OF 'ne
question. Should Mexico, even with The aid OF
European powers, force US INFO a hostile attitude,
our cause wonld not be "unjust," and we should
not be The "aggrcssoTs." Texas was acknow'
ledsed 10 BE Independent, by the greatest nations o.
the earth. Her Tue glory and permanent inter-
est lea ner 10 seek an alliance Win t1e American
Union. We embraced The offer, because il was
al-important that We should inlerpose an eiiec'
,ual barrier against foreign aggrc sion IN an
Otherwise ;iefencelrss quarter; snd, moreover, The
connection was clearly calculated 10 benefit all
sections Of our Union. Experience had proved,
lha, Mexico was powerless, as far as she aimed
TO control Tie growing energies OF Texas
Where, then, was The aggression" on our par 7
The achievement Of annexation is stained By no
violation OF justice or honor, save il The eyes Q;
the Mexican tyranls, and such narrow-spiriled
creatures as the Cincinnati Atlas.
The question, after having been violently
though vainly opposed by a great political party
principally on anli.slavery grounds, al length sig
nally uiumphed. From Maine 10 Louisiana the
people enthusiastically sustained il, and II is now
a national question, and will be defended BY The
masses, upon It's national merits. il Is in vain
tor the Atlas to excite The jealousies OF The North
by iis ~fanatical appeals-it is in vain to invite 10
reign Interference and assault, by meanly and
treacheronsly a~ssailing the honor and patriotism
ofrhe Northern masses, and representing the rea
'bone and sinew otthe nation" as willing 10 play
the traitor to their country in lie hour Of peril
That journal miscalculates the feelings Of The
people. North an South, The masses will rush
,olhe defence OF their %couniry's rights and honor,
ana none but a few vile fanatics will be seen 10
stand back, when the struggle shall begin. The
Atlas may anticipate, +" nay, may desire 'disho-
nor, discontinue and disgrace" il such a contest
but there also will it be disappointed. No ra.
lionai man can donbt, that such a war, thus
forced upon us, will shake the lyrannical power
OF the invaders, and add new strength 10 our
own system and TO the influence Of liberal insli-
lutions. But far be il from our wishes or exrtc-
,ations, that such an evil should arise. We have
supposed The case, In oder 10 hold mp TO public
Indignation The miserable want OF patriotism
avowed by the Cincinnati Atlas, and a few kin
dred prints. We do no, think it likely, that Mex-
leo can collect the men and means, or even the
courage, 10 wage so unrighleous a var upon this
nation. Blusler she may for a while, but time
and reflection will bring her 10 her senses, and
she will yield 10 The DEGREES Of fate, with the best
grace possible under the circumstances Should
war, however, come, we are sure that it would
not "fall with severity" upon men like The Editor
of the Cincinnati Atlas-for, with the narrow
spiri, he has shown, It would naturally" be ex-
pec,ed tina, he would keep as far as possible out Of
harms way. The South will bear their share Of
the battle, as they have always done and VIC
shall be grossly deceived, if The Northern people
10 no, stand up 10 Mcar high duties.
nur rcnrrApv or Tur TprASI,py