Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-04-01

tl'c OF Inc Constitution, ana suhVer>ive q! the !
best interests ofthe nation; and they predicted the
horrors OF war, and the total destruction Of the in
erna peace of The Union With the one party.
then, proclamng it as one OF their most cherished,
measures; as the measure, above all others, which
induced them 10 discard one Of their most pro-
miDent candidates because he had declared him
self against IT, and 10 select another who was
known TO he lis advocate, and with The other party
denouncing and condenring il, and aprauiins
their leader Ter his decided opposition 10 il. We
Ventured into the late violent Contest. ard We
came out giorouSlv victorious. In Virginia
Notwithstanding efforts such as never were
TesoEled 10 on her soil Observation-Disclosures
+, ing the most shameless hanbucS and de.
wees, showing an utter contempt OF the I'M
deis'andlnss OF the people--no,wi:h<tand
resort 10 every SPECIES OF deception, and sys-
/ lem OF clectoneering calculated 10 debase and
| uenioraZe The people, we succeeded by ali over
Whellning majority, that ought 10 have com
maided Ire respect Of their representatives and
ought TO have insured obedience 10 their will
! we ask. III all sincerity and candor was that
will respected, muchles obeyed? Did the Why
! party IN The Legislature go forward with deter
mlnation 10 accomplish the wishes OF The people?
}ld tneY resort to any means in their power 10
efeciuate Tie end in view, the acquisition Of leX-
as! We say. after calm surrey oi their own
statement OF facts. that thew did MOI: on the con.
Irarv, We fearIessv assert, that al every step in
every stage. obstacles were opposed BY ihcm cal.
cu!aied eiiectlally 10 prevent H. l. was general
" believed, that our Senator's in The COngreSs CT
the L. STATES were opposed I, the annexation Of
Texas III any mode in which there was The slight.
est possibility OF its contamination by the then
Congress aEd thar thew would assume the ground
81 lis unconstiluil0naliiv. Ii was known that
boin OF them had voted against the ratification OF
The treaty, ard We believe that the leaders OF The
party here knew till well, before the final action
on The question: that both our Senators would OPP
pose lie annexation by Joint resolution iii any
shape or form. |; was known 100, that the mes-
sure ccnid no, be carried without the aid OF Wing
Senators. and that The decided action of Virginia
in favor oithc measure might have It's due weight,
il hot upon our own representatives al Least upon
others. But, what was the action OF the Wing
members oil the Legislature under such ciycum-
stances! DID they introduce any resolution
either expressing their appreciation OF the mca-
sure, or instruclins their representatives to carry
ont the will OF The people? Motley quietly re-
poseu IN total indifference The nigh scenes that
"elc enactinS in the country, and lei; the measure
10 take care otilsel And when the Democrats
brouSh, tho question before the Senate of the
State, Ii! they then lend helping hand 10 e3pe-
titc The action ottha body or 10 promote the oh
Iect III view! On the contrary, after attempting
IN vain - shrink IRON manly expression Of
opInloh-ailcr proposing amendments expressing
duub;S on the Constitutional question: or leaving
tha' question open as Il Foundation upon which
our Senator, in Congress might rest their oppo-
si,ion-thcy in The Senate of the State voted
10 man against The adoption Of the resolution
which passed that body, simply expressing The
opinion. that the annexation Of Texas 10 the U
States shonid be effected with no further delay
than may be necessary Tor the accomplishment, Of
that object BY The constituted authorities Of The
Two countries: unanimously voting against a
resolution which LEFT the mode Of annexation
entirely within The power OF the constituted
authorities, knowing as they did, that those
authorities were sworn 10 support and uphold
the Constitution. But what was The action
OF the Wing party in the more popular
branch OF the Legislature with the will of the
people So recently and clearly expressed that none
conld misunderstood il? Did they cndeavor 10
expedite decision OF the question: Did they
then lend helping banG 10 give our Senators ana
Representatives an additional evidence Of The |
popular voice in favor Of the measure! Mol I
1nc al heir leaders Immediately moved that the |,
Resolutions be laid upon the table. When 50
laid upon the table. diG they, or did any Of them
make an elolt to take them up, or were they no |
rather disposed 10 s,itlcr them 10 sleep The sleep OF |
death? Let it he borne in mind, that this was |
the shor: session Of Congress: lei i. be borne in |
lei il be considered that there was an asccrtained
disposition on the rart of The Wigs in Congcss
10 de.ea; the measure, il po>sihle ei il be remein-
!rfc,, that the Democrats suffered the resolution
70 remain on the table three days 10 give lime iui
their consideration, and then, when motion
was maize by Democrat 10 take them up, Re
holi every Wing bal Efrse voting against the
motion. Let il be remembered, moreover. that,
after waiting three DAYS more, another motion
~, n.,r, ~
lions, and that every Wing voted against il but |
tro, both OF whom represented Democratic conn
ties with large ma critics against them, and one ,
OF whom had received positive instructions upon |
the subject. LEI it lie remembered too that no |
,icc was given b. the Democratic partv that sim |
liar motions would be made daily, 10 Inc end OF |
the session, unless hcy were taken mp. Then.
ard mol ill then, was the newborn zeal cvinced
for action; hut was yea. TO kill, ctiectualiy
: by olher means, what they proiessed 10 cherish.
Then il was that Mr. Toier proposed substitute
declaring shat The annexation of Texas 10 The
e. States ought 10 he effected the eares period
that may BE- practicable, consistently with lhe
welfare Of Virginia. The obligation OF the Const /
tuition, the preservation Of The internal peace o.
The Union, and the faith and honor nt The cpui-
nv: and that this General Assembly, Icpo.iuc
lire confidence in The ability and patriotism OF /
he Senators OF Virginia, rclv upon them faith .
lur 10 discharge All their Obligations 10 the State /
and ~ the Union upon this question" The Sc. .
narors, who were believed 10 be opposed 10 the .
measure, in the share il had then assumed, were 10
be the ndges whether il was consistent with III
permanent welfare OF Virginia, tho the people !
had expressed their opinion, that it would pro-
mote her best Interestingly, who wcTc believed
20 he hostile 10 il, because they though. i ncom
pa,ib!c wiih The obligations uf the Constitution .
of The United States were % I've to'J that al con-
iiience was Ferosed in them, AMI thnt Virginia
relied upon them faithfully 10 discharge all iheIr
obligations 10 the State and 10 the Union, ant
Of course 10 vote against that which they be- /
Iieved violated those obligations they were - be
told. "ynu are 10 sanction his measure u You
believe it will tend 10 the preservation OF the IN I
;ernal peace OF the Union, and the It'll and honor
OF the country, and we KNOW that The Wing pa'ly .
generally, and You in particular, do believe, thai
il will prove destructive 10 that peace that j /
will produce dissolution OF that Union; and ,
that il is in palrab'e violation OF all national
failh aud honor" But this is not all-thc rcso 4
Iulions AMI amendments were referred 10 com |
milice with view 10 a compromise, and The |
committee failed 10 agrce-failed, because, though |
the Wing party admitted il 10 be ".heir delibe- !
rate opinion, that a large majority OF the people 1
Of the people ot Virginia desire the immediate I
annexation OF Texas 10 the United States by any
lawful and constitutional mode !" though they
admitted that the conditions and guarantees sci /
forth in the joint resolution passed By the House /
o. Representatives, and sent 10 The Senate OF
tic United States for lis concurrence, in the OPT /
niun OF this General Assembly, are just and
proper, and will he approved by the people
though il was known that enough OF the party,o
carry the resolution had no constitutional scru-
pies themselves; yet, knowing lha, The Senators
had such scrup!cs, they would not even express
their own sentiments, but inserted in The rcso-
luton clause ''fo!bearins 10 express any OPT
MON as the constilutionality Of annexation BIZ The
mode OF a join,esolulion Of The two Houses of Con-
gress," and thereby as eilectrally giving 10 our
Senator'S foundation for their rejection as if they
had expressly inserted in the resolution thai the
measure was unconstitutional. And yet every
one Of these friends of Texas voted for this
amendment, while every Democrat voted against
il.
But the Democrats made another effort direct I
IL IN In Senators In vnip the ,On