Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-05-25
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND, VA.
Saturday Morning, May ~, 1s47.
FEDERAL MADNESS.

The Philadelphia North American, recosa.As1
a. an influential organ by The leading Feoerais,s
Nth and sou,h. of the last Congress, boldly
and impudently charges The Administrator WIN
otreason," and with "a deliberate design 10 o''-
solve The Union" We shall brlehy CHE anu 1e'
tu.e the grounds upon which it bases IT'S gross
charges. In the first place il says:
mTbs Richmond Enquirer is an organ OF lnis
Aa,,;n;e,ra,;on II is Immediately united WIN
,hs Gnvernment paper at Washington; anu It's
news are therefore cautiously and ofhclaliy pro-
mulgated."
Tho Enouirer. continues the North American
b.s nwb temerity OF candor," Tin the extract
above i, refers 10 our eantionD spoken approx.
;no,y oe the letter Of Gov. Brown OF Mississippi
n Gov. Smith OF Virginia, on the subject oil .ne
Wilmo, Proviso, in which he porrays the CAIN
.,a dispassionale determination and duly oi 'te
South
nFirsl (says Gov. Brownie exhaust all Inc re.
,..os ~ reason and argument in exhrIIing our
Northern brethren TO LET US ALONE on ms snole1I
and These fail-iflhe spirit of Abolition INVADE
The councils OF The nalion-pIomptihe ,ne suuhe
Marty to wres from The weak The lruils OF Us loiI
ils propety--lhe peaceable possession OF which
was guaranteed BY the Constnlion--lhen depiora-
HE a. NAV be the consequences We viii ieel pre-
na,ed having exhausted every lralernal remedy,
10 become enemies, and defend onr rights WIN
those means which God and Nature have placed
in our hands. .,.Y,L:.,,
~ am opposed, iherefore,-and in inns lhlnk
| hut echo the common sentiment oil MISSISSIPPI,
10 going into convention win our Noi'n ,e
brethren, without a prior distinct UNDERSTANDING
thai The candidate selected must mol on DC SCUM
on this subeci, but beyond the taint OF susPicIon:
II an aboilionisl, even IN the mod'neu Ioi NJ
a Wilmol Proviso man, is elevated 10 .lle
sidency, (Which may God 10 his mercy plesentsJ
The South owes il 10 her domestic quie', 70 'ne
conduct which such an event may force ner 70
adoni 10 have no part nor lot in The electing oil
such President"
The North American, with lis hypocri'cal
professions moi ITO reflect upon the noble So'aA'
quotes these passages as avowing determina-
ton ito make war against the Northern States, II
The Wilmo, Proviso be adhered &c" and as IAN
issue worth the shedding ofblood." ln The course
oil its remarks, however, 1t makes an admission
which though coarse and unfounded entities the
Presiden, 10 the thanks OF The whole South
II gives The administration all The credit for The
defeat of the odious Wilmot Proviso, for 1t says
"lbe Administration drove its acqueys into de-
fance of the peoples wishes and the proulso '0a'
lost"
Where is the ''lreason" in the language quoted
from Governor Browns letter. Isl treason"
to "exhaust all the resources oil reason and argu-
meut to exhort our Northern brethren 10 lei us
alone ON this subject7" Is il "ireason" Tor The
South 10 defend her rights with her own hands, II
the abolition fanatics should attempt TO wrest
from her properly secured by the Constitution
Is il ",reason," or "war against the Northern
States" 10 declare that the South should have no
mart in the election of an Abolition Presidents IL
such doctrines be "treason," then the Whole
Soulb will be found TO be "traitors" if the fana-
tics force the issue upon us. All that we ask, is
Justice 10 the South, and protection for her con-
s,itutonal rights. With less the South CANNOT
and ought not, to be satisfied.
II what we have said be ''treason," we alone,
and not the Administration are responsible.
We are not the "organ" Of the Administration,
nor do we Officially promulgale" its views, nor
the views of any one but ourselves. We endea-
yor 10 make up our own opinions upon The ques-
lions OF the day. and freely utter them, "wthou,
fear, favor or Affection" from any quarter.
The North American is itself a bitter enemy
OF s,he noble South" when it denounces as
atreason" the determination OF The South to
stand by it's rights under the Constitution. The
cha,oe Of Urea son" we hurl into It's own teeth.
Douby abhorred should ii be, when ii seizes upon
such a question to assoil The Administration, and
au.mn,s 10 gain little pallry political capital.