Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-02

To No. Of volunteers rom the Norm, 23,Us4
Thus !, is seen that, OF the volunteers in The
war with Mexico furnished by tie Northern and
Southern stat $ he proportion contributed bY
me South is nearly two 10 one. AM when IL i
considered that The population OF the Nodhero
States is nearly two.lhics greater than that OF
The SoulEerD Sla'es, II Is obvious that he aie;
has furnished more than three times hsr due pro-
norton OF volunteers. Apart from all questions
Of constitutional power or OF International law
can il consis. with right and justice 10 deny TO
Them participation IN territories thus acquired
But AGAIN. Ours is federal government ar
association Of Slaes-uned, and yet preserving
rhe,r individuality To them, as members Of The
federal Union these territories belong. not 10 the
federal government, consisting al me executive,
legislative and judicial departments OF that gov
eminent. Hence they are SAID ~ be territories
b.lorsine 10 The United Staes-io The States
CONFUSING the Union. The States, theu, are
Joint owners OF this properly. Now, II Is conce-
ded hy all writer's on the subject, thai IN such
governments the members are all eqnai-equal
in rights, an! eluai in dignity. II elsewhere
lh, were disputed point, we could safely ap-
peal 10 our constitutional compact lor Inc PROOF,
that with Us, il is unieniably True thai The equa-
Inv Of The States is an elementary principle Of
ma, compacl-one which lies al the foundation
Of our government To des roy this equality,
then. is 10 change The character ofthc government
| which resis upon il as its basis. The exclusion
of,he Southern States and their CT liens, from
their full snare in territories thus declared 10 be-
lon, 10 hem in common with The other States,
would, therefore, b. 10 deprive them OF right
/, would defogale from The equality which is in
separable from their condition as members ofIhe
| Union-would sink Them from their righiful po-
silion. as equals, into dependent and snbordi-
nate condition. No! can the people OF The South
be insensib!e TO The consequences which mus re-
! sul, from the esia 5ishment and continued en-
torce,nen, OF The principle on which ihe proposed
| exclusion would rest That principle, openly
| ayowed is, tha; the domestic institutions pecu-
liar,o Inc Southern States shall never he transfer
rel 10 any territories now or hereafter 10 be &C.
oured hy the u Sales The institution AS ii now
ex;sts and in The States where now exists, (it is
said NAV not BE- disturbed by the federal govern
menl. because j! is secured BY The compromises
Of The constitution. II this were not Sit This
Guaranty were not found in that instrument
even in the States it would not be secure. An
institution which is declared to be sinful-in
violation Of natural right contrary to the law
of God-to our own Declaration OF IndePend-
ence-and disgraceful to any people who tole-
rate it-would not be suffered TO exist, If those
who thus denounced it had the power TO abolish
it. II the constitutional impeachment we're re-
moved, they would feel themselves bound TO
obey the dictates of conscience, and these they
tell us forbid its continuance. The continued
enforcement of the principle which forbids the
transfer of the domestic institutions OF the