Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-12
RICHMOND, Va.
Thursday Morning, January IL. lss9.
THE POSITION OF VIRGINIA.


THE POSITION OF VIRGINIA.
An article in Tic Lynchbu.g Pai,io, compels
US once more TO touch upon this question. That
paper, alter abiding 10 our opposition 10 Mr.
Scouts resolutions "as an unconditional surrender
Of Southern rights" goes on 10 say: 1.-THE organs
oi The Locooco parry, in this STATE, have exhIbi'cd
an crtdsat determination 10 make Hulc political
capital, il possible ont Of The question OF slavery,
and we imas inc that their enfis 10 do SO will be
duly seconded 10y The rank ard file q their follow
crs. For Ten years pas, il has been their favoThe
electioneerng hobby-their choicest humbng-
and The very indifferent success with which i!
was used in the laie campaign, has in no way
weakened heir confidence in its virtues, or lm-
paired Their faith il the gulbily OF The people"
In repellng so unfounded and illibcral an i'm
puialion, we shall not travel over The long and
dusty road Of the late political campaign. We
shall contine ourselves TO the present period,
and yery briefly place ourselves right before The
world-lcr we can conceive Of no grosser ylo-
lation Of duty than for any public man or con
ductor Of free press 10 make party question
of so delicate and vital subject as slavery In
the late campaign we pursued such course as
we thought most conducive 10 the rights OF the
South and the safety of the Union. Our conduct
at the present moment is ruled by the same
motives. We have scrupulously put aside party
considerations, and have appealed with all our
zeal 10 Wings, as we'll as Democrats, to stand
up together we rejoice in the belief that
many of the ablest and most eloquent Wings in
the Legislature will take an active part, should
it be necessary, 10 vndca,c the past and present
positions of Virginia. SO far from desiring to
thwart General Taylor in his high responsible
ties, we would strengthen his arm, (ifhe means
to strike for the Soath,) by giving to him the
powerful aid and influence Of The united South.
Strange tina; we should be denounced for party
ism on this question, when our neighbor OF the
Republican, an original supporter of General
Taylor, and who now fully confdes in him as
one "who will place the South on the vantage
ground of Law as well as Of Right in view
of IA ssing events, holds such bold and patriotic
language as the following. We would premise,
however, that several of the Northern press, the
Pennsylvania among them, have manfully and
strongly reprobated the incendiary proposition
of Colts resolution and similar movements:
at was mol until The passage OF Cots rcsOlu-
tion in the uouse ul Representatives, ami the
arden; aud unirsr5a. sanction tchsch that IeSolA-
tim reecivtd rom The Northern press, that VIC *
pressed the b ei 81 danger 10 the south, and con-
ssquently 10 the Union, unleSs as the best and IT.
deci only means ot aVcftin9 lie canse! AMI there
By preserving The Union, the SOU n would iofStt
party and present seyn and nnitcd front to ne
common ioe. And, We have no doubt Thai, II that
danger be ayeFted Tor the present, II viii be be
cause Of he united and Iesulule front presented
by the leading Southern men Of Ia parties IL
Washington We called upon all citizens Of The
South To act ia The same way, il hcy Woa,dp pc
serre Hs Unlon ana permanently secure their
rights.
III is only by wayof preparation Chat prepare
ton which oiien ayeGts ev) 10 maintain our
rights thai We have referred 10 The possibility OF
dissolution OF The Union. But, dear as that
Union is 10 all patriots, we canno, prophesy
smoolh things, when We Fecollect that all lhat
holds The conlederacy together is The good iai'h
AMI mutual respect ami confidence ct It's various
members; and when We see hat good faith daily
violated, aud hostility and bitterness taking lhs
place OF mu ual esteem. Il is mol by any means
Colts resolution alohe-il 10 not this mans reSo-
luton or thai mans resolution, which we LOOK
upon as the chief gronni q apprehension -bl: u
is that rUsLIc OPINION q, Inc North, Indicated at
any tate by the press) Overlapping all oauhaa-
Gies Of parties, from which GUS rcsolu ion pro-
cee:s, as he stream proceeds from the fountain!
During General Tayiur's term We have no'ning
o fear, provided ihe South sill iJ'2ei party, ana,
with a finn and united front, support Zachary
Taylor in his support Of lie Constitution ana OF
Southern Rights.
we have alluded 70 the tore ot The Northern
press and feel very conf ien that, il our Staun-
ION contemporary corld read, "a W. have Carly
read, The bitter, scorniul, savage columns OF c5-
ni:alion over he success oil Gotrs resolution III
the tlcuse, which the North daily sends iorlh, We
should NJ! b. censufed Tor refusing 10 hold The
a5itct language Of vassals ard for locking wih
sadness, il no, wi h doubt npnn the future. We
ask, il, in vicw OF such language, the South e.
pecls its seatnels on the wa'ch tower 10 cry
i'peacc," "peace," ard 70 kiss The hand thai
smi'eS them1 Again. VIZ say, the present dan
ger may, and probably viii, pass awa'i bu' me
rant of6rerness, indicated by such articles as M
subj lined, remains, and may ultimately grow up
in dscofd and disuni.n, nnitSs arrested on ne
S.a! ,oatchfu'ress and ugd,timt'y Of S1nttsrH
m,en."
How well does such language as the above
contrast with hat o. ihA Times and the Wing
Tne ,,,,ne, socc,s >, ..,be unnecessary alarms
continually sounded BY The politicians Of Mr.
Calhoun. scho,l," and thinks that any nantes
,a,ion Of resentment Al anticipated ass'cssons
through The legislation o. Congress" would show
''d!s.rus." Of Gen Tayiot Tie Wing al
tennis 10 cas-, ,iIicuIc Upon The whole proceeding
and coplly SAYS:
"As or Virginia, az lar as We can see, We
have never known her 50 liuc excited as a N
pIesen. .'!ne. II mere ot a"y and Is either
~, ~ ,ha, .nh; n wjluIly blind, r incurabiy
stupid. The whole 0 hi, Lhie af''f, We ven
turc 10 say, will low over ~ 10" n.y. -"
among ne 'n''@s 10" !, ia.
II, then, p2Tty M 10" ""J