Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-09
RICHM OND, VA.
Monday Morning, January 8, lS40
PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN VIRGINIA.

meetings, Inc press ana private EePors, IN ia'o
| of calm, united and stern resistance TO the az
gressions of Congress upon Southern rights
The Democratic press Of the State is unani
NOUS in the supper, Of the principle of Cover
nor Floyd's resolutions, and in uncompromislnl
opposition to the surrender involved in Int
resolutions of Mr.. Scott As specimen w
quote the Fredericksburg Recorder, which says
"We are utterly opposed to this movemen
of MIR. SCOTS, for il is virtually yieloine
ground; it is as much as to say 10 Inc worm y,
sdriye on your internal abolition car, we VIII
not resist you" Mr.. Floyds resolutions wer'
such as no Virginian should OBJECT 10. ,ne.
take strong ground, but not TOO slrons' anu we
hope the Legislature will SO view the SUBJECT
On the other hand, we are pleased 10 observe
tina, the Wing press generally give cold
shoulder to MIR. Scott's proposition We note
bu, two exceptions. The Wing refers to them
dria Gazette says:
ave decidedly prefer these resolutions (Mr.
Scott's) to those reported by the Select Com.
mittee, which have already been published, and
hope that il any action at all Is taken in the
premises by the present Legislature, the sub
stitute, or something similar, will be adopted
Every other Wing paper that we have seen
word of comment. Is not this silence express
sive' With this fact before us, and the gene
raj impression that several leading ana aoie
Wings in the House will oppose them, we can
not believe that they will receive the smallest
favor at the hands Of the Legislature.
1t is true the Times of Saturday seeks to
break the force of the movement in Virginia
by arguing in favor of General Taylor's devo'
ton to he South, and asks if Southern Wings
are ready to assent 70 ia virtual retraction OF
their confidence in their own candidate, and an
admission that no will not be able to effect the
settlement to which they pledged him. We
ask, now, does it become these Southern Wings
to plead guilty for General Taylor to the
charges against his orthodoxy"
The answer to this party appeal is simple and
easy. The committee (Whiss and Democrats)
whose Chairman, Governor Floyd, reported
these resolutions. could certainly have bad no
design Of rejecting upon General Taylor. -
Their sole object was to unite the South upon
this vital question. and to sustain Southern
President who should do his duty to the Consti-
tuition and the South. The Times will not deny
that General Taylor was universally supported
at the North as pledged not to veto the Wilmot
Proviso. Whether justly or not, the fact
stands forth undenabe. Now if Southern
Wings were sincere in their professions Of
hostility to that odious measure, does il not
sbecome" them TO give to General Taylor the
moral force Of their assistance.and support1 SO
far from rejecting upon General Taylor, would
it not be relief TO him to avow their real SEN
timents, and to prepare the North for the stand
which they say ne will assume in defence Of
Southern rights; If General Taylor means to
veto the Proviso, why should not his Southern
Wing friends come forward TO avow their SEN
timents and 10 warn the North that the new
President will be true to the Constitution
Surely this is the most proper plan 10 unde-
ceive the misguided North, to let the whole
our rights, and the peace and safety of the
Union. Instead Of yielding the ground, most
solemnly aud deliberately taken BY unanimous
Virginia, and, 10 the teeth Of our professions,
treating the Wilmot Proviso as "a mere abstrac-
ton. in which the South takes but little inter-
est how much better would it be for the whole
Wing press of Virginia to occupy the attitude
periodically set forth in the following article
from the Augusta, Georgia, Republic, an able
Wing paper. Certain it is, that Southern
papers that hesitate as 10 the stand the South
should now take, will be driven to the wall, or
"whipped into duty by the public sentiment OF
the South"
"Our Southern SKY is overcast with clouds =
Wherc is our shield 10 project US from The storm.
Ii exists only in our own strong purpose and stern
d fqnce II we faller for moment we are gone.
Lei us catch from freedom and equality the light
that can alone illumiDe our path and guide us 10
safety. Southern papers that have condemned Inc
efforts OF Southern men 10 maintain our rights,
will be whipped into duty BY The public sentiment
ofthe South. II will mol be long before they Will
claim 10 have been The Simon Pures OF devotion
10 Southern rights. The Chronicle Sentinel,
and kindred prints, will contend thai from the
beginning they have been with The South, and
will swear by all that's good, mat ihey nave
known nothing else. Now mark our prophecy,
and see whether il will prove true or alse! These
very papers that have charged disunion and trea-
son upon others, because they wished to sustain
eur constitutional rights, will call HEAVEN and
EARTH 10 Witness that they Stood by Them thro
thick and thin.
awe would prefer their aid even il i, be OBJ
tanned from the storm OF public feeling Their
weakness will be overlooked when their devotion
aud repentance are duly exhibited in their acts
We fear no assaults and ask Tor no favors on
question like This. Our banner is given 10 the
breezs, and we shall stand by il, 10 our public OF
personal capacity wherever and whenever ne
cessity demands il Ct us"
In this connection, we take great pleasure il
republshing the following very sound and time
ly suggestions of the Winchester Virginian.-
That paper is edited with marked ability, judg
men, and gal, and we thank The editors for thu
maniuy coming to the rescue. The South can
not now rseede one incb cannot Submit" with
OIL; perilIiug her safety, her rights and The Onion
We commend the Virginian's sentiments 10 TIT
Legislature:
WILL THE SOUTH SUBMlT7-We can
moi longer. il we would close our eyes 10 lht
dangers which seem 10 be lhickening around US
We had become tamliarized to The discussion!
upon the subject of the Wilmot Proviso, anc
were calmly, but anxiousy, looking forward tt
the approaching crisis. In The contemplation o
this subject there was much 10 alarm US. Blu
we were, as we are now, determined TO stand by
the Union so long as the Union remained what j
was designed 10 be. Such is our love for the
Union, that we have always boosted our readi
ness 10 yield any and every cherished measure
rather than see It, for one moment, endangered
This, we think, is nothing more than the senli
ment Of every true patriot But so soon as q
reckless majority ceases to respec, the terms up
on which ii is founded; or in other words, avail
itself OF ha, concentrated stength which the term,
of the Union have been the means OF bringing 10
ge,her, 10 violate and trample upon The suaran
:. IL = h,oss;no The aholitiopists in CONGRESS