Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-02
MOND, VA.
saturday Morning, Decemberlso. ls4s.
THE RICHMOND WIG AND THE RlCHMoNp
TIMES.

| lin the exercise 'ol tDe niSneS'
nress. 10 wit: the discussion OF The measure
which The Legislature proposes to ADOPT .-ura"
ing inspiration from the wisdom OF o'lo"on
wiser Than all men combined"-have galiahli.
and beroically thrown themselves into the oteacn
10 rescue the Legislature from the "Quat'leoum
merry" and "Don Quixotism" OF Mr.. tloyu AM
his Wing and Democratic co-laboreTs on me com
miltee Happy Legislature! Fortunate LesH
ature! You will never cease TO feel gra'elu' e
such benefaclors. II you will but lollo" 'h'
guidance OF such luminares you VIII never sho"
10 The world the ridiculous spectacle OF having
batlled against such wind-mills as Mr.. Go,rs re-
solution and the Wilmot Proviso!
Sill more happy and more fortunate Zachary
| TAYLOR, Your fidelity 10 the South aud your
implacable hostility TO the Wimoi Proviso can
never be doubted 50 long as you have such Jour
nails 10 vouch for you; they will never suffer sucn
an impulalion 10 be cast upon you as the passage
OF resolutions by the Virginia Legislature on the
subject of slavery.
Unhappy and unfortunate james X. PolKl-
When ,ha, same Legislature unanimously VIM
| fed and sandered you, in the manner Aforesaid
during the session of 1857, not one friend,
among your warmest supporters, was iouna 10
interfere in your behalf, even with simple re-
monslrance
Still more unhappy and unfortunate Vincent
Witcher Robert E. Scott and Robert G. Stanard
We'll may you cry out, in The words OF proveTo,
mot from Solomon, but from Span,) save us
from our iriends" How you, and the rest oil
your Wing friends, who were members OF The
Legislature Of 1857, will relish The very deli
cate compliment OF being lkened to "Qualtle-
buns" "Don QuiAotes," and the "Donnybrook-
fair bully, who begged somebody just TO Tread on
the ,ip end OF his coat tail, "-is point Tor you
TO determine, not u.s.
Oh. Bolts Bots how ought you TO feel in
debtea 10 The resolutions reported by Mr.. FLOYD
and Mr.. Gou They have procured some pre-
cious respite both 10 you and &c the public;-lo
yon, from having your velacily impeached IN
lons.winded, two.column editorials, in which The
word "talsehoods" occurs almost in every para
graph ana every sentence;-and 10 The pubic,
from having TO read them.
The attacks of the Wing and the Times
upon Mr. Floyd and his resolutions, the former
characterized BY the usual vulgarity and sour
rility Of attacks upon individuals which make
their appearance in that paper might only excite
ridicule, if they did not deserve to be more
sterply rebuked At time when the deepest
excitement and alarm prevail among the South.
srn members Of Congress and throughout the
South on account Of the late movements in the
House OF Representatives in relation to slavery,
and when our Southern Senators and RePresen
tatiyes, iorgetful of party distinctions and AMI
mated with the sole purpose Of uniting the
South against the aggressons of the North,
have thought it necessary to hold special
meeting TO devise the proper steps TO be taken IN
so grave an emergency, and when tie SUBJECT
now commands the attention OF ,ur General
Assembly, that time of all others has teen Sc
lected by the Wing TO stir up partizan strife, by
sneering at flanagan and other distinguished
Northern Democratic leaders for their opinions
on the subject of slavery, and at James X. Polk
for having signed bill with the Wilmot Proyi-
SO in it.
And what should DO thought Of the insnua-
ton of the Times, on an occasion like The pre-
ent, when our Legislature proposes to act on The
subject, SO unjust, 50 illheral, so uncalled for.
"that the whole movement is prompted by party
animosity" 1t has been said that the misan-
lhrope who declared all meu to be dishonest, at
least cast some suspicion on his owR integrity
So the Editor who thinks it impossible for
members of the opposite party to act from the
promptings of patriotism, but only from motives
Of party animosity, might well induce US TO be-
leye that he himself is never free from such
motives.
While we will freely confess hat we are as
warm partisans as any that may be found, we
had earnestly desired in the discussion OF the i'm
portant subjects embraced in Mr.. Floyd's resolu.
tons, for once, al least, 10 bury the hatcher. In
the midst of dangers so appalling as the present
seem 10 US, we wished 10 forge, the distinctions OF
Wing and Democrat, and 10 see both parties
uuie as a ba nd OF brothers. Whatever steps the
Legislature may think proper 10 take, we hoped
10 SIC them unanimous. In that way alone can
any useful end be attained.
As our neighbors of the Times, however,
have SO plainly shown the cloven foot OF the
partizan, we felt provoked TO retort in kind;
10 ask why they should censure President Polk
for what they themselves rave termed "a mise
rable ab.trac.ion," 10 enquire what pos,tire and
reliable assurance have the people Of the South
that General Taylor will not sign the Wilmot
Proviso, when he has never expressed any OPT.
MON on the subject, has never declared what ne
will or will not do, and goes into office on the
Allison platform, pledged to sign sny bill mol
passed in haste, which is clearly constitutional,
aud when his own supporters at the South are
divided upon the question of the constitutional
ty Of that measure.
In relation TO the resolutions Of MIR. Floyd
themselves, as The Times declares itself opposed
10 The whole movement, we would ask why 1t did
nol oppose simila movement in March, l847
Did the Times then think the Wilmot Pr0viso
preferable 10 disunion or civil war Z Or has the
election OF Zachary Taylor and Willard Fill
more lessened lis horror 0. that measured What
will the Times recommends To do nothing Z
VIVA, if the Wimo, Proviso, or Mr.. Colts reso.
| luton shall become law7 Shall we DO no.
thing lhen2 II The action OF the General Assem-
bly,, in March, Is47, was proper, why is il no,
still more proper now7 Ii improper, why did
mol the Times oppose il
| We do not understand Mr.. Floyd's resolutions
| as positively declaring tha, Virginia will "dis-
solve The Union or 'resor TO civil war" in case
event, the "mode aad measure OF redress" are
lett 10 future Legislature, 10 be specially called
for ,ha, purpose, 10 determine. The Legislature
merely undertake 10 speak what they believe &c
be the sentiment, of the people of Virginia. Who
else are authorized TO speak for the people o
Virginia Z II Convention is 10 be called, who
are m In kp The injiatory steps2 In was not CON