Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-05
~ .hcnlj concur with Mr.. Scott in the

nrorpriy of every dtscrlptioN ""e
,a,re IL, ,bem not now be asked TO say, una",
.aans,v ,ba, the laws of Mexico, until fepeaieu'
ass,rov and annul that right; and tna' oo"s'es,
,.s M, even The constitutional power 10 iePeai
hem! Shall we be called upon noWt 10 sd}' '''"' =
IS amat,er OF Indifference. SO Tar as Inc
Of slavery in the new territories is concerned,
whether we adopt the Wilmo, Proviso, when our
Southern Whig friends six months ago. were IN
Willing 10 acquiesce in the Senate compromise
We DENY TITO cGlo the doctrine expressed III Tue
ab resolution. Ina Congress should lesislaie soleiy
for the benefit OF the people IN the new ef'o'ies'
We lake an entirely different view OIL me fe'anoh
ofthe Territories 10 The General Government. We
believe ha, the rights oil the people OF the Ierr''
tories are inchoae, imperfect, and entirely suoo'-
diuate 10 those OF the people oil the States y
against every principle OF the law OF ha''ops Ha'
conqac'ed people should control Inc eo"qae7"''
TO the exclusion oil the later from all enjoyment
oflher own laws and rights. The doctrine OF MI
SCOTS resolutions would make il an acl OF "unlnsI
LEGISLATION and tyrannical abuse OF power 10
'storce" upon the inhabitants OF the new terri
tories The freedom of religion and conscience
guaranteed by our blessed Constitution, because,
orsooh the people there might De "unWi-
| ling" 10 surrender their established religion,
| ,hei, close alliance OF Church and State! II
would LEAD TO the greatest absurd:tes Inc
public lands belong as fully 10 the people OF The
States as 10 those OF The territories anu no law
can BY possibility be considered "tyrannica'
abu,e OF power" intended 10 protect, IN the ierf-
tories the tights u properly oil Inc people VI 'ie
STATES. When the General Government les's-
lates in relation 10 the public lands, il leeis!aies
as much for the people oil The States as ior nose
of The territories Let il moi be said that The doc
,Iines embodied in these resolutions are idenicai
with those OF Mr.. flanagan, Mr.. Buchanan OF
Gen Cass. Had we ever, for moment sup
posed lha, Gen. Cas- entertained such, we would
never have supported him. The ground we
maintained throughout The canvas was 'hd'
General Csss came up 10 the requisilions oil me
VIRGINIA Platform. We may have been mlsis-
ken. bu, we were sincere in our belief.
We well rccollect that the Wing press ana
WLig orators charged Gen. Cas- win holding
me doctrines contained in Mr. SCOTS fourth and
fiuh resolutions, and denounced them as oeihs
,, tuly as obnoxious as direct approval OF Inc
Wiimot Proyso. Notwithstanding all THIS, the
legislature is now called upon "io unite IN CIV
ing lis sanction to hem. But there IS stronger
objection than any that we have urged. against the
hnh resolution. Oueht the Legislature OF vIrsi.
MIA 10 admi, thai il Congress should settle the con-
:, ,royersy by enac,ine the Missouri COMPROMISE
or The Senales resolution (Mr. Clayon's Billy he
stakeholder would be as fully excluded from The
new territories. as il The Wilmot Provso itse!l
should become awl
Lastly we protes, against Mr.. Scots seventh
o;,h,b ninth and tenth resolutions. After hav'
;no declared in his second resolution that we
:, chunes,ly ditie. in opinion" al The SCUM aoou
. ,be cons,ulionaity u the Wilmot ProWso, aho
y after going on in The seventh 10 say 'nal 'h'
), Union is TOO precious 10 be dissolved upon
. difference Of opinion on an abstract question
u CONSTITUTIONAL law" he, nevertheless, in Tn
,en,h would Tell the North tina. 'Mr. Gcii:
= resolution (".he frs, &c. Of med'Ia'ed war uPoi
: ,;,h,s secured BY The Consitution") ought 10 D.
me, at the Threshold ane Tfi he ssiics
= much an "abs'yac question OF constitutions
, law" aboui which "msn mas and 60 honestlv
{ differ 10 opinion" as he roae. ,,..n,o.
$ from carrying his Save into the new lerioricsl
: Is i. not a question abou, which there is much
, more probability that men will honestly differ in
opinion2 For The Constitution expressly and in
terms empowers Congress TO legslate ereiusirely
Tor the district while no such power is found in
relation 10 The territories. Congress are only au-
i thorized TO make all "needful rules and regula-
lions" respecting the territory and other property
r Of the United States. And why shouli The Viii
. met Proyiso be denounced rs ;'yrannical abuse
!. of power" and ian outrage upon Southern feel
ings," il il be impossible under the Constitution
hat slavery can ever exist ia New Mexico and
California, until they sha II become Staes and
, | il The question BE- merely "ransienl in its ma
ture," and 'can never produce any practical e.
/ fecl2"
Again, why tel! The North, that We will neither
fight nor dissolve the Union for mere absirac-
. iion when We tod them Two years ago, that W.
were ready both 10 fight and dissolve tne Union ii
necessary, for that sam. abstac,iohl What al
tentative is there IL submission but disuUion q
We are opposed 10 telling he North in terms that
we either will or will not dissolve the Union We
wish them simply 10 understand that We consider
ann alternative preferable 10 submission 10 Law
which We consider bolh 'yranncal AMI oppres-
>ive.
We oppose even the 'en,h OF the resolutions =
We do not consider Mr. COTS resolution The
first &C, Of media,cd upon Southern iust-
u,ions Far rom il. We believe that the war
mo,e Than twen'y years; and that unless can
successfully STEM the tide Of fanaticism, j, can
only end in the de- action OF our glorious Union
Moreover, il the previous resolutions should b.
adopted, we are utterly opposed 10 talking about
resisting The North TAT every hazard" Such
language is worse than idle after a positive uu.
qualified and dissracetul rciraction OF similar
urea, in lo47. Why war to the knife agaius,
Mr. Gou when We can tolerate MIR. Wilmot and
Mr.. Root2 Why talk abou, fighting or dssolv-
ing the Union for tas lille pieces OF patch
ground around The public buildings at Washing
ton, when are willing shameully and dis.
gracefully 10 surrender an Empire, won bv Sou'h.
tIH pdlui, ny cputHtih ptOou dHu Sbu nSln
swords, the millions Of hr al acres and The ex-
hausticss treasures oi New MEXICO and brish,
California;
THE PLOUGH. THE LOOM AND The
ANVIL"
This is ,ha tile q q work Published in Phila
depha by J. 5 Skinner & Sons. We have re-
ceved copy OF Mr. SIS circular, which appears
in The Whis-bu, however high our persona rc-
CART Ter he wri.er, and onr gratitude Tor his past