Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-12-04


country and people sank into nsignfcance Sy t o
reyilers Phi b;potry itself would not venture shc ;h
Our sayc-holdinG country furnishes the stape a
foster foreign commerce. and secures TO ne .'o' ~ Ola
and v ,bv enjoy and boast Of The curse o SD
very has mot filled our land with felony and crime. we @
no riots lnohs and wholesale murder ~ NJ houses
crowded with furnishing and unproyided wreched'ss Nv
swarms Of beqrars niesng our cities no onufos pun ~;
levied to support everlasting pauperlsi d ~ I oher
there is felt in every ratification OF society," e'e'' " ~
solue personal security ILL ..,,,.I, H..
The Intellectual culture Of our country VIII sciletiE "
consids inferior 10 that of slaychoidns brethren
AZ the North; whilst the patriotism ana vnlor VI '" In
will certainly not suffer in comparison mi, & i,sc
and how his hghng intuencc OF slavery iiahi's' ISL
II i ;nsihle 10 see Battling against the Idea oil slavery
they hazard the safety of the In!on. 49, H., r;
III G1n,tical sentmentaity is 10 break down Tue Po
s;ons o written constitutions there Is AT once an emu :" m
conllcrocv Ii il than idle 10 discuss questions %
ethics with the enthusiast who denonnces az
institution established by the command Oh t'ou mns', u
who aniro 10 teach morality purcr than that III our ut
decmcr .:..: ;,aolj and rost
o,r Il, r.. 10 urotec,ion upon its solemn guarantees. We
desire No more power slavery Than conferred by IT. We
as, no greater security. The qucrnlors complaints whrh
ihr f,natirs make continually against the aggressive S o
tho sl,yo nowc are calculated only IL deceive their dei
ded followers he slave power dicated The terms o me
present Unon and gave up voluntarily mat authority ana
control which The agitaors say Is now striving lay hod
on The surrender Of the Northwestern territory under TIC
ordinance of ISL rendered impossible that e slave pow
err should ever have the ascendancy in the Union
We ask for superiority; but equality OF rights privileges
and mlInic only ask for but are resolved to nave
There can be nothing monstrous than the power
claimed for Congress exclude slavery from the territories
Congress has powers except those conferred on ny the
express terms the constitution such are necessary 10
carry into effect those expressly granted There no clause
in that instrument concrrlng upon congress authority 10 .
satc uon the subject of slavery in the territories or else
where: will il be pretended that the exercise o this power
i necessary To carry into effect any expressly granted To
touch the subject ALL them palpabe and direct lnirac
lion the constitution The safeguards which were thrown
around the liberties of the by the wisdom OF those VINO
framed the constitution, demolished Nothing Is 80 SIM
pie republican government, founded upon written or
gnc law fixed and nexbc ~ which all legislative action
mist conform. To this invention merca owes its real-
ness and liberty Ii Is however in vain 10 talk o The SUI
prenacy of the people, idle 10 teach that they are me source
of Ill power unless the law which fixes the authority OF The
legislature shall be written and Interchangeable But allow the
unauthorized action of the legislature to-day be given
reason for the exercise of the power Tomorrow ana the
rights OF the people will be already usped and their liberties
in dangcr
Snch prccselv is the condition Of things this moment
in the Congress of the United States. The only shadow Of
justification they pretend for the prohibition OF slavery IN
the territories is that the Missouri compromise Us Is terI
ed excluded from all territory north Of 50 deg 81 min OF n.
adutc. Without preicnce OF constitutional IL for
this action they urge 1t az precedent giving authority
Violate that compromise and exclude slavery from all terri
belonging the United States II We point to The letter
OF he constitution the only authority they point
with triumph tho Missouri compromise If we then ins
uln The limits fixed by that agreement they laugh az the
crauty which attempts 10 define authority der.e4 from
precedent alone Even now by virtue OF this single pece-
dent Congress claims the power of abosng slavery in the
Istr 1f Columbia and in all the forts AMI arsenas belong
rg the federal government in the South as well as TO
prohibit he transportation and sale OF slaves from one Stae
# 10 amlhr s. left speculate upon tile probable
consequences of submitting he unauthorized exercise Of
powe In given case The lrils Of 1t plain they
i runeIs and ncvcr-cndlng IMPRESSIONS.
: III. loyalty and devotion OF Virginia the Union
knorn the world They written upon the enduring
page of countrys history She was amongst the first
If 10 ike for consItona liberty: she will be the last 10
aba,un it, The great compromises upon which ii she
oa and she herself suffered the chief
lis ,nnancncy-shc has given With literally, which
hp he nf vi
don a. things touching the honor and glory of the
fcoracy her han4 has been closed except upon the
i sword
She cannot submit to this usurpaon Of authority This Vi
4 o,,ion Of her rights this degradation Let in
sist thai The question be settled now and forever Let us
have no oaiatiycs deceptive truces delays which only
give strength the spirit Of aggression compromises
which leave the question open for future adjustment Let il
h. et rs 10 every foot Of territory belonging the Unilcd
n States y which msy hereafter be hers by compact
: lamn nr iny;oah!c rs the constitution itself Any thing
. .bnr, orhjs is certain ruin The Soulit humiliation.
II conflict Mus; come. let il come now we are strong III
still in comparison with those whose hands
are ALREADY raised against fey years OF acquies-
Cencr and supnencss will bring about necessity Of m alb
soute submission 10 every wrong when oppression Ut CON
: Tempt ,Igii heap upon our country
Submission proposed action Of Congress Is virtual
surrender thc entire South 40 hc African racc II slavery
i i, To- h. confined To present limits with girde Of free
II, ,taie surrounding as from the Atlantic Ia the Gulf Of AleN
CO. a very few years in nations history viii be sufficient
drive the white man beyond lis lhils NC sturdy oo
,r The STAY and support, OF every community, woa soon
eavc the country swaning with negroes Tor residence IN
,nother land The master too, would presently oo"' nna
ing !, impossible TO remain rms view Is No i!al,e VI o
Gure mercy; simple rule Of arithmetic will fix The TACT ana
Inc lime Gifts consnlnatoa taking basis OF the cacu
lion thr census Of the last thirty years Such are the fruits
which the northern fanaicsi, viewed IN lis most favorable
aspect must produce tho South The consequences to
the North will be little less disastrous Tho great American
STAPLES must be shorthc foreign commerce sustained
by them will disappear from the Seapos OF our enerpsng
sns as IL Unprotected competition with
thu mug. bor Europe The thrift and prosperity now 30
pe-emncn,y characterize the working classes Of New Eng
land and the North would vanish and the mechanic
ard laborcr would discover when late that, whilst
1 striking Inc ranacIes of legal slavery from the
hands Of the African he he'd rivctcd upon the nccks ol
his own children the bondage OF necessity, which
! no earthly power could again remove
Engiards experiment with her West India colonies has
proved future his is admitted by all Ii has elevated the
character of The nor has contributed 10 his hap
pness hut The fatal consequences which certainly 10
suit TO England from lfa, supondols folly will, in the round
of wears take from that colossal power the supremacy Of The
has struck deadly blow At her colonial trade and
this was one of the chief elements OF her maritime superiority
Shall examples of this sort teach uS nothing lisa blind la
licism 10 ovclwheiin all things in lis course
This soemny believe il the most favorable view which
can be taken OF tie subject if Congress persists In lie present
course aggression towards US
But the widest visionary would hardly expect to these
results brought pcaccab!y about Humanity itself must
sdde at the bare contemplation Of the slaughter most
certainly follow prosecution of these Ubiquitous schemes
We cannot leave cur homes the ashes OF Washington Hen
nv and Jefferson be desecrated by the tread Of the
Africans The Of the South will not remain
sive the sword will rest in the scabbard whilst anati-
the victims sacrifice be daughters and orr
wives. ~
The almost unanimous sentiment Of The savehoding conn-
try upon this subject is the result Of political agitation
seeking party asoendancy the spontaneous oulourt
-. pe people upon the conviction that their dearest rights
are mecd Parry prudces and anmoses are buried
every 'ehes ~ Luz nd shade Of political opinion
se ana ne noS s n presented of eight millions
arising as ono man stay the halo = us,,rnation and
wrong.
Let trust that brethren the North will understand
before il is forever too late that feeling of self preservation
and oy bravado course Let US hope
still that suicngs and common triumphs the
memories of the past and the bright hopes othc future which
we offer all nankn! may stay the madness which pre-
cipating into ruin from which no human power can
ever grant lis even the hope of rescue.
4 JOHN b. FLOYD
/ December g. 1919.
IMPORTANT RAILROAD DECISION
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Copa-
ny the Louisa Railroad CompanyWe learn that on Sd
turday last the Court Of Appeals unanimously refused to grant
appeal from Judge Copons decision by which he dis
solved the injunction previously awarded BY him agast the
extension of tho Louisa Railroad from the Junction Rich
mond 1t is now. therefore, determined by the hgcot legal
/ IF Tho St,n fha h,yo rho