Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-03-29
or TIC I.HYttrtf
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH.

The critical state national affairs and obstinate
determination of the Northern fanatics persist i'll their
mad career forces upon the enquiry N Ia lra M% South
ought 10 do to meet these repeated, outrageous aud darin
uggressions upon her constitutional rights aggressions
which aim destroy her independence and make her n
tributary 10 build Northern influence, power, com
mcrcc and wealth nj her expense and degradation.
have reflected seriously though un casantly, upon i-
question: and have To propose plan 10 meet The dangers thai
threaten ,Is which, think is only constitutional! hut
just its nature and will be eccua in lis operations. II
docs not involve withdrawal from the Lnonte conSt"
ton puarantcs The ys and The 10 meet al Sa dit
cNies drs:ng fom Iapa6le rotations iafratioRS Of m
instrument TIE UNION If this bc the case, there is
then need Of going out eft Union 10 redr~s mroes
and these rights and nllst b. exercised coordinate
" with the and violence ol those usrpiions and
grcssiuns and the dangers with which thereby
cc1.
The course would suggest should t v,,ited one; a-
though single State could adopt il with equal justice, yet il
could fully and arrest grievances Ii is ,
simply COMBINED DECLARATION brH Southern States thai
such and such NORTHERN STATES by Meu totai disregard
Of the FEorrAL their aggraratfd fracionS of
proriSons Of that instrument and thar rioient agert@SioaS
9Don constitutional rights ot the Southern Staies
THEREBY FORFEITED RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES DESE
FITS COMPACT, ASp CANNOT THEREFORE,
nj ASy LONGER RECOGNISED AS PARTIES TO THE SANE.
Here is the exercise of plain constitutional right le
causc is reserved such by each State of the nd
mental attributes of sovereignty the right 10 Judge for itself
of the violations inractons o the compact by any one
more Of tho parties 10 il.
State thus reckless It's wild lnatical career regard
less Of the plain provisions of the constitution and furious
" assauins the rights of other States, with manifest d.
claim and right in rrtue IF instrument by rheh She her
SELF is determined No LONGER TO III GOVERNED,
State or States 90 declared and proclaimed having
totally forfeited all right claim rs party parties 10
the federal compact by their utter disregard thereof und viii
m violations of its paincs provisions TO he considered and
viewed hy the States so cclarnu AS a-n other foreign
States; rigid deciarcd and the s,r
gent State laws enacted and vigorously enforced Such
State States, however 10 be rc-admied TO their usual
constitutional Intercourse after due amends, and solem
pledge abide by the terms Of that instrument hereafter.
Ii II should be asked how the representatives Of such
State State States be excluded from Congress,
the answer is: this s of the sovereign Stale
acting upon their reserved rights and within their linn
it's and not if their representatives doubtless
Congress- but the creature Of The States, acting under r
cc rules and exercising certain delegated and defined pow
When this creature shall assume 10 enlarge its rules c
action beyond the prescribed limits and attcnp 10 uslT
the powers reserved byits creators its TO be OF
authority and II attempted be enforced Inc
supcrios creative powers must either fall back upon
their original sovereignty in the maintenance of their rights
yield and submit TO injustice, oppression and tyranny
and thus our free republican institutions into
ernmcnt Of iu,re, instead of consent.
This then, is constitutional mode of redress found in The
rss reserred 10y the sovereign States respectively in s
formation of the federal compact and is JUSTIFIED by i0
disregard The part Of The northern States, Of tie pror
sions Of at istrMmem THE RESP0NSIBirlTl m LIT
DMey determined 10 RF;PUDIA TE the CONSTITUTION
Al COMPACT, and SET IT AT N1UGHI, they cannot
rghtiy rai'n orcoiend that the Souru BE nor>r
and the only left for the Southern States, y
either TO withdraw from compact longer raG ~ ~
North or TO STAND coNalITuT.cN, hey cfsr hdr
UOne pECLaRE tltnci oI lhcili
| REPUDIATINC; .ict sacred insiru,henf AS NO LON
GER PARTNERS IN THE FEDERAL UNION.
Ii you ask for instances of Northern aggessons upoi
your rights and iniaclons of the Constitution oi such
character as TO Justify the measures proposed answer il
are OF frequent occurrence, outrageous and nsuerabe
Is known 10 the whole country Of the frequent abducloh
and escapes of slaves into The free States and the in
riable protection they have received from the cAsns
those States Their Legislatures have enacted laws oo
suctng recovery of such Isves and declaring thet
free Time and again have ci;izene attempted, undo
the guarantees of the Constitution 10 their properly
and they have been basey insued mobbed seized ana III
prisoncd in the common ails of the country.
All know the nature of the jIm0t Pr0sisot is I" a
prvc the citizens OF the Southern Of those rights bt
rios the common property of all the Sates the nb"i'
ton of slavery and the Stare trade in the District oil Co
ba and between the several Statcsan attempted
and exercise of power by Congress where 70 be ou
among the granted powers and directly conflicting WIN III
constitutional rights Of the South.
All THESE REPEATED orrRA6Es ASD INSULT. AID n.h
of the Northern States upon the igts OF IN
South DISREGARD AND CONTEMPT OF THE EEAAs VI