Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-01-25
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
EpIp.y MORNING, JANUARY 20, lS'o'
rur ALIEN AND sEDITION LAWS AND iHh
,o,.r1IrpN CONVENTION.

-, and ,orotism forbid any effort TO increase 'le a'''
.,n i,a,ion upon the subject from WHICH a'At"' p''
ceeds. ;,;looo of every
lover Of his country 10 look fearlessy OH ~" -
avoidina appeals To passion and preJnaice' ~
s;,on and contribute if possible, to her e'e' u1
~ Heretofore a crisis has been only an eA'''is
in orr history. Opposing parties meeting IL "''
~ =, so,,I some question of constitutional construction
TO reform supposed abuse or 10 eice'
,hn, of otfice-such occasions lc tlHa anu INC isi0
| $50 . ,,oupced critical But, no-the country passes
sr ,hnuuh them al-her easy march OF prosperity u,a
| - ,her arrested nor quickened by the heaeu s'he
| along her course ;.,, ADVANTAGE
| rIa rch occasions have not been witiou. auShh''s
The popular mind has been aroused 'heieps' :a,oa
nv -, 10 animated discussions Of the ISSUE invo"eu'
talent developed by the concentration " 'ue1''
country nrepared TO detect the arts oil The uehi's5
The n,clligcn, French gentleman WHOSE p'''0 r ri.
sneculatons upon American institutions "a.o for
fame SO well known 10 us, and VINO Is " M n.
,ro;o ,Iars under the false Republic OF France, ~,
! oie's' '' , r, Presidential election in the Uni
Toquevie declared every rle'
rod States National Crisis. ,.,
"a. - , sprurised that n foreigner should 'hihA 60
Tccpstoned 10 the freedom of speech and deoa'e
bre and unused 10 the immense popular asscnlo"7 80
bcd for the patience with which they permit 'e '1''
co,ioa of the "Cacoethes Lo7"endf OF our
| and listening too 10 their flaming descriptions VI M
r - which the country is exposed, ii their candidate -
o, elected and the certain ruin folow the success u
other party the foreigner naturally cohciua'' " i
crisis has arrived in the affairs OF the nation.
d., -, the election is made-the country becomes again
a, tho ,nnarent danger is passed. The American peo
nlc have heard the word oen that they nave 0o'oN
,lous. and if they think about il al all, they oeie'e
crisis is AN event not incident 10 our institutions
Confidence in the future is characteristic OF the piosp
s and the braye-doub and fear OF the unhappy anu vi"
tmid But shall forget that prosperity Is ho' i'e'
dpoer9 or fail to remind the brave that they cannot co'
the future, although they may defy its dangers
| ly have made these remarks, because we sometimes
think some people do not apprchend the l'e u ou ~
son, danuers There is false alarn no FICTITIOUS ca
element no trifng issue great wrong Is 'nre"'eneu'
and great wrongs demand violent remedies Inc ae'S'o
of the great questions now presented 10 'he '"'' "
influence forever its future destiny.
The historian Of the original American lhi'h WIN w 'e''
v noint Of departure in his Investigations IT, hapy' he
taos MOI find the termination his labors In Inc ISSUE oe
on the North and the South involved the great pfh
cinlcs of the equality inequality the sovereignty VI
,lore Of fifteen States of the American Union Ii 'icse
STATES wish not to become dependencies IN the expires
s;ve anuare OF the cen,razng Constitution oi MeA''o
Departments mere appcndages oil con'oha''i lh' ION
der Tnon) of States, hostile 10 their institutions ic'a
,,n NOR. degrading than colonial bondage, 'houSh p'
;, rho ,vr,nnizing majesty OF Great Brain-il the III
tom holding States would escape tins DOOM u WHICH
>,born fnatcism would consgn them, they must arouse
, o,.,ci.s-prepare consult, combine, unite for prompt
ava decisive action Already the insults of sectional ma
nv III, threats of iancicd power daringy addressed
., rho huhss, authorities in the slayc-hodl@ Aiilcs
Tho future if the present passes unlinprovcd VIII pThe
further outrage and end in ruin In TINS care Tor Inc present
and incarnation for the future, it becomes virginia - act
among the foremost Not because she is the largest slave
holder among the States but because great constitutional
questions are involved in the issue. Heretofore mas och
@ provnce To lead and she will not now shrink from the
h,h responsibility The United States South ask IL oil he
and her position her character and interest," demand H.
In former controversy not altogether d!ssmar 10 the
r in which wc are now engaged she added 10 The ronown
.ouired By her bold defence oi foreign tyranny by resisting
dangerous innovations upon the institutions Z" hcr choce
When in !7gS the purity of the Constitution was vlo
lated by the madness OF party and thc liberty oi spr
and OF the press were invaded the voice OF Virginia called
hsr sister States the and the hand OF uson ana
mower was stayed did then stop 10 count tho COST
she did no, then hesitate follow the line of duty 10 herself
and The Constitution
Upon thai occasion, when her immortal Resolutions inter-
pretng the Constitution AID defining the powers Of the Fe-
dcra Governments were given the world her was
condemned as "unwaantabc and dangerous Her action
was declared 10 be very njusabc interference with the
General Government and constituted authorities OF The Uni
ted States" In the Resolutions Of 49, Virginia 'socnny
appealed to the like disposition in the other States and ask
ed for their coopcraon This appeal fol united acon IN
that emergency encountered the strenuous opposition o 'e
Federal ,dv.,caes Of tho olous Alien and Sedon Laws.
Kentucky united with her Republican sister and their
current action declared an unlawful combination against
the Federal Government.
The charge has come down 10 the present day. The
Southern States propose unite cooperate 10 prevent
valuable and ruinols inclon OF the Constituona South
ern Convention is proposed for that purpose AID The oee
lions and the arguments urged against The course u The pari-
OTIS If SO arc used 10 deftat The measure.
Mr. Madison in his report upon the Virginia resolutions,
proves Of action between the States 10 be
means redress both necessary and proper In this con-
nec,ion, he says:
"ind if there be improperly in declaring The uncon
situtonaliy of proceedings in The Federal Government
where be the improperly Of communicating the dccara
ton other States and inviting their in like
declaration What is allowable for must be allowable
for all and free communication among the States where
the Constitution imposes no restraint as aoea6e among
the State Governments among other public bodies pr
rate sticenS
He farther adds (and the people Of tho South may be
forced in their effort OPPRESSION 10 rely exclusive
~ upon the means here suggcsted)
st cannot be forgotten that, among the arguments adj
dressed those who appehcnded danger liberty from the
establishment ofhe General Government over great coun
try the appeal omphaticay made To The intermediate ei
Of The State Governments bcrtn The people and that 10
rernment the vigilance with which they would descry the
first symptoms of usupaon and TO the promptude with
which they would sound the alarm to the public This
gumcnt probably without its effect and If it
proper then, recommend the establishment Of the Con-
suticn it must be proper one now 10 assist in its inter
pretation
We introduce other quotation 1t is suggested by the
position assumed By Virginia. in her resolutions OF lS4S
upon the Wilmot Proyso and kindred subjects Our readers
will be loss perceive lis connection with the present
emergency the State 1t is quotation from the act of
ratification by which Virginia entered the Cnon
e the delegates Of the people of Virginia duly elected
in pursuance OF Il recommendation from the General Assem-
bly, and convention having fully and freely dis
cussed the proceedings of the Federal Constitution and
being prepared well the most mature deiberaon hath
enabled TO decide thereon do in the and in be-
half the people Virginia declare aud make known that
tho powers granted under the Constitution being derived
from the people of the United States may be resumed By
them whenever the shall be perverted their injury
oppresson and that every power granted thereby
mains with them, and Of their mill
/ SIGNS
II the South stands firmly by her rights, may hope
reaction OF sentiment the North. Already some
cheering signs have manifested themselves The Dcmoera-
rio Con nf tbn