Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-08-20

invitations to address the Union Mass Meeting held IN New
Market Va, on the 27lh of July last;
House. OF REpREs ENTATIvgs July 10Th, 1871
GESrLEMES regret 10 say in reply TO your fllef nv
,n me Ia be present al and address Union and Com
pronse ccng Of your clow-citzens to be held al New
Market on the 27ih that il will be wholly ont OF my power
10 do So Did the situation of my health permit should
be much graed AT the opportunity OF joining y" ana mem
on that occasion and uniting with you both IN Vhdcihs
The hph and patriotic objects for which You propose 10
scmble This however proraced and painful httack oil
in one of my limbs much aggravated by the last
few days of cloudy and rainy weather. pcrcnpon orpds
But present absent beg 10 assure youof my thorough
and heartfelt participation in the spirit and purposes o your
meeting and my earnest hope that may contribute ch
both by lis action and example, 10 animate and support
strong s and wholesome public sentiment upon me great
national ends for which is held. beg, Also to say ha IN
nv Judgment il only prompted by the right sPlr and
held lor The right ends but held al The right place, N the
midst OF people whose perfect independence OF AL instead
nr and wrongful influence cannot be exceeded by that oi
any other in the world and whose calm and steady clrac-
accr rs all know has long rendered them proSerbaiy
inaccessible o all violent public agliaons.
Here specially appropriate that first movement should
made the safety OF an endangered government ana
for the restored harmony oI dscortan and conendlns
people
And in no way could you reach either object directly
So we'll as by that which you have chosen-mt OF giving
your hearty support 10 the Union and IL liberal and bro
thcry compromise OF the sectional difficulties w'h hhe
into danger. ,
Al first suggestion il sounds odd and seems odd that at
This alc lay IN the history o the Union, any, even the
least necessity should arise for public demonstrations in It's
behalf.
Alter duration Of seventy years ana upwards duration
of benecrncc and advanceaer preserving during that
whole lime an internal satisfaction and perfect that
not solitary of execution for political crime has ever
stained lis after fostering the energies vi the country
until il has risen up from feeble 10 great one alter secl-
RIM to lis citizens every good which human could
auc or human government dispense. and becoming the
rasc and The .uryhe example and the hope at the whole
,;th-a;ler all this il is indeed strange and Than
strange iat its value should BE- doubted, lis existence
threatened and open and public stand out in It's be-
half demanded rs eN,edient and necessary act
And is for such is the posture and tendency of our
federal affairs such the rccko-sncss with which the Union
is shaken by certain portions OF country upon offensive
measures ri sectional legislation and such the evident salts
faction with which sdissouonis beginning to be regarded
ty certain other portions, Il remedy for inioeabe
wrongs political good 10 be desired for its sake
that know al This Inumcn oil no public act more neccs
sary or cypedicnt than that very one.
am glad, therefore, Ia our fellow citizens of Shenan-
doah engage in it glad them So heartily and prompt
~ coming IN meetings declare their devotion
the Union ultimate plan OF government for them and
their postcy whose injury or Abandonment Is not to b.
thought Of and consequently whose great elements of sec
onal equality and Iustccccncnis which have rendered il
50 hcneiccn and preciousl is their duty and that Of all
others concerned, 10 maintain sacred and invioabc
The Compromise Adjustment bill" now pending be-
fore the United States Senate is honest and patriotic
effort accomplish this very end-the end namely Of cx
Treating and preserving the Union from its domestic dssen
tons without prejudice the equal rights Of any of its
parts Whether the terms OF that bill are In all respects per
lccily adjusted 10 effect this end will not trouble you
by examining hope 10 have the opportunity Of doing
that work hereafter fully your representative in the
present enough say of that Compromise that it is in
my Judgment conceived in equitable and national sp
rt and that furnishes forth the basis Of settlement be-
tween the North and South which neither the interest
the honor of either require them resist but the
contrary which could easily be made satisfactory both by
the exercise Of part only Of the pains which daily
ken to cmbarrass, decry and defeat il.
1t H. throughout, constitutional and that, il must be al
lowed by every one great and decided merit Neither
North South in consequence have il in their power to
complain that their covcnaned obligations with another
have been laid aside 10 do either of them wrong 1t brings
peace the concnding parties and upon all their points o
contest now and hereafter And that also is merit not
less great decided.
II comedies California to the North political necessity
which il is iossblc 10 alter prevent II comedies the
organization of the territories of Utah and New Mexico
into governments upon the principles and wishes of the
Soutlithus meeting and satisfying point-bank the only
demand the government oi the territories which the
South has ever insisted upon tproposes arrangement
of boundary for Texas which, though may receive
approbaon is yet entitled TO acquiesccncc as part Of
general measure otherwise admissible.
Looking AT this Compromise in its general aspect
you will that IL leaves, respects slavery the whole
u the territory which acquired from Mexico 10 be held
under the Constitution of the United States Just as we go
it, and subjects il 10 that and other matters 10 such final
government the people living within il shall adopt for
themselves Looking at affecting the South exclusive
ly principle which it establishes against her and
therefore regard her made stronger instead of weaker by
of il.
Begging pardon for running this hurried letter greater
length than intended pray you salute my constituents
with grateful remembrance for their Kindness and TO bs
assured that am with unaffected regard your friend and
obcdicnt servant, JAMES MCDOWELL.
To DAVID ilrnRlcR and Others Committee