Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-04-06
For THE TIMES.
TO THE PEOPLE OF RICHMOND

meeting has been called for Saturday night, with
view of appointing delegates to District Conven-
ton, who will be empowered to appoint two delegates
to represent YOU in the Southern Convention to be held
at Nashvle. Never was there more delicate and mo-
mentous proposition submitted for your deliberations
The subject matter the OCCASION the fearful issues and
dangerous emotions, incident to the questions which will
be submitted to you, all porentous The existing
state OF public feeling throughout the Union upon the
subject of slavery should awaken in every rejecting
mind the deepest socude tor the safety OF nation
al institutions; the excitement and dissatisfaction which
prevails in the South, il unchecked by sautary cautious,
and constitutional barriers, but calculated to widen
and deepen the breach which exists between the differ
ent sections OF the Confederacy the warning voice of
history unes with the pressing admonitions of patriot
ism guarding every American citizen against dis
loyalty to those republican Institutions handed down to
u.s. haowed by the blood and consecrated by the wis
dom OF our ancestors the spirit of discord which at
this time pervades the national councils is by degrees
infusng ITSELF unmatched anG unmeasured into the SEN
timents of the people, North and South. An increase
OF such excitement unnuenced by srcter regard for
the laws and constitution, will but tend to weaken the
ties OF national afntes which have hitherto characte
rZed Federal and State Under such an
nnwhoesome condition OF sectional antpathes it be
comes the paramount duty OF every wellwisher OF his
country to arrest lar as he the downward proe-
witty OF national affairs, by united appeal to the pa
triotc torbearance OF his fellow citizens and firm and
unWaverng support OF the constitution and laws of his
country Let not the spirit actous dscord and section
al animoses in your deliberations cause you to overeap
the checks and balances" OF our Federal and State
governments and thoughllessly run into revoluonal
movements. Pause, each of you, and answer as to
pOsterity, the following questions:
LIST. DO you not cherish for the UNION an abiding and
undiminshed devotion, and will you not, under every
trial, so long it can be maintained with honor to
yourselves and safety to your institutions, defend it to
the last extremity, against intestine foreign foes2
End Are you not equally devoted to the ttutions
and local interests OF Virginia. and are you willing
to defend them under the constitution rather than ask
redress in the ungoverned fury OF popular prejudces
3rd. Are not the constitutional and legal remedies,
guaranteed under the Federal and State Governments
fully and efficiently administered, ample barriers to
every illegal usurpatlon OF power either IN the Fede-
raj or State Government
4th Are you not prepared, at once, to discountenance
every measure and mode of redress for real or imag
nary evils which, by implication, tends to dissolution
of the Union Is alone by its preservation and the
due maintenance of the laws, that you hope
preserve the legitimate sovereignty OF the States
5h Has any law been passed by Congress touching
gour rights, which demands extraordinary popular
binations? Are these not legal and constitutional
thea been reSorted 10 Should not, in any event. all
LEGAL remedies be exhausted before revolutionary
movements commenced!
9th Is not the proposed convention remedy beyond
the constitution Can fifteen of The States as sore
,esnties unite themselves By Legislature conpacts in
open array against national legislation and not pio-
late the national compact Do not the States. as
States, form the integral, political and moral elements
which compose the Unionl Before you agree to send
two delegates to the proposed Convention let one who
feels much real interest this subject you can do
exhort you to reflect deeply and seriously the above
questions. AS you love the Union, respect the laws
and cherish the duties you owe postery vote down
every proposition to send delegates TO the proposed
Convention. VlRGINIAN.