Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-04-23

,'e uh'l' and ocr"isey"ar ~el snoGn devotion to h,
uhioh ~ the States .or:ci and ratified y the f.
c!s oi me fepubl ami yon- equally we'll knowu .H.iely
10 preserve thai Union long can POSSIBLY b. don,
consistently rith the rights Of the sovereign parties le
coinpact-and, above ell, their aiding confidence in y.r
patriotic devotion 10 the rights honor and interests q ac
non nj crisis like the present wen she il asscied ro
"ilont ana If not BETRAYED y: tecly deicnded home
ve i'"csd lis t" urge You 10 consent represent in
NashN Convention, where donot not your high rc
Pulaoil and wcli.known abiity will render ls mus! in
poftan MD. Please let us hear from y0u Immediately
WIN great respect: your friends.
SHELTON +. LEAKE
JAS. B. ROGERS
WALTER COLES
JAMES ALEXANDER
ROGER A PRYOR.
Hon. ANDREW STEVENSON, Georgetown D. c.
CiEohoErowN, D. G., Ara,l 6, 1850
Heniianen-l have tho hnnr TO acknowledge The receipt
of your letter Of the "a inst in which you inform me- lha,
large number OF t. friends tho Sonh and Of the prop.s
ed Convention 10 boh held Nashville in June have fixed on
me as az one OF ,hr Delegates from their District and
lei tain hope that will serve il selected a. one
Of their Representatives.
Since the passage of The resolutions by the lcya,re
virginia, on The subject Of the proposed Convention ha
been repeatedly applied To- well b. personal and polite
friends ~ others, 10 know whether would scr,c
and an earnest desire that would do To these
applications have given but unswer-tat il wouid nc
be IN my power 10 serve Indispensable engagements
which could cort!o would require Inv presence else
where, al ;hc period when The convention assemble
must therefore ask he favor Of you lei my situation m
known, before the district convention assemblies in May
that there may hu misrepresentation en- tile subject
beg you however 10 believe That whs, feel very scnsbly
so distinguished mark of confidence and favor the
OF my fellow citizens and II" kind end atlcrng manner in
which has been DONE deeply regret that circumstances
CT personal nature place out o, M power ycId
their wishes
have already ecnilcnen publicly declared nv approb
on Of this consen'inn and the reasons for H. and the pro-
Fricty o s assembling a the cc:cst practca! period
know lis niec have been nsslltd and m.ad stood ard
especially III section o! the STATE Many have regarded
u rs intended inr purposes Of iciin na9iof rather ln
tic OF Sgjc'y ard dcfncc 10 the Soulh regard i
Ia IA
yse, and a. The hest n;eans Of urnr, in prrpaa.or:
measures ;or the defence ci on rights and property, ani
giving peace and Itpn,c country Indeed il the CO.
yen'ion be constituted, We have every 10 bei.y
II will be- o abb. enlightened and patriotic men, there wiz
be nothing To fear to lis inl action The part Of lie
most devoted friends 10 the Union We ell be sen.ihe
thai tho time. sndy out o joint and the dangers lha'
threaten o npcnt0ns character There il scarcely
distinguished in our National Councils vi
has NOT admitted tai have reached crisis Of fearful
magnitude, involving not Gnly the integrity of The Union,
but The existence Of our free Institutions. JUDGED lie di
agitation ri tho subject IF Srey hc Halls Of Congress
pregnant with mischief and It only needs that those who
are hurried on in This Of religious and political ianali
csm. minged, cgret say with political and ambition
feelings should succeed in their mad achemes OF legislator
10 involve whole conniiy in irrcnodiale min. The pun
lc mind and The public p:c.s Of the country eveywhcrr
cviuce the magnitude and danger Of tic crisis
What Is 10 be tie result III the proceedings now in pro-
2ress in the Senate and House of Rrpr@, natives
can venture 10 form opinion. With MI the efforts 81
aed talent long and u.cL experience, high moral courage
md devoted patriotism ~" pat ~ leading aEd dis:
sns,cd men in Congress- have right % calculate WIN
great confidence result ia, wouid b" satisfactory
the great sections o the Union and calculated 10
tore peace, harmony II the country However strong
hopes ami vi les be- the result must be regarded n
more tian dVub ni Snch too is the cpnicn % many Q:
the leading III both Houses If Congress conisss
therefore that indulge rather my hopes than listen to my
icara.
What then il the South 10 DO in tie mean time? s she
10 sit doan quietly and await the result without preparation
of any kind either !or submission or iesstanrcl Is |r
gina ready for this | presume not At such time VI
excitement when the minds .. so many Of our pub
Ia. dark
conflicts tho duty Of the Southern people e u
prepared Tor the result whatever may be Most .; he
Southern and Southwestern States, including Virs.A
have approved and recommended this Convention 's -"
best II iry ana peace and nave taken measures
To usCre it, assembling And none more strongly and wlih
greater unanl,y than Virginia She seems 10 nave ,eSr
icd il n the modes contemplated by THE rliers ~
our political sysi"n, and intended Ter security against hc
uac0ast:uonai action Of the Nliiana! Governneni ~
the defence Of the Constitution before IT, people, II "as ~;
ciny defended against the power Of usurpaon upon ire
ground that the State Legislatures wond I've the .is't
senincs apon The watch tower and whenever II hccahe
necessary would be only the roce bn' The arm of M
peoples discomfort" None mEcd this vie" WITH MOI,
force aud eloqucnce than James Madison .nd Alexander
Hamilton. In speaking Of nsgreion BY the Federal Got
elnncnt, they SAID:
proects OF u-rpaion cannot masked under preeEcc~
likely 10 csrape The penetration CT select bohes ~ men
aa of the people large The State Legislatures viii have
better Of niofiuiior; they discover me da'ae
distance and possessing al! The organs oi civ power
and the confidence oi people, they can at once aoo
regular plan Of opposition "hiri hey can combine al
resources of the community. they can regularly coi
cato with each ether in The different Staea and unr e
common the protection Of their common Bcfy
And again: "Slon! unconstitutional measure ni W.
Federal Government be un?opula. IN particular 'ao"
(which would seldom fail 10 he the case TIC means d oIo'
aiton powerful and hand lhc disqulctude o. we
ncoc thcir rcpugnancc and perhaps refusal 10 co-opcia
with officers 81 the Union tie owns OF the Staie .Se
cu;ve the ebarrassncn'- created ny legislative devices
which would bc often added on such occasions, Wo"'a Up
pose difficulties not 10 bc despscd, would torn, 10 'sSe
State impedmenis and where Tie seni-hi' OF M
oinng States happened TO be in uni-on would present o.
e,pntp Nafinp
willing EEcroac!mcns ~ the fedc.ai ''u-
yernmc upon the authority ni TIE States would MOI c.e
the o, ilon OF single State, al isw States only
They would be the signal general ALARM Every seve
ment would espouse tho common cause cortespcieh
would be opened Plans resistance wouid 1c cGncsIca
One spirit would animate and conduct hc who' ne eae
combinations in short would result from apprehension "'
the Federal Government was produced ~ mo aiea % 4
foreign yoke. and unless the projected
renounccd the appeal 10 trial oi force wouid oe lad
i'm the one case that made n lilo oier &c.
What higher sanction for the course winch ihe SCUM as
taken proposing this congcnlon can c aasea OF DESIRED!
How can thcy successfully resist encroachmcns upon cI
rights and property uncss united and prepared tor the sr
Ole What other mode proper in the first instance, as
convention Of the character proposed llat convention
suit not to act the best mode ei redressinS ev and p
storing harmony 10 ho country The great Object oi te
Nashville Convention is To prcScpc The Union upol lie ~
cips Of the Constitution, and TO prevent il from ceco.a
an Instrument Of oppression in he hands ef mory IN
social and political relations which have existed Tor opfe
two centuries between muster and Save anu "he nave
entered into ali their institutions, civil and political can'
be touched by the federal government without inc ozap o'
dsunon. Upon tina: subject the South arc united 10
however they may differ the modes Of defence me
people Of the South nsk sacrifices from the Norm .e
expect no favor-scck bounty They desire aon-'ntF
rention according tho principles OF the anu
the compact of union ana To he sdtsheu VIII" honz
less They defend their rights and property anu e
to do H. and il would be well for our brethren of the so
and East To pondc. upon the adnontons and warnings %
the distinguished Senator from Kentucky nttc.eh upon 'n'
floor of the Senate his subject oi slavery IN na oou
In his speech upon lie Veto Power Of thc President Us ase
MS 1872, Mr.. Clay said .,, .....;
"f majority of Congress shall ever put 'eli - npios
ton TO the interests of the South ION the subject OF slavery
neither Presidents nor Yctoes will avail 70 protect H. ~
own resolutions its yalor ts own ndomtae "cteshl-
nation to maintain iighta against all men, these nhc ce
alone could in such uphold the Southern iatefess
The people of the South have all tie requisite guaranccs-
First lhev have the sacred provisions o the Constitution
then they have the character OF the government ns coi-
deracy and the fact the existence of those interests c
rnhts of The master over the ssc long before the adoF'
OF re Constitution and ie rights and dni:es of Inc oScf-
mcnt in regard Il. cn recognized and 'a! down by th.'
sacred instrument, That is the security oi the Son'h ~
i.lt himself secure in that mutual harmony when IL Wa
alike the interest of all 10 cultivate; i'll the constitutional
csites in the certain disruption o The Union rs me ncN
table result the moment that interest shall be assaiira ahi
in the capacity and determination Of The Sonf 10 aehu
herself al all hazards end against all forms oi uack we'heF
from abroad nj home J., an
The time has arrived probably much sooner Than ne eNPec-
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