Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-04-26

hundreds and thousands oil INC 4" ,s parry WY u'e
r,,ns noblv with Us, and when that convention sho as
a Tho wisdom ca,mness and pat, OF It's delibera
lions and resolves in opinion VIII DC the pfouue vu
cation Of it's devotion TO eur country, lis CONSTITUTION "'i
the Union. ~ ,o., ohod;on, sorvar,
WY AARON V. BROWN.
LETTER FROM CHIEF JUSTICE SHARKEY;
JACKSON, Miss, APRIL a, 1851
IT. u. Ed,ors of The National In!eligencer:
Con,euen Your number Of the 18th OF March contains
a,;l hssded Ihe Proposed Remedy for the Evil of the
Day which does gross a nce 10 One ss
The part which my fortune 10 take In tal
makes il necessary that should forego Inclination and APP
~ haf,ro tho nnblc 10 epcl unfOunded calumny That
article i hui the sequel of several which preceded 1t oil less
holiness The public journalist owes 10 me country 10
deal canJidy and fairly with the others and in departing
from this duty he is like swift "hess ho oe'ays MS par
tiai,y at the cost of his integrity :, . ,. ..,
Your article is lengthy and shall content myself with
cng such portons of il place the Convention in the
s nTon,;nent pont of view. Your title seemed 10 give
promise of discussion but essay begins ana ends IN
scrtion and denuncation lou prov one ng oM 49,;
which NAV not have been generally known an entire lden
~ in feeling with the North in its high claims OF power on
,bo subject of slavery Your Northern readers will doubt
@ b viii not be- much enlightened by your argument
Your Southern countymen can no longer regard you as
neutral l. am not willing that lie Convention shall DO
indeed nv the open enemies Of tho South and still less viii
I tbar shall be condemned evidence and differences
not found in warranted by its own declarations and
assert the most solemn manner ,hst o.ves nave been
ascrbpd TO the members which they ala not entertain
Your ausion the Hartford Convention Is an artihcc
which reouires no comment show its object lis history
is given length and conclude from the mode OF COM
noston and the objects" the Nashville Convention is
deserving of odum This is condemning pematuey on
assumed grounds The Convention has not met its com
poston cannot be known al least but partially Known
lis objects arc lust what the Convention Of Mississippi ex
pressed them he. When men have openly and fairly de-
clared their object, il is unjust 10 ascrbc 10 them motives
which thcy did express unless the charge can be
aincd on conclusive evidence My purpose Is with
the Mississippi Convention and yon had dealt fairly by II
as YOU have towards the Hartford Convention no vndca
ZION woud have been required The history OF Is given
al length but with the other The Hartford Conven-
ton is pronounced innocent affair on the strengn OF inc
declarations contained in its proceedings but the sslssp
nj Convention is Judged by the rue us declarations
are dsregurded and motives ascrbed 10 whch were not
expressed One sat with closed DOORS ana us pceeohss
were kent secret at time when were al war with
powerful foreign enemy, which had been opposed and the
Justice which had been denied by portion o. our people
vet its motives determined by the journal OF lis proceed
ngs The other with open DOORS published It's proceed
ngs TO the world, and invited discussions yet It Is condemn
ed on what il did not say
setting its resolutions say thcse resolutions CERTAINLY
upon sufficient ground in their avercnts the essential
part Of which, Contained in the second resoluon none
but political fanatics land hardly they) would be found 10
dispute family outline the purpose OF which late discus
sons and Of Congress hardly leave doubt through
the fundamentally OF the proposed convention 10 tnsee
the foundations of the Government of the United Saes.
They out indeed with protesting devoted and cherish
ed attachment TO the Union buhey beg The questioned az
erosion by the -sarehoing STATES in order suggest
the idea that they he people of Mississippi desire have
only such they desire Here direct charge Of
utterly denied that any such purpose was designed II Is
denied that any member of the Mississippi convention had
any such object in view and is asserted that
Der there assembled friend the Union. The great
the leading object calling preserve the Ulion
is asserted by you that Tho resolutions but family outline
the purpose unsete the foundations Of the Government
but the picture is filled out by the aid of perverted magi
nation the evidences furnished by discussions in md
Of Congress-" Why did you Judge the Hartford Con-
venon by discussion in and out of Congress" Tie Mis-
sisspp convention also asks be judged by liz own acts
land o
But in the foregoing is also asserted thai tho
senia part of the resolutions Is contained in The second
which you say none but political fanatics would be FUND TO
dispute" This is not true; the third resolution is far more
important Ii denies Congress the power To legslae
the subject of slavery in tho District OF Columbia "or 10
prohibit The slave trade between the several States or 10
prohibit the introduction OF slavery in the territories Of the
United States This is the very gist OF the dispute and
is passed of importance. This is the
rovered question right asserted the side denied
the other of which all the danger 10 the Lon has
arisen On this ground the convention charged witt having
begged the question of aggression by the savhodng
States. wish The South TO mark your language for This
is the immediate of the quarrel Wo conscentousy
believed and still believe the North Gained too mlch that
Congress has power the subject OF slavery the
territories the common property OF all tho States We be-
evc the exercise of such power would endlnger the
Union and prevent this catastrophe If We have
begged the question of aggression shall continue in that
category. We sincere in our expressions OF attach
ment to the Union believe the whole South s attached
and that designs entertained against
that quarter YOU and others like do ounsette the
foundations OF the Government, by claiming Tor power
which does not possess-by trying TO build CONSOLE
dated fabric the ruins Stale Sovereignty, and III the
constitution. And it, unfortunately tho future historian shall
be compelled TO deplorc the ruin OF The Government and 10
trace cause you and your class u politicians will stand
in The foreground The which shall
represent the great drama.
Blu, your greatest alarm fol the safety Of the Union has
from portion Of the address prepared undcr The d.
ccou o the convention. Tia, - regarded hv you full
development Of tie obecta southern Cjninlrs r. the
language alluded to is this Besides and beyond popular
convention OF tho Southern States, with The view and the
hope Of arrestng the OF aggression and pac
cabe then the South in WILL understanding
and action tho convention Of Mississippi suggests as the
possible alternate resort the CALL by the Legislatures of tho
assaicd States of stil solemn conventions such
should be regularly elected BY the people of these States
deliberate speak and with nil the sovereign power Of the
people, Should in the result such conventions be called
meet they may lead like regularly constituted
vcntion Of all the States provide in the last for
their separate Welfare, by the formation Of compact and
union that will afford protection 10 their liberties and their
rights This you call the procc, Of Southern Conederacy
confssed-openly, ard without conjunction avowcd and
cooly recommended 10 the consideration OF the Southern
States" This Is unfair construction. The secondary
is made the primary proposition The incident IS made the
substanccihc alternative the primary object The conn-
gency on which Southern coniedemcy was alluded
has entirely observation-disclosures our Of view II
spoken ni in the address only as last resort in the
Of failure in the hope ot arrestng the Of az
grcssion." The address did moi authorize say thar
Southern Conicdcracy the object il avows attach
the Union did expression of the convcn-
on and do the whole people of Mississippi. No men
live, who more desire the perpetuity Of the Unon than do
the snncrs of that address if they can have unimpared
But they believed with the entire South that the North had
pressing and would again endeavor press
else of delegated Congress by the constitution
and they believed that the South would
nit. Their first hope the evil by a timely de-
clara'on OF their rights but If that should ia il was nal-
raj to look to consequences and 10 provide Them The
convention did not act under the influence of
excited feeling. They met who had reflected well:
who knew and felt the solcnnty of OCCASION In
veyins the whole ground but natura- was prudent
that they should look 10 the possibility of failure in their
ondest hope. And it was only that contingency that
single thought turned 10 Southern compact means
Of security, not Of choice. repeat that desire no
Southern conedcacywe desire the pepenity of the present
Union; but il only be preserved by keeping every de-
parnent Ut the Government within constitutional limits
Aud your assertion is without proof.
quote further from your examination" You saw: at
Is no longer matter of inference There disacction
10 The Union deeply seated than had supposeden
rendering designs against it, which the and body u the
South arc as little Of three days ago. the
hrs termination OF which is this project Nashville Con-
ventlon am greatly mistaken if the 'body of the people
OF the South fully all the classification
The Union which exists here and fully too the
causes of that disaection You have impaired no nora
lion 10 them that subject The first "gcrmnaton of dis
affection grew ou Of attack upon their rights 1t is sim
guar that you do not undertake this disacc
ton, and to show whether well or i'll founded Per
haps may be justiabe 1t is said that motive is tho I'M
pulse human action and oppression is the spring
revolutions When men desire change OF government an
enlarged liberty the great object and changes never