Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-04-05

masters already ao'I Sn, :" TO estimate the force of the machi-
nn,v Lx which ,le institutions ot properly are 70 " , - - Tho
and disturbed. But II - bs - If is useless to argue this
onoa,io % 81 slavery. What if public opinion i ag Tma n, III ;
g en- y. ,av we not take Issue with IL! Inc P uo,
~ DC ,o ~ World il against republican government
sbni we abandon therefore our institutions, . ! s.a" Wv W hv
seek 10 revolutioni2e IL, as 10 Sum- 80 P, is i, truc that
.me lorce o Sm ,ha 'Y world is agains, slavery? There Is nor
Z, civilized nation upon the .iope i'a'u ro,,ah ,ha greater
~" ahi,n hos not tolerated slavery through me sica..
quence-whlch u - -. There is not ii nation OF antiquity
peii@u % us i Enropc in which slavery did not exist. FROM
tho earliest dawn OF human history up y ~ !. loar,Ii,v ~
d h.aJon'y d man, ,mc decision in the Somerset case, Lofu
u ~ tJ t ".id ,ho, Ilardwicke had declared IN i,iS llat-
III. Ala =, conceive but that Il man nhis"! sun p''ons !" !"
~ . ui - 49, ronCcssinn himself such in open court
Dr Duanin1 said. in arguing the somerset ~ ,o,
Uf INV learned brother, the sclSe'i'' Va o'I ,vui on
v,hn org,,d on the supposed sublect OIL netuu'': -" s >,
-" "Lsu.u ~ ,;an my reading ASSUMES me will be SUFFICIENT
n mr Ia, nmrncs.. | shail claim ,hem as property. ,a,,s
i, n r.r,ncn OF HAT ease II was admitted III III. t'" -
~ IN Ill ~ - !" Scotland could be sold for life along VIII. ne l
mine. It Great Britain herself recognised 1 u , Ind IN,
very in her colonies At !lai an ~ - u u ,be Austrian,
~, l." - i,n,ininns, in Brazil, in the United States "a
shor, in anvernments embracing n majority OF inc ~" Nv
world. But l shall pursue s ;r ,niS !, qu ,h"s far 81 for the purpose of
showing Inn, our rights might be accorded TO us wln""
o;rinn sns, c,use Of offence even 10 the most ias'ialous y
80 hny. been cndearoring 10 prove that licso ~
~, nr;nc;nles which have led 10 attacks upon ous socia'
oasn 1a,inns in The South, if faithfully pursued, mus ea 10
The overthrow Of every existing governmen.. hu. !, ,h,
Ic IL ,nur-hp Nh DuDlC Iuip ~
70 ~ !, my - i, may--our constitutional rights cannot ana
Nh, mn, :, be- affected By such considerations. : 81
nominated in the bond, and we are tna1eu ~ If obi
performance of all the stipulauons IN maj c"i'i",'. ciaI i.
ppa,;ons hirl,er than the constitution forbid yon 10 iuihil ~
S,;nul,,ions ,hen YOU are bound III honor 10 sd! .e eoIaa
info which we have entered Is lmprovldett; our !o"s "' IL Nv
~ ~ ,s =. .xccute what we have engaged to do; We haNe
no right therefore, 10 hold YOU 10 your enease1'li',' i 4s
then dissolve the contract, and give ana oo'"i' " "N
Rg, Mr.. President. can this Union be preserved, Ii me
South is TO be denied an equal right TO paIatipae - nr >, and am
yantagesl Can i, last, II tins warfare upon we pd y r Inc
pcacc Of the South is 10 continue Can ~ ehuuie, - ~
South, on account Of its social ofganiZailoh, 10 " - na,;, =
der the ban of the empire, and excluded from a palueipasU s
a,,s se ;sofferiority !? sir, il requires but little knowledge OF
human nature, or Of the operation oil interest," upon Wv 49,
man heart, to answer these questions y canmo' a . com ON
Lose some,hing is done TO settle these differences anu eo'H.
nose that strife which so %unhappily agltates US ! NM -
has been said that disunion is a remedy LOT hothiiE, 'ma ia
there san be no dissolution of this Union; ana ne VINO, w.
Luz - circumstances. could propose il, would be guilty
Of treason Why, Mr.. President, ale not aH 'nese ~" ~,
figures Of rhetoric Can any man seriously oenese wa. a.
there are no causes for which lie himself would not seeh 10
Iissoly, This Unions Is il supposed that men grown-sehsI-
nr men-wou!d be deferred FROM defending Their indlspen1,,
sable rights and liberties by the fear OF such epithels a
,,c m,I,riry will moi be deferred from throwing down the
constitutional delences OF the weak, by the lear oil a os'
solution oil the Union, why should the oppressed be restrain
ci hy that fear from defending their rights! suppose = M
,ority in ibis government were 10 establish "A despotish'-.
an aiIiocrat al the Other end of the aNenue-arc mere h ui
circumstances. would feel il 10 be their duty TO separate
from, such a Union, peaceably if they could, foreioiy II
they must2 Or suppose a sectional majority should sio"
here, without regard 10 the limitations 81 .e eons.sur n ,h
~ulundcrine and depressing the weaker section constantly
and NJ discretion-in such Il case, would not that minority
be bound by every consideration OF honor and seh-prescrva'
ion 10 dissolve their conneXion with such n unlon-peacea-
by if they could. forcibly if they must! Could II be urea
SON. in such Il case, to take sides with your native STAGE is
there a man here, whose heart, in such an event, would no,
nrompt him Ia stand BY his mother, long before lie couio
take counsel Of his head, as 10 the ~propriety of The stcp-
Sir. if Virginia should ever think it her duty TO separate
from this confederacy-and may God forever avert II ne
ressity for such a step-I should moi hesitate as 10 whom my
allegiance is due. Should she give the word OF command, !
shall know her voice amidst a thousand, ana follow "here'-
81 she NAV lead. may be anxious a. 10 the consequences
but | can never doubt but that ii Is my duty 10 OBEY ~
10 the sovereign body of her people that my allegiance IS que
and i, i ior them 10 bind OF loose the tic which uniies ~ i
or separates me from any government TO when l am SuoJrc'
al present. owe duties 10 this government, because oy TUE
assent of Virginia, it is for certain purposes the government
of Virginia but she who bound me can loose me- ""e" DIV
chooses 10 sever the tie.
But, Mr.. President, this is an unwelcome topic. nave
been hurried into il BY the announcement! OF doctrines 81
contrary to all that | learned in youth-to all the opihiohs
Of my manhood-and 50 contrary TO the sentiments WmeI
| would transmit to those who shall come alter me, lha'
!; could not forbear seizing this occasion TO protest agalnS'
them. Mr.. President, there IRE two classes oil the iflehus
of Union.-the one who sees dangers which threaten II, ane
give warning of their existence that they may be averted
and another who will acknowledge the existence OF no dan
yer capable of destroying the Union, and thus lull those wh,
conduct the government into a false, and II may DC d .ala' sc
curity. 1t will be for posteri'y to determine VINO were y, -.
public peace and the union of The States; but higher ihaI
the public peace-higher than the Union event prize the IN
| liSpenSdbie rlghI5 ana lDeIlltS VI my naive d |i"'
OF these last l would make any sacrifice 10 save The former
am a friend of peace, my heart is naturally avcrse To strife
There is no one who contempateS win more satisfaction
than | do the spectacle al pcacc--leace when relgns III sun
shine almost unbrukenb by a shadow throughout The bolnda
ries Of this mighty confeieEacy. But when see 81 little ar-
preciation of the true magnitude OF lie dangers which threaten
us | cannot but feel anxious and appre!cnslvc. II ~ no'
my purpose to alarm, but ii is my duty 10 warn those VIII
whom | am counsclline, that there is danger; and, although
hone for a safe exit, do not very well see my way out OF H.
This. sir, is n question which l take no pleasure in agitat
ing: | would avoid il, if ! could do so consistently with du'
". l never speak upon it, if | can help it; but avoid 1t l can
not; it meets Inc wherever goi in whatever business ! un
dertake, il presents itself us the subject that VIII DC upper
most. 1t is like the plague of darkness that rested on ,ht
Lind of Egypt. Ii pervades the world without; II fills the
home within. ii wells the political horizon from the rising
TO the setting sun. Ii obscures the cheerful light OF the do
meslic fire; il darkens faces which have never known before
the shadow of an abiding sorrow; and if il does moi fill The
American mind with apprehension, i dlstuIbs and distract
il. 1t il the word on every lip and the thought IN ever!
mind. | see nothing better 10 do than to discuss the ques'
ton fully. Ii is here; let W. deal with it al once. Let liz
see in what respects we can agree, in what we cannot con
cur; and if, u~nhappily, we cannot adjust the controversy
ouI selves, Then We must make up The issue, argue II irNly
ana present II fairly and as calmly rs VIC can To The Amefl
can people. ] shall await their verdict with much oi hope
# not with entire confidence. The question VIII 90 then I
every firrsli,; il will b. discussed by every head Of house
hold, as u matter OF the highest political interest 10 the tam
iIy; and The verdict which will then be rendered will be more
I ulomentous in its consequences 10 mankind than any which
a people have ever pronounced. Should II be Just ana TEN
perate, should il be of a character 10 settle all differences anc
compose strife. ] and all who witness it will feel that the
problem Of mans capacity for selfgovernment has been tul
ly solved by The American mind, and, what is better, III,
American lear,--a mind which has proved itself capable %
pursuing truth, and a heart which has shown that il wa, an
mated By feelings OF justice and the kindly emotions Of fra
ternal affection.
Mr.. President, The Senator from Massachusetts, says he
will not pause To consider upon what fragment Of the wrecl
he is 10 float away. Sir, i wish he may always have IN,
whole ship to sustain him, and that the stately hull viii
| which he is so identified in fame may neither dissolve into
$ fragments nor float away in parcels. And yet, sir, 1 fee
more anxious, more apprefensive for its safety than he seem:
to do, because, perhaps, | am in Il situation more exposed Il
i danger. But he should recollecf that things have changet
p Il and are changing since the crew first We're shipped. ",
have lost sight oil the old landmarks. Ii there be n voice Il
command, we hear il not--a hand 10 steer, we see il not
\ Distrust and suspicion are fast taking The place OF the gener
Gus confidence which used 10 animate the crew; a portion
of them have been told that they were TO have no common
/, interest in the voyage, 10 share IN nothing but its labors, IL
pc,iis and difficulties and this too, when the night and III,
= storm are gathering around, and an unknown sea before US
Is there no danger of driving them TO despair What if the!
should refuse 10 touch a rope, 10 hand a yard, to furl a sail
r VIII YOU threaten them with the pains and the penalties of tn,
). mutiny act? VIVA, If you do 1-if you should apply force :
II YOU should overwhelm and master them2 How long al
forwards before the winds and the waves would master you
: No, sir; il is moi thus tina, the ship is to be saved. witt
united hearts, with united hands, with united counsels. VT
can and ought to save the ship, the crew, and every hope ant
promise with which ii is freighted. We may save mankind
whose gaze is upon us, the pain of ~beioldine the spectacle o
4 so vast a wreck, upon each fragment of which some portion
of tho crew would indeed, float away, but each upon its Sc