Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-01-18
RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
THURSDAY MORNING JANUARY II. 1880
OUTRAGE ON THE SOUTH.

j ANOUTRAGE ON THE SOUTH.
T In Tuesdays Whig find the following extraordinary
article which give in all its details avoid
, suspicion of misreprsen,ing:
al THE PROPOSED SOUTHERN CONVENTION
We said sometime since that had objection 10 ht
proposed Southern Convention and that il gentlemen choose
To ause themselves in that way We should not interfere
disturb them, provided only they paid their expenses
and did undertake 10 bind the Stale by their action We
still of that opinion. Lei many choose meet 10
getheret them declare that there is longer pnssbi
~ of keeping the Union together unless their advice be fol-
lowedlet them themselves the wiscs and most pa
oc men that ever existcct them pay their own expenses
out Of their pockets-et them them home and fall
Into that gentle oblivion in which every ten wraps iar
greater men, and be thought Of We meant
however, 10 extend sanction farther than This We
never that they should take the whole Nir-
gnia their shoulders and should ENJOY the right Of
ing whether or not the Union should he dissolved We knew
and still know, that public sentiment in Virginia
tircly dissolution of the Union, and that such
catastrophe cannot be produced by circumstances TO
which We have than alluded.
In the great excitement of 1920 growing out of the
Missouri question: the correspondents vi the Enquirer
we'll the Southern Speakers in Congress, took the great
est TO maintain one particular position viz that The
South entirely passive, and that she could not be ndu
ced strike blow unless in her defence. This point
rc-assered in the resolutions Si7 and in those
1919 Virginia placed herself by these resolutions upon
ground which was absolutely impregnabe She made no
hostile demonstrations uttered hrcat-shc did
even much as intimate any aggressive design She
planted herself upon her rights and said These are my
limits; let those beware who trcspass upon them. She was
tpreclScy the Ol the who fndlnm That his
house is be assailed closes his DOORS fortis himself in
his CASTLE and threatens fire upon those who disposed
violate the sanctity Of the law in his person property
No stand could have been higher-none more consistent
with her undoubted rights;ioic entirely accordant
with the character which she has borne in all time. Our
Legislature might assuedly have been satisfied with
this-there make her quit the imprcgnabc
position in which she placed and To assume attitude
Of aggression before the enemy has yet fired gun
There occasion Ia place her before the world in the
position of un actual enemy 10 the Union looking out
for petexts To dissolve itof being prepared 10 take the
lead in extreme measures when her her position her
rank III the Union and her services Ia the conederacy en-
title her to be the arbite she has heretofore been in
| affair of SO much decacy.
4 We have seen for past however that such
to be the result Iction conemJtJie bath IN punt of
numbers and Of taient-a faction, bearing in lis heart
the seeds gf the bnercSf mdie against the fioa faction
whose leaders have all the ambition, without a" the ah
ties to command success-a faction, who's" head men, NOT
having capacity enough eniite them lead under the
Uhion imagine thal ashton couid supply defect wlhch
God himself has occasioned bent 10 lis will many o
the well meaning Democrats OF the Legislature who would
otherwise have shuddcrcd what they preparing do
The signs and pocus which usually preccde any great
amiiy have been wanting here The atmosphere has
been darkcncd for weeks and the presence
to favor us with by visitors co,cted Ike rufrts uhen
they snuff he carcass and know that prey is hand The
unexpected opposition Of Mr.. Sto,a has excited well
may anazemcn and confusion in certain quarters
For what is the design of this Convention lts friends
do specify In sufficiently distinct for us, al ieos,
10 comprehend We told that il is for the purpose ofcon
sung as 10 the proper steps 10 be taken 10 secure us from
Northern aggression. One vi these steps suppose
dsunion indeed IL cannot re be anything esel cannot
BE- that protest Is meant for that all the Southern
States have already given II be union
among the States OF the South for they united
The only possible contingency in which Southern Con-
venon be o service is when Congress shall have passed
the acts 10 which object. Then, let the peope and not
the politicians Tor rather pocdto-S call the Convention.
This question has been discussed among the people of
Firgina they have been consulted all, the pro-
prcty of this Convention; the resolution does call
upon them say whether they will have it They
ne merely requested elect fifteen delegates the Conyen
ton Should the people have hand in this
| Tor cOuycD-
ton not1 Has single Of the Legislature received
instructions 10 for sending delegates Not The
Convention is work uf the peoples they arcno, asked
their opinion Of its proprely They merely requested TO
send fifteen delegates, and il makes odds il they refuse,
for the Legislature itself sends our who will do the whole
work ready to their hands
Let us suppose these resolutions pass may be- that
at the election, in the spring, fifteen delegates may b.
chosen, by average OF dozen vccs IN each county
Every Of course, who dsihcs the object w! decline
10 for delegate; but he has other Of express
sing his antpathy because the question whether he likes The
scheme is entirely kept from him. Tie cannot vote
upon it, The certainty, tien is that the delegation o III
will have been selected by small minority Yet they
with the four appointed by the Legislature 10 decide up
| on the fate of the Union.
The affair in aspec, is ridiculous Suppose these
20 Nashville and say "he Union is sdssoyed"' Suppose
the people, by overwhelming maJoes say "il you do not
like the Unon 90 out OF it, mean 10 live in il, what Will
they do then In another confess is startling enough
These Delegates be without any Of insiruc
ous whatever. They are, II they please declare the
Union end take any steps they may think pro-
per procure lis dissolution If some men wo are even
uTe gel it, their known character, is sufficient guaranty
that they will do all they produce trouble We need
not be definite.
Where did the Legislature &c. the right
Offices and fill them, without word from the people !
We pretty they do not find il in ne Constitution
We shall recur 10 this subject II may be frequently for We
arn determined the people shall know what their
about.
The Wing here charge, us and ,he great Democratic party
of the State with whose sentiments have the
pride and pleasure to act this vital question, with 'ac
tous object to dissolve the Union. II goes farther and in
wolves Of the abesl members o its party in it,
rcckless aud sweeping anacuas On the special commit
tee which reported the resolutions in Nashville
Convention Mr. Mayo of the City Of Richmond aud Mr.
Burwell of tho county of Bedford warm aud Jealous
champions OF The mcpsIre viii thu Wing
these prominent and influential members of It's party
belong "facton conempiiblc both III point Of
Der and Of talent" filled with the 'bittcrest malice against
the Unionor that they fixed the other and nevita
bic horn Of the dilemma, that they are stupid FOOLS
that ,haye been inreighed into a Of dsu-
non by the sprovincal Calhouns" Of the faction"
ercey vitupeated by that paper! The Wing will
place Messrs Mayo and Burwe in tho latter category
and nusl by inevitable inference, regard those gentlemen
as part and parcel OF that detestabe "faciion."
But will show the public who are this faction of
RI whose views We have been the humble champion
will therefore, the history Of this fol few
months On the 10th October las. published the follow
ing letter. report Through Judge Wilkinson aud resolutions
of the Mississippi Convention, which unanimously
adopted:
Il To the Editors Of the Enquirer.
/ JACKSON MISSISSIPPI OcroREv g. lS.9.
has,on to forward to you the Mssslppan of this date
on whose second page you will find the Declarations and
Resolutions of Mississippi in Convention, irrespective ol
party, concerning tile past and Impending aggressons of
the North.
The Address and Resolutions of the central meeting in
this city, tho 7th of May published in the Wash
ington Unon which refer. In pursuance thereof be-
tween thai date and the first instant all of the SO counties of
this State lunless four five heard from did not
act In joint primary meetings. ratified the action of the
conta meeting appointed delegates proposed to the oc-
tober Convention, and majority of them gave vivid
prcssons Of the Southern sentiment, that Immediate
cenatcd and undivided action the Northern
on and tho Constitution the Union and the South
was demanded by the crisis
In State Convention both parties equally, and
may DO said ably represented Courteous and profound
harmony prevailed II sat three dava. aor,oM WAS THE
OBJECT The admission Of California State, under
Northern auspices, and in reference the vi the
North in the last Congress- and the subsequent continued
and existing agitations in the North SoUTERS
EMIGRATION aud in of the population and process