Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-02-22

hot since 1919 there has been no law ili0.'"' ,or
| - h;,oinp slaves "born in he Lnied Sfafes' o' any "
;,r, ,he,eof or the District Of Columbia, mi"
r. ia no other provision relating 10 the SUBJECT '''
nnooe there can BE- no doubt that slaves mus p'"u'
h stat. may be disposed Of by Ileif owners ~ '''
think proper A. p.,,o has not given
,.hs., that due consideration which member OIL
CONGRESS should do who attempts 10 READ e''"'e '
ac,ion nj n sovereign State of this Union
:, - f.- from our intention to be crude or make pei
I o,,octp on Col Beale Our sole object was u o'e
e of bis unfortunate and i'll considered appear 10 NE
,. ~ NM him right as matters of iact ana coe' m
,rors Of opinion in regard TO our safety under TIC ~
,ion Of the Northern members on Roots resolutions
we have friends al the North, who VIII prove 'i
r. we give them a fair chance, we cannon aouo ~ w
chance we never lgive them BY ialterlns III 'ie
nance of our rights Discord and division IN the '0u
L;u them off 10 dead certninty-and MI d. III o' ~
onjnion while seeking TO prevent dscord ana uiuue
mont, has taken the very course 10 prouuce '''"
h;. us address must produce erroneous Impressions
H -, sop,b-in the North in showing ourselves diyl-
ded and thereby encouraging assailants and
m sjendsn the South in encouraging 100 much rehahce
. tho decentiye vote LAYING Roots resolution Oh tie
,h,e The reason why such vote was given apparently III
favor IN that OCCASION that the aboltloniss Tree
;ers and Taylorites of all Sorts wishing 10 aoose NE
and responsibility of either sanctloning or eece
the Wilnot Provso in Territorial BILL were hoog o"eA
for tho California Constitution, which makes the proViso
| .o,, hv thu insrumentality Of Convention OF the
stan,ers souatters and mongrels in California. hut Tor
Tim, consideration should have been beaten on hoot
resolution we feel satisfied 1.-THE scene in the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES on Monday conhms our view and SHOWS
the real object of our opponents
when Mr. Beale shall have reviewed the subject in all its
fai r
cte we feel satisfied that be his doubts what they may as
n the wisdom of the course chaked by the Legislature
hc will 90 for Virginia and with Virginia in any action she
may take He has committed error, unfortunate one,
il Is rue-and in the kindest spirit in the world we call
upon him TO retrieve it, and go with Virginia nom.
As TO the policy of the Nashville Convention shall not
eerae our vewsbut AXE occasion to say that events
have bu, confirmed belief in it as conservative not only
of the rights of the South but of the Union AZ to the
son of the whole South that question: we cannot do
better than quote the following eloquent and Just comments
of the Athens Ga Banner whose able editor has never
been tinctured with the least color OF dsunion:
We are not among those who are by any means hasy in
repudatnp this Union for light transient causes nor have
wa been liable the charge OF rashness IN fostering OF al
vising measures which provoke dissolution We
with The more confidence that our warning will be heard III
up voice and proclaim as we do now mat The oNlo
IS IN DANGER.
10 their souls which reera ted often in their pub
lie Journals that the demonstrations made OF me Sonh are
but the rawlings of agatos-ot politicians Tor political
effect and not the sober judgment of our people On the
contrary ills firm conviction that the people OF the South
are possbe actually In advance of the politicians upon
this subject Let them turn their eyes 10 the action OF our
State Legislatures and the elements Of those high re-
solves which mark their records They VIII md that these
expressions of the public sentiment do not proceed alone
from the savehodng portions OF the southern
alone from The plains where the interests of the sayehod
ors predomnae-but from the representatives OF the
mountain districts where anatcism reckons its host 10 be
brought out in array, in the last resort for the prescr
voon of the Union" The resolutions which have passed
the Legislature this State have been sustained without
regard 10 party geographical nes-One universal tide OF
popular sentiment in favor resistance TO aggression rolls
over Georgia from the mountains 10 the sea-board,
and we do not doubt that similar state OF things
exists in every slave-holdng State The spirit Of
the peope of the South is reused 10 the necessity OF
pronlp and efficient action. The serpent will coil around
and sting the foot Of him who attempts 10 crush It, and in
certain mood "the dove will peck the ostrdge But
people with whom gallantry in the field s passlon-conr
age the gift of Heavenand both ostced moi only by their
forms OF government but by the very nature OF the in
sution assaled-rse level with their oppressos BY
higher and nobe impulse But their resources are not alone
in their chivalry signay displayed upon every battle
field of their country from the revolution TO the war with
Mexico inclusive. They do estimate the strength VI
States or nations alone by their population They feel that
their ueah will make up whatever deficiency there may be
in comparison with the North in numbers-lhat their
cotton rice and tobacco together with the tropical fruits
which rpen on their generous soil and beneath the rays Of
their feryid sum- will levy auxiares in their defence whose
name will be lcgon Possessing the materials for three
handing the mouths OF the Mississippi, through which so
large portion Of the trade of the Middle and Northwestern
States flow, they feel their ability TO bind those States
10 an observance of their rights by the strength of their po
son If separation come il has errors of pcnury
weakness and decay for them.
But they feel only strong in their moral and physical
resources but in the united councils which TO be
knitting their energies together preparatory 10 the conflict
The South Atlantic States do not stand isolated from her
two powerful slave-holdng sisters of tho West Kentucky
and tennessee The former of these States stands like
rocky fortress the borders armed and manned as up
pears the late convention in that State and ready TOR
action The latter Inns spoken In tones which leave no doubt
that her chvalric legons will pour into the field for the
rights of the South upon the first alarm of danger to them
II will be the Of the approaching Southern convention
whittier the whole South without distinction OF party, Is
now fastening and will partake largely of the views and
sentiments Of that body.
We shall conclude by offering few suggestions the
upon which TINS delicate ana portenlous controversy
We are much mistaken If there is not at the present time,
far greater rgor the demanded by the South than
any former period of the controversy She begins TO feel
that there must be ample and thorough guaranty given 10
her by her Northern conederates against future
Her first demand simply nonintervention But that
has not been yielded and she is sensible of the abso
necessity of outlet for her slave population she will plant
herself mmovably upon the Missouri Compromise line,
South of which slavery shall only be prohibited but be
tolerated recognized in practice If not in theory BY the
nom savehodlng States
She will insist upon fundamental arrangement of the
whole question OF slavery which shall hush the agitation Of
that subject the federal district recognize the validity
of the slave trade between the different States provide for
delivery OF fugitive slaves
keen lid the equpose between the slave and
States the Senate and them passage with their
propey slaves towards the equator and the Pacific Ocean
Her face ia now turned towards the the only hope
safety against the increasing number Of her slave population
and che must and will all hazards PROSTATE every barrier
AGAINST her progress in that direction II is now firm
conviction that nothing but the extension of the Missouri
line TO the Pacific, will save the Union
S-Soon after the arrival of Col Beaes letter. we had
the pleasure of receiving the following letter from Mr. Ben
net the worthy and patriotic delegate from BraXton and
Lewis He speaks the of the whole delegation save
one) from Mr. Beales district who cheeruy sustained the
action the Legislature the subject The strong evil
dence of Col Hays former representative in Congress-
und sagacious observer Of the popular sentiment entitled
to the highest consideraon-and will to enghten
COL Bcao the unfortunate character Of the step he has
akcn and place his district right before the world 1t is
sign of the times to be mistaken and gives fair warn
ing, that Virginia. and ndvisibe will stand up to her
duty in the present crisis;
To the Editors Of the Enquirer
RICHMOND, VA, FEB 18th. 1850.
Having seen with regret the letter of the Hon. j. NJ H.
Bese Representative ofhe 4th Congressional District 10
his constituents upon the subject Of the Nashville Conven
ton &C. which, Ihumby conceive, mayihave tendency
10 misead the public mind in relation TO The sentiments
H. hn III n fhn