Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-02

friends to your country it was your duty to allay the
excitement if possible You but provoke the quarrel
9y tauntng the South with infdelty to the government
Ii you wish to preserve the Union from danger tell
your Northern friends to press furher-to orbear.
hat is the safe course, it ths power be doubtful
lney claim to exert tive deny their right. If they
passive they cannot. By that means peace will be re-
stored. A free Government must command the vol
untary homage OF the people; and whatever tends to
weaken their attachment enadangers its existence.
In the further progress OF your examination You ar
ray the proceedings of the South Carolina and Virginia
Legislatures. These figure before your vision as most
appalling proofs of disloyalty to the Union They
are but further developments of the plan the first
examinations of whcfkappeared in Mississippi. l see
notfng alarming in them beyond firm determination
to maintain their rights and if there be a secret inen-
ton beyond that leave you and the movers to settle
In your alarms for the safety ofthe Union it is mat
ter OF wonder that you had not discovered unendy
indications from other quarters. You have heard
petitions Tor the dissolution of the Union presented to
Congress from the ORTIZ You have witnessed an opep
palpable ntracton of the constitution by PENNSYLVANIA
and other States, by the passage of laws annuling
tat provision IN the constitution which to the
owner the right to recapture his fugitive slave You
have heard it proclaimed in the Senate by Senator
from the North, who to support the consti-
tuition, that certain clause of that instrument which
protects US waslmmoral, and therefore not binding You
have heard the OF dissolution of the Union
described by the picture of vast gulf between the
North and the South, filled and heaped high with
the slaughtered DOQleS OF our cOuntrymep; this
revolving sight would be endured-the reality wit
Dessed-by member of the lower house, rather than
he would yield his opinions and his object on the SUBJ.
lect of slavery. You have heard your own especial
avorltes declare that dissolution must come rather than
the Wimot proviso should be abandoned You take
no alarm at these things bold and daring they are.
Much as they may show total disregard for the
Union, they are passed over harmless. You have
never been suspected OF over devotion to State
sovereignty or constitutional restrictions, and if the
South had claimed power for Congress, instead of
denying 1t, she would have found more friends
My only motive in making this communication is to
vlndcate myself and those with whom acted from the
charge, SO unwarranaby made, OF unfrendliness the
Union. We have been acuated by settled conviction
throughout that we were right. We believe conscien-
ousy that Congress has power over the question of
slavery either permlssve prohbitory, and that any
action on the subject would be gross nraction of that
instrument We desire the question banished from
our national house, and harmony restored but
we warn the North MOTTO expect us to submit We are
quite as firm in our resistance they are in their en-
croachment.
That may stand vincated and have that Justice to
which we entitled, it is hoped that you will publish
this letter. and the proceedings Of the Convention or at
least the Address pamphlet copy of which send you;
and lest the MSS. should be lost, it is published in the
papers OF this place. from which, in that event. it may be
extracted
Your obedent servant
w. l.. SHARKEY