Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-03-12
7g7RTY.rIRsT coYcREss-lsr SESSION.
N SENATE-TuEspAy, MARCH 5. looo.
~ yroY-> -, E0OTE

,yhirh
;; con,mi,,ec of thirteen intend 10 press very car
after The close of the address which we have been pro-
missed by the senator from on @ hcca,se
Ihave been willing Ia defer acton mus ROM, olt =,
seemed n he very much desired by certain lio:oatc scl
tors with whom it was IN! WISH 10 mI, anu .orod ~ co.
hono ,b,, hv ,hat time senators VIII be iuy prepared 20
iiope ; in The organization Of the committee refer
red 10 Whilst in the occupancy VI Tue iiooi, a'lu Ia III,
ion with this subject beg eve 70 W. in anv mblc
, RI r;o,, Inn necessary think 10 prevent any ms
apprehension Of my position ~ i1s''a 70 .be So
l., ou hearing ON yesterday by tue honoHne
| - e., Son,b Carolina (Mr. Calhoun not now IN ms
place and who fear is again de'ahea ~ iis ~ -
III; 80 wv sincerely wish tic were present; and nope
- ea 81 ,ha, ,yb,, saw will be duly noted by ms coeaeuc
and oher friends who may feel authorized 10 speak oi mn
in absence shall take spsc fe :" Of ntnd
nss ~ disrsncc, can find passage from my lips ST. was
never more ainrd in nv life than al the necessity now M
posed upon me of making The explanation ""ie" a'i '
On Yesterday sir heard the very able and patrioIlc
speech of The distinguished Senator from SCUM ~
and had ccason apan admire the power of his logic inc
nnritv If his dicon and the noble American spirit "hch II
brcathed All who know me- ana Know any lnhs VI W., 49,;
tments that entertain Tor 'a. sene ; WIN ar.ona,v and
that have the very highest esteem Tor nm peIsona
take this oppornnty add that for his intellectual iacu
ties for the purity ul his character for his elevated pa'o
ism md his admirable disinercstedness o puposeuu'
for ali Thai can ,orn the character OF the plosophc sal
man hoh souled patriot and finished genileiiaIi-l
to~ h IN odniruon and kindness which few neH deau OF
yinp have ever awakened in my heart anu una,
Yet sir must declare al the SAME time iia' " DO 49,,
profoundly crieyed two or three OF The ~
him Yesterday, anu winch, DcHiG
Sep,e no n,rt of his deliberately prepared and iho'u ~
ready printed speech, have supposed mlghl DC -,
many as not only the frn, OF closet meditation, o Us
extent also OF consultation among those VINO nav ne
associated with the G con q, me
coneeracy Such the high and imposing attitude oi e
honorable senator from South Carolina his great
weight OF character and deserved influence throughout '
Southern States thoroughly and may wen say, ABOVE
nh others in regard 10 the delicate and interesting questions
which now agilae the repubc-ha II Is next u npossi-
BILE that anything which fell from him YESTERDAY can b,
otherwise considered than harmonzlng win the areu
and universal public sentiment OF The South Already III
fact is il apparent that the speech of the honorable senator
is recognized by leading Northern prints as mbodying well
ascoraincd Southern opinions ana as prengufB e '0
which is inevitably hereafter 10 take place
Now sir though in the main concur in the views ana
sentiments 50 ably set by the honorable senator IN la'
most extraordinary speech; though of the aglmena
ton cordially admire and mos, heartily approve oug
deeply grateful 10 him for his manly and lrressoe VIM
dication Southern rights at moment 80 do
present; yet IL is true that cannot SUBSCRIBE 10 All '' Tue
honorable Senator thought proper say upon hs occaoh
and feel bound express special regret that ne ala not
avoid saying several things which cannot bu believe To be
Of tendency exceedingly hurttu 10 the South ITSELF anu
still more 10 the republic in general Now, SIR ieti
bound 10 declare that IN opinion the speech oil the non
orable Senator South Carolina was drawn up without
consultation with any other Southern Senator ana maj no
other Senator would be willing 10 become responsible Tor
those portions which have already alluded az beng IN
my judgment decidedly Objectionable. AT any rate sif
have determined Southern Senator not YET dcs-
pairing (,hank God the Union and still resolved to s
gle perscvcrngy for lis maintenance, II IL may be MAINTAIN,
cd consistently with Southern honor and Southern safety
say, cir, have resolved 10 lose no time IN entering my pro-
against such parts OF the speech OF the honorable SEN
from South Carolina as deem likely 10 inIue instead
of benefng the in behalf o. which II VA delivered
Without indugnc in further preliminary observations viii
proceed read from the speech and offer one o
| Two comments thercupon.
Towards the close Of it, after showing ,r0t could not drf
the Union the honorable senator proceeded 10 specify what
in h opinion, Indispensable 20 liz presentations and IN
SO doing he prescribed condition. which never heard
o. in my life before he enunciasd !, IN our vi @
torrance, which certainly could not by possibility he
complied with. all will admit, al the present session Ut
Congress- condition too. as am compelled 10 aver wholly
cpugnan 10 the attitude heretofore assumed By the Souh
and by Southern senators and representatives In Congress
who have heretofore conened themselves "! relying upon
the Constitution is--who have been content To CLAIM
the faithful iuhlmen of its sacred guarantiesand have de-
cared themselves all occasions the upholdcrs and defend
OF that sacred Union OF States established by the organic
law OF The Republic and which never be IN danger until
the Constitution and its guarantees shall be sha'nclessy dis
regarded and roiion under foot they have both unden
| biz been oil late.
The condition 10 which alUdc, and which partly
brought notice yesterday by the honorable senator
from South Carolina is that which amendment
of the Constitution What the nature II thai amendment
be- am al all informed and cannot easily CONGO
ture; and have found other Southern senators not AT all
Illuminated on this point than myself But 10 avoid
doing the honorable the least possible injustice will
read that portion Of his speech which am now noticing
! II is rs follows
Having now shown what cannot save the Union, re-
Turn the question with which | commcncod How can
the Union be sacod There is but way BY which can
with any certainty and that Is BY full and final settle
men the principle c justice OF all the questions al Is
between the sections The South asks Tor justice
simple Justice and less she ought not to take She has no
compromise t. offer bn the constitution and no concession
surrender To MAKE she has already surrendered So nc
that she has little left surrender. Such settlement
would 90 the of the ey and remove all cause Of dis
content BY satisfying the South she could eIln onorahf
and safely in the Union and thereby restore the harmony
and atena feelings between the sections which existed
anterior 10 the Missouri agitation Nothing else can, with
certainty finally and forever settle the questions al Is
| sue terminate agitation, and save the Union
But this be done Yes easily not ny the weaker
paryfor of itself do noihng not even protect sel
but by the stronger The North has only 10 will 1t 10 ac
complish III 10 do justice by concedins 10 The South an
equal right in the acquired territory, and to do er duty ny
causing the stipuaons relative fugitive slaves to be-
faithfully fufled 10 the agitation OF the slave qes
,ion and 10 provide for The insertion oil provision IN 'c
constitution BY ancmdmen, which will restore Ia the
South in substance the she possessed OF protecting
herself before the equilibrium between me sections " r.
destroyed by the acon OF this government lheft WI n
no diiicuy In devsng snch proyson--one that wl!l
protect the South and which, Il: The time VIII nprov
and strengthen the government, instead OF hnTang ana
weakening it,"
Now siI that such constitutional amendment the enc
here hintcd may b. desirable will undertake To de-
ny Indeed should feel be- somewhat pesumptuous
in question the value oi amendment 81 the precise
Of which know nothing al present. whenever !'e
honorable shall choose TO bring il forward III =
regular for consideration promise 10 look into II
and without prejudice and doubt not that
may yield II n.y. support But, sir, at TINS moment, Wieh
We are all struggling adjust all the pending Questions
growing ont Of the SUBJECT ri saverywhen impeachment IN
impeachment has been hrust in the wayo FINAL adjustment
OF all these Ghesons-whcn impeachment after impeachment
mas been removed, the Spt ol brotncry
and compromise beginning mark proceedings
and still srkiugy mark large usscmblages OF our
citizens, the proceedings Of which reaching
US by every malat this when for one had ho-
ped and confidently hoped that if special committee oi
thirteen could be raised in this body general scheme OF
cifcaon and settlement you'd be speedily agreed upon that
would certainly and forever put down faction and tactonsts
the honor and safety of the Souh the Union
itself without all furnishing obscuring the true ho-
o, the Northat such time and under such crcun'-
stances the honorable from South Carolina without
consulting any OF unproped BY any assemblagc OF the
people, North or South. comes forward with claim for n
constitutional amendment which he asserts 10 be indispcn
sable the preservation o the Union confess that dn
perfectly understand this Of the honorable Senator
speech. am prepared decide whether he meant 10
upon ibis alteration of the constitution sine qua
non. hoie not hope sec him in his seat he
will explain the country But vet sir this proposition Is
an additional obstruction the immediate settlement Of the
questions pending il is proposiucs which has not
originated with any potion OF the people of the south and
one which insisted on, will procrastinate settlement
| l verify believe will make disi'ion iaertab'c.
Now, Sir beg leave say-and wish TO say it very
earnestly and very solemny that quite satisfied with
the Constitution framed by wise and patriotic fore
fathers entirely content with s existing provisions,
ii can hut secure their faithful enforcement. far
TIC Constitution and its guarantees am for The Union
as provided for and deneated in that sacred instrument 1t
is (,n "A