Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-31
LETTER FROM RoBT, G. SCOTT, ESQ.
RICHMOND, May 80 1850.

MY DEAR SIR-On the 25d inst | received your COM
municaton as the Chairman OF the Convention of De-
egaes held in this city the 18th inst from this Con-
gessiona District, informing OF my appointment as
one OF the delegates from the District to the Nashville
Convention Deeply grateful for this distinguished no.
nor and the high evidence it affords of the confidence
reposed in me by the intelligent body from which ema
nated anxously desired obey the invitation and to
have rendered such service as could in the proposed
Convention, From the time Mississippi recommended
the Convention, have been and yet am, its unalterng
friend My opinions and VIEWS in this particular have
been SO often given, and trust SO well understood that
they require not here to be repeated
Had the people of the South acted with perfect una.
nnity and presented they well might, their united
determination to insist upon tar Just and constitutional
adjustment of the rights Of the South, cannot doubt
that the result would have proved peaceful and salts
factory But failing in this, have Yet seen suff-
cient reason why the Nashville Convention should not
assemble; and if Congress shall not have disposed OF
the vexed question in satisfactory manner, to ad ourn
to some distant day in the present year Such course
infer from one of the resolutions adopted by the Con-
venon which you presided would be to it accep-
table.
had prompted by these purposes, designed to 60 to
Nashville. For two or three days past have been un-
WELL and am now unable to undertake the Journey |
feel the more reconcied to being absent convinced that
the Convention will take only ntiatory steps, for future
and final action. My heart will be- however, with the
noble and patriotic men who will assemble at Nashville
on the Sd proximo My prayers are offered that their
councils may be wise, prudent and hrm Could have
sooner conferred with my esteemed alternate from Gooch
land, he should have been informed OF my inability at
ect without brief statement OF the opinions entertain
in reference to the peril which the unity OF the nation
involved Never, in our past history has been SO i'm
portanttha the public mind should be active and deci
ded in giving proper direction to the action of the cen
trail government at Washington. The bills Of compro
mise reported by Mr. Clay, as Chairman of the Com
mittee Of Thirteen, at first made favorable impression
me. Ihestated not to express this Their details
had not then particularly examined looked mainly
to their general character and results, and thought that
while the South surrendered by these much vet no great
Drinn he n tha TTnio
and restore harmony even at the cost OF much
sion, reconcled me. Love Tor the Union and profess
sons of attachment to it, have become so trite that
should esteem it in bad taste here to renew them Tho
who boasts OF his bravery, often proves coward !!
Let those who profess to be the exclusive friends of
the Union only prove the sincerity OF their professions
by practical acts and adherence to the Constitution
OF the nation given by its authors and more
spect may be commanded for their declarations None
have proved this Union Of Sovereign States
by continued and illustrlous deeds, tor more than half
a cent ury than the people who live in the slaveholdiug
States In peace and In war, in adversely and pros
perty, in power and out Of power, they have striven
alone by their to bind together this great republic
by ties endearng as time. 10 wrongs inflicted, and
repeated time and time again they have submitted. The
last bitter cup offered for their acceptance Let
them take it and the serpents sting will never have
proved more fatal. | mpeach mans motive in this
mighty struggle. But 1now deliberatel comprehend
these Bills OF Compromise if passed they destroy and
betray the rights ofthe South Not Southern State
not one but which has again and again affirmed that
we have equal rights to the enjoyment OF all territories
however acquired That as soon as acquired Massachu
sets, Virginia, South Carolina and Vermont, Rhode
Island and Texas, and the people OF each when thew
enter these territories with their persons and
their property equals and entitled equals to the
protection Of law They stand the soil of the ma
ton as eguul members of that Union and each has an
equal right demand to be guarded and governed by
the laws othat Union. 1.-THE existing law be not strong
enough protect hem in the enjoyment personal liber
ty and the use OF their property OF whatever may
ss whether OF lands horses slaves oranyhing else
It'll the high and constitutional duty of the law ma
king power so to reform and enact and enforce the
laws to make them efficient for attaining
this first and primary object OF Government
What mad-man questions that slaves ecognlzed as
property by the Constitution OF our country In all its
features, whether tor taxation or other purposes it is
so treated and considered But how do these bills
ofcompromise act on | wish, most earnestly wish
that each would seriously consider their bearing
and effect. have neither health nor time to delineate
all of their deormities Enough however may be
found that part of the bill which relates to Texas 10
condemn its provisions. Texas is now slayeholding
State-that means simply State where slaves are
held property through all its borders, and where all
may go and enjoy the fruits OF their honest labor
Every.in OF the State may, however, be occupied
by slave owners. Over her vast territory the laws
she may enact are operative. Mr, Clay's bill propo
to yield 10000 square miles OF this State New
Mexico and to subject it to the hazards Of the Wilmo
Proviso and to effect this it provides that Texas shall
bepurchased out, in great part by the money of the
people of the South. First we called to yield
all of Calitorna-to exclude ourselves from every
foot of the coast of the Pacific. That, in all con-
science, would to be enough and even that much
deep and gre as the wrong IS, might be willing to
YIELD at least to acquesce in. Butthe appetite of the
anaconda is not even here satisfied and Texas is to
bribed to surrender half OF her whole territory eav
ing comparatively inconsiderabe strip of land on
the Mexican Gulf for the occupation OF the peo-
pie of the South. How is this proposed to be
accomplished! | ask the editors Of Southern pa
pers to publish the bills of compromise, and
then, pray all the people to take the maps and
trace the lines of boundary given by them. affirm that
if these bills pass, slavery is either by the laws Of God,
or the enactments OF Congress- substantially and eec
tualy excluded from every inch OF territory West of the
Tooth degree of latitude, and North of the 32d of North
latitude in Texas aud in all the newly acquired terrific
Ties under the Mexican treaty, whether North South
ltoma State, and the institution of Territorial 60
vernments for Utah and New Mexico, and the part-
ton of Texas the South loses all, and has nothing of
practical, substantial character given her in return. Nav
more the acquisition of territory from Mexico, will thus
have proved deep and blightng curse on the South.
From every foot OF the newly acquired territory she is
by these bills excluded; and to mock and degrade her
yet more, there comes with this exclusion, the partition
OF the Texan territory and appropriation of the halt
of to the Free Sellers of the North Give nothing
rather than this. But have written hastily and inn
to impress my countrymen the deep convictions
feel these subjects The fugitive slave bill is sad
ly detective Ii the arm OF the Central Government is
to be outstretched to protect U.S. let there be mpo
tency in the effort. DO it eectuay, do it not at all
Come with the whole power OF the Constitution or let
its Leviahan strength sleep Wake up no shorn Sam
son, only to prove his weakness and to scott at him.
An Intelligent friend from California called yesterday
to tell me OF the fortunes of an absent son in that dis
tant land and from him hear that South California if
left to herself will ask to in separate State,
with slavery Why should not the South try thisl For
myself, after the best consideration have been able to
give to the deeply important issues made in reference to
the rights Of the people of the South perceive no
other just fair and honorable ground which they can oc-
cupy than to insist the Both deg 30 min of North
titude the last point to which they will recede Let
the Territory North or South of it, be sterile that
neither beast can live within its borders we will
take and abide byit This was the Missouri compromise
Iine--compromise it most enormously called-yet
let that beso-and why compromise more? But above
ALL why give up that which we already have! Why sur
render league of Texas when have right all Of
herr Why take zone step backwards from the open and
G.nn Of MIR WehStarl | ,.Sa