Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-12-13

character and attirsapprovcd s efficient advocacy
he ugv" slave law bur not his action upon the whole
rct ~ he compromise nnd roud by his endorse ta
action Mr. IL coufsc III action Was too unyieidng To
unc"nprausing, i'n c,.ey allied The movements q
those who sirck =, the tnon md sought s destrn' ion
What would have been e ,ita the results OF that coIr-
successful! Whc" would Virginia md the Sonh have
stood II hn unyi,dng "pposition 10 c efforts oi h"s
who wrought ou, Tie "Chmpromse" had prevailed Ii 10
amidst tile haos and civil strife o disrupted cinrd"Icy
rcraIay in angry contention AMI struggle with tho mad Id
nacism Of The North, without that barrier of protection
erected by the guarantees of COMPROMISE The sustain
nrnt o which are pledged all The powers OF lhe Federa 90
v"rnm"nt Looking To the past he was unwilling 10 en
a trust the intnIc 10 the care Of Mr.. Mason.
Mr. y said that he also differed with his esteemed renG
IN the opinion that no harm could grow ont vi the presence
OF dsulnniss IN The halls Of Congress. The North would
not defer 10 lh' violence and threats heed tn ronnSe
and warnings ol sich IL by the calm and firm asPsc
OF The nnii-d southern sentiment expressing nrr of III,
MON. but requiring the Of its preservation, The
observance III lis vital and essential principles ha n" nor
hefn people we're 10 he properly impressed with true
OF their duties their country of The seqren
ces which follow their disregard Of those duties.
MI y said mat the question o! dsnion awaited the de-
velopn o events yet in the womb Of time for IFS so
ion. No State had interest than Virginia, IN e
preservation Of The Union while 1t retained its val pnc
pie It's original nature. His allegiance and his st duties
we're 10 Virginia. and he for the Union until made
engine of destruction 10 her and her rights He believed
that the Threatened struggle between Northern Modification
and dnat!cism and the Federal Government threatened
crisis raught with more dangers than that of ' revolution
The men Of tina, day nnaored the birth OF freedom and oi
OF men would have been defeed-no loa,. But if in the
threatened struggle the government i ovrrbona, me
guarantees and pledges OF the Compromise dsresardh J.
the vital pncp piles Of the Constitution crushed on o! H. ami
this Union made instrument of destructive wrong to the
Southern States then will this Union be asundcr and
The men o this day will stand amidst the ruins Of he gran
es fabric ever created by human wisdom ani human VIZ
tue That experiment will hive failed and when and where
and OF what fragments can be erected similar Dnr Hui
yet that experiment had not failed and he believed CON
hdenty thai he measures OF The CompromSc would BE-
faithfully carried out, and the MON preserved He desir
ed that Virginia should sustain through her representatives,
wisely and with appreciation Of tho Union, the TOW
ernnent IN that struggle while il continued! He believed
il would be eicciu for The oi TINT struggle
IT, however, he mistaken. and Northern fanacSn pre-
veing Justice orrrburr the Government and rel al
nangh; the compromise then he was PREPARED 10 seek "rr
means 10 protect the rights OF Virginia 10. he was TOR II.
liGia first and Inst While h. woald Vote which
would require protest or an explanation 10 accompany H.
and could not therefore from courtesy and personal res
pec vote for Mr. Mason yrt he could Gus, his vote upon his
esteemed friend from Plitsylvana onr whom he would
freely enirust with the representation of Virginia.
Mr. FLUERNOl said he had hoped that in the present
condition of the country, every member Of this Assembly
would have advocated hc reelection Of Tia" author Of the
fugitive slave bill For his part he arow@d that mad
Mr. Mason heen Nhig he would under present circinsa-
have chceuly voted for him. IA 10 tho compromise
lac asked there man here who would have devised "
measures embracedl What could do but acuesce in H.
Mr. Mason il had been stated for acquiescing what
more could We ask The only portion OF The Compronlse
TIM, enured the benefit Of tho South the Fugitive bill
The standard Of repeal has already been raised Were they
prepared announce their willingness to submit to hat -
Mr. f. asked how long gentlemen would continue 10 yta
10 orhern encroachncnts When would they hihR the
time had for the South 10 act
Mr. STRoTHER said his opinion was that the MON
will have failed when the action OF The Legislature oi 'er
mont shall become the action of all the Northern Sntrs an
the Federal Government shall prove itself Incapable OF pro-
tecng the South against such violations OF the Consltu-
lion.
Mr.. FLoURNOY said the refusal of this Legislature 10
elect Mr. James VI Mason would do than any thing
else hasten the which Mr.. 5. deprecated lie pro-
ceedcd to remark that his Judgment this Union was pre-
hv m
ern feelings Applause The floor and in the galleries
which was eprcsseJ by the Chair. Mr. + advertd 10 the
proceedings in Massachusetts and Vermont anu asked wha
Southern attempted such violations o the con-
sinonl Ii his voice should be entirely alone II should Dc
given for James W. Mason. No rules OF party caucus
should restrain him from giving sucn Sote on a ooca
sion So important as this
The following is the substance of Mr. COOKIES remarks:
Mr. SnsassE It Is win vshS I5c 5 y @ ea!; nS
vote in Of tho reelection Of hc Hon James NJ Ma
SON 10 the Senate Of the United States. In the broad limits
OF the Union from the headlands of Louisiana TO the snocs
of tie Pacific thcro is not To be found on me great
ich have ectoorn divided parties Whig more good and
,rue or who would encounter more sacrices 70 sustain.
and ndyance those principles for which have been ever
found battling But sir, the present OCCASION hnn my
self called On give vote iny living In my hunne jua
men, question of infinitely higher Importance man any
mere party issue temporary party triumph our enou
nion the sacred shrine oil human freedom the ian"u
work Of our fathers is threatened with destruction l. SIR
am Sou,hern man In all my feelings hopes and aspirations
and also Union man. In the chas'e ana sons
ngnn invoked his rountrymeh ~ pfeser,e uce =: W
patriot who would not die 10 defend-he Union whic lana
cs would establish in its stead there IS no true Pa'ro
who would die TO overthrow
Looking over this once happy but now distracted and aE
atcd Confederacy find the friends oi hc lnon, o"'
North aud South aIying 10 the support oi VIVA, nave
termed the ompr mise peace measures ol the hsl
of Congress- On a other hand, ma tlic rhciheo VI m
Union allyine under that low, black pra'ca oannfr VI
Abolionsm moving heaven and earth to BRING aoou' o
neal of the Fugitiy, Slave Bill part Of thesr coprom,t
measures and which is The valuable not lr onis
rh, or security granted the South BY the adjustment
has been mad. For one, sir nm Tor sihnone ny III"
Compromse wholly and entirely, not Tor 80 iurh "y a'
Yields 10 the North a demands, and Tor more man !. m
i right claim but for each and every Pai'' @ ai @ -
ir that bill which secures The Souinerner VINO s. 'i
,ohod al his PROPERTY the legal means ol ro'Tc2 I'm e
delivery and receiving his Jnst rights Whether 'hal IL"
shall remain or he repealed IL now ,e sole eAGis su u
the subject Of slavery in all The free states nc! "'e
hacking every other question ami lighting the oalte OH TN
sole ground. For this reason, nnd because MoIu s
strength and encouragement TO The paIo1s .'ot m.,o
oldr maintaining constitutional rights Us secnreu "
the Furye Slave Bill shall vote for hm VINO IS IN l.u
the author Of b and whose unhns energy ana lcaI
less bearing did in the Senate "i inc niteu '.e
during The Inst session of Congress carry II through maj
anv o,her member in either House. The records oi IN
country Mr. Mason 10 o' mat man anu 'ol u ~ i,
receive ms humble appreciation. His friends nave gNe
neues of hi- devotion 10 the Union which d M. u'nO
and his determination stand by and maintain @ ,r
the rghs an honor of Virginia in amy struggle WHO" 'A
eus,r his past conduct has FULLY proved ol
Nv friend from Rockbridae snyS that he believes 'e "a "
Dr n
ln,ry in the Western portions OF Virginia. ui ~ -
Tho compromise So do ], sir But let me asA in ~ ~
lnaonIo IL any norton the State wonlu o' III afoi VI
Cor. ,he fuaye slave bill repealed. SIR, u Is 'r o'
,ss in the dese-the only green spot anna '.e "aI'
bich Northern aggression has made on our ri5n's, uu
shall not be found striking blow at him who i' tue au.'o
n Thai bill 80 obnoxious the North, ana on' 'o ".
rho comuromse would never have received te S"ss i VI
= Snuh. r., ,o,. Marty. and
There are questions which I-e high above party h'
,r s;r that crisis hand which viii demand Vi ever
true SON of tho South until this continued nssa1l, upon
sha cease to disgrace the halls Of Congress una he
,,ures of the .slavehodins States TO raise ls as
Smthern rights and tor II 10 llve ol u 70 ur
II gives me pain differ with any por'ion OF my " !"
breren on this or any other OCCASION; but, s oe'e
ihat in sustaining james VI. Mason, with protest. asa
SOME nt his official ac and because OF his conneAoh
,ho fugitive slave BILL which is now the absorbing ss
" Ihr North Virginia will give more deadly oio" 10 ne m
mics of the South and will perform all act "hch WI" carr
with IL more moral force than all the resolves "h''
legislature has made or make on the snolec'. W.
yp strength To the friends Of the S"ail wherever I'm ~
and by the undivided support o our gallant son. leae "
dsturbers Of the public peace the rant!ng hpoc''
ii de.unug faconsts the North that Oa rsu, IN =.
ut respect 10 party party names in solia foh'' i M
gsrd the repeal by Congress OF the iugi'iVe sa'e o'
re sounding the knell of This Mon.
n Mr. WIrCHER would not have again rsnn on. a,, ~. "
o ra,narks which fell from the gentleman from - "
Ia The gentleman said that while Webster Chss eias ro
u A.. wa,e nubly baring for the Unon Mr Mason was