Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-04-30
LETTER FROM HON. WIN. c. RIvEs.
The Charlottesville Aduocate publishes the follow
ing letter from Mr.. RlvEs to friend in AlbemarIe.
PARIS, March 81 1850


The Charlottesville Adoocate publishes the follow
ing letter from Mr.. RlvEs to friend in Albemarle.
PARIS, March 81, 1885,
My dear Sir-I cannot describe to Won the deer
modification and chagrin with which read the ac
counts, brought by successive steamers of the fratricda
contests now openly waged in Legislative Hall:
between brethren and representatives ola common coun
Try and the levty with which that word of evil omen
DiSunton, is now echoed from mouth to month Wanv
OF us, indeed toresaw and predicted that intestine con
roversles OF most angry character would grow out Of
me war with Mexico, if that war should terminate as
seemed most probable, in any large acquisition of terri
tory from our feeble neghbor But had certainly not
| expected to witness so the melancholy snectacle
which now presented of the National Legislature
well as the public authorities of many of the States
coo1y celebrating upon the dissolution of the Union
which was sealed with the blood OF our fathers and
winch was destined, they believed and it has hitherto
posterty
AS to the immediate occasion Of this painful and I'M
natural exhibition, will say to you, without reserve,
that nobody reprobaes heartily than do the con-
duct ofthe agators of the Wilot propiso and of the
whole political movement which is disguised under the
| specious name of free soiliSm The measure which
they propose Is in my humble Judgment, under the cir
cumstances in which it is presented, impressed with the
worst features OF acous origin, is ntrnscay opposed
to the just and equal spirit Of institutions and is
moreover, without warrant in any sound Interpretation
OF the text OF the constitution. Let it, therefore be re-
sisted with all the energy OF patriotsm and by all right
full means which the Constitution itself sanctions and
supplies These means are Insufficient to defeat and
it pursued in constitutional and loyal spirit will ntal-
libby defeat it. The position which the slayehoIdno
States should occupy is mpegnable one by its SIM
plcity as well as selfevident justice Absolute non
Intervention on the part OF Congress should be our mot
tono Wimot prouiso, legislation ohateper bu Con-
gress either to prohibit introduce slavery in the
new Territories. Leave them to the natural and spop-
taneous course OF things. and to the people who may
settle the country the unimpared liberty when the time
arrives, to establish permanent government for them
selves, to exclude permit savery-as to them may
seem good and as will then be their unquestionabe
right freely to decide. II we go beyond this and de-
mand of Congress any action whatever in aid of the es
Enlistment Of slavery in any portion of the Territories
in question: we abandon the great principle OF noninter-
uen0n, which alone constitutes safety and the in
| vincible justice OF our cause.
have seen with infinite regret, that measures have
been proposed IN our own beloved Commonwealth
looking eventual dissolution of the Union and
that some have made the bold experiment ofattemntng
to iatter her pride with the idea of being the pioneer
and leader in this nglorious work. Surely this is role
which does not belong to Virginia The State which
OF all others, was most instrumental under Providence
IN calling the Union into the existence, should least
Of ALL it we consider historical propriety alone be ex-
pected to lead the way in its destruction But beyond
this and supposing it possible, for moment that Vr-
ginans could ever forget the sacred allegiance which
their fathers to the Union as Tho ark of our com
mon safety, and which has descended upon with re-
doubled obligations since we have lived to see The won
derul and unparalleled OF national greatness
whchit has opened to the VIII ole country, any one
be blind not to see the especial and uta interests
ton OF the Union?
Shell geographically, she long was and may again
be politically, the centre Of the Federal system The
liberia and enlightened policy of her legislators has of
late years. been rapidly making her. what nature design
ed her to be- the thoroughare and rendezvous of our
great and united ssterhood of States Her great lines
OF railway from North to South and from East to West
already completed or in progress under the noble and
munlfcent provision recently made by the Legislature
were intended to be the avenues of great continental
intercourse both OF travel and OF commerce, between
the remotest extremes OF an empire extending from the
Lakes to the Gulf OF Mexico and from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Ocean Into what ridiculous but costly and
ruinous abortons would they dwndle if Virginia in
stead OF being the thoroughare and in some Sort the
entrepo OF the Continent, enriched by the currents of
free and unshaeked intercourse passing through her
bosom, is TO become border State standing on the
edge OF divided contederaey, and looking out on the
contiguous territory of foreign, and possibly hostile
States both to the North and the West-for hold it
to be absolutely certain that neither Maryland nor Ken
lucky can ever be drawn INTO any scheme OF dsunion
In exchange Tor these and the other precious advanta
ges OF her position as the Central State of the Union
what has Virginia to gain byjoinng Southern COME
deracy! VIII she have any more security for the legal
rights OF property connected with the institution of sa
very when the whole North and Northwest will be
thrown open to fugitive slaves without any OBLIGATION
whatever and certainly without any disposition to re-
store them, than she now has while those States are
bound by Constitutional stipulation for their surren
der! In regard to commerce, what trade have we
ORGAN we have with the South, to be compared to our
growing and valuable trade with the North our future
| wien q
railway communication are completed to the Ohio and
Mississippi and the free and unrestricted trade now se-
cured 10 US by the Constitution with the whole Union,
the South itself included. 1t is easy to foresee if the
Union should ever be dissolved (he supposition itself
is species OF sacrilege) and Southern contederacy
be formed out OF its ruins that the production and COM
merce OF Cotton would be the great material interest
the memorable Juegerndut to which every thing else
would be sacrificed in the new coniederacy The plan
tiers and farmers of Virginia best know how far thew
would be likely to profit by an exclusive policy of that
sort
We have sometimes been told of the advantageous
treaties of commerce which the South as separate
confederacy would be able TO form with foreign powers,
well conceive why England should grant free admis-
sion to Cotton, the raw material Of by lar the largest
branch OF her manufactures, and might hold out,
In prospective the deceptive lure of general free trade
with Southern Contederacy, as means of dividing
the American Union, and of securing the exclusive
possession OF the markets of Southern States for the
consumption OF her manufactures The United States
OF America, as one great confederated empire have
grown INTO too much strength and importance not to
make 1t the interest OF ambitious foreign powers to see
with complacen y, and to encourage, as far they
dare, any scheme which, by dividing, would DESTROY SO
formidable rival But it may be safely left to every
american bosom to say whether free constitutional
Union with our own brethren, the co-heis of our nation
al independence and glory is, under any circumstances
to be surrendered Tor degrading colonial dependence
upon foreign power whose yoke our fathers spurned
under whatever name such connection might be dis
| guised.
| Among the measures proposed to the people Of Vr
glna which appear TO me to have lawful squirting"
to dissolution of the Union, though probably not SO
intended, Is the recommendation to the several Congress
sona Districts to appoint delegates to convention to
be he in Nashville for the purpose of organizing con.
certed action by the Southern States sincerely hope
that the good sense and loyalty of the people OF Vr-
glnla Will Withhold them from any participation in the
proceedings OF such convention. The bad odour of
memorable example in history is full of warning
and say, moreover, if the connection of Virginia with
the Union is to be severed, let it be done by her own
sovereign and independent act Let the people be as
sembled in solemn convention duly and regularly Or
gained under the highest sanctions of the Law to de-
lberate on the gravest question, perhaps, which was
ever propounded to allble human councils. Let the
reverend fathers Of the land-he men of wisdom, of
virtue and Of experience-be chosen decide the mo-
mentous issue, under deep religious sense OF the re-
sponsbiy they owe to posterty well 10 the pre-
sen generation;
This mode of procedure is so much the more called for
the same fatal stroke which sewers Virginia from the
Union would, am convinced inevitably sever Virginia
herself into TWO distinct and alien STATES th