Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-11-04


rcsistlessly 10 embrace an opportunity 10 acnieSei.
The present crisis demands something more than pas
sva acquiescencc in the institution Oh slavery Assaeo
upon every side by the ntensest hostility requires for It's
sfu preservation earnest and active support
The people Virginia should enlist in lis defence, soldier
who can boast some other merit besides determination not
sert hi. post and adhere the enemy The contest is
already unequal that the most Jealous loyalty o. the stout
est hardly resist the onset In eectng GEokeE
" SUMMERS the people Of Virginia would elevate 10 the
h,hest Office in the State who unless he could prove
,Ie TO the ong cherished and dbsrate' feelings and prn-
cpes Of his nature, cannot exert himself without extreme
reluctance ADD rpugnance in defence OF tie institution OF
slavery How can expect him TO repel with energy the
Efforts of others to abae what he conesses 70 be "a great
nubc nuisance! How we demand OF him 10 contr-
bnrc 10 pcrpetuate wrong and Inquyi Can
we demand him disregard his highest moral Obligation
and to riouis his Qcia OATH viii he prove ecean, to he
nirs yhrh he owes his conscience and his country! Will
hr faIsy she and c0unteract the deliberate connections
his mind and he long cherished rtses o. ms heart! Yet
this and nothing less must GEORGE w. uT before
he can exert single effort in defence OF slavery Inc al
tentative is presented the people OF Virginia. either to elect
man feelings and principles in regard 10 slavery are
most unsount and unsafe whatever may be the nature OF ms
DESIGNS or To elect one whose devotion to the Souh It's In
situations and lis interests has been illustrated b signal ser
vices and is unlimited by the suspicion OF "eachery
nhotnst feeling needs but the occasion 10 become an
ubnitiuns in action. Better then, enrust the executive
mower of the State with whose future good conduct
warranted by The soundness OF his feelings ana pncps
that the mere paper professions of candidate are liable
to tho suspicion Of being manufactured Tor inc occasion
and Designed Tor party purposes The past conduct and re-
corded services OF candidate should constitute his only c-
gi,irllle claim 10 public confidence.
But seems from SUMMERS cpistle that Governor JonS-
son the candidate of the Democracy may possibly De ss
pectcd disoyay the State OF Virginia. and the lnsnu
alton least, thrown out that he IL unworthy the conn
ence Of The people Of this Commonwealth And wherefore
Because he happened born in the State 0f New ork
Party panegyric has represented GEORGE W. SUMMERS as
high and nagnanimous gentleman but more iibea I'M
trick than this is not recorded IN the annals Of po
tical warfare GEORGE w SUMMERS dare not assert open
that Col JOHNSON is unworthy the confidence OF the peo
pie Virginia. that any OCCASION no matter now Fio-
lent the panc OF the moment he has betrayed heE lntel-
csS the testimony Of history would have stamped The acqu
sitDn infamous libel But he vents MS spleen py ss
masng his honorable opponent as orcigner anu lhsna-
ting suggestion that perhaps he may not De true 70 the
State True is that Col JOHNSON is not native OF Vir-
gina; and reycng and loving her ns he dOes no man re-
grrts the misfortune il misfortune be- than himself
But he indicated his devotion 10 the State VI MS ado-
ton services which should put To shame the empty boasts
of recreant as GEORGE W SUMMERS. Co. JOHN
has more than reconpensed virginia lot INC i'hoss
she has bestowed upon hnindeed lie won heh IN advance
When orcign Zoe invaded her soil no man more promptly
marched and repulse him. Nor has he ever turned
traitor 10 he. domestic Interests but whether 10 Tue ote or
Federal Legislature JOSEPH Johnson has eariessv and latin
fully sustained the honor and welfare of Virginia And yet
this Is the who stigulased as Jo'et.ner-a lorelgn-
TO- because born in sister Stale Yer! consistent
surely 10 lhr ini0a candidate find fault with man be-
by the accident Q! br' ne ccs from another Stale
"r srp?o" Tic NAT clause Of lie Constitution which wing
nc.:s!h viii l:,ack IL ' w"h guarantees 40 me c!li-
zcIs o. each State all the privileges and mmunes Of citi-
2ras vi The several Slales.''
We have done for the present win :-HMERs' letter.
That il has ut!cIy ai &c q hi ~ Us r&!G" Vi anoli
u: c:T be ,en,G ~ impartial mind lila. u Sc'rays
n ngrnsous and Liberal disposition. is equally manifest
There is but apology which the temper "f
Su,,MERs letter which is that in the freedom and abandon
confidential correspondence he gave ulterace ~ sent
nens which would voluntarily have submitted 10 the
public eye B; the letter published the jndiscetion Is com
United, and Summers must gUl!e the consequences
/, is purpose 10 press our Charges against Mf
SUMMERS in an unfair ungenerolls manner. He shall
have tie full benefit fact that tends 10 relieve him
Of tie mputaon Of unoundness upon the slavery question:
and for all admissions and reac6ns which he makes, we
will freely give him credit With This spirit of fairness and
canto insert his letter TO his Petersburg followers W..
m. rxraim how unfortunate that his retrnxit Is so limited
and unsatisfactory but thai Is not our concern out Els ana
his .nds He c0niess-s that he no longer thinks the LIE
asatuc abolish slavery and he says he Is
opposed any scheme that may affect the value or security
Of slave property Very will So far, 80 good; out sum
MERs does not pretend he deems siarer less erH less
an outrage iessa rrong less public nuisance than nc rep
resen,ed Il in go Has GEORGE w SUMMERS elrncted the
fo!lyTng sentiments? DEFY any man 10 answer IN Inc
affirmative
"Tno.e whom interest or would prompt 10 industry
rarely find employment in dense saveolding community
Penry and Indebtedness avail! fheii or he abandonment
Of their pnvc land and The humble graves OF Their Kindred
seek in isihnt chnny AMI among siianeers ma when
their own had dened them" SLAVERY tends 10 diise ig-
among those Immediately in contact
will, it," "Whrre slavery prevails the spirit Of free inquiry
md adv, nitrous enterprise is much rcpressct The dle
tnr il manifest brtwrcn the Eastern and Western parts OF
dis Commonwealth" Slavrs add nothing 10 the physical
strength the cnunryilcy contribute nanght 10 its glory
or is defence" 1.-The gentleman from Brunswick (ar
(ho!son) remarked that thu condition OF our State had here
1rc been accounted for in failure to dcveope her resur
nv Iuti system
ir where of that Gure7 is found in the
existence Of large slave population and slave interest. 1t
is but one Of Tie legitimate effects OF that original primary
which stands 1nt i n 81 This system Slavery canno,
nIae upon s a, every step When the statesman examines
the condition o; his country and finds her moral influence
gone her physical strength diminished her political power
waning he and must confess thcn They may be view"
ed written on nations tnap
The slave is made property not by natural right in him
who makes him SUCH Men made slaves only by force
md L.pu
necessity Saves made property III Virginia by statutory
provision" The right by which we hold our slaves is the
right force and property founded in Oron outrage
and injustice" at will not be denied that the slave,
living m ~ has right to assert and regain his liberty Uhe
He has right direct and control his own actions
right surrendered and aienaed-a right para
mount TO all conventional guarantees or civil compacs"
Here is the letter.
KASAwnA C. H., Oct. 10th, 1851.
DEAR SIR Il this morning received the letter addressed
by yourself and Others inviting early visit 10 Peters
burg and the adjacent country feel the utmost anxiety to
that quarter the earliest practicable period set
out in the morning fox the Southwest and shall either go
rom that region down the Valley or to Eastern Virginia
1t vii! be impossible TO canvass the whole Stale must
strike for important points and do regard more 50
than your ncigi5orhOoJ. | can only say that viii be
with possible.
As made OF the in the
cgisiat"re Of 1892 it is easily met took occasion in the
late Convention review the transactions alluded u and
send you by this mail copy of the speech then made
You will find from page TO page Ia what relates 10 that
SUBJECT and might be well to insert 1t i" Inc i"'e'se"
voted insert that provision in the Constitution
which specifically prohibits emancipation stated express
y, tat in my opinion without such clause. the Le
,isalufc would have ri ht 10 emanclpate
l Shareholder myself TO considerable amount, and
live in the largest slave. holding county in the West am
fixed my opposition all and every scheme State Fee
raj calculated affect the value security Of slave pro-
rcry, any in the Common wealth And yet this rdi
:uuus and full apprehension is egned by those who will
for Col Johnson, gentleman born in the State Of New
York, aud who 10 Virginia in life; who per-
laps owned s!ayeand who lives i'll part of the State
In than nfn
he Commonwealth
write in great haste, and with the freedom OF cnd for
and not for the pesS,hough you ut iber-
any facts uf the above stated make attack
IN Col j. foreigner other account butt may
rXcusable for feeling warmth at the course OF OPP
position mentioned in your letter. and which is 1T the
same time ungencruus and so unoundcd
Hoping 10 nave the pleasure OF seeing you,
am yours, truly,
GEO. W. SUMMERS.
Now in with these beral and ungercrons al
usiois Col Jlinson and the that yon at
iJcrty IS any Of HE facts ADORE Satfd-wc place the
blowing 'ract from western paper:
COL JOiNSON.rhe more We and learn OF "Olt
- The