Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-01-21
From the Charleston Con,ier.l
LETTER TO LANGDON CHEvES, ESQ.
RETRIEVE OYSTER CREEK, CrErAs0


My Dear Sir: On my return from Austin this place m
son. knowing how highly appreciate every thing coming
from yourself, placed in my hands your speech delivered
the Nashville Convention.
Our friendship has long na,ured and dates TOT
far bnck has been cemcnt=d By much generous sym
pathy and support your part In the hour of misfortune
exempt from The impuation ot indulgrg IN fiat
terry In the first instance disrespect in the last in ver
b, y considering and discussing that great essay the pro
duct nj OF your intellectual power and anxious pa
trioiism.
You will permit NE to say and say it with the mos, per
feet sincerity, il Is The creates, OF all your ciorsas dis
ngrished you were the Congress o! ISL ant
re, you exhibited Then, In the pamy days OF you
manhood nothing comparable 10 the radiant of t
essay Of your old nsc man can be said 10 BIZ old who
retains Your physical and moral energy. Whilst pay
your friendship the tribute OF grateful heart pay ih:
exhibition OF your genius, my profound homage.
At the risk of the charge Of esotism in appearing too Of
before The public am induced 10 address you from this
spot OF comparative sccuson when many very important
events mny occur home, Of which am ignorant, and
which might materially modify ne opinions mn about now
express But feel sonslby Tor the honor and inter
Of the gallant and high spirited State, of which
both natives not give uerance 10 some OF tho reflections
and feelings your mastery effort has excited
In the first place. let say II IS source OF unspeakable
qualification me- that infer from Your Speech that you
much opposed the separate and isolated notion OF
South Carolina In her proposed secession from The Union
that am equally impressed with yourself with the inds-
pensubc necessity and preeminent policy of securing
the ADHESION and support Of the other Southern
States, least portion Of thcin essential prem
nary effective action In the effort procure this
cert Of action will 20 rs far you or my man at the
South within the humble sphere n my influence because
believe the salvation Of the South the preservation OF the
Union and the peace and public liberty of the whole country
depend upon H. Because | believe, moreover thai the
spirit Of fanaiicism goes unchecked in the free States
It's insanity and crime and the legislation Of Congress
tnues progress in the OF injustice inequality
and exavagance the Cnion will end-but 1t will Sc, in
darkness and in blood.
am fully aware, my dear sir that you will think that
did adopt The very best in the world produce
this confederate harmony the part Of Southern States
in late letter the people Of South Carolina by referring
several OF them in tone Of evy which, admit, little
belonged 10 The gravity Of the OCCASION Gnu only that
it, in good humored raey in which there more of
mrh than malice harmless and certainly uninluenlia
wounded the feelings of the humbest in single State
this side Mason aud Dxons ne who is prepared TO stand
up for tho rights Of the South, deeply regre-an offence
az alien to my hcai yours. To those who are
prepared abandon lheRe rights, have apologies TO
make.
expressed the sonees; opposition TO the separate action
and secession Of South Carolina in my letter her people
because entirely satisfied that it would defeat not pro.
mote the cohesion and Union Of the other Southern States
there five grains OF common sense in The heads
the President and his Cabinet.
In the event Of the solitary secession CT South Carona
far from coercion il scarcely admits Of question that
the Government Of the United States would act entirely on
the defensive. They would be worthy aspire 10 the
repule OF discretion enough 10 conduct the o.
Parish festry they drew drop OF blood South IF Ma
and Dixon's line except in self defence If they did
this Union would Instantly be sner 1ed like pack .,pad
No; they would pay safer card tan hiswe should be left
very much 10 ourselves except tina, the would be
collected outside o cur Bar y naval force which South
Carolina would have no Immediate power cctear or re-
move fear this state OF things would lead Serious d.
version OF Cur trade TO the commercial ces Ia on. neigh
borhood and under unworthy panic extensive en
grafton from the Upper dSrcs State this lie md
astonlshngy fertile county, II the position in which Sou,h
Carolina would thus 5e placed would produce the
assenby OF Southern Convention headed by Virginia.
should regard with al its risks ceapy pu.cha se E
how stands H. II agiinst ;sf automatically declared opn
ions we a.e NOT only suspected but know place Ourselves
in this peril 10 coerce them 10 10 rescue? Mr. WOOD
ward, member vi Congress i.om South Carolina II gen.
tman for whom entertain all due respect dccl:rcd in
letter or speech 10 his constituents that was wise policy
Tor South Carolina 10 lace herself in this aGde because
rs rcuc drag pigini1 and North Caroline u.o our sup.
por! MI oodwards cando is Certainly co.nenda ule
Inc anc!snts had their ,ooIy an image Of Wisdom
when was represented with her finger on herpsl Wod
ward aohercs 10 The cca more christian pIecep; OF Gecev
lug neither friends enemies YET when we nave
the moral option OF being icnt should be hard 10
that IL Is tU best policy all occasions 10 spe2k out even
II i DC the truth, and nothing but the truth.
But suppose, my good sir, That The other Southern
states seene that we d come To no hai the, drop
oil blood hat been she'd tina, merely under the e
sIsanis however snaseni OF revenue blockade should
leave Us 10 ourselves cDbed and caoined In as should
be- between The Capes + North Carolina and Tyuee2 The
possibility o. aG.h contingency snows the indispensable
pulley OF acting i'll ent harmony and concert at eas, with
majority Of The other Southern States.
10 show bot the peril and absurdty n Isolated accession
would take the case Of Mississippi whether she secedes
alone or with "0 or moro States provided Lou'ana doss
not Join Tho new con:eceracy when pretend she would
only 90 In to even, Of the United OF oil he
otncr Southern Sates tie result would uncucstonaty be
is that Mississippi would have ray duiy Of two cent.
pound in the peace ner coi!In at the Gus
tom House at New Orleans event OF war with the
od Cnlteu States her producis would 5c ube consca
on in descending the Mississippi How long urdar these
circumstances would she s,ani being member OF the Few
coniedeIaey her depopna;on BY emigration wou!d be
enormously portsnous IL s now going process the
most exausting and dssastrous One ld Of wagons
met, in journey from Austin 10 Houston, with negroes
well as white cmigrans reported themselves from Misss
pp Whether tho exhaustion of her SOIL the Of the
future burdens Of her public debt produced this dishcuren
ing exodus, am oas - say but speak positively
fact 80 dlscouraging ho prospects, More than six
hundred engant wagons crossed the Red river month
mis- autumn and winter whose hardy adventrer are about
- lavish their labor and capital tho virgin soil of this
State.
II ID al once painful and supeuous 10 discuss This .uo
Ject any further for know you will coun,cnance the
proposition OF the separate secession Of South Carolina uu-
esS every other hope Of eressng the wrongs o South
Is exhausted; ind that this eSpetent will redcas Them
In me letter which addressed the people Of South rnr
ona likewise asserted broadly that it unnecessary for
me souG 10 incur the mora responsibility otssoving The
Cniun That tho fanatics ahoition!s and prorate dem
agogues Of the non saveodIng States would this
uouols mat events were travelling quito fast enough
wards this conounimaon Have l been false prophe,
Ihey nave Ionrneyod with unancpaed velocity Since
my letter written has no: Vermont within ncr limits
repealed the Fugitive Slave Bill and has Massachusetts dc
tcto annucd MAY is cusus Grderis be said now 10
have arisen I WI! not Virginia move WI. she not
call Convention OF oil lie Southern Staes meet nj Rich
mond VIII not ench ard all of them respond 10 the inyo-
Gallon Vi ms great and renowned Commonwealth mother
oi SO Eiang state3
believe, as believe in my existence that If Virgil.
nia muves, she Will save-not dissolve Union believe
II will lend TO Convention of the Ste. AMI possible
10 fresh understanding Of the bargan and that wa may
obtain i'es guarantees Tor ie projection OF slave insi
tuIns by inhibition q! the slavery discussion in Con-
gEess; and also secure amendments the Constitution re-
scIins the taxing and appopraiing power within due
bounds.
1t all this DC denied, then, with in hands the
Union must be dissolved by feeble separate
States but by the united acton of ALL claiming right
iu division OF the public property OF Union public
treasure amy navy with c coclatve burden Of our
Share OF the public debt Yes, would claim the Ut
The slave holding GEORGE WAsniSora as our lust it,
herltancc; and swear within limits Cco!e his urn
new teay 10 his p:eceps and his principles For crime
Of csan!on would belong ~ 2dgesares but not 10
selves
But the catastrophe would proceed 10 this extremity
believe the vas, majority oil the people In the nslave
holding States. when hrou.hy aroused sense the
d'nger would not give This union; no, only the lives
Of oil fugitive slaves in tie Northern States hu,
Tor those Of !hei. fanatic sbeitors boo-no not for
The anu civilization ell the ncgroes of Ethiopia
Tha. is say if the calmly aad deliberately put
prccipt"'cd by disruption which might lead
instantly 10 civil war. The moment blood is she'd there is
end Of the whole matter In this extremity are fully
capable Of defending and taxing of Ourselves will
ask with you, ii the governnen. o,.e United States
were IL take Savannah Charleston what would they do
with Ii say they take rs;cer Our Rail Roads
he rofi