Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-10
From ,li, Char-,"n Mercury
THE AT"TTrI'DE OF TIE NORTH AND THE

Al mn ncr;nl since W.. have been people. has there
been greater calm than tint which now pcrvadcs the
minds "f the Southern popr. Inc S'IusSic "i ln'o
seems o have produced prriound indifference, "r
confident assurnncc which il cuntrnt Ia leave public
affairs connected with the General Government, tn
drift down the stream "i TIM" without III til"r I" Ill
arrest their course u me government wah
the most bcuccra in the world, a'i absolutely under
our control we could not exhibit greater apparent
satisfaction with ii" oprla"il+ l.'ttIr Local STATE
matters alone bubble up indie Statccl"tlons. n tests
for the peoples choice and favor The people seem
10 be totally unconscious or indifferent to The black
tempest of abolition which is gathering III the North,
soon to break in all lis fur, OH the South Through
out the free States the uspc oi things In widely dii-
icrrnt. There the proltunrst interest ana the Wild
est fnnacism agatc TIE public ihiil" conventions
and public meetings Il all sort: arc dnly taxing
plue Public syvikcrs md public lecturers ARE abrnHd
amongst the prnr stirring mp their PASSIONS and lirg
their zeal in the pubc strvicr And what Is the great
burden of their iuriolS a@ita'i"i' AlavtrE-ihc
slavery of the S0uthcrr Statcs-wiIh"ut which the
Southern States must be hnwllng wilderness, and
their people scattered ibroad lousrIsr aud Homeless
Their li>ar;lg InrI in the tnlon. their degradation
and dependency under Northern domination: their
ru political social ird physical; Is the grand theme
uf d!s,.lsson and the grand aim al northern a"itanI
liz is not enough that have been tributary Ia them
tor thirty wears all r operations Of "Ir ronm"n Go
vcrnmcnt and have lhcd them 10 a'iu'nce hnd pow
cr Ii is not enough that they steal our slaves, and
hot only will NOT fulfil the faith I'll the Constitution
in rcu,lrrln, them back Ia but murder our clti'
Zcns i'm their attempts tD rchke them. IL Is Not
enough that we have been turned "u {" our territory
acquired from Mcxitn, Ia be pnid for by Southern
treasure am. hy the best blood "f the South. II
is not enough that hav" patiently bowed down uil-
der all these multiplied WRONGS and still cling tn an
Union with them. Their hatred aud contempt seems
+, inrrrilsc with their usgrrSSiu- and our submission.
They break down the party ties which have arisen
under the Constitution, and organize Il mighty Nh
tiorul unry who's. creed is hostility Ia slavery and
the South and whose policy il is t" destroy b"th.-
Never before has such state at things existed
amongst Il lwoIr living under the same G"rcriI-
mcnt a hostility, iuStiiymg war among in"nr
il deliberately excited, und carried hy portion
of the uropl against the other. II il worse than this
They design Ia produce war, intestine war, which
will end III determination. They design {" produce
neutrality-suspicious. which shall entail utter ruin,
prrhaps by blood and ma.sacre. Yet, the South Il
calm--vcry calm, l. her rrposc. that "i conscious
power Il her apparent Indifference the result OF
settled determination, which is no longer heard in
woris Or is she drud--rad beyond resurrection
by the calls nt SIprcSrrv ati"m ri honor by even
The fierce fires of isurrtrtiDn We still have conf
dence in her ,lcsfincs bu looking To The past ANA
the present, many brave hcnrt might despair "i the
South.
To feel aud write in this manner painful duty
The tame and sluggish will not thank us tor reminding
Them nt their unwnr;hinc,l for disturbing Their
siumbnrs and TN. brave and indignant spirit will ID"
only the rhHl,d when II Is pointed I" the lnSn-
lent attitude oi iii" nggrcs-pr and tl" unrrsI-ng
mrckirss OF the victim. Bu; the true Southern our
nal is nlr. its mission, false 10 its principles false I"
itself, il, it locks nut upon the political sky. and
reads the danger, II hCsIiarS Ia give the alarm. lest
towards Inay their dcpr'CHtIng hands, or party
sI,oilsmcn tremblr inr their gold.