Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-06-26
For the Ea1Tiyer.
TIE WASHINGTON "uNION" AND THE
SENTINEL"

"SENTISEL."
Messrs. Editors Il am very reluctant to occupy
your columns again with my unncresting observa
tions, but am unwilling that tho Sentinel shall sup
pose that "second Tor even third fourth) read
ing nf the article in the Union has convinced me,
he thinks ought that the Sentines construction OF
the rlddc is correct. will be rs brief rs possible
In the first place, let me assure the Sentinel that
never took up my pen, feeble as il is rs n champion
of the "Unon." fIud felt in u 0uixotic hurnor,
there are certain reasons why my budkin would
rather have been M the service OF the other party.
Nor did presume To impose upon the Sentinel the
slightest "ohlisa"n 10 notice tmy) crtilue.'
merely meant, by tur criticism, TO cnntrovert tho
Sentinel 5 construction or "cXplanaOn, "ncrprc.
ratiun," whatever it thinks proper TO Gull it, OF
what appears to me 10 be very plain English. And
at the hazard OF being supposed incurably obtusc,
must confess that, i'll the Scntincs second edition,
not only do not find " jUN answer to my conhuni.
cation, but tiud nothing which bcars the slightest re-
scnblancc TO one. have not been a reader of the
Union for several years, and not prepared, is
it ut all relevant, to discuss the catalogue of "absur
dities" and Inconsistencies with which it is charged
We're it all true, il would not alter my position that
the article, which undertake 10 defend, docs, il
proiCsscs, clearly and uncquivocally define the DE
nocratc position OH the question Of slavery" The
Sentinel thinks TINT the "prOccss" by which ] hav,
arrived at this conclusion IL not only questionable,
but "anH.Ns." | have only to say TINT i'll order tc
procure for itself this 'amsemcnt,' it has served
Union lie. taken n email and unimporant frnctinn
mere preliminary of my argument, and quoted it n
the whole "prcccss' by which arrived NJ my Icon
cusion" As however, it has published my com
muncatiOn in another column leave it to our read
er4 TO say whether the Sentinel has Mt all the fun tc
itself.
1t should have occurred to me, says the Sentinel
that f the Union msinterpreted, it ought 10 de-
fend itself" The Union has given its fnr
doing Whether satisfactory not, does not CON
l,1f inn tAlIt
cal discussions with the Sentinel" | adopt the
Unions article fair and complete exposition OF
my principles national Democrat, and hence de
rive M right to show, if can, that the garblcd quo
taion made by the Sentinel, is most garng pcrver'
sion OF the meaning OF the whole article.
The whole defence, says the Sentinel, proceeds
unou the spnoston that the language of the Union l.
Of doubifm import" | beg your pardon, gentlemen
there is not upon NJ y mind rle shadow of Il shndc OF
doubt as to the import OF MM language If the
Government organ never u'tcrs 'rlarker sayings
than that, it will most assurcdly be Sustained by
one "Southerner and Eirginian," humble though he
be- the warnings OF the Sentinel to the contrary, not
wtistaudng. do MT ''admit that the Union asserts
nothing plainly and pointedly." do nat rely upon
deductions and inferences;'' / claim that no man,
North or South could language more plain, point
ed or unequyoca.
The Sentinel understands the word abstract, with
which the Unions article is besprinkled, To be used
with no other purpose than aSs t9 .eR& eontase.
the abstract QueatlO, O. wnefHcr slavery NloEtes
moral obligation christian duty" whether It is IA
social nr political oies sing; whether il is consistent
with morality or the teachings OF the Bible, &c. the
North and South cdhmOt 1"rSS, and therefore, M'S
question must be excluded from National creed.
}ut the question of Southern rights set forth in the
Baltimore resolutions (which quoted verbatim ct
ltcratm) cannot be excluded they constitute Tile
authentic position o. the Democratic party, upon
which it bnses its claim to nationality" Is there
any riddle" or "ambguity, or "Perplexlty hoou.
thisI lsubmt whether, the word a1Stract h0a no,
occurred once in the whole article, the Inference
would not be inevitable from the rest OF II, that the
abstract question was meant lortori, when hnd
that the article begins with mas word and sos II ire
ducntly in stating the question, besides oher express
sioIs of tho anne purpnr is It possible thh the Sell
trc requires me to consider the one angle sentence,
which 0miis this perpexlng" word "CSfracf' rs the
;uS interpretation, unqualified by what precedes
or follows i'll Methinks upon this princlpto oil
interpretation the perplcxity anu cohlus'e;n Z" nu
mau language would be such rs 10 puI Dnoci !"
sin,ne And here beg attention to the tuct that the
very paragraph quoted BY the Sentinel M containing
the one the only obnoxious expression, Thich does
not crcud. sae question Gt Siar"y t'"m hS creed,
obnoxious because it onits tho "perpe&lng word
,Lstr0ri-bcrins thus: AT We ARE right III assuming,
,bnt the North and the South can harmonze OIL
the abstract subject q slavery" &c! and ro"c!Naes
in the Language objected TO by tho Sentinel: "lhen
M psrt can be national which does nor exclude thc
.,nsstionn of slavery" What sort of "4uestion!"-
Why the one WlllCH sRi0 ~ P''i'""'" 'Np
norfs His concl..;un. viz: the abstract question.
The Sentinel concludes its remarks 10y nsscrtug
,,ot the abstract question has not been source o
difjiculty with the Democratic pnrty, North and
South The Union. probably, would demur 10 me
G,un,eIs exercising the privilege OF using the word
nLJg,i in announcing ts views, while il chGrgea tho
Union with using it for the nUrrose ci gcrpcXlng
and confusing" But beg leave 10 coEcur with the
Union in tha upn,on. thnt the "dithculty, VIZ: q
nrrec;.et between the North ami South does origin
u,,1 unflC ~ rni ill-
lin the midst OF this perous slavery crisis" that in de
iinug the position which e National Democratic party
ahnuld occupy, the South should be rol2!Rded tlln
while she plants herself firmly upor der consttutoia
RIGHTS abe must not expect to change the ddHf0c
rjrws of the North 8y h union of honest men upon
his rrounI. oAr country may be saved Deprive Ia
rrti5im Of its power for mischief but let II Wee alc
howl "in the abstract to its hearts CONTEXT, ,,
The Sentinel contends, that, Notwithstanding tho
antiquities" Sc, of tho s;;iau IS article, II mraH'
to release the pcTnorats OF the n"n-siaVeno!a',ls
states FROM ny obligation to give to their snutherl
ard .,aycaoldins brethren pledges o. W0fcct:"". =
MILL NIT the question to au intelligent pubic, ant
leayc it with them To decide Whether any sucli Iur
pose can be gathered fro,G ,ac Unions article uhes
Won eroungc the Lat and biggest hali Of II, when
yuJerstnnd tc he very emphatic demand Of pledge
of protection, whilst the rst hall is calm expression
Of sentiments which arr reecoed by the sentiiieI.
Finally, "he (the Enquirer'a correspondehtl WI
find thut it is not the ahstrsct but the 'cho'e qesoi
Of slavery that tie S0H whai EfSRG'vsb when find he
tra LoI,imorr Resolutions, and the Union holding
them up to the world the uuhoRtio position OF TN
Democratic party r"-EScuse no. IT, T. L.
-.S----
yRuM TENNESSEE.
Tt Hc Editors ofMe Enquiry: -, ,a,-
F,yrrrE CouxrY, Tenn. June IL, 1853.
laval myself of this opportunity to congratulate
Won unon the success of Democratic principles IL
ihe Oid Dominion. think you will hear of sIInl
inr triumpE here in August next i'll the election "
Governor. attended the speaking OF the candidate
nj Somervillc some time ago. assure you there il
no conparison between tho two men. Gentry wa