Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-03-23

'iiucd III Virginia, is apparent III uil -ur'I indication
oT the pending canvas. 10 arr al ,iii> dI,ia1c. nAni
,r;.
Their. are. :, W t!,ink. ia Pennsylvania. par;iruia
,rruuG- ir II confident t-!irl ilIa. if the teinp1'ar.
.ilvrv,-rcmcc ia which Knuw-Eothirs agitation la
everywhere originated, has ever brcn stirred UP II
ans material degree in Virginia, II will there be II
tvaucsrent and shUrt-livel a. it has been CtIerveF
cent. IL has undoubtedly hcrII thus cilrrv,sccni an
short we'd elsewhere. There is nothing novel in th'
Te-rnt knpw-Nnll:ing organization. Disappnin'c'
ecker. al office, in their discomfort, have h!thcrt,
become traitors to political organizations Ut which
they were members: md, inding themselves outcaSt
rom these organizations, have, in like manner, d-
viscd or adopted hypocritical p%rntences 10 %extrlcat
thcm.clvrs from obligations of consistency, whlci
men of true fidelity Ia their party deem binding
But, in the few cases in which opposing combination
thus formed have succeeded i'll temporary subver
sions ut democratic influence, their organization ha
been deferred until the eve OF II Presidential election
and has remained unknown until il has been too lat
10 disclose the t~reachPry lurking nj its foundation, o
to rclute the calumnious misrepresentation unde
which it has been cloaked. The force Of know-Nn
tlingism, itful auh irregular, has hitherto been tX
pended in premature efforts, having no lntclilGlb!r
immediate object, no definite future purpose; efforts
which. hAd they been properly resisted and openl!.
denounced in the outset, would probably no: have
been successful any where, even temporarily. More
over, in the cases in which united factions have HI
thcrto temporarily succeeded, in their opposition Il
the democracy, their movemcnts, more deeply plarnet
than the shallow devices OF the know-NOtlIlngE,w were
directed md controlled BIZ leaders OF caution IN,
nb;l;ty. The leaders Of the Know-Nothings, as far n
wccan recognize. them, are time-aerving occupants %
the nearest rustrum, or vHcillating mcrcennrles oi III,
local press. Ali politicians, of n grade emitting then
to rank in the class of statesmen, have warned theli
followers to beware of the lmprudcnce OF union VIII
an association Of conspirators against religious
liberation and against equality OF political franchises
As a faction, such conspira;orsm may become IN organIz'
ed association. But, whether secretly or openly or
ganizcd, they cannot constitute n party in the true
sense of the term ns i is understood i'll q land vi tree
dom. Such an organization, whether secret ar open
wauts not only moral support. it wants, likewise
the support of those who, for temporary purposes ol
seIf.intercst, might, otherwise, have allowed policy 10
supply the place OF morality. At the recent genera
election in the State of New York, though each OF
the old parties was irreconcileably divided .y m IN
ternal cl.i.m, all tho sagncious leaders OF both pr
Ties. including the Senator nuincd i'll your letter, con-
currcI in disclailning open association, and in spurn-
inc ayow,J alliance with Know Nothing disnrsaniz
rrs. Whatever unknown bond III union may have
secretly held the ant. Democratic force, OF New York
together n. the lutc Senatorial election, tlti- experienced
l,tI,r and representative of those forces was much
,nu,, too prudent to hazard his local standing by
yenturino on Il voyage III the irail vessel ni Know
NothingisIn, in which n less far-sigllted politician, Of
the same class, has been subsequently, wrecked in
Pennsylvania. In Virginia, the fusion OF either party
with such u faction, appears TO Us, nj our distance from
her borders, altogether impossible. Political virtue
his there. prevented, and Will continue Ia prevent the
Democracy from conciliatine d faction who depend
for success upon the prostitution III the rights OF the
ueopla Of the siavcholdirg States, secured by the con-
stitutiom OF the General Government, upon The subvcr-
sion of the principles embodied in the amendments
whose adoption was the condition on which Virginia be.
q party ~ that constitutions; upona violation Of the
pledges Of political differentiation under which our ma
turulized fellow citizens wcreinvitcd 10 our shores; aud
a., ,s,D anna Of tha pen rtTIfs N man m
Worship his God according 10 the dictates of his own
religious convictions. II NOTHING but policy has pre-
vented the federal party or their Wing SUCCESSORS from
anlalagnma.irG hitherto with an" faction, however
nnti-rcpnhl.can. IN opposition 10 nc Democracy II
therefore, may not cherish Il hope TINT 4 purer
feeling or I higher motive may prevail III Virginia
with, at least. the more enlightened members OF tho
late Wing rhrty OF this crisis %! unprecedented I'M
portance TO the welfare oi your Commonwealth, we
may, perhaps, nj all events, rely upon their inteHi-
Ccncc IL discern the ptrils inevitably attendant upon q
fusion, which, ifnot presently suicidal, must ultimately
provo .eli.dcstructiye. II, however. this reliance
VIC may confidently rect our Dependence on the
rcfcrvei, and, rs we trust, lnczt!ngu:shab!e force OF
vonr former Democratic majority.
1hI p:opl" Of the slavchold!ng Suites cannot he
that tho Democratic organization III the
non sin yeiold!ng States hos heen maintained upon the
unconprcm!siu. principle Of a combined support oi
the CONSTITUTIONS. rights Of the slavehoIder and OF th-
complete political frntcrn.Iaton Of the native citi2eh
and the lHturfllks'l. lHt btutNiH'S ~ 49,.
where, on this principle, braved defeat, regGrdIess
o. every iernpcrising p%olicy. The ln;r Demo
cratic Governor u! Pennsylvania, who rrt!Ics, Tor inc
present, from public life, Eonored IL defeat III a wor-
Thy ce.isr, in his message 10 our Legislature, no" III
session, AXIS, How ecu any American latnot re-
With the least degree Of complaccncytt he con'tn-
and cmbiasrfa cLcltsMent 81 one sect1"h ~ 'e
ropnirV aFnlnst tie domestic FsfGAtt"iS o. dHo!hfr
On, He mare recent 0rgcSlrdi!o" o. $fcftt Eoc'e'I''
the Ini1n, tdscd aEoa ddciTn=s q rte",
non ana p,oscrio,:1a, utterly az war with our GGlionai
uud State constitutions, and obnoxious ~ the liberal
sr,ri. ol American republicanisini' As Democrats
". lckc e lust prids in contrasting these patrio.c 'eh-
timcnts with the recent incendiary abolition message
OF the rr.s.n, know-Nothing Governor u! Masaa,
chusc..s, or ttn subsequent anti Nebraska speeches OF
the Knuw-No:hinC Senator from the same State. We
meet such contrasts wherever w. cas-; our eyes on the
present field Of political controversy.
Corsuicuously frat ard Loot. tie conservative prin.
ciples OF the Democracy hays stone forth in an vr.
deviating protection OF the rcarvet rigbts Of 'Ir
separate sovereigntics OF our Union to regulate their
internal domestic Institutions without intcrie renee.
independently Of the Constitution Of the United
States, the pioneer from n slaveholding Stnte could
have carried servants with him IA his property tn the
territorial wilderness. SO far rs restrictions on tins
RIGHT wr;C ,...sej tythc ordinance If 49,, with the
asscu; oi the SlavtncaI..E S'ates, the r!ght may nave
been excluded from the te-rito'5 eL. TRACED W!thlh
the pnrticuIar provisions Of that ordinance, L6h Ter
ritnrisi restrictions upun emIgranl. rom the slave
boIIinp States under that ordinance, were voluntarily
.clt.impo.ed were not the result Of coercion imposed
in the name OF cClsproniie If the Constitution OF
the United State, had Devt. t2rn framed or Adopted
Ills ordinance, beyond the limits Oh t.:c territory
which was its subject, would, of course, have been
imperative. In subsequently, acquired tcr!itor"s' q
settlers riyh; IF property IN slaves carried WIN MN
could not hnye br"r rightfuily Impaired Otherwise
Than with like c:seat u the siavcholdIug States, or
hy some set of uniran.nellet lsgia!stiup OF the ter
ritory in which tic became 8 settler, or trrollgh Tue
legislation of the future stH!e OF which lie would on
her admission 20 the Union, become q citliel; Al
the territories added to thu domain "i iie 'hIeu
States since the ordinance OF lISI. winch nave Iot
i,.-u acquired by purchase alone. have pceN
urIri-ed by conquest c~n"fi7ned by purchase Every
orthodox EcHUcrG! recognizes Inc ruin 'lat s"on
territories could Ect have been thus GcldircIu' II
the treasure and blood OF ii. ."cople ct The slave
holding States Ind not in . just 'f:o;c!flon been
.xpcndcd in their acquisition; u proportion equal Ia
TINT in which The blood and treasure Il! 'lr pc"P!r o'
the !ou-sluveholding States were expended. Inc
treasure ti!t:s invested was thus, ~ part' me Pr"au''
of the labor ni ia -cs--thr b!nu'i, IN part, tIht OF Tue
lrovric,orb oi slaves. The local governments oil these
owners OF slaves, bcioi" the Hdopi'": o. the pre:eii'
constitution, were not the less independent sovereign
ties, bersuse allied or united VITA other So'rrelghil"'
who's" local iraii.cs of government tHcludea S!"'rl
They were, 10 one ano.i.c-, foreign States except ~
fur as thry were then, for fedora Purposes Hi"il', uhi,
tod. The supreme judicial tribune OF the nittd
State las, in precise TERMS, declared thai thIs Ii like'
wire the casa under the presen. CONSTITUTION III ,Ht
United States. The ~i'irg'nis amendment" app"nds'
to his Constitution in 1850. r~xlreSsl; declare mat the
powers not delegated by j; to ne ln!!fa a''acV az,
reserved 10 the States. Though the government o.
the United States had not been thus, rs ii conlcssed'S
is, one OF limited powers, the express recognition I"
the right Of property in slaves, contained III the pre-
cent Constitution, would suffice, in the opinion OF De
morrat., &c protect such proprtT from interference
by that goytriL;rrt the Constitution prohibited i"i
n time, tho abolition 81 TIC ic'elsn slave trace. ans
secured, without limitation u: :!Lir: :he surrender Z"
fugitive slaves 10 those t" whoa '!;ri. %".H'e" nr Ia
hnr might be due. These constitutional! pro'l-lol@
in IN, opinion Of every honest Democrat, Inq'cs
tjonn!,lv secure To settler. cnr!sraiinS from +lnvt'
hoiLin.; States to III" Territories formed out OF liz
rni,ic domain acquired since lS', iminu"';'"s aI'
,,run;,,r. - hit, settlers from the non. slavehOldIn!
Siatrs would enjoy IL Lose Territories. EAcnse herr
arcpcti;ion of the statement .i.a: = as pct m 'hcm'"d
Of .Ipr!kera Democrats a %YHts''oE ~ ''rHi Wc'''T0
81 <iortry on Tie ~ hand, ~ q a'>fk'@ IL" "2a:'tf"
- -. H.. ,yl,y bu,,J. - n mere gVCSfiOG %