Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-10-24

TOT lfC I1Ff'''''''
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF THE SOUTH.


FREM ONT. -SECESSION OF TIE SOUTH.
Will YOU permit me, Messrs Editors, to thank yo
,hn sdmirsble editorials You lately gave the puol,
"m ,h. course that Virginia ought to pursue, il >.
Fr,n,,u, shall be elected President Ut the 1h'te'
States WITHDRAWN from politics, yet unaoie ~
main an indifferent spectator OF events now j.; on,
ing Ia their contamination, and VII Gu ''; free
contingency, decide whether we ana. States,
u.ople or become subject TO the N"r'" ,YonII add
rraj your views with deepr Interest," 1 ;,h on ,nuc
All earnest amen to what you have s ~, much force
GOODNESS and proprety, and yet WI" Nv Virginia:
had been somewhat drsp"iui,, uursuit., and
l'ad dreaded 'est success, she would fall until II
ueoou,e soruu ,.,a ,o strike the blow ~h'cn hpnUr
NH asr.,v would nike require; 1851 .',e T un,II
sbonld sever the knot Oh ussS' Ia,I.d i; ;gnom;nv
49,: -. scsbbard aud remain she"'neu'" isuT -
rust IN us $50 rai.ed my hopes, you have orohe me
nu y" Gu ms and have showed us when, wh''her anu
,r. and why we should go; and VIII no r"nsel
mht or hesitate to believe that the COURSE you nas
Ii"onstrard TO be the only wise one, WIN De taSen
| with Us much uhahiiuNy % W.
! struggle for freedom. ;,a n, tb;, ny any
other question: is not to be expected Ihat 100 many
capitalists will think better thst every ,h
rhs Union should be swept from the face OF the EARN
hv ~ n.stlence than that the Constitution shouu os
DESTROYED: that too many merchants WIN regaru WIN
dismay the anticipated shock 10 creui' 'ha' .oo
many psrtizans will declare resistance u step
which they budly ascribe to me aInol'ou VI .e' ~
s democracy; that too many, uled by the cnar'ns OF
naona will male at the shadow OF grim VisaSea
var" that too many, orgetiul that refoutons a. Nv"
produced by ayes and noes, VIII shrIuh II 3 ap
ma rent lawlessness of secession; tnat s"tuo p".'
tnt ver cautious men, will dread the consequences
o9. 1,;"n that few disappointed magnants will
;st Il ont of mere perversty; all these thSs are W
h. .Yn.c.d They are the usual OBSTACLES 10 cnaiiSe
Blu, let US remember that they arc a'so, ~. nd ~ rs
Inv which heroism mounts 10 safety ana gor anu 'a
,huv IN,
more or less ot toll, Dy Oil WI"
walton of patriots. ,..;, 80 ,,,,, h.,o
done in group, that. in all human proo"nlHy none Oh
the cala,ntes which capital ere PH ysr poSo s;t ne
oitmacy doubt, and hate predict VIII ever WISH us,
nr nm the contrary that positive blessings VIII result
from disunion; that cannot 90 "a"eu agains. US
Inv nation of less martial spirit man our OWN WIN
waaker armes and no stronger na"ies' anu WHOSE
,srv succps, would be her ruin that intestine strife
w"nd sooner result in the hreling States than nva-
lion of our own That il it should come that the
Southern States welded into Homogeneous coh,euera
tion and Sighting for all that can nerve manly arm
would exhibit Marathon Oh every PAIN aoalas III
eyerv bay That we can purchase allies oy our pro
ducts as we'll as safety by our spirit mat our slave
nronerty-our social al well economical salvalop'
for which we should every day thank God on gra.e
fnl will be secure from seducloh aoFoau
,rd di.contsnt at home, source OF wealth IN peace
of strenptb in war. That our cities Will grow III
oreatness and our lands in value. That our rivers
will roll rich tribute to the sea- ana me sea % "h,'e
d with our argoses. That We shall be iree AT ess.
e. season from the of that war OF capital and
ihor which even now begins TO infect US by conta-
ZION. from the blight of that inhdelity which rears
80 baIsfnI head in Northern Northern society, and
like Spenser's Error, .,-ooa,
A thousand young ones which She daily feeds.
sucking her poisonous drugs; each one
OF tawdry shapes yet all III favored;
from the danger of that universal suffrage which
D,,.nt tIt oftt
risks the utterance of public opinion 10 me casting
vote of class which, whether native or foreign, is
below the influence of public opinion; from nation
which impiousy seeks TO solve the problem OF HUI
man society by barren intellectual formula from
Il close connection with seeiai system ~h.en mas
lost lis balance, and whose weak conservatism cow
ers beneath the audacity OF license only succeeding
BY indirectiun. . "
Rpt why enumerate these immunities and bless
ings 1t is too late now, even were IT necessary 10
,,tsmnt Z, show that 'this glorious UuiOn" has per.
formed its office and is efete that we are divided
neopls with Interests aud social systems radically diff
f.reut and inevitably sundered; that harmony can
have but brief continuance even under Mr. Buchan.
an and none under Fremont still brleier under MIR.
Eioor- and that separation is preferable to submis
sion which is not only degradation but danger. We
of the South can only wait the issue OF the Northern
vote; and if the orcrt act OF electinS man.
backed by his party in a declaration OF wa!
against slavery shall be permitted, il Fremont shall
be elected to an elevation he will never be permitted
to reach Virginia must then decide for herself but
not by herself There are other Southern States with
as much-heaven grant the ssue may not prove with
more-spirit than she, who will not submit to the in.
suits of sectionalism, nor shut their eyes to is wicked
intens South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Missis-
sippi Florida, Arkansas to name no others will leave
tn. Union Just so sure as Fremont ID elected. The
chains are not forged that bind them to the rl.
umphal car Of a bastard adventurer. | cannot be-
lieve that Virginia will hesitate when ii comes to the
question: whether she will remain in the Union when
shorn of the strength their presence lends her, to be
stripped Of all by overpowering Northern majority
still less when it 10 the point of subJugang
them to freedom"
To me it is matter of Indifference if my liberties be
secured by the craftsmanship OF Hunter or the sira'
tegy of Davis. Nor do care whether the best man
10 complete the work is the one who begins 1t. lie
that leads US out Of the house ot bondage not Of
Necessity t or latcd to Conduct us 10 the promised
land But why should no, Virginia, whose very name
is reduent of intellect and patriotic devotion, go
abreast of the foremost in this glorious exodus! why
no; let her proclaim that il the North careless oil
her interest ignorant Of her danger, reckless OF the
present. prgetul OF the pns., scorniul OF her adver
sary and confident of herself shall give the cas"s d
by Frenou,s election, that separation shall come, II
war do come. War il horrible, but not necessarily
Ii is Gods chast,semcnt of nations
which New England may even now be
blindly invoking on her own head; chaStlsement
which il may be our sad lot to infiict upon her.