Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-07-29

and persistency of cold, which had before been
suffered by people in this temperate region. DIR.
Kanes picture of enow sleet aud ice fields under the
Arctic crcle, OF nature benummed and perslysed in
the relentless grasp of perpetual winter, of every
plant aud flower smten aud withered BY the freez.
ing breath of an ever present FROST anc Of the crsa
lures Of the animal kingdom dwarfed to hyperoo'
rean development Of energy. wss reproduced here in
the sunny South with scarcely any mitigation OF fri
gid detail or rugged outline.
And the winter of 1856. will 90 remembered BY
posterity f'r another wonderful :hing-lor gree
conflict OF contending hos:s, and for catastrophe
which smote the heart Of universal humanity. we
speak not Of the memorable struggle between op
posing nations in the distant East, OF ae fall o
Sevastopol. We ollude to oolision upoc our OWL
soil; 10 defeat and destruction which We bebelo
with our own eyes. We recall the contest in this
city between the Richmond H;.ig and John Minor
Bolts We lament the utter over.hroT Of the gallant
defenders of the "l2ih section"
In strong contrast TO the utoersbe soTerity OF the
season, were tho heat, the sweat and the agony OF
that remark able struggle. Ou, reghbor OF the Wh'g
planted himself on the "l2th section :" and although
his position was fortified with the genius OF Iodle'
ben, and defended with the desperate spirit OF q
Gorschekotf he wa, yot compelled 20 capitulate to
the irresistible onset Of the hesegirg forces. From
that memorable New Years Night" when the Com
bued Councils" of Richmond issued declaration OF
war upon the 10Th section, down to the fatal I'D oil
| February when the Saiiona! CouncilI Philadelphia
abandoned the l2,h section 20 the demands oi tie Alb
otionsts the Wig held on 10 its position with un-
huching forttude and wonderful strategic skill. 1t IS
not for u.s. but for some more capan!e sunal't TO re-
late the events Of that great struggle, 40 rich n epi-
sodoa incident and attractive from the artistic de-
velopmsnt Of the action. Tie fierce onset aad the
signal repuse the gradually contracting lines OF cir
cumvallation and The desperate aor;ie-a the innu'
merable accidents and picturesque circumstances Of
| long and arduous SIEGE will appse! IN the page
which i. devoted to history o: tie struggle between
Bolts Tail and the champions OF the "l2!G section.
Expressly declining the ambitious enterprise we pro-
pose to ourselves the more humble task c: -e'puosn'
| nv few Of the cotemporsueous bulletins which
marked the successive stages ard huctuatiog fortunes
Of tie contest. To-day, We begin with some pas
sages from the files Of tie Richmond Wh'S'
which explain the origin and illustrate The spirit
of the struggle. We trust nobody will be re-
pelled by the copIousness OF our extracts They
ara wanting in no element Of interest as the
render will discover from the frs; paragraph
Esnecally do we commend them TO Democratic
sneakers, to whom they will supply full hand OF
trump cords. We have but single predatory re-
mark, and it is this the Bolts tail were contendlnG
for the abandonment Of the 18th section, and the wing
was resisting its surrender egaraIct 10 tt% Sder
fes of the rights and honor Of the S0u:h The Bolts
men ,riumphed-ths Philadelphia Council swept
away The 18th section; Fillmore accepted the nomlna
ton on platform whcn rerudiated the 18th section
and the Richmond Whig now supports tue nominee
of the party that made the gnonIuou' concession &c
the demands OF the Abotion!s:s.
Here is the beginning Of the controversy;
DECLARATION OF WAR
From the Richmond Wh!g Jan 5th, 1856,
We have but a word to cay in reference 10 TINS &c
.; .nrruv COMBINED CovScILs OF THE NATlosA
AMERICAS rAKrY TIE CITY OF RICHMOND.
aud that is, that it 10 clear, unequiVocai ana snauie
ru Misrepresentation Of the opiniora, sentiments, on
principles Of more Than nincteeE-:"en'letns OF III
thirty. ye hundred American voters OF this city
And what il more il ia palpsbe misrepresentation
of the voice OF the entire American party OF IN
State as interpreted by the American press OF lh
State with single exception, a1 as expressed IN IN
resolutions of he American members OF the Leglsla
turs, which were published in this paper Week o.
two ago. In word, the reported ac:lon "oj INC com
biued councils Of thc Nationa! american parry O IN.
| rlvof Rich,nond" is a deliberate aud unmitlgateC
fraud upon the vast majority OF the American voters
of the city, aud contrary TO the ell.asceraineo ane
thoroughly. Understood sentiment o: the whole Ame
rican party Of the State. -.,- ,
From the judgment OF the combined counclls,
| renr,,eut.d 6y fifty or sixty ndlvidusis the sworI
ii.gemen of John Minor Bolts, We boldly take an sp
peal to the people.
A DEFIANCE TO FIGHT.
From the Richmond wbig, Jan sth 1855
ANY night at the African Church, after the weather
clears up will suit the convenience OF the l2th secilon
anti Bolts Americans for the trial OF THIS question
But we repudate, out aud out, the action ot the com
bned councils on Tuesday las, hnd denounce II, no"
and forever az a ptul .uap jud cement, mlSeratie
and revolving fraud upon n.tw-entisths OF Inc
American voters OF the city OF Richmond
The Bolts tail accepted the challenge-wita "ha'
result will appear 10 subsequent chap:sr.
THE "wHIG" CLAIMS THE SYMPATHY OF THE
| PRESS OF THE STATE. WON'T ABANDON PRlH-
ClPLE FOR THE SPOL5. CHARGES THAT Iht
OBJECT OF THE OPPONENTS OF lHE l2Ih
SECTION Is TO CARRY THE ELECTION IN D.
rl,NcE AND CONTEMPT or PR.HCiPIE. A'I
WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST REGARD 20 THE
HONOR AND INTERESTS OF THE SOUTH.
W. r.neat that the 18th sectiu OF shc P..adelphia
nlntform has been endors-d dr as our Observation
bas extended, by every Wing and american newspa'
ner in the State, with the single eH option OF inc VA
to,oJ d,ryIcnn under its nsw editOrs-that II was
endorsed in distinct aud emphatic terms, by the Anne
rican State Convention held at Lvnchourg, anu tns
i; has also been most cori.ly endorsed py ne Anne
| rican members of the Legislature. AND "nai we
mean by its being thus endorsed 49, tnst nas oeeu
| annroyed as lust and right in itself, lacked by
niedye ON the part of the Ama:cans c: Virginia 70
adhere 10 and stand by Themselves and insist upon
| its faithful observance By the Northern Amerioans
as m Indispensable prerequisite TO orr co.operalou
with them And yet 10 tue face Of g. this, Mr. Botts
and hi. friends seek to produce tn. Impression abroad
that he and his views ore approved, endorsed, auG
sustained by the American party OF Richmond and
the State at large. Nothing could be more gross
absurd-nothing so entirely foreign to the real iactt
| ~ m, case And nobody knows this bette! :har
Botts himself and the small squad OF othcious, noisy
nerseyerng individuals that hang dbout HE skirts aud
| minister to his vanity. -,
Tie American in the oourse Of s article, Is saseo
tos.y: ave have vet to learn tha, the political prn
cinIe, Of Mr. Bolts materially dier ircl those OF the
Iphir." Our reply is, that if by hir 1)tts "poltlca
| nrpcinles" il meant his views on slavery, and biz
willingness TO put the South IL the Keeping an al he
| mercy Of the North for the purpoes OF nakirR MIN
se or any other man President, tLsc va protest most
sosmnly that his principles are not cur principles
and that he and we now, hencefortn, and forever
travel different road altog Ills IDEA, IKE Inc
Washington Orgdn'sis is to reject and repudiate the
18th section Of the Philadelphia platform, and to zig
more" the question of slavery out ana OUT And foi
what! Why, in order simply 70 carry the next Pres
d.ntia election! That IS, to get possession OF mt
snos pthout reference to anything but the spo! In
short 10 carry that clsctOn in dsfasce ard contempt
of principle and r,thout the sGghest regard to th<
honor and vlal interesls Of the South! As for our
selves, We say all deiberation and candor that we
hold the rights of the South paramount to every con-
aideration Of party; and that before We would y'so
one ot or little Of them to the upust demands OF 'nS
North, even for the cake Of the Presidency WE s
m honors and patronage we would eco Jonn n aaos 1b
Bolts, his tails, and every party on ,e
could never reach them. The An<rieas WIN pernaRs
perceive by this time that NJ. Bolts aaa ouf'e'''' ~
differ materially" widely. irreconc'iao'y'
THE "wH1G" QUOTES FROM THE WING kNow-
NOTHING PAPERS OF VIRGINIA TO PROVE THAI
| nrvrp ABANDON THE TWELFTH