Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-10-24
Very especially yours,
GEO. j. CORNELL.
prRru ANNOY. Sent. l6. Is


GEORGE J. CORNELL, EsQ.-Dear Sir duly re-
ceived your letter of the 9Th instant referring to
conversation that occurred few evenings previously
between US, III which expressed doubt whether
Mr.. Fremont ii elected, would be inaugurated Presi-
dent of the United States and asking an expression,
at more length, of my views on that subject.
| have delayed reply until now, ss well from
pressing engagements from unwillingness to as
suine to speak for the South which am not author
lied to do. But as you suggest, think rather iroui.
cally that such an opinion deliberately pronounced
might have the effect Of deterring some from voting
for Fremont who ara now disposed 10 do 30, now
spond TO the aunt, not in the spirit in whioh sup
pose il was made but in the hope, which admit is
not sauguine, that something may yet be done to dis.
rel the delusion that threatens to overspread the
Northern States.
The purpose for which it is proposed to elect Ere
mont is to prevent the extension Of Slavery to ex
clude the South from any occupancy of the common
territory of the Cnion and TO appropriate that terri
tory exclusively in future to Northern institutions
Such an HvOwal, unjust aud 80 monstrous could,
of course excite nothing but astonshment and indg-
nation in the section then to BIZ despoied, particular
" when the fate of the proposition on two pre-.
vious occasions is remembered In lS20 the same at
tempt was made by the North in resisting the recep-
ton of Missouri slave State, which, after pro-
ducng an agitation that shook the Union to its foun.
daton was settled by the retreat OF the North, and
the division between the TWO sections OF the Terrific.
nv then held by the Union; and the preenson slept
nearly thirty years. But in 1913 was revived, and
ed il in the Wilmot Provso They were promptly re-
spouded to by all the Southern Legislatures, who de-
cared that such a measure would be resisted at all
hazards. And in 1850 the North again abandoned
the pretenson and agreed that the institutions Of the
Territories of the United States should be determined
by the people respectively who settled them. Tho
ordinance Of l7S by nterdicng slavery in the Ter.
riory northwest of the river Ohio and leaving the
Territory southwest Of that river, without that inter.
dict left the territorial of the two sections al
| most exactly equal and showed that no discrmina-
| rion was made against either. But now the North
again sets up this twice exploded claim, and for the
first time attempts to elect President solely for the
| purpose of sustaining II.
# the North shall 90 act, il by the vote of ma.
iorty in all her States the No. shall take the first
and most important step for the purpose the South
will have full notice. aud the only question with her
will be whether to prevent the thing from being Gone
by immediate intervention or to wait until all the IA
cIlities of Federal power and patronage have been
empluyed to secure its accomplishment. But not
that only The exclusion of slavery from new terri.
tory is Of course, founded on hostility 10 slavery -
Tho election of President on that principle alone 10
the election of ruler hostile to the institutions OF
nearly half the States. As such he will select tor
post officers, judges, district attorneys and otners'
those who hostile to the institutions OF the Stnte
in which they live if such cannot be I0und tnsre,
thew can be sent there for the purpose Inc euerai
| Cnvernmpnt would thus become incendnry III all
| tbe Southern States. Do you suppose, or does any
man of.sense suppose, that any people ~oule
| such Government As for the process of dssolu.
| tion It il very obvious and easy. convention VI
an ,h snutb.rn States or Of considerable number
of thsn can declare the Union dissolved, and It will
,hereupon be dissolved and it this be done before
,he 1,h of March next, no President of the United
States can be inaugurated then.
You are aware, sir, that if Mr.. Fremont is elected
at ali it cannot be by majority Of the people; for
he is unanimously opposed by all the Southern States
and by about half the people OF the Northern Statss.
| He may be, e,.huwever, then elected by the forms OF
the Constitution, but against IFS spirit and to Set aside
his election thus accomplished would not be so great
violation OF the Constitution as nis eieonon wooa,
for the purpose as is declared, OF destroying the
equality of half the States, and despolIlng them oi
their territorial rights.
Whenever the Onion is dissolved, the District oi
Columbia reverts to its original proprietor, the State
of Maryland and that is Southern soil.
As for the competency OF the Southern States 10
| form an independent government, and maintain It.
that question settled when consider that the Soutn
has population of about seven mlllions and hai Vi
whites, about three times many declared
dependence vi Great Britain in l776-hat the impors
of the South measured by her exports oe
one hundred and ilty millions per snnum which, at
revenue duty of twenty-five per cent ua
would Weld a revenue OF thirty seven uuhonA euu q
half. To this it may be added ihat tne mSuuSo. t ~
ring and commerce now carried on sol .ue ue oOuA '.
the North woud require two or three mllilon6 more
md thst many persons not hostile to slavery would
ood;I, nsss over the border from the ruined commer'
ciaI and manufacturing districts OF the Nortn-ois,
c,s runed by the oss OF from one-th'rd 10 one nail
of their customers. beg, however, 10 assure you,
! ,hs, in nresentlne these views am actuated oy 70
Iasre nf disunion but on the contrary hope there
stI sense enough left to avert that catastrophe But
Link il INV duty TO show how near the danger is, aud
| how easily that event can happen, for which there
| and South have thus far been 90 prosperous.
' ELLWooD FISHER.