Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-09
CTS. - . = -..,.,
WHEELING, May 1856. HklIGE III /
LETTER OF HON. FAYErrE McMULLEN,
To THE PEOPLE or rHE THIRTEENTH CUNGREs
sInSAI DISTRICT OF S;nEISIA.


SIGNAL DISTRICT OF S;IG!sIA
RElLow.ClrIzESs at has been my iab.;. for
mauy years, whist in the public service, 10 address
you by letter and in public Speeches feel that It IL
not only my privilege but duty THlch owe TO you
generous and conding constituency, Dr.! To my
seif rs the representative Of tree anu independent
people again TO address you. aud TO express to you
my opinion Of the Importance If the EcIt Presde'l-
titl election.
YOU will no doubt remember that during my late
camvass Ms candidate for your sufrages, told you,
in every speech which delivered, that We were in
the mds, at In.;,ca revulutinn and That, If the
administration Of the tir::cral Government should
BY chance tall into the hands lie Abonnlss,
Black Republicans, now known, aGG they should
carry the Of public policy To which they
had pledged themselves 10 and cut OF Congress, and
10 which they stand pledgcl-i1 wit, To abolish
slavery in The District ul tUIlnbia 10 inttrict, by
congressional legislation the slave raie between the
States; to repeal the fugitive slave law 70 restore the
Missouri restriction, aud refuse to admit into tie Mon
another State with republican, constitution recog-
nisng slavery-tha then, these MEASURES being con-
summaed, there would be dissolution OF the Union.
am no aarnist do | desire 10 disturb tue
peace und quiet of my countrymen. But when !
see an attempt made, and the purpose arOwed, TO
carry out measures which, if ELECTED must nevita.
tly result in a dissolution OF our glorious Uuion.
feel il ley DUTY Id warn you of the danger. Nearly
one-half of my lie has been spent in the councils Of
my country, aud at he tune in my opinion has there
been such danger Of wreck CT The ship of State
the present I may be aaked i: ny fears well
founded. Well, le US look at a few facts OF which
baSr these fears Go back to the Convention tbs,
framed the Federal Constitution and look at the diff
icutes Which beSet our fathers, growing gu. Of the
slavery question, and WHICH had well nigh prevented
the accomplishment Of the c5jso for which they had
assembled. But the question was settled 4 nd how
by leaving to each S,ate the right, ~ determine for it.
self whether slavery should exist or not. Prior to
the adoption Of The constitution slavery recog
Missed in all OF the colOaies aiIl ut its adoption there
WAS but single u.slavehU!dug State. II, there
fore, seems 10 me that the Question fairly and
houuraby adjusted, and cannot see how any hOncs!
man now raise an objection 10 such adjustment.
The people of the North were the first TO engage in
the African slave trade which is continued to this day
in vessels fitted out inauued an equipped, in north
cru ports by Northern capitalists Ii is true that
slavery has beeu abolished in the Northern S;a;es-
not by emancipation, but by sale, aud for vauc re
ceivrd Finding such labor unsuited to Northern
climate, the saves sold 10 fOreathers ot the
SJurh, aud the proceeds pock.tcd. IN the North
slavery Is but al abstract question:, whilst in the
South It IN q practical on- We have about fifteen
hundred m:crs of dollars vested i'll tins kind vi
property for agricultural purposes, &c. beg you t.
remember that cotton ID the grcd staple u the South
yes il is the "SiinSun, HAIR of hu.urica''-aui the
market price ~ this staple regulates the price If all
Southern aud Nesurn products, and asu the value oi
the stock upon your farms. When bear III mind
thut the people Ut the North are the bcu6cares of
this great staple produced by slave labor and for the
cultivation OF which Other is we'll suited, their
prejudice aud aggressive policy only he attributed
TO the bliudest fanatisln, total Disregard OF the
allegiance which they owe to the Federal Cvus;!tu.
ton BY some, slavery is thou .!t to be morally
wrong, and in violation Of the Divine law. Hence
the political doctrine OF the "agIer law" in ntsa-
ZION of treason to tho CONSTITUTIONS. To those who
think thus would call their attention to the follow.
ing passages uf Scripture ESud., x<, I, S, 8, 7;
Dsut Xxx a. Lew, XIV, H. ij Gcn., XVII, :, s. !, -
67,S .; Xxx, IA xiv, So, I'll. II Providence is no,
pleased with the people Of the South for holdiu.
slaves is strange, Indeed that We are permitted 10
increase in wealth, knowledge, arts, science, aud rei
giou, aud to triumph in all the wars iu which We
have been engaged.
After the formation OF the constitution, the mex;
great agitation of the slavery question was o the ap
plcatiou of Missouri for admission into the Unlon-
Then il that the South committed great error
You will remember tina; when was t.st a candidate
for Congress took the ground that the national L.
gislature had power uuder the constitution 10 esls-
late upon the Of slavery except TO protect IT,
told you then Us also declared III speech IN the
House Of Representatives, the 9Th day CT June
1850, that had been member ut the time of the
| admission OF Missouri, wuu, have opposed the re-
strctOn up &c the expiration of my term Of service
Ii Congress has the power to declare by enactment
that slavery shall not exist North of the line 80 deg
30 msn., As in the of the Missouri Compromise,
it could with equal pruproty declare that 1t should
not exist at all take the ground that no such pow
err either express or Implied, be found u the
stItutiOn.
have next 10 call Jour attention to the agitation
of the subiect in 1851, when the Culon, il were,
was shaken to its very coLtre. But, thauk God. We
had patriot statesmen from the North aud South in