Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-04-24
VIRGINIA ELECTIONS

passions and prejudces are comparatively cslm auc
quiet and the influence Of and truth ia allow
ed to act more freely upon the popular mind it il
! then that Virginia is in tho full height Of ke
moral majesty. erd heard win the reverence due &c
her wisdom aud rirtus. When principles to be pro
poupced upon consderstey and precedents, beior,
tbe questions involving them have become colored
and covered up with partizan pEJud!ces schemes o
selfish speculation and the personal influences o
those who favor or condemn them, the State of Vir
yiaia IL an occasion occurs Is expected to render
decision honest aud impartial, with thorough under,
standing and strictly upon the merits of the question
as IL pertains 10 principle. And as the Old Domin-
ion declares 80 does the conservative sense Of the
nation manifest itself 10 succeeding elections upon
tbs same lssnes.
The alarming array OF abolitionsts against the
South and the Union, under thenlg OF Fremont, last
fall excited the apprehension OF patriots OF al! par
ties and all sections to painful degree. Never be.
fore had tho days OF the onion been so carefully cal
cnlated and the cost OF its dissolution 80 seriously
counted Aboouism pressed forward for the des'
poation of the temple Of liberty with the reckess-
ness of an uiuria,ed bull! when red flag is Haunted
In his face, and the South with her hand upon her
sword ht stood ready, if it must be 80, to destroy
the Union IN defending the Constitution The crsls
came the BATHS was fought, and the victory
achieved at the ballot box by the supporters OF ber-
ty and law. But it was such victory ss Napoleon
won at Wagrsu. II required all our strength and
courage and resolution to break the Austrian cen.
tre" Aud as that man Of more than iron nerve, the
indoni,sble Mcdonald, charging amid showers Of
shot and Shells stopped for an instant and looked
back for his followers who had fallen by thousands
snd discerning in the distance the brave curasslers
coming 10 his aid, gave orders to ADVANCE 30 with
the national Democracy, tens OF thousands OF aoo
litionis.s met them, and disputed every pass in the
Northern States, with the dreul danger OF defeat
staring them in the face at every step, they stu!
marched on With serried ranksi and looking around
ip the height of the carnage, were elated with price,
Az they saw host after host Of OLD LINE WHGs com
ing up cel!anty TO their aid, under ihnt flag that Is
never struck to an enemy, and Is always uhur'eo iof
the eheler OF lis freuds-an emblem ot war 10 Tue
one. of peace and protection to the other
Though the victory Was ours, hboiitiOasm retired
from thu field, rejoicing, aud commenced speedy pre-
marathon ior Il renewal OF the assault 10 ls1V. And
tho defenders Of the Constitution and the Union,
even in the huah o; triumph were sscdened win
forebodiuys Of ill., as the resu, OF the next tria OF
,.rsneth Six months have almost pnssed; an admin.
;s,ra,ion, with wsdon, patriotism aud experience 10
commend aud support 1t, hss been nausur"'oo' anu
i. proaperirg most happily; the highest judicial trl'
bunsl OF the American people has declael IN ia'oF
of tn. policy and principles Of the party IN power;
| subs-ou.nt sec-ions in some OF the ant-siaVery
S,s,es have indicated rapid decline in The strength
Of the Black Republican party Bu; sill! II is not t'
be denied that there is danger ahead ana the vo'e
Of Virginia next month will bs anticipated with no
ordinary interest both by the friends and enemies o:
our institutions aa AL index to tie political under
! rent iu the South.
To cave the Union in 1860, /, is necessary not only
that the Northern Democracy should gam groundi
bu, the elave.hoding States must stand together IN
compact column sustain and reinforce our irenus'
who bear the brunt of the battle with ahoil'ion'sm
on it's OWE SOIL |; Is b. no means Impossible That
at the next Presidential election, we may lose one or
more Of the Northern States that stood by US in No.
venber.
Revolutions are rapid md often astounding nova
dars and the enti.savery agtators have leaders as
crafty n. Catsiine and ambitious as Alexander.
Tb. Rlsck Republican banner will doubt!ess be
decorated vi ;h some new device 10 beguila the null
| lud.; and encouraged by the emancipation move
ment in Missouri, the more moderate OF our enemies
in the North whose hatred OF s!a"sry HIS oesn III
s,hordnaiion 10 their fear Of disunon, may be per
sueded tba, nm abolition President may be elected
and tina Union still stand And in tbi, We may lose
Stn,e or tyu a, tho North II SO, and the. or these
States The smallest Of our allies, what hope hns the
Union except In the unbroken unity OF the South
And If W, arc 10 bs united Tow Is the time TO cry
down disoord and division in our RANKS.
II party lines are drawn again IN the s'aVenoo'oH
States, and party acebity is TO divide the southern
people into opposition among hemseVes' II Is To oe
feared thew will not coaesce easily when the common
enemy of us all comes down upon us IRON the Norm.
In November all the slsvehoding States, with one
exception, were united in action because they were
united in interests. But then there was no mistaking
the inm.dateness of the danger. The enemy we're
arrssdv unon the walls; and to drive them back re-
onred al, our strength to be concentrated upon a
single point. And besides, opposition to the Demo-
oracy had lust been 80 signaly defeated, that the
Fillmore faction was no. large enough to amount 10
fatal sch;sn in the South Know Sothingism led been
be,ten TOO recently to make a respectable rally, and
the occasion was peculiarly "pporuns Tor 81! parties
to unite against The followers CT FREMONT
A very large msjority Of those wEo came over to
the Democracy, in that trying contest are, doubtless
convinced Of their previous errors, and determined,
now and forever, to stand or fall with That party
...T, h,r-- --iFfN
principles, and saved the Union for tour years' a.
east ty din. of its unequsled energy, sreng'h ana
patriotism.
But there NAV bs others who are stl'i disposea 10
favor oppssi,ion to Democratic policy, to induce
division Of the people Of the South into opposing
psr,ies again II 60, let them remember 'hat our
enemies a, the North are all united upon the single
po;ut of an.agonsm to slavery, that Aortherh Demo'
cra,s ara the ouy supporters of Southern institutions
bsvond Mason g. Dixons line, that the last election
VIVA ,,e resnt of an anxious and doubtful struggle,
s,d ,bs, tina South must be undivided if we would
tr;unob syai6 over the aboli,ionists IN lsoV'
Organize new party in the slaveno'a'nS @'a'ee
and wa have at once division OF our forces which
emboldens the agsressors, encourages aoolitionsn IN
ts Vaccinations against us for the next fresidenha
contest Very late experience proves that II there
are two parties in the South each will have its cand
date for the Presidency; and the same experience also
sttss,s the tact, that tn. enemies Of slavery are TOO
entirely absorbed In single object, to observe Oh
their part, any such suicidal policy.
Now is the time to determine whether the Demo
cratic paryis to be the sole standard bearer OF The
South 10 the next struggle with the common enemy
of al! The Southern people, or whether al opposition
is to arise strong enough TO divide our vote and give
the victory to the Black Republicans. And it ia
question ior the people o! Virginia perhaps 20 sef
at their elections in May. That the Democracy viii
triumph in every Congressional district there is li't'
room for rational doubt But tho voice Of the peo
| ole should b. so unanimous as TO leave no hope fol
the formation Of an opposition party Those gentle
men who are now opposing us in every county of 'h
State we are free to admit, sctasted by motive
/ pu,, ;pl< ,I,