Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-13
TIE RICHMuND ENQUIRER.
: Y,D ~ ,rovNINC, MARCH AZ, l>57
sI-pRr,r c.rrr vs.. TIE ADoLIrloNlsrs

80, ;,,r- in ali lis efcrts and cima, has ever bee
ha.sI uo3, assumptions o! al authority paramount
IN Oh. Cnrsti,r. ion, ajs oca;ed with arguments TEEN
Ing with treason, and enforced by means regardless;
Of rscocn,z d rights and the laws OF tho land
J: las. however, always c:amored loudly Tor hoer'!
end equality, and justice among men. Uplifting ihe''
haaGs IL holy horror, lis designing denagcgues nave
been Won: to shrek and wall, rave aud Storm ano
!,a2iously appeal TO Heaven 5y turns, as they impos-
upon ;hs popular mind Of the North with their per-
ver,ed portraitures Of Southern slavery, contemplate
carica;ures of Southern SOCIETY, apd narrowing calum-
ne. n Sor,asra character. But with all their
tr;rkarv and treason, their Tyrian-tongued PROBES
. s;,D, ~ 6ielity TO freedom, aud their indignation and
sorrow over Tho enornitie, Of negro slavery. it has
heretofore bssn tho peculiar po!icy-at least Of those
OF the schools more moderate than the mallgners OF
Washington and repudiators OF the Bible-to CLAIM
70, the federal government the right OF prescribing
The boundaries OF slavery, prohibiting Its e1tension'
sd al ether Standardization legislation on the subject
= in conflict with the most liberal construction OF
th. Constitution. And, now, that the Supreme Cour,
OF iks United S,stes-the accredited interpreter OF
the Constitution and arbiter OF d!sagreemente between
the several S~ta:es-afte7 tie most profound research,
al a'iph VI ~ o"N
c:e.s, after deep elaboration, inpartially and without
prejudice; now, that this august tribunal has deciar'
ed q calm conviction, sustained with %irrefra-
gable reasoning, which not only annihilatss
n. suuess.ructure, hut eiso destroys the Joundat,on
OF lbs theory upon which their warfare has been
waysd agains. the Institutions Of the South, they are
Completely .skea aback., n~onplused and bewildered.
ccnfounded ana confused. Ever The federal govern.
merr, the favorite upon which they fawned, refuses 10
abe: them. But though they have been brought 20 "
staud-still as suddenly a. the laborsrs on the towe!
Q! Babel, they will not long remain inactive, para.
lyzed by an unexpected blow in the hey day OF
hope, ard gazing yacsutly upon lhs wreck before
them and behind them. Efcctua!ly friled in an ef.
for: they had been making for yesrs, defs.tsd in the
Geld OF their own choics, driven from the g.oard
they lave so often AMI so de6an,ly disputed, their
centre hiss been broken and the army put to rout.-
Bu, they viii; rally again with renovated v:so: and
With the determination of despair reckless Of wrong
or right, regardless of the laws Of God or man, they
will rush 70 the rescue, determined "to rale or ruin"
20 ares. the extension Of slavery or to destroy thu
Constitution and the Union. Obliged TO abandon
.hel. principal point Of operations they will re.or-
g,nizs on another. Sebestopol is taken but the war
Is not ended. g,
For the future, v predict. the Abolition party
will not be divided iuio wings and factions, and
echoo.s of different measures, but With the same pri.
mary principles.
The moderate man Of the North, who admits
the right of the slave States to exclusive control
o1er their own institutions, but who is opposed to
the extension of slavery into the territories, and in
favor Of the exercise of Federal power to prevent it,
will hereafter be found marching shoulder to Shout
der in the ranks, with the furious, foolish fanatic,
xho would burn the Bible for q bonfire in honor o.
an sm.u.e in Virginia or South Carolina, and boast
Of having hung Washington in Ell ~ because he was
az oSne. o; sisves. Every class and character, aud
:vos OF a5olitionism will bs merged iu,o au indis;in
~cuj.hsh!e army of imp!acable assailanis Of the Soutl
The ispa,ic viii not be brought to sense and reason,
euG therefore to the level OF the moderate man, who
agrees with him in priucipie, bu, differs es TO means
and msasuresi but the moderate man, with the sin
s. stone upon which he e,ood, knocked from under
hin by the decision Of the Supreme Court, will readi.
" become a fanatic. They have both been edu.
Gated in the same sectional school. and are both i'm
bued with the Same ideas on the subject Of slavery
e1cept-as,h the Irishnsn would say-tliat one is a little
more so than the other.
They both hate the South, but the one has go far
confined his en;nity 10 an opposition TO the extension
of slavery, with the belief shat il, would thus soon
s,ias ITSELF in the nsrrowness CT lis compass, while
tEe other has always rai!ei against its existence any
where and everywhere, rs a curse, a scourge and
determination upon mankind, to BIZ everthrown and
eradicated al any cost, and by any menus.
The moderate mSn hes always cOuUseled caution
81 ,-ul.z.x ,r;,I lolS;s- tkak TO-
sress had arbitrary authority over the territories in
.eiatiol 10 elav.-y, and tina. the obnoxious institution
would be chli,erated ere long from ihe face of the
earth, if it could be kept cut Of the territories and
confined 20 its existent limits. But now, that 1t is
decided that Congress has not the authority to i'm
pose restrictions upon ito ~interpose obstacles IN its
pathway, and forbid a full and free exercise Of the
elective franchise of The sovereign people In regard
:, lis adoption or rrj5o;ion-it IL not reasonable 10
supD1ss ina; the inbred hatred Of slavery will be
Quietly queiied into indid ,rence or Gained down into
eccuiesceuce by a judicial decision in opposition to
the instinct. and in contradiction 10 the education of
him ~ hose forbearance and moderation Of animo.ity
towards the South, are Attributable 10 his belief in the
authority Of the FEDERAL government TO say 10 the,
Southern people. that their institutions may go SO fur,
but thct they shall 90 no farther. The m:n who CAD
co: ccds such rights to Congress, is already prepared
TO become the mos, unscrupulous, unreasoDlng, in
ssne fanatic on the subject of slavery-to denounce
che Constitution as q counterfeit Of freedom, and to
look upon the Union &c an experiment exploded.
Il i.. however, best that it should be SO, tina; the
enemy should meet us maniIl!y in the open field,
4 i, ,hei. forces united, ratbsr than skulk in ambush
end attack US in de,schmen's; that the worst should
opn tn Tho u.prat NJ op1. and TINT aholifioniRtn ahDnld
appear undisguissd, like a pirate ship With the flag OF
skull aud bcn.s, rather THAI with IN honorable en-
slgr, p. All emblem OF legitimacy and a symbol of
sovereignty.
To contend now ,hct the General Government has
jurisdiction ove- ice domestic affairs cf the States,
,Aa: Congress has the righ; 10 mark ont III. limit. or
60 Interfere with its expansion into tue territories,
North or Sorth, East or West. is to defy the Cous,i.
,a.ion, to repudia;e the DEGREES of the highest judi.
cial tribunal Of the nation, to inculca,e treason, 10
defams the guardian genius of liberty, to despoil cur
household gods with unholy hands, and to strike with
ps-r,cidal pouiard at the heart Of the country
Tia. all these outrages upon patriotism, liberty and
lew, will be perpetrated, we have indubitable evi
dence, in the defiance, the indignant deuunciations
tie nnathe,nas and oppsobrium hurled at and heaped
upop the Supreme Court OF the United States, by the
anti. slavery press. Siuce its decision in The Dred
Scott case, with the exception Of the two dissentient
Judges, that body has been assailed with toe venom
Of vipers, and abused with all the balderdash of Bill
l~inrsga,e. In the insanity Of their anger and agony
tie Abolitionis;s are utteriag curses deep and loud
tearing their hair, ~iudulgiug in all sorts Of grimace'
and throwing themselves into every imaginable stti
sudc of contor!ion.
We are really apprehensive thai there vii! be ar
epidemic of ~apoplexy amongst them. unless they fnt
in a few days, some sef-,y-valve for their peut-ul
modification and rage. The decision Of the Dret
SCOT, case has alarn:rg'y aggravated the effects o
.nevrophobis." Rome means must be devised to COO