Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-07-28
10 ne Editms Of the Enquirer

oren regarded utterly vau.ess will prove nue Of
cur most productive mineral possessions.
10 ne Edtors Cj he Enquirer
Il WasHls@Tos July 2ith, 1857.
Gentlemen Tho enclosed letter TO Mr. Pryor
Editor of The South" was sent him some days Pvo'
with request to publish it. This he has declined 10
40. respectfully ask it insertion ia your paper in
ne nope that soma Of the views it contains may lie
acceptable to your readers and may place the sub.
Ject upon which treats, in more favorable li,h,
'han that given by soma of The Democratic presses,
"hch entertain opposite opinions.
am, very respectfully. your friend,
BEVERLEY TUCKER.
J., WAsHiHcroS, July II, 1856.
To X A. Pryor, Esq
Editor OF 'sSSe !son,a," R,ehmoad, Va a.
DEAR Sin:--I have read with much attention your
articles Oh hansas' j"'. w aier the Administration
&c. In forming determination iu prepare this let
| ter to you, have baen moved sosly by desire 10
do something, IN my humble way, to smooth the aei
tated current OF public opinion in the South land es
Peclsny 10 .nglhial upon This important subjsct.-
Nor have ], in nppending my own name to if, been
influenced by any vain parade of myself, but have
done 10 purely because there soms a, least who
will read IT, that will not doubt my loyalty to the faith
in which have basn reared, and to those principles
which it was my privilege publicly to proclaim unl
defend. You have sail, and fairly sad, that your
oonmns were open to respectful discussion OF pub
lie affairs even ii the views presented were not in co
incidence with your own You will find that will
not violate the courtesy you extend. II is perhaps
proper to say that have not been prompted to this
step by any member Of the Administration either di-
rect!y or indirectly, nor have advised any of them
of my purpose.
| In regard to the Administration and Gov Walker
IN Kansas have word to say. view the course Of
Gov Walker in very different light from you. The
South cannot afford 10 be in the wrong. II il in
minority, and should be trply armed with Just
cause-and go il is in fact. must not bs undsrstocd
ia in CHI
therefore, be tame under an assault upon her rights
BY no means. This very fact would Justify Jealous
and quick resentment but she must preerue Tie righf
10 her rane as the surest meuns OF protecting herself
You will relppnber TINT this Kansas controversy is
no new affair. II has been ripening into Issue for
more than thirty yeara. 1t has bud its various stages
of development, and has evoked various remsjies-
The Missouri Compromise the first great error iH
creating the sectional dispute between the North and
the South That was a measure which contemplated
the existence OF leg and political North, and le
gal and political South II was u compromise under
which the parties undertook an armed neutrality. 1t
settled nothing The principles of the federal Con.
suton are the principles OF the States Rights men
the true. able, and patriotic States Rights men of
The South. IL ia simply impossible that those prin.
cples could have been evoked in adjusting the Mis-.
sour Compromise, because that measure cuts the
matter In controversy in two parts, and assumed to
declare that slavery should be legal south Of given
line of latitude and illegal north of that line. Hence,
to the extent that the legislation OF 1870 could effect
Of inequalities and fatal sectional sutagonsn II is
manifest from these reflections that no mere eyiala
tive remedies on the part of Congress could esctu
ally remove the difference between the North and
the South on the subject Of slavery in the Territories
Dya recent decision of the Supreme Court OF the
United States, the Compromise Of 1920 is declared
unconstitutional and vo That act Of the court has
thus settled the question Of the power of Congress
upon the subject; and, OF course, it has left all such
matters to be- Determined by the people of any given
Territory when they shall form thsir State Constitu
iion, preparatory to demanding admission iuto the
Union.
If Congress has no power to determine what shall
be the social institutions of State, follows that the
people OF Territory have for it is impossible to re.
cognse any Intermediate authority, or to give effect
scr Gs sosy dsav"wsi It's authority over the people
and declared that they were perfectly free to arrang.
for themselves their own social institutions BY that
act Congress ceased ~ exercise control in Kansas,
| and announced 10 all the world that the people OF
Kansas by a fair vote, should determine for them
| selves whether they would or would not have avery
Under these circumstances, the Administration ap
pointed Robert j. Walker to be Governor OF thai
Territory. Mr. Buchanan had Just issued his naugu
raj address, in which he had soemuy declared TO the
country that would be his purpose to secure to the
pesple Of Kansas, in accordance with the organic
act Of that Territory full aud fair vote in adopting
their own social institutions. The Supreme Court OF
the United States had last announced to the country
its decision, that it the fundamental right OF the
people thus Get; that i'll them existed by virtue o
thcr sovereign attributes, full authority to establish
their own SIie consitutiOn preparatory 10 admission
| as State into the Union.
In selecting Governor Walker to proceed to Kan
sas, no was then bound by The organic law OF that
Territory, enacted by Congress by the decision OF
the highest Judicial tribunal by the opinion ni the
Executive, declared To the country on his Accession
to Office; by tho unanimous vote Of the Cabinet on
his letter of Instructions Oy the great principles of
the Democratic party, un which the recent canvass
hsd been conducted: and by the common inaxlms OF
\ mt
means in his power to to the people OF that
disturbed Territory the free exercise OF :her elective
| rights
! And what principle Of ustce, what instinct oi free
government, what tradition Of order in s0ciety has
been offended by Gov. Walker in tho course hs hss
thought proper to pursuai IL Congress does not pro
pose TO act, what sense OF proprety Is there in DENY
ng to the people the right to do sol And VINO IL ~
ured7 Who can be Injured by such action7 II is said
that it will result in making kansas free Sate7 If so
il must be by tar fot; and TO make it slave State
by any other process would not only disease the cause
OF the South but would inevitably, in the end fail oi
| ts purpose. ar
| repeat, we cannot afford to bo in the wrong We
cannot afford to establish eavery anywhere agsnst
tho fairly nscertsined will Of the people. II we rl-
nmph, let il bo upon an issue which shall mark our
cause az JUST, and shall yindic8te US against 8ssault
after our work ahal be completed.
We of the South have been assaiied by faiaticism,
"a attempting to force slavery upon the country in
opposition to the will Of local communities. You
| know, and know, that We have been grossly mis-
represpnted in ths respect; and that tho occs-
sion presents ITSELF it is duty to evnce our devo'
tion to great fundamental principle OF civil liberty
by agreeing that in Kansas there shall be full and
fair vote upon the vital question Of forming and rati'
| lying their State Constitution.
| In regard to the course of Gov. Walker in Kansas
he has done nothing, far as | know, which does
not look to on honest decision by the people them
selves upon matters in dispute there.
| He is acting with all the leading men In the De
/
Democracy Of New York in all federal affairs:
lie is cordially endorsed By he lcadi"g trrad' q
lIhe South residing in Kansas by Judge Eimo'',
| forn,cr}y of .Souih Carolina-by DR.. SrRisGrEL-
Low, DR.. JoNEs, Gen. WHITFIELD, Col. DoSIPHAS,
| Col. IsAAcs-by all the speakers on the stump, ny
their Conventions, by everybody from all sections Of
the Union now residing there, save, o course that
band of idiot fanatics who live on the decnyed form
of the Topeka Constitution and believe in its
ing resurrection. OF the truth OF these facts have
the most nqusstioned authority
| II this then, be s0 make this point Ii the pe6.
pie of Kansas-and among them hosts OF our own
Virginia brethren-are satisfied with Gov. Walker,
why should the people Of Virginia be dissatisfied Z
If our pro slare,y friends in ksnsas and Missouri-a
State which has large interest in keeping out the
Aboitonists from Kansas-applsud the course oi
Gov. Walker why should the people Of Georgia and
Mississippi complain TO answer this by saying that
Gov Walker has caused friends tO recede has
compelled them to recede-is but acknowledging the
weakness Of our cause. But he has done no such
thing. lie has demanded that the constitution to be
adopted shall be submitted to the people for ratihea
nn; and am Informed by the highest aud most un
questionable authority, that there ia not leading
man. and scarcely single citzen of that Territory
who does not demand the same thing. In the recen
canvass for tho constitutional convention, all parties
am informed, took that ground and il they differed
ut ALL it was upon The point Of time required to make
a voter-whether il should BIZ two, three, or sia
months; and upon that point Gov. Walker has gre"
no opinion. And query suggests itself here Is !!
for you or l. or any Stateriehts man, Mr. Pryor, 10
lay that before the organization of territory - nLe'
and adopted period Of residence or time OF
fancy shall bs limited Tor bona de settlers oei
are allowed to partake in the incpient steps ol
zing terri,oryl Ia not the territory common ~, pso.
perty Is not the privilege OF pa.iakoEs; ~ Of al
ganizaton common and equal TO tne o,a ,%o " mo.