Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-11-20
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 20
THE DRAMA DRAWING TO A CLOSE.
BY RITCHIE & DUNNAvANT.

FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 90.
THE DRAMA DRAWING TO A CLOSE.
The latest intelligence from the ''sest of war" re
veals Rainbow of promise" in the stormy sky
The s'yptc applied to the wounds Of bleeding Kan
sas, appears. will answer well; and it is to be hoped
even suppuration will cease. The telegraph in.
forms us' on what we presume to be reliable au.
thoriy that TIA Convention for the formation of the
Constitution 1aourned on the eth inst and that it
passeda separate clause ssnctioning slavery, which
alone WILL be submitted to the people. While We
think the entire organic law of the new State or
rather that which is designed for such should be
ferred for popular approval We cannot but express
our qualification at the determination Of the Conven.
ton; snce the Submission of the provision with re-
ferencs TO the institution Of slavery 10 oil that is
needed to give quietus to the excited and distract.
ing controversy which has, Of late seriously sgi
tated the country, Unless the information upon
which We base these reflections proves to be
ous We think the appointed hour is at hand, when
the American people may congratulate themselves,
that truth has triumphed over trsason that the Con.
sttution and the Union still secures that the North
and the South have both faithfully carried out their
mutual pledge in the Nebraska Kanses BILL to adhere
to the priucp of popular sovereignty, and honestly
abide the Issue, and that the DEMOCRATIC PARTY
still administers our government.
In the various aspects and forms, which, from time
to time it has assumed, this Kansas question has
ouped public attention. or less for several years,
and occasionally given riss to anxious apprehensions
and warm discussion. Not simply because the intro.
duction Of new slave State or another free State
depended upon the result but from the fact, that
itinvoved immediate and practical application of
the principle and the pledge upon which it had been
agreed by both sections to determine the extension
circumscrption of slavery, and consequently the
peace of the country the maintenance oil the Con-
stitution ard the existence Of the Union. The
rights of the South had been encroached upon,
and her Institutions not only menaced, but direct
ly attacked by the Federal Government, in the
establishment of boundary line, beyond which
It was decreed that negro slavery should not
70. This outrage upon the equality ofthe States and
the compact of confederacy had been endured for
years. and when at last the law intended to pepeuate
1t is annulled and there is explicit understanding
between the siaveholding and non.saveholding
States that for all future time the people OF all the
territorie. should bs left free 10 decide for themselves
upon their institution, when they were prepared
to apply for admission into the Union az sovereign
States it not unnatural that all who have at heart
the welfare of the country, should watch with ankle.
ty to see it, in the first instance that is offered, the
principle Of popular sovereignty is fairly and fully
and earlessly enforced upon that the fate Of the
republic hangs.
1t ia true the Southern people would gladly see
slavery recognized by the people of Kansas. But
Southern Senators long ago expressed the opinion that
1t would not be so while they contsnded for the
principle that the bona de inhabitants should be al
lowed to accept or reject it az they might choose.
The idea that the South be secured n her rights
and the Union perpeuated, only by an increase of the
slave States par passu with the free States hints at,
If, indeed it does not admit the dangerous doctrine,
that even this enlightened country cannot exist as
confedsratsd republic independently Of the maxim
that "mgbt makes right" and solely relying upon ts
peculiar system Of government to maintain that equi-
librium which is inseparable from State equality 1t
intimaes We say, il it does not ASSERT either that
self government itself is mpraoticabls, or that the
system which we have adopted 10 the United States
is unssited to it, either that physical strength in mum
bers at least if not in bone and sinew, must and will
ever predominant over all moral force, or that there
is something radically wrong in the adaptation OF our
form of Government to the spirit OF liberty, which
anmates our people. The Constitution protects and
promotes alike the interests Of each and all the
States. And as long as 1t is observed, there is no
danger Of one section being enorosched upon by the
O. ioh ho.tO hQ
reach of the Federal Government go long as it is con-
fined to It's Constitutional sphere. Slavery would be
safe if it existed in only State and that the smallest
in the Union, as long the principles of our Govern
ment are not perverted. We would not push this
theory 80 far as to contend that there is no need OF
eIsron on the part Of the Southern people-that we
will not be strengthened by every additional slave
State that is added to the Union. On the contrary,
we are in favor OF leaving honorable and Consti-
tutiopsl means untred to extend our institutions
not only into the Territories belonging to the
United States, but also into other countries, to
which they may bs adapted But we maintain,
ths. for the safety Of the South and the preservation
of the Union, we must look chiefly not to that game
of chance adding slave State for every free State
that is admitted into the Union 6mt TO the preserra.
tion of the principles Of the government. And hence
the importance Of popular sovereignty in the Kansas
question. That principle is worth more to the South
than dozen new slave States added to the confede.
rscy, by any violation Of it.
We are truly gratifed to learn that the pro,savery
clause of the Constitution is to be submitted to the
people, 1t will be a triumph of conservatism over
ultra;,m and fsnaticsn, and will give agusrantee OF
good faith to and from both the North and the
South, for the execution Of the principles of the Ne
braska bill. We are also gratiHed that the drama is
drawing to close, and that the excitement incident
to the Kansas question will soon be over Our read
ers, we are sure, will heartily concur with us.
AN ELOQUENT LESSON OF EXPERIENCE.
The gloomy scenes that darkeu the Northern hori-
zon have had the effect of bringing the public mind
to sound view of the relative workings of The in.
stitutious, North and South. In the midst Of the
dreadful crash in the financial world and all its de-
structive consequences the voice OF anslaVery mas
been hushed before an indignant public sentiment
disgusted with the hypocritical shreks OF freedom
The maligned South, it is now acknowledged by her
foes, stands up sody, while the financial storm RACES
around her. and presents spectacle of calm patience
and fortitude and solid subssncs that will sustain
her through the trial. Unlike the Northern section
of the consderacy, the public ear s not shocked by
the cries of Southern sborers for salvation from star
walton. Under the patriarchal and conservative in
,utions Of the South, her laboring population suf
fer no pangs of psnury, no dmminution Of the com.
forts or necessaries Of life.
Far be it from us not to sympa:bise with the eI-
treme susrngs of our, Northern fellowciti1sns. We
heartily wish them speedy deliverance from the
crushing hand of want that threatens to grasp them
with more aud more severity. All that we seek is to
refer 10 the gross injustice that has been manifested
Int Ia ha.