Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-09-08
THE RTCHMOND ENQUIRER.
a FEW MORE SOMERSETS EXECUTED By
-.rHE SOuUu.n

THE SOUTH"
Who, the, has read the dissertations issued BY
Tine South" during the last three months, coult
doubt that the opposition journal utterly repudatec
the idea of any legal authority the part Of the
Constitutional Convention of Kansas, to submit the
Constitution to vote of approval or dsapproTa oy
the people of the territory-by any class Oh Vote's
whsteveri And who could have expected that the
journal which has 80 severely assa'ied every seln
blance Of inconsistency in its cotemporai'eS' "'ui'
90 soon reverse its position on the essehai Poiut
the whole matter. the very stand point IRON Wn'ch u
ha. issued it's charges Of "usurpation and "treache
~" on the psrt of the Governor OF Kansas, and III
threats against the President But look at unavoida
Bile facts, 1.-The South" informs on the 18th July
That the Convention has no power to report the
Constitution 10 the people for ratification, except by
direction Of the Legislature"
Now, as The South itself Informs u.s. the Legs
lature "has not required that the Convention shall 70
port Constitution for ratification rejection by the
people of Kansas" Hence, "rhe South" asserted
on the 18th July, thst the Convention has no power
to report the Constitution to the people for raoa-
tion."
But-presto ehangei aud what change comes
over The South. In its editorial of September 9TH
we End the following quotation from the Pfesidents
letter of August 18th:
The Convention will soon assemble to perform
the solemn duty Of framing Constitution for them
s,;yes and thsr poste.ity aud iu the state of moi
pisnt rebellion which still exists 10 Kansas, it is my
imperative duty to employ the troops OF the United
States should this become necessary, in defending
the Convention against violence whilst framing the
Constitution, and IN protecting The bona fde inhaJt
tants qualified to rote under the provisions Of that an
srum:nt tn the free exercise Of the rigt o. suffrage
rsca It shall be submnted 10 taemiJor Mar aRpro6a'
ton or rejection"
And The South" Informs US:
"Thisis ell that the Southern Democracy have ever
demanded, and in enforcing this policy the President
will have their cordial and undivided support
Toe President has made no reference to the neces
slty Of scton on the part vi the Legislature he con
templates submission by the direct act Of the Con
ventiop; but 1.-The South" accepts now, in the name
OF southern Democracy" the very proposal which
/, has hitherto represented as ",reacherous" to the
South.
So The South" throws overheard its previous
visws on the abstract question Of ratification or non
ratification. How does the same paper back up it's
opinions the question Of suffrage' At hrst THE
South held the idea, that Gov. Walker, in using
tue terms 'ths vaols people, and "acludi residea','
=aut 10 include "persoos, native and foreig", "fs-
males soldiers, msdmen and convic:s." Weremon.
st.ated With The South on It's position pointing TO
tie TACT that Gov. Walker not himself a "pad
man" and hence could not intend the Interpretation
applied by bis assailant to his words; that Gov.
Walker could bs fairly interpreted only as meaning
~ cxsnd the right OF suffrage to all the nhabants-
tho bona fde ,nha6tasts" of the territory. Nor
ooad i, Do supposed that Gov. Walker contemplated
ths submission of the Constitution to the Inhabitants
for ratification, without an accompanying act pre-.
ecr bng a test Of inhab,taaey. On this point, The
South" met Us on our own ground, and boldly as
serted, that inhsbi;ancy implied no right of iran.
ohise. The South" insisted that the 'mob Of Cali
forna" were inhabitants" and that the inhabitants
of Kansas have no better right TO vote upon the
adoption Of Constitution than had the sojourners in
California. Blu, now the President himself takes tbs
ysry position which we have attributed to Gov.
Walker aud which Tho South has repeatedly and
unrese-vedly condemned. The President proposes
tina; the Convention shall submit the Constitution for
a-op'ion or rejection by the bona ds inhabitanls
:; Kansas, qualified to vote under the provisions
OF ita, in.trument"-. thus qualified by test of
inaaoi,aucy. And The South" approves the policy
OF TOE President, aud promises 1t cordial aad un'
divided support"
We have anticipated the explanation Of these ter
siyersa,ious Of THE South the questions Of rati
a,s,:on and franchise. The South will no, venture
On avoeed opposition TO tbs President.
LIST US see whether the same journal has slacksued
the are of its unaooocd opposiliou To satisfy this
enquring we need only refer to the leading article
of the 5th Of September which Immediately precsdes
the article endorsing the Kansas policy of the Pre'i.
deaf. The policy which elected Jas. Buchanan, and
which now directs the conduct Of his Administration,
CONSISTS in The unfolding Of National Democratic
party, opposed to the extreme tendencies Of any
sectional faction. The late Presidential campaign
was an avowed strife between nationality and sec.
tionalism. "The South commits serious error in
describing the canvass a. merely sectional con.
test" "for the popular vote" Egypt was the battle
ground, aud the contest waged as to whether ma.
tionality should extend further North sectionaism
further South. The entire South rallied under the
banner OF national party, and Southern Rights
trumphed on the ground Of National Constitutional
principle. Every Southern patriot was an avowed
member Of national party, and sec,ionalism was al
accursed word. Yet 1.-The South" now sneers at
"Nationa' Democracy, aud points to it as the enc.
my of Southern rights. And The South goes
further still. 1t deprecates an appeal TO the South.
mocracy Of the North" as swell calculated to alarm
the Democracy of Virginia and the South"
And THE South" accuses "ihe peculiar friends of
Democratic Administration" of suejec,ing 1.-The
large majority of Democratic men and papers at the
South" TO "bitter and irritating denunciations." We
deny the charge. The peculiar friends" of James
Buchanan's Administration have only extended de-
nuuciaon to petty faction Of nalcontents who have
abnegated the doctrine of State Rights aud placed
themselves in prsmaditated opposition to State
Rights aud Southern Rights Administration.
The editorial article under consideration rests on
the assumption that Virginia must place herself in
an;agonsm either 10 the Northern the Southern
Democracy. We deny this premise IN toto. We de-
ny the assumption that Northern Democracy is mi.
mical to tue rights o! the South. We deny the as.
sum pton that Southern Democracy is even largely
desructiUnis:. We deny the necessity for an organ
1ation of sectional parties. We deny that Southern
Democracy is 90 weak that it must perforce
the expedient Of alliance with extremists" De.
structionsts may If they choose resort to the threat
of BLACK Republican triumpt:" it lie we'll adapted
10 she course they have pursued, in attempting 10
disorgapse the Democratic party in the face of the
enemy But will 'et them see that the Ma.
,Ional Democracy is able 10 guard the Constitution
an the country" Virgnnia will accept neither al.
,ernstiv. presented by The South" The Old Do
nnion will consent TO become neither the tool of a
d .s;rue:i, ui,t faction Ian inferior in Northern
political association" She remains affiliated With
sces: constitutional party extending throughout the
who!s circle Of our National Union.
"Ias south" continues with a string of special in
dc;ments. Now, We challenge that journal to iden'
i.fy with tbs compromise Of 1850, the men who
nave severely ashed the dsstsuotionist press The
earnest opponents o! tia. compromise stand foremos
in 'hs supper, of tho Administration, and 10 de-