Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-06
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Mtnea 1, 1857.

TO take Tie eu!tmn oalh 'lnet ! VIII fanhtruf. fa'
cute the uEi e of President Of the United STATES, sn"
will, to the bes. Of ny ability, rre:erve. project. aud
defend the constitution "f tie United States.
In entering upon this great office, | lnus. hrmaiy
invoke the God OF our fathers fer wisdom and cTin,
meas to execute lis high and responsible duties ~ s.c:.
a manner rs to restore harmony and ancient friend
ship among The people Of the several States, and 10
preserve our lie. institutions Throughout many cen
erations. Convinc-d tina, l owe ny c!eo.ion :" ~.
inhereu: love for the Constitution and The Ci:nH'
which still an:ragtss t.e hearts OF ihh American
people, let me earnestly ask their powerful support
in sustaining all just measures calculated TO perpru
ate these, the richest political blessings wl!ch Lea
Ven has ever boa:owed upon ANY nation. HaV!ns &c,
termined not 10 become Il candidate for re election,
shaIl have no motive 10 influence my conduc; In ad
ministering the government except the desire aoly
and faithfully to serve my country, and to live II tEe
grateful memory OF my couniryin@n. g.,
We have recently passed through 4 presidential
contest in which the passions OF our iei!nw.c't!zehs
we're exciteGto the highest degrees by questions oil deep
and vital Importance but when the people proclaim:
Cd ;ireir will, the tempest at oEcs %subsided, aud Ill
was calm.
The voice Of the majority, speaking in The manner
pre- .c-;5ed by the constitution, WAS heard, and instant
auum ssiou followed. Our own country could alone
have exhibited SO grand and striking a spectacle OF
the capacity OF man for seIf-governmept.
What q Happy conception, then, WIS 1t fer Con
Rress 10 apply this sitnpie ruie-;h:i the will OF the
majority shall govern-to the settlement ofrfhe qGes-
iioa Ut domestic slavery In tho !erritories: Con
gross ls neither 40 leg'ci.:e slavery into any ieT.'o
nv or State nor to exclude it thereirom; but 10 leave
tie people thereof perfectly free 70 form ard regulate
their domestic institutions in their own way. suelsct
only to the constitution of the United States AS q
natural consequence, Congress has, a'so, prescribed
that when the Territory of Kansas shall he admiltea
do d State, it 'shall be receive. into ;a5 Chien, WIN
Or without slavery. as th,iI constitution may pre-
scribe at the tire # their admission
A difference of opinion has arisen in regard to the
point of time when tho people OF aIerrtory snail DE-
eide this question for themselves.
This is, happily, a matter of but little practical i'm
portance. Besides, it is a judicial question, when
legiti,nately belongs 10 the Supreme Court OF lns
United States, before whom his now penalhe, anu
will, il is Understood, be speedily and finally se't'rh.
To THAR decision. in common with all good citizea''
I shall c~heerlu!ly submit, whatever this inny be-
though II has ever been my individual opinion that'
under the Nebraska Kansas act, the appropriate Pc
4 riod will be when the number Of actual Residents In
III. Territory shall justify the formation ri a constI'u'
| ton with a view to its admission as n STATE into the
Union. But be this as it may, il is the imperative
and Indispensable duty of The government, OF the
United States TO secure to'every resident lunaoltunt
the free and independent expression OF MS opinion ny
his vote. This sacred right of each individual must he
preserved. That being accomplished, nothing can be
fairer than to leave the people Ut a Territory Tree
from all foreign interference, 10 DECIDE tneir own
destiny for themselves, subject only to the cons'itu-
ton of the United States.
The whole territorial question being thaa settled
upon the principle OF popular sovtreignty-a princl
Die as ancient US IT6t government iiiHS
of a pracrical nature has been decided. No other
question remains for adjustment because RI! agree
that, under the constitution, slavery in the States Is
beyond the reach OF any human power, except ihat
of the respective States thenselve. wherein it exlsts.
| MAY We no., then, hope that the long agitation OF this
| subj.ctis approaching its end, and that the geographic.
| cal parties TO which it hes give birth, 20 much dread.
ed by the Father of his Country, will spred:Iy Il.
come extinct Most happy will 1t be for the country
whom the public MUD shall be diverted from this
| nuuatj,n IN nthrfa OG mora Drea5lDL and practical I'M
portance. Throughout the whole progress OF this
agitation, which has scarcely Known amy lntermisslou
for moro than twenty years, Whilst II has been pro
duc.iye Of no positive good TO any human being, II
has been the prolific source of great evils 10 the mas
ter. to the slave, AID 10 ,.e wh0!1 country. II has
a!erated and estranged the people OF The sister
States from each other, and Ina. even seriously en-
dsugered the very exlstence oil tte Union. Nor has
the dagger Yet entirely ceased. Under our system,
there IL a remedy for all mere political evils IN tie
sound sense and sober i%udglsut Ct the people. Tiins
Is a great corrective. Political subjects which but a
few years ago excited and e1aspel eted the public
mind, have passed away and are now nearly forgot.
ten. Blu: this question Of domestic slavery i. Of fer
praver importance than any uere political question,
because, should the agitation continue, i may even
tuslIy sndaDgs. the personal safety q! a large portion
Of our countryInen where :hs institution exists. IN
that eyont, 10 form Of goreynrleptj however adIn.-G.
be in itself, srd however productive o. ~!aateTih! 6en
eit., car compensate for the loss Of paGce and dotnel.
tic security around the family aiisT. Let every Union.
f; loving man, therefore, exert bis beet influence 70 sup.
press this agitation, which, since tbs recent iegls.a'
ton Of Congress, 10 without any legitimate Object.
II Is all i'll oInen of tha tib.eo that men have UNDER
taken TO calculate the mere material Sa!ue ut Tie
Union. Reasoned estimates have Been presented OF
the peerGiery p-ohts and loce! advantages when
would result 10 dil trent States aIo sections from ~:
dissolution. end G. ne comparative ;iJ:r'ts wh;cS
.ucn an event would iEfici or ci5e- States ana sec
tons: Even descending to this .II and narrow
view of tie mighty i22s';cn, all tDch Calculations
are at fault. IhH bare reference 10 a single cSnaiae
ru,.ou vii! &c c3r"irsiYs on his point. We \: pres.
ea; erioy II free trsds i.ivua ghoci ctr extensive and
expanding country, such az The world EEs never Wit
messed. Tue trade is conducted on railroads acc "a
mis- on noble rlYere and srlLs OF tne sea-~hfn
bind together the North end the South, the Esst end
lho West Of our oonied-racy. knn'nIlate this trade,
arrest its free progress by The geographical lines OF
lea!ou. and hostile States, aud you destroy the pcs
perity and onward march IS The whole and every
part, aud involve nii in one cOiarnon ruin. Dutsuch
.! considerations, important ss tury ara 10 themselves,
sink into insignidcance when we reflect on tins ter
r:sc evils which would result from di.un on TO every
uor;ion OF tts cOpfeGeracy-tc the North no. more
:,:sn 10 the South, 10 the Eaes not more than 10 the
West. These | shall rot attempt TO portray; because
[ fesl an humble confidence f:st tic SiId PROVIDENCE
wH;ch inspired our fathers with wisdom l., ':eine 'Es
most perfect form Of government and Union ever
devised BY mao wi!i not suffer II 10 perish until 1t
shall have been penesili.y instrumental, ny u, e1-
ample, in The extension Of civil AID rslgIousliosrly
throughout the world.
Next in Importance TO the maintenance 0! tie con-
stitution and the Lnion is the duty OF preserving the
government free from tbs .aiu'. 9. eYen lie si!sP'-
clan, of corruption. Public virtue IL the vital Spir't
of republics; and history proves, that wien I'M. nas
/ decayed, and the love Of money hae usurped us
place, although The form. Of free government may
remain for a season, tbs substance Las oepas'eu if'
ever.
Our present financial condition is without a peral'
lei in history. No nation has ever before been EN-
embarrassed from too large a surplus in It's treasury
THE almost necessarily gives birth to s1:f"Sas5nt le-
; gislattcn. 1t produces wild SCHEMES OF tAPeho"Sse'
and begets n race of spectators and loooeTs, WHOSE
ingenuity 10 e1e.:ec III conlr!vlng anu Prcfn"tIns IN
petieuts 10 obtain puEiic money. The purity OF ON
cial agents, whether -~ightfully o. =rnngidliy, IS sus-
pected, and the character OF the government suHe's
in the estimation Of the peopis. ibis ID in irei; q
very great evil.
The natural mode Of relief from this embarrass'
nent is TO appropriate the surplu, in the treasury 10
great neii0uni objects, for which a clear WARRANT can
b. found IN tue ccnsti,uiion. Among these l might
mention the esti1gui.hinaa: o: mo PUBIC ueoI,a
reasonable increase of The navy. |iich Is ut present
inadequate to the protection Of cur vest tonnage
ahont, now greater than that of any other ha1oa' as
vel! as to the defence Of cur extended ss coast
Ii Is beyond all question the true principle lha' no
more revenue ought TO be collected from Inc people
than the amount necessary to defray the expenses OF
a wise, economical, and Efficient sGll-'stfauon o'
the government. To reach this 2oict Il was hsoes
Eary TO resort to n II modification o. the tarit, eiid This
has, | trust, been accomplished in such q manner as
to do as little injury as may have been pract'cao!e TO
our domestic manufactures, especially those lIeees-
snry for the dsfence of the country. ANY dIscl:Inl,
nation against a particular branch, for the purpose Of
b%enetting favored corporations, individuals, or IN
teresls, would have been unjust to the rest OF Tue
community aud inconsistent with that spirit OF TAR
ness aud equality which ought TO govern 10 the sd'
iusinenr OF u revenue tariff. ~
But the squandering of the public money SINKS into
comparative insigniEcanca as q temptation 10 cor
rupiion when compared with the ,quauderlng OIL te
public lands. >,
No nation in the tide Of time has ever been blessed
with 30 rich and noble sn inharitence as We eiJoy IN
the public lands. In administering this Important
trust, whilst i; may be wise 10 gran. por!!ona OF t'a,n
for the Improvement Of the remainder, yet we Should
mover forget that II is our cardinal policy 10 reserve
these lands, "a much as may be, for actual settlers ana
this 6t moderate prices. We shall thus not Only best