Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-09-15
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
BY RITCIIIE l. DUNNAyANT.
TUESDAY, sEPTEMRER rs. 1857.
SECIlONALlSM SUBSIDING.-TUE Union
STRESGrUENINC

| SEFTEMBER is, 1857.
| - e -
'ioiioHAhiSM SUBSlDING.-TIIE UNION
STRENGTHENING.
io Whatever extent extreme opinions may prevail,
as ahtslaVery fanaticism in the North. and pro.
slavery sectionalsm in the South it is evident to the
host ootuse observer Of the events of the dsy that
'h' CONSERVATIVE sentiment OF the nation is extend.
lux anu strengthening daily. The people have be-
COINS ured OF agitation Reasoning men of all par-
''eS ARE oolged 10 concede to the Administration in
Po"er oiSpostion to do justice to the wbols coun.
Try 10 conduct the government with rigid regard
10 Inc Constitution, and thus to hartnonize the con.
hctIng elements of popular prejudice by the only
'egillmate means OF allaying agitation. Until the
passage Of the Nebraska Kansas bill the Sou,b had
good reason TO cry aloud and necessarily against the
encroachnents and insults Of the North against the
outrageous abuses of tbs powers of the Federal Gov
erhment illustrated in artificial lines of latitude pre-.
scfoinH the boundaries Of al institution, which The
People nave The right to extend wherever they may
please North or South, or East or West.
But since it is admitted by the general government
that te extension Of slavery ia matter over which
II has no control. and that the State and the people
o Inc territories applying for admission as States
nave the right, according to the constitution and
.he genius OF our guvernment to exercise exclusive
Jursoicuon over il, there is nothing now to be de.
manded from the Federal Government by the slave.
noidlng States. And hence it is that we hear no mur.
nurs now, except from those Abolitionsts who repu.
diate The Constitution and the bible, because they
'oerate slavery, and the restless, preiudced and im
placable factIoniss Of the South, who have never
oeen contented with the condition OF the country and
never will be, whether the Union is preserved or de-
s'royed. Both these classes of people are agitatorS
mol tor the good of their country but because they
are 'liIoeral contracted and selfish in their views
Durlng The Presidential campaign Of last fall, the
Whoe country was convuIsed with excitement The
BLACK Republicans knew no bounds to their reckless
enthusiasm in An infamous cause. And in the slave.
holding States there determination TO resist the
installation of abolition executive, Though the
Union should he destroyed The election of Mr.. Blu
chanan, the conservative candidate, assuaged the
angry elements, and reassured all who were anxious
ior the peace and quie: of the country. 1t was
triumph OF nationality over sectonalism and All ear
nest of the return of most healthfu! reaction in the
popular mind
He went into office neither as pro.slavery nor anti.
alike to the aggressions OF the North and all unrea.
sonable demands Of the ree and factionsts of
the South The plain principles OF the Constitution
are The basis of his political faith and Of .he acts of
his Administration lie recognizes Inc legitimacy of
the institution of slavery tie right of the States with
IN which it exists and OF the people Of the territories
when they frame their organic law, 10 regulate and
control 1t, 10 extend, clrcumscrib0 abolish it, He
denies any power on ths part of the Federal Govern
nen TO interfere with IT, and acknowledges no. other
boundary lines to prevent its extension, North or
South, East or West, than those marked out by the
Will OF the sovereign people in each separate instance
According to the principles and policy Of the Admin
i''ra,ion in power, if Iceland waa territory belong
ing to the United Statoa q uegro slave would be as
legitimate property there the land ITSELF The Fed
eral govesnsaen. is equally obliged to protect all spe
ces Of property in the territories over which it exer
csea supervision and guardianship. as the co:joint
ssent of all the States for the promotion of the late.
rsats and protection Of the common properly of each
But when the territories .sa prepared to apply for
admission sovereign States, then The 1.ople alone,
snin2usncei by the Federal Government in any
ray, have the right to say whether slavery shall or
.hal not be legal within the limits of the new Sate
This is the plain principle, which the Constitution re-
!ognizes, which the Administration acts upon, and
which the Democrats psrty proclams in both sec
ions Of the ,non. 1t is the only principle upon
which The slavery question rest with safety to the
South and to the confederacy. Northern fanatics re-
,udiate it, and contend that Congress hns be right 10
prevent the extension of slavery ssd to abolish it in
The territories and IL the District of Columbia. And
on the ohe, hand the reeaters Of the South always
raise shout of alarm when, by the operation OF this
principle the interests of the holding Stscl are
imagined to be either mensced Impaired. 1t is
fair game, with them, whaa Oe win, but most par
tial, unreasonable and onesided, when the North
profits by it.
Such are the respective positions Of the extremists
of both sections-the Black Republicans in the North
and the excessively spnaitive and excabe Disunion-
lists iu the South. But there ia conservatism enough
in the country to restrain these dangerous enemies Of
the Constitution and the Union. The great mass of
the people hsvo clear apprehension of the princi.
ples of political justice and equatyi and they are
willing to abide by the consequences OF the honest
operation Of the system OF government which is the
pride of country and the admiration oil the world
a bright beacon on the heights of liberty to millions
who hope for freedom, and terror to despos, who,
while they praise its blessings wish for its destruc-
ton. This conservative sentiment was illustrated in
the election of Mr.. Buchanan to the Presidency
And it s think stronger now than was then, and
is still increasing. The bonds OF the Union are
strengthening; North and South the people are ava
kened to q sense of the danger they see ta eource
and are willing and anxious to apply the preventive
principle ere it be too late. Passion and prejudice
are more and more giving way to reflection and rea-
ssn. There are pat.iots in the North, honest and
we'll. meaning mon, who, however they may deprecate
slavery as an evil to the white we'll to the black
man. still willingly acknowledge its Legitimacy under
the Constitutions and in the South great Es,crity
of the people demand only that the principles OF the
government shall be fairly enforced and whether IN
certain instances the decision OF the popular Will is
for or against us they acquiesce in it and submit TO
it. Such spirit as this must prevail, or no republi
can government stand.
ADDRESS OF MIR. ]. d. B. DE BOW, BEFORE
THE SOUTHERN CONVENTION AT KNOX
WILLIE.
We received, a few days ago, very taateial pam
phst copy Of the address delivered by Mr. DE BOW
of the Southern Commercial Review, on tho occasion
Of his election to the Presidency of the Knoxville
Convention. We have already spoken in highly com.
plimentary terms of Its merits And we trust thatH
will be circulated and carefully read throughout the
South. Its tone ia admirable, and the views ad'
ysnced are forcible and must be gratifying TO the
Southern people. Mr.. De Bow is gentleman OF de-
cided native ability, to which is superadded education
and research. He ia one ofthe most sterling sup.
norers of Southern interests, and deserves as ne is
receiving, the sincere commentator OF the peopleot
the sayeholding States, for his labors in behalf OF
tbs institution in which We all so deeply inter
ested
MORE PLUG UGLYISM IN BALTIMORE.
We learn from that able, energetic and fearless De-