Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-11-24
THE RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
TUESDAY NOVEMRER a.. Is,7.
UNDISGUIsED OPPOSITION.
BY RITCuIE g. DUNNAvANT.


ton may be manifested As Democratic Journalistic,
believing the safety Of the South and Of the Union to
depend upon the Maintenance of the principles and
the preservation OF the unity of our party and as
supporters Of the policy Of the Administration it is
our duty TO doso. Aud In The performance of that
duty, however We may regret Its necessity, we have
not been nor do we to be restrained by the u.s.
persons OF the disunioni6ts or influenced by any
other motive than ardent desire to put dowa the
"porcuPne opposition" that the Administration may
be unemoarraseed, and the true policy of The Demo-
cratic party developed snd exercised fairly and fully
The organs of the faclonlsts may Continue towards
the Enquirer" tue came course, which thew pursue
towards Mr.. Buchanan. They may either insidiously
seek to persuade the Southern people that our zea-
Gus support of the Administration is in oonfio. with
their interests, or they may openly and boldly de-
clare that our doctrines favorable TO federalism
and in antagonism to tho rights of the States. We
expect nothing less. But We have too much conf.
dence in the capacity, in the and In the
patriotism Of the Southern Democracy to be afraid
Of the consequences.
Mr.. Bnchanan's triumphant majority In The slave
States made assurance douby sure" that the people of
the South only ask Of the general government their
constitutional rghtsi that they s cherish the Union,
and that they are opposed to political ultraism in
every FORM They are In favor Of no offensive war
with the North. They demand no more than that
State rights shall he sacred under State sovereignty;
they hold that in the territories not lee, than in the
States slavery beyond the jurisdiction of the Federal
Government, and amenabls only to the will of the peo
pie. They would extend their institutions by force
fron tha L
scribed. They contend for m administration of the
government upon the principles Of State equality and
the confinement Of Federal authority its restricted
sphere. 10 the policy proclaimed by the Cincinnati
Convention, ard 80 far enforced by Mr.. Buchanan,
they did and do recognize all that they a.k to secure
their rights.
We are too we'll aware that the ulirais.s Of
the South are not opponents OF the sense Of the
South, to fear for moment that Mr.. Buchanan ia in
any danger Of being repudiated by that section which
was unanimous in enrusting its interests to him.
But though they are comparatively few, the exre.
msts are not wanting In energy zeal. And hence,
if permitted to 20 uninterrupted In their reckless
sssault, upon the Administration, they might soon
prove to be seriously troublesome.
They have, so far, met with vigorous resistance,
and have been beaten back quite eff.ctually by The
sturdy blows Of the friends OF the Administration
But the opposition is not yet "crushed out" 1t is
still kept up, both by those who boldly avow It, and
the proessed friends Of the President who are stab
biug him in the dark. The most recent evidence of
the vindio.ive determination and rsncorous animos
ty Of the former Glass; which has fallen under our OBJ
servaton, is furnished In an article from the Mobile
Mercury" Of the 18th inst. We will make an e1-
tract two that readers may be enabled to form
some idea of the tone and temper of the factonists
farther South
During the last August elections, the Democratic
candidates in this State insured their by open
ly and uncompromslngy denouncing the courss Of
Gov. Walker in Kansas. and by pledging themselves
TO deDounce President Buchanan in terms Of equal
severity should it eventually turn OUT that the pro-.
ceedings OF that functioDary met his approval Pub.
lie meetings and conventions in various other South.
States were held at the came time, and in which
Democrats were the leading actors-all taking the
same ground-all manifesting the same intense indg
nation at the Kansas outrage, and all loudly and We
hemehty calling upon the President to withdraw
Walker from the Territory.
As almost the entire South Joined in this oall--the
same copfding Southern States thst made Mr.. Buc
hanan President-common decency-one would cup
pose-woud have prompted him 10 return some kind
of response But not one word ha. ever escaped the
although be could make it quite convenient 10 ndte
very long and elaborate letter to or two of
old fogy cergymen Of Connecticut in answer to an
absurd anti.elavery memorial from class Of men
who have been engaged for the last twenty years in
sowing such discord between the Northern and South
ern sections of the country as will probably end In
the disruption OF the Union.
Those two facts prove pretty clearly that Mr.. Buc
hapsn entertains for the South very decided feelings
of unmistakble contempt-that neither the Southern
States nor their institutions occupy any place in his
affections or regard-or that he could not have re.
sponded 10 the severe remonstrances Of the South
without pronouncing condemnation upon himself.
As to those Democratic candidates, to whom our
contemporary aludes, as having secured their elec.
tionu by denouncing Walker, and pledging them.
selves to densuuce Mr. Buchanan, should it be
proved that he endorses him, We can only say they
acted with rashness quite characteristic Of the school
to which they belong. And We would advise them,
IL they have any aspirations for honors to BIZ confer
red in part by constituency extending beyond their
respective Districts to resign their seats, rather than
venture upon the basardous experiment Of opposing
the Administration, at least until it departs from s
present policy. The Mercury" complains bitterly,
because it says mot word has ever escaped the
President slips on the subject" Of Walkers course.
II then refers to bis Slimsn letter, not in terms Of
commendation, but ss If 1t actually condemned the
President for replying 10 the New England clergy.
men. That letter contained sentiments Southern
enough to have emanated from Mr. Calhoun himself
Mr.. Buchanan has not regarded the maedictons of
his enemies; he has not replied to the clamor for
Walkers removal, in Words but be has nevertheless
retained him In office, doubtless satisfied that he has
done bis duty. The mperturbable composure and
dignity which the President has msntainsd, not.
withsanding the faotous outcry against him, are In
accordance with his elevated resoute and sefconf.
dent character, hS patriotic intentions and honest
convictions of duty. Such men should always
represent tho national majesty of free and ndePen-
dent people.
Let the reader observe that this organ Of the "por
cupns opposition" from which we have quoted,
considers an established fact that "Mr Buchanan
eptertans for the South, feelings of unnistakable
oonempt;' that institutions have no place in his
affections or regard. Is this reasonabei 1s natural'
Is il plau.ible7 Why should Mr.. Buchanan, at this
late day. regret the good deeds, and recan the noble
uterances Of his antecedent history in support of
Southern institutional Why should he be partial to
the North now, when he has never been be.
for.1 To which section does be chiefly owe his elec
toni
1t is absolutely absurd to charge him with
faithlessness to the South. And those who do it
must be blind victims of their own prejudices. 1t
will require stronger evidence than bis refusal to re-
cal Governor Walker, to shake the confidence Of the
great mass of the Southern Democracy, in his patri
otto purpose to do justice to all sections.
We come now to an extract from this same article
in the Mobile Mercury" with which our own views
are not 90 stropglyin contrast:
"Tbe developments of the last few days prove in
contsstibly that Mr. Buchanan enertans not the re-
rnoest dea of recalling Governor Walker, either for
his rst or for bic last Of treachery and these de-
yelopments furthermore prove that President Bu-
cbanan is himself deserving all the bitter denuncia.
tops-and in greater degree-that the Southern
Dsmocrats have been for 30 many weeks past heap
inc upon the head of the poor scapsgoat Walker.
'ob than vsll instica nd