Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-03
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THE RECNNVND ENQUIRER,
BY KITCHiE. DuXNavASr, TYLER & WISE
TUESDAY MORNING, August IS, 1883.
rAE "CHARLEsToN MERCURY" on TIE

TUESDAY MORNBNG, August S, 1853.
ThE "CHARLESToN MERCURY" on THE
STATE OF VIRGINIA"
We find in IN. Southern Guur,;ai." the following
editorial, whch escaped ua when i; appeared in the
Mercury
We propose now to review 'lhs ohs rrva'ione oi the
Mercury" which 'sive succincty and fully the res
why the Cotton States have easu.ably lost Com
iideuce in the State which once va. The leader among
her Southern confrderatr-' We shall weigh well the
"reasona and shall enGeay0r 10 prove 10 the sa,l
ton of every candid and honest mind that they DO
not Justify that oss o! "conGieuce" which the Nc.
curry alleges Las taken place in the Cotton States
towards Virginia. But, ii 81, we deny that ihe Cotton
States have lost confidence" Il Nrginia--a few eI
tremists who have gone beyond the exfr-rnity of
extreme may have "o-t corGiencr' in Virginia -
But wha; OF that This ediioiis' II ths Mercury"
wac a reply 10 the RicImcrd "son.h" fo- having"
the "Gnsrdan' alleges, written very bitter
comments upon MIR. Ys"cey' proposition 10 organise
Southern e.gues throughout the Cotton S,a;es."-
We have seen no reply from tha South" and hence
the pleasant duty of defending Virginia devolves
upon us-though the Mercury" waa replying IL our
cotemporary. The Mercury .ays:
J. In the first place will moi tho South ackpowl.dcc
with its char Rctcristc rHnkness the Cotton Suites
more deeply Interested in the continuance African
slavery than Virginia the ron,rr states Is i; not
ac that In the fertile regions ui the Cotton States the
white rHce can never be field hhOrcrst II African -nyp.
rs is abolished III these States they become de.ot
wildernesses BIZ, will this be the in VirgiRRi Can
she not in her moro Norherly latitude continue civil
lied and free community although slavery is abolished
throughout her confines? With the former the question Of
slavery is one OF lite or death with the latter,
ofpoliiical economy and o social "Speency. Nw uudc
such astate ni iacts may not the Cotton States without
intending any reflection or dispnragrmcnt o the more
Northern Southern States tai the position that s ihrs
Ia the deepcst stake they every principle of duty
cxpedicncy. ought To assume thc chief share ot the
hazards o setns the great controversy about slavery III
the Union And why should not the Northern States
oi the $oah acquesce IN this assumption the phrt OF
the Cotton Shiee why should thcv desire 10 lead or
control in matter where interests are so clearly in
fsriOri
II our Charleston contemporary means by "Dore
deepiY ihferc"'din the continuance OF African Save
ry"-tLst negross have greser peGnniary value in
the Cotton States then in virginia cr t!Is; the labor
OF negro is more renunerave in those Statcp than
with U.s. We will admit the premise and yet deny ih-
conclusion Virginia does lot ineasure her in,eres
in slavery by any pccnaary a.audsld In the socsl
ganzatipn OF tins State slavery plays the sapa part
that the heart doss in the human organsm--end W.
should rs well expect 10 man live snd move and
have lis being" without th~ grea; central power 81
bis existence 10 see Virginia living and fulfilling
the iunctons Of her destiny with slavery a5olished
throughout her conlines''-scvery is ~ much qne7-
ton OF life Gsaih with Virginia it be with
any OF the Cotton States Negro labor is As ceseGry
to the cultivation OF tobacco as il can bs TO that o
cotton. The cultivation OF tobacco is now extending
init .,l IN ;.h; =;
tivaied Tor many years enG @hc .1owa but that the
Supreme Head of the Univ-rsr, whose ways not
our ways" may have caused The "short crops OF
wheat To encourage tie extended cultivation OF
tobacco and the conseGuen: Increased hold of African
Slavery upon the necessities of this State Tobacco
IS "a much the great staple of Virginia rs cotton is
of Asabans. ourln'erest i. as much identified With
I'dJacnm, e. Alabama in GosNpinm and negroes
are equally rec->s7ry tn ii- cultivation Of both. Ii
by more deeply Interested The Mercury" rrrGni
grots in point d! m1:nher-, Virginia & very
largely in excess of any other State. Hence in any
view of the mat-r or u,oa any Interpretation If the
words more deeply in:"rc9:-'!" We derry the pro
position. The Cotton Stss, have not ~. cy,si
s,ahs,' aud hence they "on&h,' not "in assume The
chief share the hazards settling The g-rs; conr:o
v.rsy about slavery IN iha Union Virginia does
MT "dcsre to eed or cou,rol' in ;his "ma,t.r"-
but che will never suffer h-ise 10 be led or control
ed by auy State or combination o SstHa. Ths .Mer.
curry" say:
-, But urth-rmpt., ulePenIen, Of the relative into.
Involved IN the Of African sayerys not
the locality of Vrgn and other frontier States with eur.
rounding influences such should them that they
ught desire TO lead III. Cotton States
this great question: frontier is in direct
with free States All the moral inf which contiau
ed Intercourse i"terDaGriagcs and ncienbOrnooG cs
produce. tend directly weaken slavery in frontier
slave Stale All the dscnurhciD and demOulzng effects
o wrarisomc, ceascles hnrsssnen, and contention along
managing snvcs aud the losses by fight tend :" siarr
the institution, and rcvuutionzr public sentiment agnns
i: rs costly nuisance Virginia mas also The Federal O
scrnment on her border, with all ls rorrnptng diare
9sis and all ts prestige IF poT,r paray.e any ncion
looking Southern redress Sourirrn Independence.
Having disc!aimed 70! Virginia any G.. sire 10 lead
or control the Cotton States On this great question:
W. might dismiss No = without farther comment
but the nsinuaron that tie "corrupi;ng allure
m-nts,' aud The i:ts ga OF 2,w"r,' of ;hs Fedora!
Government has pG'sl'z.! ANY action !Dckins IL
Southern redress or Southern Independence, csnnol
be allowed 10 pass without comment. W. are g, Il
,osa To fnd the evitsbca u7ou which such degrading
insiuuson be pr-dicH;ef with regard 10 Virginia
to Virginia's action in 1872, when the prestige o
power in the Federal Government sought 10 coercr
and compel South Caroline into subni.+ion No. III
1882 For D-l3ow's Reyipw gays
"Vir.iIia spoke Dear To her had nways bcr!. liberty
and constitutional rights From 'hnsr hNls whore Pa'ric
Henry Numbered in irresistible cloquenco stHrs British
tyranny-:rom thos. hns where Jefferson nt.oed In"
Immortal principles which. bcac"n'ik", guided him
through the darkest period o our history responsive
could not forget her Madison aud te Eesouions ot "
and .? She cliues to them IN -I9, with all her earl y
devotion. What palmer than her language O TINT year
Each Sta has right construe The federal compact
for itself The acts OF Congress, usually denomnatcd
the tariff laws not authorized by the PLAIN consr"c'
tOn, tru. intent and meaning oil the Constitution.
Thus, plri pass,. went forward ihese great States
in tie march Of constitutional liberty" This does
not look like paralysis oi action from "corrupting
alIurement' or "the preetige Of power
II WAS not in 1850 for the '.snbmissoniss OF that
year made no headway in Virginia but were erni.
nently euccessful in many Of the Southern States In
Mississippi the gifted and the gallant Davis was de-
fea,ea by H. S. Foote; and in Alabama and Georgia.
some OF the State Rights party were sgnsly defeated
Not in Virginia. her representatives, voted 20 man
against the abuninGble M asures Of that compromise,
and al were returned with increased nslorlte.. Aud
in 1888 the Representatives. from Virginia voted for
the Lecomp;ou Constitution as Southern measure,
aad ;houg, many regard It es u deceptive measure
which II successful, would have Increased our
emi"s in the Congress yet, the people OF Virginia,
for Southern harmony, will abide ;her action. Wnen,
tnen has Virginia shown The ELECTS of corrupt
ing aurements' fears of the 'preatiga of poweri'
The insinua,on il unworthy Ilis source from whence
it sprung, n. well ne the oh-c, 20 which i, was ap
plies. Th. Mercury coniinues
'a Unfortunately for the Southern Stste' experience
has shown that the influences 10 wnch We nGTc above ac
v.r,ed arc no, mere fancy sk.:Cho- They have been
proved 10 be realities Virginia w"s once-but (wc ask
the patience OF gallant RichmcUi cotempor"fy when
we announce the tnct) V!rriEia, amongst the Cotton
states ia NOT now considered the foremost Of the
South; aad we propose 70 recall I" mind tt lew facts
estimation in which she IS hed
II And lr., ON the Tarif question Ia 1892 snd 80
Virginia took the same ground as Ss1th Carolina and all
the Cotton states did excepting perhaps. Louisiana in
whose behalf a duty on suga. was sld in the Tariff OF
81, cnns nationality of prCtectiye