Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-12-06
HOW TO PRzsLRYE THE UNION

greS> Of the United >iar"-. which assemble to-
day, will have presented To their Geliberation
questions Of greater magnitude than have agi-
tatct the country within The present century.
Questions involving lie peace and pcrpctuity
Of the Enion; question:. involving State honor,
equality and rights: questions embracing indi-
vdual States anl gree; sections. To the con-
Sidrratom of these que lions it becomes all men
t" bring the utmost liimnc>s. tempered with
the >nInde>i discretion.
Before the Legislature OF Virginia will arise
the subjects Of STATE DEFENCE, Internal I'M
provcmeEt Freedom from Northern Trade
Protection "i Virginia property from Negro.
Stealing and uv+tcr->traling Yankees-Frec-
Negroes and Yankee PrdlarS; and, among many
others. the great question of longer remaining
IN the Americas cnnicderacy
The subjects oi State Defence and re-
naming in the lnnu are necessarily init.
matcly connected for without change Of sen.
ti'"ont, radical ark ~ ceping throughout the
Northern States. the defence of Virginia will
need ~ l!i"r"u: al organization i'll the Union
~ out Of it, It i folly to expect an efficient
military force wtiuut providing Il iumd for lis
support and maintenance. Whatever may he
the system adopted for the thorough orsanIza.
ton OF the militia in our opinion, that system
should be- based upon i regular pay inr d'TA'.
a> wcll aS actual service. Such Il system can
be devised by ttratio", .fMts and p"y n will
provide for AMI accomplish the thorough drill
Of very efficient military defence, without
ANY material increase Of taxes. The Compa-
nicS HattalionS, Regiments, Brgadcs and D.
visions should all be thoroughly drilled, rs well
as efficiently armed. But no means can be de-
vi>ed tina! i'll ensure the attendance upon hill
that do not provide for paying these who may
appear AT company drill, a. well aS f"i'g those
VIII" may i" absent.
Nirginia'> longer continuance in the lni"n
depends more upon the coniuct "i IA" North
crn States than upon any action al her own
people. Attachment To the Federal Union a.
Il 6rs t.t"hiiSh,d, has been her ,iiSiiGg gushing
ccptinn, ular the prrGancncy 0f the | MON
the great feature o! their political lives. When
sister Southern State was about Srvcrng the
bonds that bound her iu the Federal Union.
Virginia. m the person Of her distinguished
Commissioner. plead rith au'l persuaded her
sister To bear yet awhile longer the burdens
which then weighed upon the South. South
Carolina listened 10 the voice OF Virginia ~
spoken 10y the eloquent and gifted Leigh In,
stead of seeking to destroy. Virginia has ever
sought to cement and defend the lnion IS il
,ros eSirbii.h.d
But the nion "i ~ j. no longer the Union
oi 50; the form ot Coniederacy exists, but it.
spirit h;,, vanished before the influence o
abolition; the hcroi,m OF Washington palcs
before the notoriety of Brown; the glorious
contest of 'iG sinks before the irrcpie-S.hi.
conflict oi %. The Conlcdcracy Of iratcina
States la. been broken int" leagues or di>ccr'l
ant sections.
The Constitution. ordained aTd established
{" "in>uIr dolnc>tir tranquility, has been IA
e!iectual 10 prevent "vlOlcnce from our con
federated sisters Common defence Is II,
longer secured by the tn9n and ~ Repuhii
can Government, the Constitutional .aran
Tee ui every State nn nm-rr cXtcn'> 10 Tax
slave States Without all this j. speedily
changed, the man who would advocate Il longer
submission to the tyranny "l the Federal Con
s,itutiolI, a> construed by the Northern Statc-
is unworthy the name oil Nmsinian.
The remedy for all the evils that now besr
the Constitution must BE- discussed and dccidct
upon hy til. I.5gi.latur" iia; ,"'inr s>S"nhIc'
in kichm"mi.
There ca;r be no peace tor Virginia and th'
South in the Mon, a. ion@ a. the question i"
slavery is the football Of political parties. -
Even the TIarper's Ferry INVASION ha- failed t.
warn the conservatives %. the North ol th'
dangerous faction that di>turhs their peace, "a
well aS endangrs the l'nion We have bseI
charged with eXag.e!atiug the importance .
th1 iarpcr'> Ferry affair r"r party purposes
The cause "i -cct"Hai anim,o>ity must be cle
valr, from the arcla "f politics and Snhnttc'
directly Z, Mc .>ocertjya .>t"i".
Slntc suycreigntics must assemble III Con
Tcntiun and thea and there agree upon tutur'
peace IN tin Union. oG iccic upon the n'">
peaceablc mode oi dissolution No Southern
Convention. but Convention Of all the State
having an equal vote. ,toIld he assembled
. and in that Convention OF the States OF tn
American Union, the uI,irnatnm Of the S"ut!
should he laid down.
Such Convention would arouse the cOIisrr
vati>in OF the North; none but men OF libcrali
t ty Of opinion would be delegates, for upon it
: deliberations the future of the Union woul'
d.pcr Once convince the North, that tn
slavery question is not >ubtciluge Of party
, hut i, Il real issue involving the Union, and al
our rights will be immediately secured. Tn
material advantages OF the Union will weigl
with tho North far mole than negrophilism. Tn
Legislature of Virginia must decide for Con
vention either Of the South or Of the Who'll
Union-thc first will inevitably dissolve tn
Tni"n the latter may pcrpetrlate it and render
safe and secure Ia the South.
SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY.
, A proposition has been introduced int" tn
South Carolina Legislature, inviting the slav
!. States 10 unite in the formation Of Il Southern
: Contrderacs No action has been taken up"
r it. The Governor of South Carolina closes hi
recent message TO the Legislature with the Il"