Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-12-09
AltBmon0 enquirer.
By RIrCmIE, DUNNAvANr, TYLhE / WISE.
FRIDAY MORNING. DECEMBER o.


FRIDAY MORNING. DECEMBER o.
The prospects Of II stormy session OF Con-
gress are iorc-lIaioweI in the beginning
Mr.. Clark. oil Missouri, very properly present
cd the issue ni the fitness 81 any man for the
Speaker>hp who had endu:sed the "lmpending
Crisis" We presume that any man who en-
dorses the infamous de,ulncatinn Of whole
section of the Union, is no; tit person 10 bc
entrusted with the responsible posi'i"u .!
Speaker of the House oi Representatives.
If ,he rndulsrrs. the men who gave impor'
lance to Helper and credit to the slanders 80
laboriorl>ly selected and prepared under his
name, BY Black Republican committee, are
the proper persons to have the control ot iede-
raj legislation, then it is proper for immediate
action on the part Of the Legislature to prepare
for conflict that may at any moment be pre-
ripiratcd upon llr- South. The legislation "i
the -xtv-cirht Ilcllerirc, cannot fail 10 ts "i-
icl,siye and iniuri"'l, to Virginia aud the SOUTH
and the triumph "f such men, following so
quick upon the llarpcr's Ferry affair, would so
cmpiiatca!IY deny the existence Of controlling
conservatism ut the North that longer hope for
Justice from that section would be folly. Eve.
~ sign Of the times warns our Legislature that
a contest is immintnt-and for which the State
should he prepared.
The apotheosis OF John Brown may aid the
success of the Iielperi,es, hu. it should warn
Virginia that the peace measure Of non-ln'er'
course should 90 hand-n hand with some
more sure aud certain remedy. 1T were bet,
tcr to Iuee, some danger, halfway, though they
cornc nothing near, than to keep too long a
watch upon their approaches. The wise
words Of Bacon address themselves to the
South III 1852, lar more forchly than when
in 1880, they covered the titlr-pagc Of "The
Union. past and future How it works and
how /" save it. :, pamphlet. ,h' fruit Of
which "rottci before il ripened.
We feel that action should not lac delayed on
the par. oi Tia, Legislature: any unnecessary
,l.iNS "DNu iDc ll!SNcINtI NNNi ~ 'hS -'''' ''
by embodcninG Our enemies a. we'll rs d!Shrait'
eninc our friends would lead to consequences eni-
barrassnc and dangerous. The prompt, decided
and determined srtion Of Virginia, upon the
questions that now divide the country, may
rouse and a,iisa,e conservatives oi the North
to make bold and decided stand for the Union.
Public s.n,incn, at tSc North acts upon the
Northern representatives. and may prevent the
election of IIeiperitr, If not secure that at 4
Democrat.
The whole country i, looking 10 the Leg,ia-
rurr Of Virginia, quite ~ much as 10 Congress.
The South, hoping the Virginia Legislature As
the Immediately asgrieved and injured party,
will so e.npha,icaly Nc, a. 10 afford some
sure hope Of future peace. The South is
looking 10 the Virginia Legislature from the
Conservative stand point, with hope that
firm, decided and temperate action may
strengthen their hands for contest with our
enemies that may eventuatc in success. The
Black Republican North watches the l.eslSla
turv with hatred, eagerly to catch the first act
Of hcsitanry to herald forth our weakness.
Let there be action. approving "l the pro-
ccedings already heard, thearrrSt, trial, convc'
ton and execution, together with the steps
taken to prc9rnt rescue; let tlie voice "t the
Legislator, b. heard upon the sentence now
hanging over lhr convict, in The Charlestown
iaii-this l. due those his, rahlc beings, that
their few remaining days may uot be dis
turbcd with th" vain hope Of eventual par
don.
Federal matters should not be involved in
discussion with ordinary State affairs, but de-
batcd in the early days of the session that all
the world NAV scc and understand that 'ir'
GINA, the first snd foremost Southern State,
sounds no uncertain mo,e, but, true to herself,
her section ana her institutions. she ha- tle
spiri, and power {" aveuSr her wr"ns> and
defy her enemies.