Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-01-14
BLACK REPUBLICAN, POLICY

In our editorial Of Yesterday. We cal,ci at
tention to the fact that although no effort will
be spared BY the ABOLITION party 10 elect their
Presidential candidate in i360. such attempt
will only aim at the 'nrshra'iono Of their policy,
and their defca, on that iSSuc, can in no man
ner be regarded as the 'eoup De qrice.' either
TO their organization or the purposes which
i; is intended ultimately 10 accomplish.
The delicate game which they are So skill
iully playing, has necessarily derclopcd the
nature of their plans. Bat this Development
has been insinua,cd rather than openly en-
pounded, and herein consists the danger
From present indications. it threatens 10 lull
conservative men into u false security.
The great object which now engages the al
ton Of leading men in the ranks Of the Re
publican party, is to deprive Southern proper
ty Of the power for protection lodged in the
Federal judiciary. To produce q conflict be-
tween the legislative and judicial departments,
to limit and restrict the constitutional exercise
Of the powers of the Supreme Court by mean,
of unconstitutional legiSis,ive enactment-t0
bias the Judges themselves BY some system oi
reconstruction in the organization Of the Court,
involving. perhaps, a disappointment of judges;
such is the shape Of policy which our enemies
are now prenedita,ing.
This policy has been generally revealed in
m unmistakable form among the initiated a
we'll as to those of the uninitiatcd who take the
trouble to think. However desirable ii may
have been, to have kept this movement yelled
from public view, in the close keeping OF prime
movers, and only TO be revealed when the moment
should arrive for immediate accomplishment
however desirable this may seem, with a view
TO consolidating Southern opposition parties
in an alliance with the mammoth party o
Northern .A~bolitionism, such extreme caution
would prove impracticablc. To satisfy the
doubts o! hcadiong Aboii;ionists, as well as
for the purpose OF populariSing the scheme by
allowing it to wear a gradual impression ON
the public mind, it was absolutely necessary to
furnish to the people at large an indication Of
its tendency, vague, indeed, but by the very
uncertainty Of vaguity securing the desired oh
icct BY the most eiiicacious means, and sparing
the violent shock and equally violent reaction
which would certainly attends full and eXpiSi'
exposition.
Opposite impressions have thus been designed
IL produced. The intelligent abolitionist recog
nizes in its full force andbearing the policy ofhis
lenders, quietly applauds their sagacity, and lends
them the aid of his cautious and effective co.
operation. On the other hand, the large mass
of conservative men who look only ut the Su.
perfces of political Indications. are persuaded
that this attack on the Supreme Court is
a mere vasary of a few .Aholitionists, and has
in 70 manner become part of the platform OF
the Republican party.
This is no harmless d%elusion. 1t is a. dan
cerous rs it is false. The minds of the con-er-
yatire party of the Union must be awakened to
the truth of the danger. and rallied to defend
the outer trenches with which the Constitu-
ton has cnvironed the sanctity of the Judicia-
nv. We must not remain quietly IN the IN
mos: citadel, and patiently await the dcstruc-
ton OF our outworks.
We are not dealing in seneralities or conjec-
lures. We lave an express and practical OBJ
;ect in view. 1 dangerous timidity is at this
moment inclining q considerable body Of con-
seyvatiye Democrats 80 withdraw from the out
or line of decentralization which protects the
rights Of the States. II. rs is pretended, the
Kansas.Nebraska act was intended as a statute
dec,aratory Of a formal abnegation by Con
Dress of its constitutional right and duty to en-
tend all requisite protection to slave property
IN the territories, then such statutory de-
c~lsration must be ut once rcpudiated. Con-
sress has no right to reiinquish its c~onstitn-
tional powers and duties. Any such REIN
enlistment constitutes All offence worse than
ordinary usurpation. The usurpation OF pow
ers not granted ~accretes a governmental power
to Cypress. The REIMBURSEMENT OF powers
granted. destroys the power to protect; and en-
aSles an xtra-governmental power oil usurpa-
lion smbodying all the terrors both Of tyr"n-
ny and Of anarchy.
Let us;eonfne the matter to its immediate
connection with the programme oil Abolition
party leaders, which we have just exposed
II is impossible to deny the unconstitutionality
of any attempt, on the part of Congress, to