Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-04-01
SINKING THE SLAVERY AGITATION. I"


sinking" or cessation of hostities, but per-
mahent peace; not truce, during which each
party shall increase the means of warfare, and
after time renew hostilties with greater zeal
and more deadly effect. We think the best
and snrest way of arriving at peace, is finally
and fairly to settle every question that has dis
turbsd the harmony that formerly existed be-
tween the two sections. Fornearly forty years
pedcei,as not existed between the North and the
Sonth-trure has followed truce, and the shams
oG,aorlSromise have delayed settlement by
holding out to both parties the prospects of ul.
innate triumph.
1t is useless now to enumeratc the hopes de-
ferrcd by compromise, or 10 trace the disap-
pointment produced by the shalns of statesman.
ship. 1t is sufficient to state that after forty
years, the country finds itself no nearer per-
manent peace than when the cloud Of war
first reared its horrid head
Has not the compromise apecifc been suit-
GENTLY tested both under the hom0pathir
and dltopathic treatment: If ever remedy
has been fully tested and sgnaly failed, no
matter from what cause or for whose fault. the
compromise remedy has. Shall a bolus be
continued, the purging and nausea of which
has already debilitatcd the patient to point
from which restoration will be difficult: We
think not, and We propose to change the re.
mcdy.
Let lis have no more Of conpromisc-no
more Of trucc-hut permanent peace. "Thc
day of compromise has passed" and when that
fact is fully understood and the country looks
the slavery agitation and its consequences
full in the face the cry for permanent peace
will rise from every section and from every
State No Sinking" evanescent, ephemcral
expedient as that proposed by the 'ncw third
party will bring any permanent peace to the
Republic.
Docs the "Richmoni Wing" expect or
desire the South to cast into "oblivion'
the past injuries" she has suffered, and, with
common resolve to avoid c!tsnce hereafter"
without security for the future, without pro-
lection Of our rights, promise good behavior
if our brethren of the North will, in spirit
of concord and amity restore pclee and good
wWr
We are well aware peace and good will
can he attained By surrender on the part of
the South of all disturbing questions We
know the bright bow Of hope and promise"
will span our future" if we will make
no further trouble about slavery with our
Northern brethrcn-but unfortunately this is
the very question that 1860 is to decide
whether we shall surrender our rights and be-
eS@s esson SasfS 81 tSs Y dssH est ad we wOua now III
troduce another New York Daily The ",Ines"
speaking of Governor Hunts speech says:
"IIc must know that political parties arc
| crowths of the tiay-dcpendent for their life
| and breath upon the constartly-changing cir
cumstances of the times, and necessarily, there
fore, ephemeral in their nature. They change
their form from a necessity which they cannot
resist: and he might as we'll cXhort snake to
stand by his last years skin, as to urge the
people to adhere to q political organization
which they have outgrown and sloughcd oil.
"Govcrnor Hunts speech is part OF 1t general
increment 10 drirc the Republicans from Il see-
tionol into a national position, and to .f"rce
them into alliance niM parties Which sympa-
/ Mj,s NTH them in the main but hare acted
! agains, them. The Americans are conscious
of their own inability to carry the country, OF
any State: and they are dcsirous oi uniting
with the Republicans upon terms which shall
mt inrolre on d6solute surrender. The old
Whiqs entertain similar ASPIRATIONS Both are
dissatisfied with the sectional aspect Of Rcpub-
licanism. and still more dissatisfied with the
leading men of the Republican party. They
want to act with a party which shall carry
some of the Southern States, partly OIL public
grounds and partly to get rid of men known to
he obnoxious to the South and unable to obtain
Southern votes. Their motives are partly
patriotic and partly personal. 1t is very de-
ssirable. beyond all doubt that sectional diviS-
ions and contests should be ended as speedily
as possible. Any organization of parties
which excludes either party from the whole OF
any section of the Union, is unfortunate and
greatly to be deprecated. 1t was the most
unhappy feature in the canvass of 1886 that
Col. Fremont had no electoral ticket in any
Southern State 1t was an element OF weakness
Mt the North as well a. South-for the instinct
OF love for the Union is very strong with the
masses of the people everywhere.
"It would be still more unfortunate for the
Republicans in the next contest; for the Union
sentiment would encounter less resistance IN
the emergencies Of the country connected with
the Slavery question The Slavery issue will
not be half as strong at the next election aS 1t
was in the last The Kansas crisis cannot be
rcncwcd-and we cannot quite yet believe that
the South will be foolish enough to substitute
the Slave trade issue for it. Tile old HhW'
.nd .l,aericanS. therefore, belisrc the Repu6tI,
e,tas uW fnd IL necessary To take national
: orouM-to enlarge their purity PLATFORM dna
, In take smrh position, and nominate such candle
d,,tes as rW pcrmit them to extend their or
ntai,atioa into the sldrehoLding States IhelT
activity lust now, in holding meetings, making
speeches, writing letters and carrying on elec
tons, is designed to bring the Republicans to
realizing sense Of this necessity.
lit may or may not succeed. lust n"'c M'
ReDpJlicin party feels strong enough to carr!
the country per Sc Ifit feels so year IRON
2 now it will nominate its representative man
5 and 20 into the contest upon its own responSi
: bility. If not, it will look about for an availa
: BILE candidate-take some Southern or estcrl
5 conservative and 90 into the canvass on th'
: basis of union against the Administration an'
: the party now in power If the councils o
t that party continue as distracted, and ITS con
{ duct as imbecile. for year to come as thel
: have been for two years past, the Kepuoiican
can make their own choice.
Their motives are partly patriotic ant
:. partly PERSONAL" and really when we read tn
: "whis" Of yesterday, and then review tn
c points now made against Mr.. Letcher, it /
n apparent that the partly personal very ia
exceeds the partly patriotic
!. If the Virginia Opposition are really des
!. rous of "sinking the slavery agitation, VIII
S did they not begin in Virginia: Why d