Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-03-22
MORE THAN ITS vALUE!-A VENTILATION

TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH aa.
MORE THAN IT'S vALUE!-A VENTILATION
The last Warrenton "Whig" SAYS
'Snce Mr.. Letcher has thought proper to
bring Mr. ,ltobt f. Scott prominently before the
public, we are gratificd to say, that, at the
proper time, and that not far off, Mr. Scott will
pay him back with ten.fold interest. II we
have 4 subscriber in this world who, by acci-
dent. has preserved single file Of the Supple.
ment, we will give him two years subscrip-
ton if he will send us the speech Of Mr. Rid.
ley, Of Southampton, on the basis question.
wherein that gentleman arraigns Mr.. Ietcher
for his abuse Of the East, and produces the Ruff
ner pamphlet upon him in open Convention,
and likewise the answer Of Mr. Letchcr to Mr..
Ridley, which reply was couchcd in language
not very polite to the East and her peculiar in
! stitutions. Before Mr.. Scott takes the stump,
! he desires to get these documents, but even
should he fail, he can prove his charges if de-
! MED, by such honorable gentlemen rs Sam'l.
! Chiffon, Mr. Ridley, of Southampton, and even
the chivalrous and gallant Wise, if necessary.
! We believe that Robt- f. Scott deals 10 easy
blow. but from his ponderous battle-aXe, the
foe falls back in terror and alright We re-
oice tina, our cause will have the benefit of his
talents"
| 1t will be seen from the above extract, from
the Warrenton "Whig," that very high price
is offered for document only "ordinory'-
a mere ''sxperfa,," not a '.JamHy' article.
/ Now, it strikes US that our friend of the War
renton "Whig" is unnecessarily raising the
! price of 'dormntntx" which we consider very
shabby conduct, considering the present de-
mond We mast protest against this 6attish
proclivity of political brok,r. Two years
subscription" for one document! Who ever
heard of such n price: And that, too, for the
"sole use and benefit" Of Robert +. Scott,
trustee for ohm Minor Bolts!
/ At this rate Of two years subscription" for
Mr.. Rigley's speech. what should be the price
of 'Thc Speech of Mr.. Robt F. Scott, of Eau
ouier, on certain resolutions touching the action
of Congress OIL the subject Of slavery. deliver
ed in the House of Delegates of Virginia, on the
llth day of january, lS49 Richmond Printed
by Sheppard & Colin. ls4?:' But there is a
document Of a later datc-a letter from Robert
T.. Scott, published in the Alexandria Ca,
zette." not very long since, which gives the
! latest experience Of that gentleman upon par
ties-.Nr. Bets party incinded-that it may
be we'll to look up Will not the Warrcnton
'Whig' offer REGARD for that rundmny?--
and, if it is caught, send it to us:
When the Warrenton "Whig" receives Mr..
Ridlcys speech, we hope it will, in its publ
cation thereof, append the following extract,
by way Of ventilation, from the speech (abovc
referred to) Of Mr. Robert f. Scott
1.-The resolutions reported by the Joint
| Committee on the WILMoT PRoviso and other
kindred measures, being under consideration,
Mr.. Scott said, ION page G,) Southern politi-
clans propagated the opinion that our interests
in the system were antagonistic. Upon the
subject of slavery, too, a full share cf blame
will be found Mt our own door. Northern fa
naticsm has been met by an undue cxcitabili-
ty at the South an excitability ever tending
to ereesses-and mpelling us into dsadvanta-
geous and untenable positions. We insisted,
ut one time. that abolition petitions should not
be received; this was Immediately construed
into denial, by Congress- of the sacred right
Of petition itself, and a subverson Of the Con-
stitution, which secured it to all classes. That
great excitement sprung from 1t, adding large
numbers to the misguided petitioners, is in the
recollection Of us all. 4f0p IRE are dcnyihg
tie constitutional authority or Congress to
TAKE cognizance Of slarery in the 7erritories-
a denial efauthority to a mnnicipol legislature,
(Eyr Congress stands in that relation 10 tie ter.
; ritories) to legislate upon ~hat is at once an
obtiom aud interesting snlject of municipal
hgislation a deniMl too, in the .rice 81 an
nnbroktn ,eries Of precedent. from The earttest
days Of tie Republic 10 the present moment IN
tie face ef repeated and solemn occupations
or the poner 5y all tie Constituted authorities
Of the government and the people. Is srcH A
POSITION 1ENABLr:
And again:
~ cannot say, as they (thc rcsolutions) re-
quire that Congress has no power under the
Constitution to prohibit the introduction OF
slavery into the newly acquired Territories.
And again:
"The true doctrine may BIZ stated in few
words. Congress is the municipal legislature
of the Territories; it is complete legislature,
possessing over the subject complete jurisdic-
t,en-its power extends to every act in its
nature legislative, not prohibited by the Con-
stitution, and ii may do tn respect to the ansti:
tvtisn OF slorery chaterer the legislature of
our own State may lawfully do. This has been
so ad;udged. repeatedly by the Supreme Court
of the United States
And again:
THE idea that the Constitution carries slavery
into the Territory, springs from one OF those
vagaries with which excessive subtlcties some
time bewildcr the brain, but which can have
no resting place in any we'll ordered intellect
A rather hard blow on the head Of the Su-
preme Court, over which Judge fancy pre-
sides
And again:
I'm our dealings, therefore, with Mexico, We
have departed from the Principles Of our own,
and proceeded upon those Of other govern
ments Ought we now to force upon this people
domestic slavery against their consent! An
INSTITUTION REPROBATED BY THE
WORLD; ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE \
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL EVIL"
Thus, Mr.. Scott in 1s49, entertained senti-
ments and opinions common with Mr. Letcher.
But hear Mr.. Scott, in ls49. lie continues
"In contemplating our condition, We may have
the courage to acknowledge THE DlSADVAN-
TAGES which flow from the institution; there
arc few amongst us WHO WOULD NOT
HAIL WITH SATISFACTION THE Pc
RIOD THAT WOULD PUT AN END TO 1T
FOREVER, if at the same time we could be
relieved from the presence of this UNFOR-
TUNATE RACE"
Such are some of the precious antecedcnts
Of Mr.. Scott who is hcraldcd by the Warrenton
.Whic" with an intended demolition" not
far off'-of Mr.. Letcher.
Mr.. Scott characteristics sister Southern
State as "Disloyal South Carolina So we
find in the able reply to Mr.. Scott, made by