Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-02-03

strict guarantees CT the Constitution When
ever these arr aSsaied with new act Of sue
ccssIul invasion, il is especially appropriate that
our ycncratcd sheet should record the disas
trn!s decd in tokens OF the deepest mourning.
------~----1p-~--
What Ncxta
A VOICE FROM wAsnISGroS TO WHICH VIRGINIA
SHOULD RESPOND.
WASIIlSGToS, Feb. lin the House OF Re-
representatives. to-day, Mr.. Wm. Pennington,
Black Republican, from Newark, New Jersey,
was elected Speaker, by majority Of ONE
vote.
What response has Virginia 10 make? What
reply will the Opposition send back to the Black
Republicans for defeating Smith Of North Co.
rolina, after having elected hiu? If any fur
thcr evidence Of the aggressive purposes Of the
Black Republicans is wanted, it is 10 BE- found
in the defeat OF Smith Of North Carolina
Having elected m old line Whis which was
never in;e"dcd, these anti-slaveTy Peoples Par
ty Republicans withdraw their votes because
Smith, Of North Carolina, would not suit their
aggressive purposes,
What response will tho Virginia Opposition
members make to this dejeat and to this elec.
tiOa' Shall we wait for further aggression?-
1t is useless 10 enumcratc the repeated acts
that have been made, vioative Of the letter and
spirit Of the constitution. Why will the Op-
position longer delay to unite with their Demo
cratic brethren Of Virginia in protecting the
constitution and preserving the Union from
the agsrcssions Of an enemy who have shown
their purpose in the facious defeat of an old
line Ehig?
The election If Pennington, aJter the dtyeat
Of Smith, is even molc alarming than would
have been tue success OF Sherman. The defeat
Of Smith too plainly Indicates that no patriotic
purpose, 10 Union ends animate the enemies
Of slavery in the House Of Representatives.
This defeat confirms every charge Of bitter
apimosity TO The Sonth-of deadly hostility to
slavery-of determined purpose Of continued
aggression upon the consti,ution-ofsettled and
forcgonr resolution to ,iistort the Union to the
unholy end Of ovcrthrowing slavery. Had such
not been the ends and aims and objects OF Black
Eenublicanism, the election Of Smith would
have been allowed to stand. But, no. aggression
and overthrow could not have been advanced by
the Spcakcrship of an old line Whig, and hence
the very men that perpetrated the fraud, upon
the people. Of his election, Immediately defeat
ed him, and have now elected one Of their own
number. They have at last rallied under q
leader. What next: Tho Southern States
must rally to the Constitution. or the Union
will inevitably be dissolved.
The conference Of the Southern States must
be had, not as party, but as patriotic mea'
sure under the appreciation Of all Virginia uni
! ted.
Does not the holy object Of preserving
! the Union, Of maintaining the Constitution, Of
railying the friends Of both at the North, re-
commend this conservative measure to the
good men Of al! parties, and the true men OF
every section? We sincerely hope that this
last, but not least aggression will open the
eyes of the Opposition. ard unite all parties in
the Legislature upon the conference.
! What glorious response would be telc'
graph to Washington that Virginia had united
! in the conference How cheering and cncou-
raging it would be to the dropping spirits Of
the conservative mcn at the Morrill, cast down
as they will be when this last act Of assault
has been tclcgraphcd throughout the Northern
States? Let there BE- no contest over resolu-
tions
A par; Of the resolutions Of Mr. Thomas, OF
Fairfax, with portion Of those Of Mr.. lsbcll,
would make dccaratory preamble for the re
solutions Of COL August that should receive the
support Of every man in tho Legislature and
then fill tho blank with three Democrats and
| two Wings.
Mr.. MEMMI%GrE's MIesios. lntcgenc: rom
Richmond states that the Legislature vii! rooaDly
taEe no definite action uppn the mission OF Nr Mc!i-