Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-03-16

! course that comports with tue nature OF the
: wroncs Inflicted. And what nre those wrongs?
I will not undertake to rccite those wrongs. but
will read them from the Report OF the Joint
Committee on the ~liarper's Ferry outrage
, committee raised by tins General Assembly, OIL
!, which the patron of this license bill Is inc
!, chaii man of the committee on the part OF tiiS
House. This report commences With hlS
startling paragraph:
. "In'the night of the 10Th Of October last, q
band Of armed conSpirators, from the i'oItntEh
States, in fuitilmcnt Of Il design which had been
long entertained, and deliberately 'aturedr
,isdc al i~ncurs;pn INTO the State Of Virginia,
1T ~IIarpcr's Ferry. for the purpose OF 'nc'I'ns
nif: sIaYcS to insurrectio'l, ot placing arms III
their hands. Of AIDING tiicW III plunlci1ilS INC
property uf their masters, Of numbering ltle'li
aud their families, and Of o:c,lhrpwinG The
government Of the CotruiouIcalth.
Again. this committee. comnIcn,l!!g upon MS
outrage perpctratcd 10y citizens ri uiIc sectid;'
Of this Cul,irdrracy upon Those resident III MI
other scciior, say:
This iuva>iun Of So ereisn STATE BY ciI!'
yrr,s q. other States, cvtIteJrrated with >u"-
ice. OF Il foreign government, p cSrh'S natter
f,r nrayc consideration. II is al, cEe;'i Without
4 parallel in the history of otr %cHu"ir!v. .Aah
when wc remember that the cur>io;l was
marked by distinct geographical features that
il NILS made hy citiz,n S Of Northern States IN
a Southern State: that al tic c",l'.lcIllnce ana
.,rn;,ror.mrE; which il received Il. and nil the
material nil which. was extended 10 II, Were by
rtizrnSu l Northern Sla,.s; ard That is ar"wud
object was t"ulakr war upon nin! overthrow IN
institution Intimately in.crn oven With al the III
,c,rs;s Of the Southern States. ami constituting
an essential element .; iAcir social an! prlIticA!
systv;u.-a;, institution winch has existed Iii
! Iirgiuia for more than twJ centuries, and which
is recognized md guaranteed 10y The ;uItiial
covenants between the North and tine Shii;!i,
; c:..uodlcd in the Constitution ot tl!e Lnltct
! S,ates-recry thoughtful mind must be iliea
witt, deer. concern aud anxiety i"r The 'u'ale
pcace ana >rcI~ty Of The country.
rs an rrIG.iIrc shat there is deep Sea's"
hostility oil the lart Of the North 20 The Sou'i'
and that the efitir: public tnin;! Of ths North
is unsnunI and lnvrbldlv diseased, Ili> com
mittec refer 10 the recent debates IN congress
,iur!n. the late rtfIt 20 Organize ltSci', .: tHa
el,c Ill Of Speaker, in the following 'nn:ua&''
The recent debates III tac Cnl4r+-S ~ lie
United States have Disclosed the re'naihAhIc
fact, TINT Is Republican, mclHi'crs ol Congress
have allied in ~. ttrn cndurscihcI,t ai"lrvto'i.
msndaiion To public favor, Of An atr"cionS i'pSi
Oh Southern institutions. prepared by n 'i'ai'"i"
was openly demfunced rn the ln"r vi the senate
! Of thu Uutc,l States ;v q Senator from hi
own STATE. lis unworthy Of trust an! conli'
,icucc. This infamous publication, thus COM
mcrlcl to public approval by the regularly
accredited representatives rt near SIX li'l'li"hS
Of Nor thcrn people, ah"urds in the most li'>'ul-
Gus appeals II the nun->l ,vrEoldcrs OF the
! = 49,. S,-,-. AL .,,l-- To 1Ttl0fnn tho
minds Of the slareS Of the South, and 10 lncltc
them to rise in rebellion asains, the authority
nf their mast,r.: To murder them ahd their
faniiics, and to rara.e the cot,,;ry with lire
and sword. Yrt with a full knowledge ct all
these facts, one Of the endnIsrls OF this libel
on fifteen States Of the Con(r'lerary has been
nominated, aud pcrSi>,ently pressed by tho
members Of the Republican party Tor election
to the SpcakrrShipc # the ll1Hsc OF Representa-
tivcs Of the United States; aud not onc 81 The
members uf that party has been restrained by
reason Of that cndul Selncnt from giving him l
cordial support.
These are some Of the prominent facts and
reflections submitted by this intellig'n COIL
r.iticc 10 this General Assembly, with Il view
Ia n1c;nnt and decisive action for the MAN.
~tct,auce Of our rights, OF State sovereignty '''d
indy lual property. Such 4 c"rdlli"n OF things
mr. ,livrS the existence cf a cordial union be-
tween tfc sections Of this C'"nfclcracy, rs orr
email, contemplate by the trainers Of the
Constitution ami the l"ollc Of the States,
which adopted md ratified 1t.
Nuw. Mr.. Speaker. the question presents IT.
. Nl': Virginia desiring a perpctuaIlon OF th's
! Union and net its dissolution. what course does
squad policy recornlneml to this Legislature US
! best 10 lie adopted IL cf1tctnate that otJect!-
Shall we adopt measures Of retaliation, liner
viii add fuel TO the CONSUMING Il ,ne' or, shall
we haze E.caSure. purely recommended ny IlS
friends us' l. peace mcasilrc-n Conference OF
Tie Southern States-a measure sanctioned by
manv uf the most CONSERVATIVE mel! IN or
midst; Among that class | am proud 10 name
that eminent Nlrginian. the llor. Henry y.
Wise, late Governor of Virginia, whom | al
miro. whom Virginia admires, and for whom,
the people anxiously await the opportunity 10
sicralizr, in unmistakaLlc terms. that admlra-
tInn. | uuhesitatinely avnw my desire for 4
Conference. and that he Conference, n!tchHdJi
all the >tatrs ~ Tie ,S0utA, Shall tender AZ nj.
,lma,um to the North. | favor this, for the
reason that | prefer, if war be unavoidable.
opcn war between the States as independent
soycrciruticS, rather than civil war ms ii now
exists. In the language Of the Hon. Rotcrt
Toolnhs Of Georgia. IN his speech delivered IN
the Scr,a!c nf Inc United States, OH the 2ttl
Janmary. IS@1. .rhcl | here Reproduce, You
will srr tht. vi. :. &c nar prr>eHt CONDITION. AZ
portrayed b. ::i"i. lie says:
'.rlIat. SIR, is our condition TO Gay. We arc
virtually in civil VA, ard these are the calisc:
Of il. IL is known and felt on this floor.
feel and know HAT q large body %; these Sen.
atnrs are enemies OF my country. Ki""
tn; and their associates have used the powc:
winch has been placed in ihrir hands by many
Of the States. to asSail and destroy The instltn'
;;olr; of these confederate States. | know That
under color Of the liberty % speech. even IN
these Halls, d." by day. and Year ":trr year,
they have ti,ladcred their denunc'at,ons
sgains: slavery and shareholders, against con-
i.,lerates and tl"ir i?s;ili,I"rs, and thus seek
10 apply the torch 20 nrr ltumstcadS. and to
,lc.olaL our land with sciTilc a'n lmicIiccIIic
war. Sir, the present state OF ihllG- rs u"
longer compatible With our security nor our
honor. We ir,uani pence ar war. We pre-
fer ;.cace we have sought Il through p"acr!ul
channcl,; but though fh: road /" 1t shall lrad
thrn,"h war, wr it,lnnd IL hare II.
AVA do no; charge these wrongs againS; the
Federal Government. There has been 10 time.
since IFS e. establishment. when it has been lrutr
10 its obligations, more faithful 10 the CunSfi.
tuition. than within the last seven years. It's
executive and ~judiria! departments have firmly
maintained the 'undametiai i,w in relation Ia
these great qn"s.'"'s: and tn legislative de-.
ar,nent has apqroXi'na'cd the same standard
nearer thai, ut any other period Of our history
within the last forty years. And ! it is because
Of this fidelity TO lis dnty that II is liabitual!y
Denounced by 4 condition in this rnuntrr when
is seeking 10 centred it. with intent to make IL
l mint 70 tIni- traurbprui,S IuIr,,0srS IL
is the duty NJ all pltiiotlc c;tlzcIIS TO uphold
il, and protect it against such prostitution.
speak 10 10 nan as i partisan. feel but small
concern about mere party success. These
u~n,.tinns a,i<e far above SC ignoble r standard.
would tia: al good racn. Of every party,
would unite and rally around the Constitution.
- h--L. ( 100000 .nE.E