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

political craft anu skill, mterFcneS, ana gives
direction to the one.sided energy which, with
out him, wonld soon exhaust itself. Thus we
have every element Of opinion and every pow
or which operates OH mind, brought into reoui.
sition to effect one result. That result is as
certain as that effect follows cause; and that
effect must remain permanent, for the reason
that the causes arc permanent and ever acting.
We are brought then to this conclusion:
The South stands in the Union without any
protection from the Constitution, subject to the
government of q sectional party who regard
our institutions as sinful; and whose leaders al
ready declare that the destruction Of these in
situations is only a question Of time. The pow
CT Of this party must increase from the coMtin-
ued operation of the causes which have given
them their present strength. Thus, with the
forms Of the Constitution around us, we are
deprived Of all the benefits to secure which thu
Union was formed.
The preamble of that Constitution sets forth
these objects in the following terms:
I'VE the people Of the United States, in or
der to form q more perfect Union, establish
justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for
the common defence, promote the general wei
fare, and secure the blessings Of liberty to our
selves and our posterity, do ordain md cstai'-
fish this Constitution for the United States OF
America"
Where is that more perfect union? The an
swer is given, by the shout which hailed as a
hero the murderer and the assassin. As the
ancient Greeks had no name for the parricidc,
and imposed no punishment for an unknown
crime-so the fathers Of the Constitution pro-
vided no means for REFRESHING the unimaGined
invasion Of a sister State. Nay, they actually
disarmed each State, giving up to the federal
government the army and navy, and making
no provision for protection of Estate from ~
%vasion by a ncishboring State. This gave rise
to the anomaly exhibited at Harper's Ferry, IN
the laws of the federal government aliording no
aid 10 the governmental Virginia to protect her
from invasion. This moro perfect union Is
more strikingly Illustrated in the spectacle now
exhibited in the array Of one half the Union
against the other, urged on las one OF Tue speak
ers ut 4 meeting in Boston most truthiuily nc
~clares) by 4 religion Of hate, when IS ready
ITO break down all laws, hulna ana airine.
But the Constitution was also made 10 estab-
)ish Justice. The establishment Of justice is
cvinced in the protection and security Of life
and nronprtv. The blood that cries from the
Ground at ~Eiarper's Ferry, is witness to the Sc
enritv of life; and doubtless tho spotted re-
,.ionS on Browns map would in due time have
added their solemn voices, but for the utter
failure in Virginia. And If these voices do not
convince, let the ease with which, some Of the
confederutes escape through sister States into
Canada add its testimony. Nay, more. Sup
pose jurisdiction Of the crime had beer surren-
dered to the Federal Government, and judy
ment had been delayed until the 18th Of
March next, how think you that the culprits
would have Jared with n Black Republican Pre-
silent entrusted with pardoning power?
And what protection has the Union afforded
to the most valuable property Of the South
that which was chistly in view when the Con-
stitution was made: Thou shalt not Steal"
SAYS the word Of Cod Thou shalt not eovet
thy neighbours slave, says the same authority.
The Constitution and the higher law" were
therefore in agreement when it recognized pro.
pcrty in q slave, and stipulated to return him
to his owner. But what is the condition of
things in this Union: Eight, at least Of the
States, land, | am told, rs many us sixteen
have enacted laws to defeat the rendition OF the
slave to his master; and, ut this moment, q
controversy is pending in which even the tran.
sit Of the slave with his master through a
free State is declared unlawful. Associations
arc openly formed for the purpose OF stealing
and receiving the slave when stolen; and in one
State the owner retaining his slave, does so
on peril Of an indictment for felony. The high
| priest Of this new religion, occupying 4 high
| place in the Government and q probable sue
cessor to the Presidency, announces to his fol-
lowers, that they must defend these fugitive
slaves as they would their household gods"
And how does the Union insure domestic
tranquility Let the necessity under which
this State now is, to arm her people-let that
necessity answer. Let the sounds Of war
which are yet rcsounding through the streets
Of this capital. answer. Let the restless and
uneasy feeling throughout the entire South, an
swer. But against whom are We compelled to
armg Who arc they that threaten US with CO.
ercion and violence? 1t is they who are called
! our brethren-they who are our rulers-they
who formed with us u Constitution for common
defence. They. organize i'll their midst societies
to destroy our peace, and to arm the slave
against his master; they preach a crusade
against our institution: they train mp their
children to hate and distrust; they abuse to our
destruction the power which the government
has coaided to them. We have surrendered
to that government our arms and our fortreSSes
our aFmy and our navy-our sword and
purse-and soon we may lind, to our cost, that
they are in the hands Of an open enemy.
Time does not permit the further elucidation
Of this portion Of our enquiry. Enough, how
ever, has been said to prove that we have a
Union without r Constitution. The Union in
deed stands, but it has ceased to effect for US
at the South the great objects for which it was
formed. 1t is but the carcass of its former
self-tho body without. the soul. The bless
ings which it once conferred have departed
the glories which once surrounded it have
been dimmed; and its burdens remain, press
ing down upon the South without compensa.
ton. History is not without its illustrations
on this subject to teach US wisdom. Repub-
lies have, before ours, been enslaved under all
the forms Of free institutions 1t was in t!lc
Roman Senate that Sylla sat while his soldiers
were butchering the citizens of the Republic.
|, was in the Roman forum that Antony thrice
offered unto Cesar the kingly crown, which in
difference TO the forms Of the Constitution he
thrice refused; and it was in. a vain effort to re-
store that Constitution, that Brutus and his
con;cderates put Caesar to death. Long after
me extinction Of all liberty, the edlcts Of the
Seiiatc protested to be in the. name. Of the 10
man people, and the Emperor himself exercised
his absolute authority under the republican
names Of consul and ilnperator.
Arc We then to be misled in the same man
ner by deceptive appearances? Is it not clear
to the Southern people, that when the North
have banded themselves together, and arc in
possession OF the government the South has
become d province Of the North? Are they
not really in Il worse condition than they were
in l7I5: Then, as now, a sectional line (widcr
indeed, in %sextent, but not more SO in effect
separated the rulers from their subjects then,
as now, the government was in the hands OF
one section, the other having a choice only be-
tween submission and resistance. But now,
the Southern colonies must bear these addl-
asgravations:
/. Our rulers have been educated from child
hood to denouncc us and our institutions; so
that instead Of the kindly sympathy with which
government should respond to the feelings OF
L .,.