Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-04-19
RICHMOND W HIG.
FOR IHE wHIG.
SOUTHERN WRONGS AND REMEDIES.
an Tgg PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.

The attention Of the General Assembly
A CONVENTION OF ALL rus STATES, under t.e 5H Arii-
Gle Of tie Federal Constitution.
This appeal the sovereign members of the con:ed
racy is expressly recommended by the present Governor
in his inaugural message. He speaks Of it as the ONLY
mode under the Constitution Of settling the rights o
the States respect the Federal territoy end as the
proper OF adjusting all other controversies be
tween them Satisfactory basis II Il should not
result in such adjustment, he thinks the Convention
should then consider the question o.. psdeed6s sepdrd
tios, and disposition of the common property
This proposition shared the fate of every other Sug-
geSted for de6nitiye settlement. Blu. although stcd
bv the Genera! Assembly beneath the ruins of The "com
nercia system and u )rodigous of local and phi
schemes for depicting the Sae Treasury, 1t Is one
o. trauScendeu interest TO your future welfare, and will
command trust your fullest consideration. The South
Carolina Commissioner audes 10 it as one proper % be
preceded by conference Of the Southern States-yery
opery doubt, yet not necessarily; snce IN Cou
nou the Southern States would Of course have voice
and would shape their ert.
The Governor suggests specific amendments. His
objects however briefly explained 10y h!n, merit the
appreciation OF every friend to the SOuhof every true
friend to the Union. In ausion TO hs recommcndlc',
Mr. Memminger admits that there guarantees, whcl
il added the Constitution might restore to the South
it, equality in the Unon" lie specifies wO-d daI' ere
cttiue and dDisOH of He Senate INTO tUO CHAMBERS
The former suggested by Mr.. Calhoun-thc latter
ore than two ago aud again more gently, ae
writer of this ddres yenured to present TO olr notice
In ugjng il cLd ..yorud 10 shUa tnat an amendment
had become Indispensable. My proposition in substace
was:
That there is but ONE constitutional mcasure-if tn
be oHe-capab!e OF placing the rights, interests anu
liberties of the Southern States solid basis,
consistently with the houor of all parties aud with the
preservation of the Union and that is, such az amend
msut Of The Ftrqi Co5St,i'oa shall insure the due
s1e,ut 0n Of tie Stiyildtons for southern protection
cod nei IN TIE 2i a,,d 4ih sections Of the 4h Anic'c
gtardts 70 tie South proportional enjoyment Ct tie
Ftityli territory, and ,gHaity0 PoisHcdi po~cr 1
hs administration # Federal AFFAIRS or AZ ieIstSaeh
share Of that powsr a, Shdit cTe"t"Gg chsk The operrH
,.g and Increasing DovlSArIUN OF THE NORTH.
coutended that the nflblc consequence Of NoEr
ERN SUPREMACY unless arrested by a timely amendment
Of the Constitution would be the VIRTUAL SCnIEcrON CF
TIE SoUrH that these indeed merely convertible
propositions The political supremacy OF one or
Safe over others, necessarily Implies the subordinaou
Of the ltter-iu effect makes them pr0UiHcs aud #
there exist between the gosrHng and the gocerd states,
ifering domestic Institutions cashng interest and ho-
tie feeling, constitutes tyranny.
OF the truth Of this proposition had long been fully
persuaded Subsequent experience and reflection have
converted this persuasion into fixed conviction In
urging it upon you, and suggesting what conceived 10
be- the best aud simplest form OF amendment, make no
claim to originality though do not remember to have
ever previously met with he similar views.
Tait some amendment OF the fundamental articles of the
Union is essential to the security OF the South and
hence the continuance o the Union scl, must doubt
les have occurred the minds of many who have care
fy noted the workings OF our Federal and State machin
ery screw j. Oose:-cvdeutly The eqlpose has been
dstgrbed;-l Uuesde motion, generatedby the iucreas
ed aud rapidly increasing weight OF Northern power and
uuless balance wheel can be supplied this undue
action must Of necessity, be augmented until the ma
chine itself shall fall TO pieces or all resistance on the
opposite side be overcome. Looking 20 the present pO
ci relations OF the States the supremacy OF the North
and con eQleut subsection of the South, wOui seem to
be rather propositions OF fact than OF cOl cure or spec
uatioa. The covenant OF Union has been and is daily
broken i'm its essential provisions snnued and the
Soutb is at this moment POI ieaII and practically
srWUGArEp The power 20 dct.-a.e the whole policy
Of the Federal GJyerumeur ha, passed siuce the sdm
i0n of California permanently 10 The North-to the
hands If thc Grcl, Prophet OF the irrcpressoe conflict
is to be credited Of hs iJlJworsthe pseudo-R tpubl
cans: who he tells us are "a majority in the North and
therefore, practically, tn people o the NORTH; men
who hate us-oi faction morally responsible in the
judgment OF those who know them FOR The Harper's
Ferry crime
Is it compatible with the honor the rights, and the in
terests Of the South that this state OF hing daily grow
ing worse by reason of the increasing aceudancy OF the
North should be endured, without some effort to regain
our lost equality: itls attention TO the social and po
tca relations between and our Northern allies will
sa sfy you that speedy aud decisive movement on
our part udispensaby necessary to relieve Us
from a s,avish and disgr c,iu! s,iny
Ia aiyertug TO these relations, design TO cast no
that portion Of the Northern peope-a ma
iorty would ,aa hopwh1 still friendly in their feel
iug and faithful 70 their pledges shall ay before YOU
some of the public OF Their State authorities, chiefly
the work of that crafty and malignant party who under
he once hOuored name OF Republicans boast that they
rule the North; and who it this, be- true rule the South
aud the Union. lousha Judge Of the spirit which gov
ens them not from the lips Of their adyerslries but
from the open aYowas Of their most conspicuous lead
ers:-he authorized eXpoorS of their dogmls and their
,igus,
Turn first 20 Iowa and Ohio The Governors of both
these stes recently refused deliver upon the requs
ton of the Governor Of Virginia fugitiyes charged
accom- Ices Of Brown in the Harpers Ferry massacre
not lack ugitiyes from labor but white iugtves
from Justice" | will not trouble you With review of
their technical exceptions some OF which would bring
blush to the cheek Of pettiiogging attorney. Admit
ting for the sake OF argument that the great seal of the
Commons ellth atestng the authority OF notary, could
not be received TO dispense with the seal OF the
| notary himself contendsd by the Governor
OF Ohio admitting, as argued by the astute
Attorney General Of Iowa, that an Indictment
alleging certain offences to have been committed u II
giaia aud found "a true BILL is to be regarded without
further proof false or insufficient allegation that the
offence Cls committed u IUqiaia admitting that an
application Ly the Executive Of Virginia for the delivery
of persons alleged TO be Jtgcs from JHstcs, Is no su
fcieut allegation proof that they st from JUSTICE or
from Vr.I although tAe term7 used are the precise
terms used in the act OF Congress pe'cbung the manner
making the demand anl NJ further a,gU,on orProof
q, thereby required to the !act OF Rytf-admituug
sl this mghtt have been expected IN common court
that these captOus exceptions would have been dis
reused WITH least that the alleged iugyes would
have been detained until formal demand could be
n ,deg Such WAS the course, Governor Lecher info
Us pursued by the Governor OF PenuS lvana in the
Of Hazitt The inaugural address of Governor Xix
wood give clue perhaps, to his legal diiicJl
ties He says, "Wile | mos. ulqualhedly condemn,
cannot wonder the recent unfortunate aud bloody oc
currcuce At Har er's Ferry. In being war against
BRETHREN it greater crime than the invaders OF Gu
ani Nicaragua guilty Of rs'iertdto some eriet ot
i!s 0lt in the minds OF many by the fact that the blow
was struck for freedom and not for slavery" "The
moving that led these misguided TO that mai
attempt he thinks may be easily and certainly found
and he finds them-Whcrcg Doubtless in GtrOci-
Gus wrong done by the Vrginians dwelling the banks
OF the Potomac 10 those who slaughtered them; q!
no Governor Kikwood finds the moving cluSes-lst
In the il. treatment Of "Free-Snte mem in Kan
sas by their "pro.slavtry brethren" and 2ldly-
In 'the policy called flibu trs H. approved by our
Southern brethren well rs by "many in the North.
Is it strange he asks, that the bare prODalg gGtioR
these doctrilcs acting upon the minds of maddened
bv the recollection OF wrongs inflicted upon them in h
sas because Of her love of freedom should lead them
to 10 and dare much home for liberty those
who have oppressed them doing abroad for sll
very' at seems TO me- he adds, most natural" Most
natural that men, maddened by the recollection of
wrongs Inflicted upon them IN haisdS, " should wreat
their rsveuce on THEIR BRETHREN thousand miles off in
Virginia as gutleSs of those wrongs Governor Kirk
wood himself This " mad ATTEMPT this UNFORTUNATE
occurrence he softly phrases it-this unprOyOked,
coldblooded feudsh massacre, every human heart
must pronounce (which OccaSOned throughout the
United States unless among the initiated in republican
mysteries as much amazemeut " thunder clap from
cloudes sky"-he regards rot at all to be wondered
az IL vas "NOSr NATURAL" Was the Governor in the
secrety Or were invasion and assassination the antcipa