Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-11-23

news, as. w hhino o"~ HN"ef w
arsph.c dispatches, marine news, &c. On ForarH PAoI-
Poetry and a variety Of news Items.
THE Eud of the Irrepressible ConHics''
by 4 Merchant of Philadelphia.
The above is the title OF a neatly printed
pamphlet, Of ~ pages, lately issued from the
press Of Mcssrs. King & Baird, Philadelphia,
We recognize some token of good in the fac,
that the very ablest and most complete of all
the exposures and re!utations of Black Repub.
licanism which have appeared in the late can
YES, are the work Of Northern pens. First
among these, the unanswerablc essay of the
Hon. D. D. Barnard, Of New York, 60 which
We have more than once referred for exemplih
cation and quotation, and which we will SCOT
Law before orr readers, with accompanying
comraent) stands ~pre-eminent. The essay tc
which we now call the attention Of our readers,
is not equal to that Of Mr.. Barnard, in point
either Of style or of intellectual depth Of arsu'
men;. But i; furnishes q most useful practical
adaptation and sequence to Mr.. Barnards emil
nen,!v siatcsman.likc exposure, anal explosion
Of Black Republican theory.
The work is, indeed, in several instances
ameuablc to just criticism, and in some In
stances urgently requires wholesome correction.
One Of the latter requires especial notice. By
an able analysis-not OF theories, but Of facts
the author ably explains that the ''irrepres.
sible conflict" has betrayed itself to just-mind'
ed men only as an unjustifable encroachment
by Northern men On the Constitutional rights
of the South. lie next admits that this en-.
c~roachmcnt has now advanced so far as TO ne
cessi;ate the conflict Of resistance on the part
of the South. lie also shows that the South
is very powerful for ~eilec;ual resistance, and
the North very weak for additional or even
continued ercroachlnent, in the face Of earnest
resistance from the South. lie also aptly re-
marks that ~elFectual Southern resistance will
finally be secured by commercial and financial
pressure brought to bear on the North.
Thus sar, the argument Of our author is ire.
fragable. But, just at this point, he makes q pal
pable miss;ep: The sectional struggle will take
DlaC5 lipl III tcIllSu LlClAS,L Io uJN oChSaSdSi
ed cities, but in merchants counting houses
and bankers Offices" Hence, our author ar
CUES, neither an act Of secession, nor an act Of
war, is at all necessary, on the part Of the
Southern States, 10 enforce from the North e
full acknowledgment and observance OF their
rights.
This is ! pa!pablc n9n.scqniter, since it is
sufficiently obvious that there arc but two me-
thods Of J~rtngiag to 6car the great and only
~efectua! lever OF commercial and financial pres.
sure. Either of these methods will suffice;
and nothing short Of one or the other will suf-
fee. They are separation, peaceatle or torci-
BE, ard war scitho1t separation. Indeed, since
peaceablc scpara:ion-uuder present circum-
stances, d, ~lcast--is practically impossible, we
may say that we have no ~efectual means Of
bringing TO bear the requisite amount Of com
mercial pressure on the North, except by AN
ACT OF WAR.
The great current Of trade which now depo-
sits its golden sands so hount!fully at the North,
will sccrn any less ~eGectual barrier. mon
intercourse" acts, amounting to anything less
than acts Of open war, will only chafe and ag-
grieve :he people who may be so short sighted
as TO resort 70 SUCH puny expedients. War,
and war cnly, will abruptly cut short the pro-
gress Of trade. Indeed, our author, while re-
jecting this expedient as unnecessarily violent,
does rot attemp! to point out any other eiec-
tnoJ .,.,r- L.. ,,r;al o.. 800.
pressure severe enough for competent resist
ancc.
Such u war will require effective military pre-
paration. But, We believe with our author,
that it will occasion little actual shedding Of
blood. An almost bloodless war, most proba-
bly,; but still war, actual uar is necessary to
prevent the full accomplishment Of the pre-.
scribca rote Of Black Republican success in the
'irrepressib!e conflict" The war may be defer.
red; but itso, The delay will only ensure further
invasion ofSouthern rights. The war may new
er come; but il so, the ultimate and complete
suhjuga.ion Of the South and utter destruc.
ton 10 our social fabric and material interests
will he the inevitable consequence.
And whether the war shall be originated by
an act Of secession or otherwise, We confident
IL predict that the war will never eventuate
either in The defeat Of the South, or in the dis
ruption Of the Union. The able argument of
our author is of itself sufficient to demonstrate
the impoSsibility ofthe first alternative in such
an event. And the same argument, when at
t~entively considered and properly applied, suf.
hciently demonstrates, whatever may hare
been the evils hitherto foStercd in their growth
by Southern non-resistance, and however clear
and indefeasiblc may be the right of a sove.
eign State when oppressed to withdraw from
this Cnion; that, nevertheless, the Union Of
these States is the strongest and most enduring
political entity now known in the affairs Of ma
tions.
Nor do We concur with our author in the
opinion that the ultimate and proper remedy
for the evils which We now endure. will be
found to consist in the amendment of the pre.
sent Federal Constitution. We would not en-.
trust any man or set Of men on earth with the
power to take away from or add to that consti-
tuition a single line or letter. We regard i, as
the most perfect political Instrument which
could possibly be devised to ensure the safety
of every State, the security Of every citizen,
and the perinancnce Of the confederaey of
States.
No Constitution can have power within it.
self, to furnisha complete safeguard against its
own infringement. But we do hold that the
present Constitution OF the United States has
SO long as the people Of any single State Of
the Confcdcsacy shall be found honest and
virtuous and brave enough to hazard a conflict