Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-08-24

sn;r;t of oprarianiSm, which has taken strong
hold on the minds Of many of our people anu
who hold civil government, constitutions Vi
laws as nothing, and mere brute numbers ~
nvervtbinr-,fat we ought all 10 resist 'ae
1a,noralizinc pretension before It oecaihc GU
tonclcd by precedent. also, attempted 10
chow that by the Supreme Court OF the united
c,vtcs and it's reasoning in the Dfcu Scott
oosc :, slave in the territories oil the United
States oven after the organization OF q Terrific
r;ol government, is property, and is recognized
% cucb by the Constitution of the United
States. And for this property, its owner was
entitled to protection, either from the General
Government or its agent, the Territorial Gov
eminent. | argued and insisted that the gene
raj principle of the right Of protection to per-
sons and property formed no exception 10 us
practical application, from the TACT that tue
citizen was in a Territory OF the United States,
and that he invoked the power oil the ueneFa'
Government to protect him i'll the use Of Ills
slave. 10 these views | have added that SO
soon as this or any other Government Shail
fail or refuse, in any case whatsoever, enectu-
ally to afford the ample legal protection. which
is due to all Of its citizens, III the
particulars referred to, the only remaining
remedy for the wrongcd citizen, Is to seek anu
secure the withheld protection, by his wv
strong arm. And this would DC only accom-
plisaed too often, and that lancntably, ny vlo,
lcnce and blood. That in the absence OF all
governmental protection, men would seek, as
best thew could, the vindication OF their
rights of property, by brute force, and II be-
came the wise and patriotic Of all parties, we'll
to consider and calmly decide, shall TINS great
and fundamental principle Of protection be
maintained and rindicatcd in al raSes whatso-
ever and in all plnccs; or the dread calamity
oyertake us, oil a people maintaining 'heir con-
Stitutional rights by the use OF the Oowle'
knife or rifle. | have neither time nor lHclina-
| ton to do more than to furnish you L skeleton
Of my poor argument. 1t may DC Oh no
| value, but justice and truth dcniaho s,ioule
| not stand charged with entertaining ana pro-
claiming : threat that never made
So far as the Nashville Patriot relies, then,
on this groundlcss charge, to prove inc TO be
one Of the conspirators to break up the Union,
if he has nothing better, the imPutat!on Is en-
tircly imaginary. ! may he pardoncd Tor say
ing that in the entire article, there appears
nothing 10 justify the charge against any oil
the eminent gentlemen whose anne arc nitro
duced in it. As L citizen, ] place 4 high value
on the Union, but much higher on the ConstI'
tuition, as the instrument and means by when
the equal rights Of all in the Union are guar
anteed. But when that great and admirable
Constitution is broken down by Il tanatical anu
imperial majority; when its commands are
disrecardcd, its limitations scotIed at, ana It's
provisions made the Instruments for outrage
and wrong; and when, under Its forms,
either by vicious legislation or nOn'iegls.
lation, the equality OF the States, and
the equality of the citizens Of each
State are destroyed, and preferences and pro-
lection given to one over the other, | have the
candar and the courage to declare my val'ic oil
the Union is turned into bitter hate, for 1t is
no longer q blessing, but Il curse to us. as
vet. all this is not conSuminaied-thc WORK has
begun, and the dcSlroyrrs are busily lahoring
to un,r,rn the best form Of Government the wit
of man has ever framed. For one, detcst
their scheme, and will help as best can to
couutcrmand them. But, with all the light
before me, | cannot choose Mr.. Douglas, or Mr..
Bell or either Of them, rs the true man for my
leader in the struggle with Mr.. Lincoln, who is
the chief Of the agrarians and deStroyers. In Mt.
Brcckiuridse, | see IL better and nobler cham
MON, standing on i platform full, complete,
clear and which has no double Interpretation,
and speaks not in a torkcd tongue, and leaves
nothing to doubt, lie commcnds himself 10 all
who wish q continuation Of 4 constitutional
Union and q fair and just administration Of the
Government. Pardon me for adding, that the
skies hereahouts, and, indeed, throughout the
entire South, are really bright, and that We
shall be Il unit in November next, by casting Il
unanimous electoral rOte for Mr.. Breckenridge.
am, gentlemen, yours, most respectfully,
ROBERT G. SCoTT.
have to ask, as an act Of sheer justice, that
all those papers which have noticed the charge
above referred TO-, vii! please give the above
contradiction publicity.
[ DO not doubt but that you vii! do INC the
Justice to insert the above, but if you entertain
a difference Of opinion, ! will thank you 10
hand it over to the enquirer for insertion IN
that paper. H.. ". ,.