Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-11-09

itv of such doctrine.
Thirteen different colonies Of Great Britain
unite in the effort to throw of the BRITISH yoHe'
and enter into a Coniederacy for mutual ana
After seven years war with the motner
country, they succeed in establishing lhelr III
dcpendencc The separate and independent
sovereignty Of each State is mutually acknoW-
| ledred by all the States That Sovereignty IS
| acknowledged by the mother country ana the
principal States Of Europe. They each cSer-
cised that Sovereignty for about twelve years
They then modify the Contederacy, unuer
Constitution, giving certain specified aaaitloral
powers to the Federal Government, thus es-
! tablished-without one word as to no" long
they mean to entrust that Federal Government
With those powers The whole tenor OF mat
Constitution recognizes the Sovereignty OF each
State, especially its provisions Tor atnenoment
| and ratification The Federal Government Is
| invested with extraordinary powers IN control
of the subject Of making amendments TO the
Constitution; but no power is gwen 10 ulH'
solve the Government, or to prevent us d'sSo'
luton.
In whom, therefore, is invested the power to
dissolve it, Why, clearly, in each OF the Sow
ereipn States who CREATED it-for, by the Con-
stitution. they expressly reserve every power
not granted to the Federal Government.
Virginia, therefore, as one OF those ooVe-
reign States, has perfect right TO d'Ssoi'e he'
connection with the Federal Government
But designing politicians resort to the mean
device Of working upon the fears OF our people
by suggesting such bug-bears rs civil war
negro RESURRECTION in cooperation with North
ern invasion, &C., &c.-even down to the ab'
cnrd idea that Southern States COULD be re-
duced to submission by Northern army.
This is too wide field to be discussed in
single article for public print. But per-
nit Inc to present the different points one at
time. c,,.
Where is the OCCASION or probability Of "cIy'
il war; as q consequence OF secession! we
see, in the papers, accounts OF numerous anu
large meetings Of the Northern people, III
which, under the influence Of inf1ammatory
speeches, they express their horror oil slavery
and their determination that it shall not be en-
tended beyond its present limits. And to TINS
they add some fierce threats rs to what they
will do if we take active steps toward resist
ing their agcressions. But does not every
intelligent man know that all this feeling is eX.
cited and guided by demagogues, for political
purposes?
How, otherwise could the people of the free
States be induced to crowd the halls OF Con-
eress with such rabblc Us now represents
them? Look at the number OF members oil
Congress from the free States, who have been
expelled from that body for the crime OF accept
ing bribcs-for actually selling their votes tor
money.
Is i Dossible that such men are the deliberate
/ choice Of the people?
But, it may he thought that the same tanatl-
cal feeling would induce the people OF the free
States to take up arms for the purpose OF redu'
cling us to submission, If the Southern States
dared to Sccedc.
This, Messrs Editors, is an act III the drain;t
| never even contemplated by the Northern peo.
pie, for the simple reason that they know well
that it would not "brng down the audience;
in other words ''it would not pay
Our selfapprobatlon highly rehshes the bold
expression of virtuous indignation at the sins
of others, so long as it is attended with no I'M
| pleasant consequences to ourselves. The lana.
ticism Of the Puritans Of New England was
freely exercised against the Quakers and Bap-
tists--even 10 the extent Of putting them to
death. But that was done with safe impunity.
There were then many Puritans, but lew Bap-
lists and Quakers; and successful resistance
against such persecution was not apprehenoed
| 1t is a very pleasant recreation 10 the shoe.
makers Of Lynn, in Massachusetts, after pro-
| fitable days work, 10 spend the evening In
| hearing inflaInmatory speeches, and venting
his excited feelings, by voting resolutions eX.
pressing his righteous indignation at the cruel
treatment of slaves by their Southern masters.
And the interest Of the scene is greatly height
encd by the exhibition Of large prints, repre-
sentine an orersecr with cow-hlde in one
hand, and chain in the other, attached to the
neck of kneejng negro, who, with upliited
eyes and suppcating looks, CALCULATES: "ttaVe
mercy! am not thy hrother:" All this is very
grateful to the excited sympathes OF the in
diynant shoemaker; and he returns home with
! feeling Of selEsatisiactlon--a feeling OF supe'
rior sanctity--wth the prayer OF the Pharisee
in his heart, if not on his lips, God thank
thee, that am not as other men rc--that
am not like these wicked Shareholders.
Thus he spends the day in a labor Of profit,
and the nigL, in labor Of love-altcrnating
the making of shoes for the vile Shareholder by
day, with the making Of abusive resolutions
against the STAKEHOLDER by night; and, eSchang
ing his shoes for money, wrung out OF the
sweat and labor Of the very objects OF his com
miscration.
This is picture of the state of fanatical eX
element among the people of the free States
and upon it our Southern Union" men buG
! M the bug.bear Of Northern army volunteer
ing TO reduce seeding Southern States to sub
mission. But ask that sympathizing shoe-ma
ker to shoulder his Inusket to leave oil that pro
fitable traffic with tho Shareholder, to leave his
wife and children, to leave his comfortable
home, to march five hundred miles, to endure
the hardShips Of camp, to hear the sharp
crack of Virginia or kentucky rifle behind
every tree, to meet in deadly conflict men who
are lighting for their iresides, their homes,
their wives and children, TO meet men in the
photographic who come fresh from the scene of
their burning houses, and the mang'ed and halt
burnt corpscs Of their wives and children, and
burning with intense Indignation at the deep
larnnation Of their taking oil" Ask him, [
say-ask that selCsatis6ed maker Of shoes and
resolutions, fhe is ready to face such all array
of pleasant consequences He will tell you
that he would sooner encounter an army oil t.
gers
And what is the powerful motive which is
TO impcl this great Northern army in cru
SADIE against the SonthI
Why, according to the views Of the Union
men, it is Il fanatcal zeal for "Liberty"-not
their own liberty-not the liberty Of their
children, nor even of their neighbors-but the
liberation of some millions Of slaves, 500 miles
off, Me consumlnation Of which would efiectu-
ally dry up the great source OF their own
wealth and prosperity.
| Eut what are they 10 do with the slaves after
they have liberated them?
Will they carry thcm home to Yankee land
and provide for them, or teach them habits of
thrift and industry: Or will they turn them
loose here to fight their way in the unequal
! contest with white mens Or will they send
them back to Africa to return to their original
barbarism and heathenisu, and raise children
for the slave market?