Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-01-28
RICHMOND WHIG.
SPEECH OF PROFESSOR HOLCOMBE BEFORE THE
PEOPLE OE ALBEMARLE.


and thoughtful consideration of the suggestions shall
make The opinions shall express are honestly enter
tanned and have been maturey formed and II any apol-
Ogy necessary for their utterance oer IN the SEN
timeut of revolutionary patriot that however little able
TO speak man NAV feel himself to be- if he thinks the
liberties of his country in danger it ought to be more
difficult keep silent. All the signs of great popular
revolution around Whether that revolution shall
terminate in abiding triumph of the principles OF con-
SutiOnal freedom that hereafter may sit under
our own vine and fg tree with to make afraid,
whether will rend this glorious contederacy in TWAIN,
either by the voluntary separation Of eNaSperated sec
tons or through the fearful tragedy OF civil war-what
to be its issues will depend upon the prudence, the
decision and the patriotism which the American people
shall display in this eyentu hour of their history Our
whole Southern country, in season OF profound peace,
is briSting with military array and preparation
Are we buying arms TO protect ourselves from our
slaves? We treat the nsnuation with scorn. Have we
other object than to prevent the of outra-
ges like those Of Johu Brown? A vigiant aud perma-
nent patrol necessary and is all that is necessary TO
crush such muied and clandeStne cOnSpraces in the
future Do We fear an invasion OF our territory from the
North by large bodies OF men, IN open day with view
of exciting seryile insurrecton: My respect for my
Northern ielOwcitizens does not allow me TO entertain
the apprehension for a moment. The Black Republican
Party itself proposes to incorporate article in It's next
PLATFORM declaring the existence OF an obligation to pun
ish such invasiOns We are in arms because recent
events have convinced the most unbteyng amongst Us
/
Union and because 10 man. people resolved to
maintain those rights | trust | ann not wanting in a
proper appreciation Of those great bodies of patriots who
have assembled in the Northern cities aud proclaimed
their undated affection the of the Southland their
uubrokcn loyalty TO the constitution OF our country May
the eloquent voices which have been boldly and no.
bly, lifted up for truth and Justice waken spirit in the
North which shall utterly wher With its indignant re
buAe al power of mi chief IN the enemies OF aternal
and equal government. Whatever fortune shall attend
will
ed through all the heat and burden OF the conflict by
the PRAYERS of Southern Christians and the henedicOnS
of Southern ireemcn. But Northern friends should
distinctly understand that demonstrations satisfy
the just demands of public sentiment at the South, 80
long as sectional party whose very bond Of orgauiza
ton is principle Of hostility to our Institutions receive
the sympathy and support OF great masses OF their peo-
pie.
The existence Of such party is a standing Of
aggression upon our rights feel To
their permanent and undisurbed enjoyment, long
il possesses degree OF public confidence which gives it
reSpectabity But it at this moment, undisInay
cd by its recent bloody work. preparing to convuse the
country with another deadly struggle OF sections. The
very brcezes which bring to our ears the grateful echoes
Of lucrna sentiments expressed in union meetings, watt
10 them also the appaudug shouts with which thousands
upon thousands have welcomed back to the renewal OF
bis mission of strife, the public who, more than any
other OF his day has disturbed the peace and harmony Of
the country.
ATTEMPT To ESTABLISH IN POWER A PURELY SECTIONAL
PARTY.
The party to which have referred has the uncnvia-
be distinction of being the first in American history
which, contemplating permanent existence, has been
organized upon q basis of purely sectional principles
Such party could have been formed until that COM
prehcnsye spirit of patriotism which was uculcated 10y
the Father OF his Country in bis parting words Of warm
ing and counsel had lost its early warmth and vitality
The North aud the South have been frequently divided
upOn Isolated questions of StutOna right and policy
81 lf.Ia sl
other in an angry spirit which threatened the very
isteuce of the Union and filed the bosOms of the de
parting sages of the Revolution with anxious fears for
Iue future Oi the Republic But the ordinary relations Of
parties were disturbed only in reference to the pending
issue and when that closed the country retOr
ed 10 peace One lustrious statesman indeed with that
prophetic insight into the workings Of great principles
which characterized his mind predicted that geograph
ica uc cOucdeut with a marked principle, moral aud
political conceived and held mp TO the angry pas
,ous of men, would never be obiteraed; and that eve
~ irritation would make it deeper and deeper until it
would kiudle such mutual aud mortal hatred TO rem
der separations preferable 10 eternal disCOrd.
This melancholy iorebodng is rapidly becoming g
reality We now behold the spectacle of purely North
ern party graspng the possession of the Government
with declared purpose OF using it to promote their in
terests at the expense of believe that this party
compreheuds thousands Of good men and true who
template no rect interference with slavery in the State
but what they DO propose will be Immediately subyersye
of our Constitutional rights, and ultimately fatal to the
security Of this institution within own limits The
invitation lust issued by the National Committee to send
delegates TO the Chicago Convention described by the
most conservative presses of the party a document
of great temperance aud moderation. The objects avOwed
in that paper the exclusion Of slavery from The Ter
ri,Ores whatever expansion beyond its present limits the
welbeug OF both may require in the future the
reputation OF the Constitutional rights of the slave
holders affirmed in the Drcd Scott decision result on
ly TO be accomplished by sectonaIizing the Supreme
Court ITSELF and the securing to the free negroes
of the North the rights and privileges of citizen
ship under the Federal Constitution. This is the pro-
grammc moderated and toned down suit the more con
seryatiyo temper of the North al this nc,urc upon
which the leaders Of the party willing to 90 before
the people in the approaching canvass The number Of
violent returned TO the National Councils the tone
Of leading journals the open notification OF the Fugitive
Slave Law by legislation in several States and the rotous
aud -onable assemblies in Others which make it
cessary for a STAKEHOLDER risk his life aud spend twice
the value Of his property before the provisions OF the
constitution be executed-thcse and similar facts iun
ush Just grounds for thinking that vet extreme
views find favor with the masses.
Now have little doubt that if all the elements of op
position this organization could be combined as pray
they may be- the reHds of the Constitution would carry
the next Presidential election by large majority But
can any man reasonably anticipate a triumph so signal
aud decisive 10 give of abiding peace and
securityg Il has been said Of Old that ignorance and
prejudice have front against which the gods themselves
hight in vain The ignorance of the true character of
Southern slavery is too general the hostility towards
il is too ancient and uyetcrate, the difficulty of
dsabusiug the public mind growing out of the few
few points Of contact between the people of the North
and South is extreme to allow any hope of repose
long slavery be reached, TO any extent under
the forms of the Constitution through political orn
zltion The Black Republican party attain any
of It's ends-it cannot be elevated into power retain
possession Of office, without feeding the fires of fana
cism with the aimeEt OF perpetual agitation The Strug
gle would be renewed the expiration of the Pres
identa term with much violence ever aud unless the
unrOlug of some chapter of crime and blood should
cause the North reco before the dark images which
foreshadov the results of this strife with more hope of
success
SOUTHERN STATES SHOULD CONFER To SOME CONsrITU
TONAL sAFEGUAED, AS DELAY STEADILY ADDING TO
The ABOLITION PARTY.
Now, when remember that with every Presidential
term the present disparity of physical strength in favor
Of the North increased by the addition of population
twice that of the State OF Virginia that her constitution
al influence is growing in the proportion and that
this inequality arises in large from the opera
ton Of which depend upon the existence of our
federal nion, can graver question be presented 10
Southern patriot than whether it is wise to protract
definite settlement Of this controversy to remote dav?
That man must be sanguine indeed who can expect TO
defer the issue indefinitely For whatever period we may
occupy margin Of safety 1t must be with the feelings
of men who stand upon u shore which the next swell of
the tide NAV cover with its "Ofall things" says
Burke "wislom is most terrified by epidemic anatcsm
because of all enemies it is that against which she is
least able to furnish any kind of resource No people
ever had at stake. In the maintenance in all its
integrity, of the relation Of master and slave between
the white aud black races of the South it is univer-
sal sentiment that property L.ry, honor and ci,iza-
ton itself are involved Providence has committed the
guardianship of these great interests to hands aud
We cannot without uGdey the sacred trust shift the
dangers and the responsibilities of their defence upon