Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-04-24
LFToM Tie FhllaItlrhla Soulhtin Nonlt0T.I
ThG Charleston Convention.


ways icW hc in favor Of the union-and il
they can construct platforms and nominate
candidates Tor their respective parties, tho
Union will be preserved forever; and it is be-
leved that the great issues presented to tlIt
South, and wilicl, have arraycI the sections
in hostility 10 each other, can and will lie tie
initiyely settled by them. We do not douh,
Il solution may be devised 1T Washington, i
the Conventions TO assemble at Charleston ant
Chicago will only obey The iicta,ion Of theil
masters >oiournlng inx'riouS!v near the Na
tional Treasury.
Two alternatives are rendered the snreh0ld
ing States. First, Congressional prohibition.
Second, Inc question 10 bc left 10 three arbtra
tors-a majority lr decide, gAd t,ro 10 be itkcal
.Irom Tie A"rM. II these hcrcscs be not de,
nouncc'l in tcrins---ir It platform shall be con.
Structc'l which era,itS az ohmUrcs the portcn.
touS isSueS-and candidate be nominated who
docs not avOw the right, and determination
To maintain the right It must be construed as
ii REIMBURSEMENT Of The privilege hitherto
claimed and enjoyed n! extending slavery he
yonh its original boundaries. 1t will be so
construed iii the most populous States and
that construction will hc ac1uicsccl in by u
considerable number Of Southern politicians.
Sncl solution Of Our sectional difficulties
can be easily ronSunlnalc'l b. the salarcd dig
nitarics 1t Washington. And If their pro,
grammc is TO prevail, it may he asked, why
have q Convention at all: Uf what earthly
use is Charleston Conventions, il il is merely
to ratify y platform framed at Washington, and
to endorse Il candidate selected by members Of
Congress from thcir onn body' Why should
the people hold primary meetings. District and
State Conventions, and finally, 4 National Con-
vcnticn, involving great loss OF time, much in
trica,c and painful labor, and vast expenditure
of money, when the work can be done in 4
twiikling 1T Washington, nmi rhcE Thai esork
itiag ucccpi,H, Tie party Is do0mtd !" intci-
"Lit dct;"t and H:tcr Instructions
IN c!uivocal platform. and Il negative can
Iitlatc, .rM ht di>'inrt'Y "hdrrstoci by orr
npyoneais. They will rail as the Opposition
rallied i'll lSto, and they will sweep everything
before them. rs everything was swept in 1870
and the great cause for whicl, Tie South 50 long
and 50 vchcmcn,ly cOntended will be irrevoca-
hly abandoned, And how could it bc other.
Wise: In the first place, we decline making the
issues; and in the second, we do not put for
ward prsiiire man. capable Of meeting the
issues 1t is absolutely al invitation to the
enemy to come and subduc us. If We do not
exactly pledge submission. we certainly offer
proofs both OF di$incIination and incapacity tc
make resistance.
Then it may be asked, what avail Was the
overthrow of the know-Nothing party in 1855
Or the military array in Eirgina--tle STAN
pclc of the stuhcntS-and the Inauguration oi
4 yc.Gc;;oh in Connecticut and Rhode Island
The Frecsnilers will say the South has really
no nerve for fight in defence OF the rights she
has been claiming; destitute OF the seli:drniaI
Of Yankees, who could destroy cargoes Of tea,
the Southern people cannot stint themselves,
even for lew months, in the consumption Oi
Northern manufactures and importations; aud
the leaders il Congress from tue slave States
arc ready to sacrifice anything for Union,
from rhich ;hty d"ri.c pcrC"Hiat hnh"rs ana
cm0l"mcnts
But il we know anything OF the condition Of
public sentiment in the North, the adoption OF
Il different policy by the Charleston CoHscntlon
would he followed by very dssllnllar eventual
ilirs. \ demand ui Constitutional rights as
interpreted by the Supreme Court, with pos
tive man for Il caridltlale, capable OF leading
both in the cabinc, and il. the icld would roll
on the reaction already begun in New England
PRODUCED solely by the Iarpcrs Ferry de-
mons,ration terminate in glorious vic
tory for the Democracy, sccrrit; for the South,
and perpctuity !ur the Union. Nothing but
the fear o.! oi:.;il!nn or ncn.intcI course, can
arrest the advance ~. thc l;lack Republican
lecions and nothing can besct the fear but
Democratic -tandar,l.hearcr capable ol InSpIr-
ing il.
r. however, the combination 0i Congrcs-
s0na CAUCUS Is to prevail 1T Charicston,an pre-
ordained defeat and disllonorahlc submission
bc preferred To disunion--thc time VIII nave
arrived for sensible men to he looking about
f,r future affiliations. The original principles
Of the Democratic party being abandoned by
the party itself, its individual members will
be left Tree to form new associations. Inc
South, if it does not lose its distinctive speclall
ty, will BIZ OF nu consequence III subsequent
calculations. II will have no representative
men, ior there will be nothing o. any part'cn'
lar importance to he represented, alter tic uc'
fences are broken down. Hence, II is TO he pre-
su,neil there will moi he wanting sufficient
humber nf Southern asihrantS To accept ll'i
proportion Of the Cabinet appointments, 70
reign Missions, &C.. Sc. j.. tine predominant
party; and TO Obtain ch g;!lS, equivalents
and reciprocal benefits will b. cXpcctct-lnd
we all know that competitors for official posi-
tionS arc us ninety 10 nnr.
Il would bc in vain To attempt 10 stein the
current when the tide has once been tIIrnec
against the South. If we accept the Congres
sinnal prohibition horn Of the dilemma We
cannot close our eyes 10 tho palpaole iact tiia'
the decree is also Governmental condemnation
Of slavery az Il relic nf barEnrsm III the States
else why exclnlr that kind OF property, anu
no other: If We accept the other horn-ana
the bloody hand-wc must bc aware tllat the
majority Of SharpcS rifles and brown pixies
against Ms, is to be an increasing maIorlty-ano
that tie same doctrine is quite - ;lplicah!c &c
the States as 10 the Territories. Hence, II TIC
slaves be crarninch down and IcEned mp at Il
remote curncr nf ti.c l;niuu, To be swept OIL ny
contagiun or cxtirpa,cd by wholesale slaughter
what motive will Southern Democrats have lo'
not becoming anti-slavcrv men themselves =
Southern people, from amongst whom the IN
stitutinn is expelled. might, by hechInlnS the
opponents Of slavery. seem 10 escape TIC
odium and liShonor Of having been coerceu
and subugltcd by their Northern nclshDors
And if slavery be rclinquiShcd everywhere, al
sections and citizens would certainly be on m
equality in the Northumberland what Is more
THE UNION wnrLn rE PRESERVED The page OF
history WON'T! lie read only BY posterity, long
after the actors in the drama Of 1860 had pass
cd from the stage!
Sons OF the South descendants Of glorious
heroes and patriots! We tell You that If the
counsclS OF a midnight caucus ut Washington
shall prevail 1T CharIcsiorif You can he be-
guiled by the srrcinh> prctcxtS Of the Office
holders into tic adoption Of an unIneanlns
platform, and the selection Of 4 tluIid and lnoi'
iensive Standarti-hcarcr-th design Of your
worst enemy will lie accomplished Your rights
will he compro'niScd-your just claims will he
rclinquishel-your hands will hc manaced.
But if you adopt bold platform, and select 4
bold champion for the fight, certain victory
awaits you. rs equals. you formed the Union
for the benefit" all the States; but if the COM
pact be wrestcd from its true meaning for the
exclusive benefit Of the Northern section, it is
proper and right tha, you should resume your
distinctive sovereignty and independence. Let