Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-10-16
a Voice from the South.
To TIC Editors Of the Enquirer:
N,rEsyI1Ir La Cd Oct. lSt

Conference.-The Presidential canvass FAIR
" opened, and the merits Of the several plat
forms and the candidates are fully and freely
discussed.
Taking no active part in politics, but being
, general reader, ! note with some attention
the aspect in the political horizon and feel Il
CORRESPONDING interest in the developments
which that view affords.
ria. South hus committed Il fatal error in
putting forth, or in supporting three candidates.
It takes from her her great strength WIN the
conservative sentiment Of the North anu para
lizrs all the efforts at the North to unite that
element in favor Of any candidate occupying
constitutional ground.
The mora! ELECT ii such Il DIVISION III inc
| South, is killing lis in the coming election anu
fear that we shall be driven I" calculate the
value of the Union.
Il /, clear that Lincoln is to be onI IIcNt IRE
sidcnt. unless IL great revolution III EubI'c
opinion should take place. II elected, "hal
course is the South To take: Here, We say
S,.uarate--but is this the universal or scilcFA'
sentiment Of the Suutll ? Al present, II Is clear
il is not. if the supporters oI Douglas maintain
th,. ground assumed by their leader in his Nor
fix Sspeech and elsewhere. My opinion is, that
! ,h,, s,uccl, is not il fair reflex Of the opinions
Of even the Douglas party, nor OF the Bell and
Everett partv in the South. and that, being
! slHvrhullcrs anl equally imhued with patriotic
feelings, they will t>l"nld Lincoln he eleclrdl
min Heart and hand III resisting the onward
march Of Black lscluhllcmIl>il'.
There Is no other course Tor them 10 lahr,
and my Lie on it that the first movement 'Iiahc
by tie Black Republican President 50 as 10 III
lcrt our constitutional rights, with or without
! the aI nf his "Widc .AwukrS.' would touch
| the Southern heart like AL electric shock, ami
animate il 10 i common eilurt Tor resistance.
But it is said bv sniue HAT the election oI Il
Black Republican, under all Tie inrI's OF law
and of the constitution, will mi afford Il Sull'
ricnt ground for Il separation; that 1t requires
some open act Of aggression, for wh'ci. there
is no constitutional remedy, brloIc The ehtrcllic
of Il separation call lr rcS"rtrd To.
This is !. strong statement of the point, and
would he conclusive if the previous asSrcSsl"IIS
Of That party, and the declared opinions ol al
: their great leaders H. Ia what they intended To
do we're not knnwn, and had not been Openly
declared
And What are the aims and purposes OF llilN
party. II is To war against the institution "l
slavery, until every foot of our country shall
BIZ free from the polluted tread OF slavery.
TO this end, no tnOrc slave States are to be
admitted, and the institution Of sI:Tcry Is to
: he hc,lgcu in by such restrictions AMI Iitiilt;i-
! tiunS as will forever cuntlnc it where It Is all
the protective laws which Congress has passed
are to bc abolished, Or leaving il to the States
To enforce Congressional legislation "r not,
just as they please.
The great conservative department ui Inc
Government is 10 he rcvOlutiuniZcd by appoint
lncnts from their own section, and tie Judiciary
is to be filled by toolS-not elected by The peo-
pie, but appointed 10y their President and Senate
to register simply the political opinions OF VIM.
II. Seward and others. If this bc political
equality, the South will have none Of il.
# was not for this that they conlcdcrated To-
rrthrr. and came into the Union under Il COIL
mon Constitution. The great object was 10
form :. more perfect union than previously had
existed, "to establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defence,
promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings Of liberty Ia ourselves and our pos.
terity."
If all these grcnt objects Of our uniting t"gc-
thrr have failed, and The minority Is ovcrriddcn
by the majority, We have Il right 10 separate,
and To resume the powers delegated To the Ge'
neral Government.
1t is orr duty to 10 so, and We would he dis
IGNORED for not doing it. The case Is one oi
ncrrssity--oi SELF representation. 1t Is the case
where the incrndiary is jrIstiiiably slain VIII"
at the moment is about putting his torch To
the pile; and that Southern IMAM is little To he
cnvicl, who, seeing and Knowing the danger,
does not freely give his hand and his heart to
arrest the peril.
II Lincoln is elected, shall We hug the viper
and rrv there is r0 danger: There is danger.
and, trust in tod, that The South will meet II
with that holiness and readiness that are duc
To the OCCASION.
The writer has always been Il Wing, and
never gave Democratic vote for the last thirty
years. lie never iarborcl Il sentiment Of Ills.
union to tic timvcrnncnt Of his country, but
is Il Southern man 10 the manor born, and
gives his unqualified support 10 the Ereckm'
ridge and Lane ticket.
ii the platform on which they stand is thai
Of di$unioniStS, for his life he canliol perceive
il. but he does see in it the true principles OF
the Constitution, ard, by the blessing OF tod,
will support these principles, come veal or
come woe. LOUISIANA.