Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-08-31
Letter from Capt. Albert Pike.
LITTLE Rock, July 81, 1860.

LITTLE kocH, July 81, 1860.
GENTLEMEN: ! have had the honor to receive
Your invitation to address meeting Of citizens
Of Arkansas, to be held in Jefferson county,
On the 9th of August next for the purpose o
approving the nomination Of John {. Breckin
ridge and Joseph Lane.
1t is not in my power 10 be present. but
courtesy requires, and confess inclination
prompts me. To acknowledge and reply TO youI
invitation.
If the theory Of SquaIter Sovereignty should
be established as an accurate exposition of the
Constitution, and as the settled policy of the
country, it will be idle ior the South to expect
any future addition to the number Of slave
States. Let this be the settled policy, and ii
will needs have great and often controlling in
huence upon the action Of the South in regard
to many matters Of national concern-will
greatly sway it in the decision rs 10 peace and
war, and so, perhaps, imperil the national hon.
or; as to the acquisition Of new territory, the
creation Of Territorial Governments, expendi-
lures for the Territories, extinguishmcnt OF
Indian titles, the authorizing Territories to
take steps to become States. Continually the
slavery question will obtrube itself into Con-
greSs; and it will be found, as in like cases. it
always has been found, that men cani,ot avoid
blinking it, nor get 4 lion out Of their path by
shutting their eyes, and trying to convince
themselves that ne is no longer there. There
can be no NOn-lntsrrontiop by Congress, with
out Non Intervention by the Territorial Legis.
laturcS The South asks for bread, and Squat
ter Sovereignty oilers it Il stone. Agitation i'll
the Territories will create agitation in Congress,
anu the doctrine Of Popular Sovereignty and
the principle Of n.Intcrvcntioa cannot exist
together.
Then another Step will be taken. The prin-
cipe Of Popular-Sovcregnty will be applied to
the District of Columbia. Why not? All
Mr.. Douglas glittering gencralities will apply
quite Us well there as they did to Kansas. and
it will be so easy, with 4 little aid from the
treasury, to send down thither, out OF the
swarming Northern hive, votes enough to
settle the question rs Il Republican Congress
desires.
Then, on the same principle that the Con-
Sttution does not carry slavery anywhere; and
that the laws Of Il State from which 4 man en-.
igratcs do not follow him, VI protect his rights
bcyond the limits of the State, it will br.and.
By be concluded that no compensation shall he
demanded for slaves taken by foreign nation
IT Congress is powcrleSS 10 prevent the aboll-
ton Of the lawful tenure which holds the slave
to labor, when he is in the common territory,
how can it assert the validity Of that tenure
against foreign enemy, who sets free the slave
on the high seas:
Then it will come to Le held, that Il slave es
Gaping into Territory where slavery no long
cr exists, cannot be reclaimed, but is iree-the
Constitution requiring States only TO give up
such l,gitveS. Il tie people Of u 7e'ritc'y
en- aLotish Shtrery, Il Stars taking reJEge Aert
is as free ant SAFE aS he would be IN England;
and SO 4 Territory or province can effect that
which Il sovereign State cannot. Why will
Southern men. blinded by their admiration Of
man, not reflect on the logical consequences
OF his doctrine?
These are my opinions; and compelled by
them, regard it as sacred duty to vote for no
candidates who 10 not, at least III the main,
avow them as their creed
I find those candidates i'll john Z. Breckin.
ridge and Joseph Lane; and in them only; and
so cannot choose but vote for Them. ltwouid
not be tt.lc to say that | would rs readily
vote for Mr Lincoln as for Mr.. Douglas
Passion, which alone could produce such
reinari:. Is ~ n":l justification. But AN
ready 10 say that, between the TWO doc'
triacs, / wonll 1nther vote for the power o
Congress TO prohibit, than for the power Of {;
Territorial Legislature to do so. Yet many true
Southern men, think the doctrine Of Mr.. Doug
las sound and wise, and sufficient for the South.
We shall bye and bye, hope, convince them
OF their error; but in the meantime let US not
be so unjust aS TO censre or reproach them,
imneachine their motives or charging them
with ,iislnyallS.
Nv eyes rest next With aiicction and regaro
on the candidates presented by that political or
ra.tiZation which inscribes on its banners these
words :-"7Hc Constitution, the Union an6
tbe enforcement a' The dttcs" That is the
motto thank God Of alt parties and Of al
most all men, in this great Republic. Main
tain the Constitution unimpaired, and who !:
there thai wishes to sec the Union dissolved:
What honest man is not willing to sec the laws
enacted in conformity 10 the Constitution, en-
forced and obeyed? All doctrines, Of all shades,
that have made themselves heard in our coun
try have clailncd to spring from the ConstItu
ton: and all parties may swear allegiance to
thc Har that bears this motto, as Catholics and
protcstants OF every sect might TO banner in
scribcd with the device, "rhe Bible Chris
tiarity and the observance Of the Moral
Law"
John Bell and Edward Everett are names
well worthy to be honored everywhere in this
Republic. Ilustrious alike by public service:
and private worth, both have served thciI
country well and faithfully and honestly, ant
the latter more nobly than has fallen to the 10
Of many men. in all the long ages Of the world
Asa statesman and man Of letters, his reputa
tion is co-cxtensive with Christian civilization
and everywhere men name him only to do hin
honor. 1t does not need that should enquir
into their personal opinions OF the questions
that now insist upon solution. | 10 not thlni
that they agree; but that is not important. to'
if they did and how amply soever they conce
ded the rights OF the Southern States and the'
citizens, it would still be true that we 10 no
know that those who, in the North, compose
the party that supports them, will be bound oll
their views; or, If successful, that the party
would concedc and maintain what we regart
as our undeniable rights. | think, speaking
for myself alone, that the time has come wheE
every man should speak out upon these ques
tionS: and can vote only for those who dis
tinctly represent that creed which emSrac
As mine. i must follow my convictions OF duty
and for the time postpone the consideration o
other questions.
If in doing so, chance to find myself bl
the side Of few persons who are obnoxious t
the suspicion Of being in favor OF dIsunion'
shall not find it necessary to adopt as mine
their delusions on that subject. | Will stant
bv them while they vindcate the Constitution
Believing with Mr.. Breckenridge, that we car sI
maintain the Union, only "by clinging viii
unlaultering fidelity, unmoved BY policy, to thu
Constitution : fidelity to which, ''in all III 1T
nsrts and in all its obligations is the eondttao7
IF the American Union, and Of its perpctua
ton" If they assail that Constitution o.
without ample cause, march, shaking thel'
snears, against the Union, there will be no oo
ligation resting upon IT'S TO be their allies II
that war.
A mind conscious Of its own rectitude, vii
hardly stoop to be angry at small provocatlons
We NAV afford to smile at those who taunt III
~.