Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-02-29


the Old and New TCstaments to be Of divine inspiration
dare pronounce slavery sn-if he does he denounces
his maker will not assert that the Africans are des-
cendants of Ham-for ought know Ham was a Black
Republican. His name, which Is translated Black or
Bcopn and his apparent want OF al reverence seem 10
give some color at least to the supposton The curse
however was denounced against his poserity, and it
must be admitted that there race recognized as be-
longing to the human family more deiormed in body or
feebe In intellect than the natives of Africa in which
Ham originally settled The native Africans, indeed,
seem from theaccOunts OF travellers bu: cousngermans
ofI ord Mouboddos original Even in their greatly
mrroyed condition in eSouthen States their descend
auts-parlly perhaps, from habual dependence on the
whites and as much or more from natural disposition
are proverbiay mproyident and by training proba-
by can ever be made competent 10 govern themselves
still less TO govern others
Be this as it NAV, race was denounced; and if
any and be not that found in Africa what race was
5 And whether il be that any other the institution
itself if God ordained it, can be no SIM II is impous to
say it, But if il were whence, repeat, do the Black
Repubcas derive their authority TO chdstise oir sins
and form the institutions OF an independent people
Do our institutions interfere with them? Are they sub
ect 10 our lawsy Or DO We owe them allegiance? By
no means Are they accountable for our sins Neither
to God nor to man. And cannot heaven if il be a sin
end it or punish il in 7 good time without their
aidg am aware that they DO alege their responsibility
While they admit that they are not accountable for
our State institutions they deem themselves members
of the Federal Union bound 20 defeat them within their
own States aud in the federal territories But this plea
repudates and annus the federal compact Under that
compact the right OF the STAKEHOLDER 10 the restitution
Of lis feitiye slave wherever found within the limits of
the Union, is undispued-undeniable; aud any OppOs
ton 10 lis plain provisions IS penal offence even with
ont the addition OF perjury. They are no respon
bc for the sins of the Federal Constitution than these of
the State Of Virginia. and have no greater right to arnu
the one than the other Their opposition if required
or justified by their state, S rebellion; if so dst
fed it is abandonment by the multiplying States of the
federal compact and before said leaves the injured
members of the coniederacy perfect claim redress
from the Federal Government ii that cannot be had,
redress from any source by any they may think
best.
The plea of responsibility is mere subterfuge: the
psqus of avoiding IT, a deeper sin han that they would
avoid: crime f,rbiiLn 6y the Supreme lug of their
country: By NE TAR Of nations by the ia,c Of God
But of what avail to prove hat no law human or yiue
binds them: they appeal to a law and a revelation of
their own: to an antislyery Bible and an ant.savery
God assuredy not the God of the Christian not OF
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. If they cannot bend the
RULER above, they appeal TO the Power below,
Feclerssi negusutl Suyros Aehsroata LmoUsbunt.
We of the South cannot recognize their revelation nor
their Cod we believe that oaths and compacts are bind
ing and that evil should be done that worse evils
may come Of it.
Ii the anti-slavery sectaes truly Influenced by
conscientious motives why do they resort to measures
they are uuaWulg Instead Of law-byeaang and oath
breaking statutes and bloody nyasons, why DO they
seek to amend the Constitution? Let them abrogle
the wicked and imperfect work OF Washington, end
Franklin, and Madison and Hamilton, and give us one
which shall eEemphe pure doctrines aud lGcid haluci
nations OF the latter dly saints and justify the lives ana
achievements of the noble army Of martyrs who fought
At Harpers Ferry under the banner Of the new faith.
Or falling in this there is still another resource Let
the antislayery sectaries "sAdt venture to affirm
-. IL. -. L 30,
and that they will be permitted to depart in peace-w;h
ont murmur from the South
Bu. have pursued TOO far themes daily discussed in
al their phases in highways and by-ways by the igno-
rant a well as the learned The OF peace and the man
of blood Trite and tedious fear, may be much all
perhaps that have said. Yet, do not regret my hum
ble ahors Believing it 10 be Of the first importance to
ascertain whence spring the evils which surround US
have earnestly endeayored 10 trace them to their
ccs show that they DO not flow from the acts in
stutions of my native State, Of the South from
slavery but from anti slavery. Virginia aud the South
unasailed would be as tranquil ;he Pacific Ocean in
cllm IL is the scctaran Ggators, II we mag believe
those who know them best, who are raising the storm
which may hurry themselves well TO swift des
.ruciion' nor will the country know peace while
the present constitution exists unless the Sectional anti
slavery Republican party shall be "disJanbd" and the
Abolitiouist- dJoiished
In exposing the inquity Of the secarian leaders and
the gross dclu,ion OF their ignorant followers must
not do injustice 70 the sounder, and il to be hoped
far more numerous portion Of the Northern men, who
are ready to respect and defend the rights Of the South
Whether they will unite with in endeayorng to de-
wise eectut 10 retsore friendly relations and
preserve political connection between their peop, and
ours a problem for them 20 solve. What these
ules should be- il is for the Southern people, whose
curity is in qul s,on-and for them aone,-to decide.
nhappily upon that subject there seems to exist great
diversity of opinion among ourselves. ! candid
Is confess my apprehension that security is not
to be expected from Ftdr1i Rgitipe SiUe-ldics. nor
Fr1l statutes Of protection against future Eruption
mad crusaders headed possibly by Gerrct Smith
released from his strait jacket nor from Ste license
ily. nor fran Hoa-ipfcreoTSe, rnoRHPordtoH total
or partial from direct trdi, or home fdciHsrs
from rsiaiatory repTiUd property tor property or
person r person Most Of these measures seem
likely to fan the fame of di,cod than to give security
peace mory irjure, and alienate our friends and
cmbitter still more enemies rather than to crush
or adequately punish them. What benefit they NAV pro-
mise in commercial or pecnalary view IS different
question. As the means Of defence or retaliation they
me and all calculated at most merely TO pal
late the evil That evil which should have been nipped
in the bud has grown too enormous to be removed by
pruning: the il is Topped the deeper will it strike
its roots and the vigorously again shoot forth its
branches. The remedy To be eHecual must he radical
There is but one humby conceive which, consistent
ly with the preservation OF the Union, place South
crn rights and interests a solid and lasting basis and
that Is an agcndaeaf of tie FSi.rR CoHStiitioh which
shall rescue them and from tie existing domination Of
the anti-sayery States and thus check, cfectualy all
schemes not merely OF present INSCRIPTIONS and m
pacabe fees but all combinations hereafter to niure
oppress the South. One other way may possibly be
thought of-not in Virginia trust-Of preserving the
Union-suJm;seou TO the increasing power Of the
Northern States who already control the House Of Rep
resentavcs the Senate and the Presidency and through
these the Army aud Navy; in word, the whole power
political and physical of the Federal Government; This
may possibly be dreamed Of eisschsre the of
peace To US It would be the peace Of death-wOrse
than death-it would be dishonOr. But submission
would not bring us peace no. not the abject sub
mission We should be despised, and but the more in
suited and trampled on And should deSeWe it. Sub
,qjssion-but will say no Of that. The word was
unanimously expuugcd by fathers, the 29th day
of June l776 aud will again be found in the lexi
con of Virginia while her koe Ter rights and dare