Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-01-20

mind could have imagined it all. am sure
these doors will be wonder in the world of
art might say one of the wonders OF the
world. Time and SPACE fail me or would tell
YOU much more that Mr.. Rogers has done in
the last two months"
The Call from South CarolInn.
10. day will be formally presented by the
Commissioner from South Carolina, an "carn-
est request" Of that State, addressed by her
Legislative Government to the Government Of
Virginia What the substance and intent of
this request is, can be seen by glance at the
following resolutions, which, We think, ought
to be rc-published at this time:
RESOLUTIONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas the St te OF South Carolina by her ordinance
OF A. D. 1852 affirmed her right to secedc from The Confe
deracy whenever occasion should arsc ustyng her
in her own Judgment In taEsS mat scp; ana " aS
the immediate exercise OF that right, from considerations
Of exp-diency only; and,
Convention adjourned and In the Intervening Time the as
upon institution OF slavery and upon the rights
and equality Of the Southern States, have increasingly con-
tnued with Increasing violence, and In new and more
alarming forms; BE It therefore
l. Resolved unanimously, That the State OF South Caro-
lima sill deferrng TO her Southern sisters, nevertheless
respectfully to them, that 1t Is the deliberate
judgment OF this General Assembly, that the slarehodng
States should Immediately meet together TO concert mea
sures for united action.
Resolved unanimously That the foregoing Preamble
and Resolutions We communicated by the Governor to all
the yavrhodug States with request OF this
State that they will appoint deputies and adopt suc mea
suses rs In their Judgment VIII promoss ,ny san
be appointed by Ills ESceency the Governor 10 commun
the foregoing Preamble and Resolutions to The sate
OF Virginia. and express to the Authorities OF tnt state
tie cordial sympathy the people Of South Cnrona with
the people OF Virginia. and their earnest desire TO unite
with them In measures Of common defence.
j. Resolved unanimously That the S,nte OF South Caro-
lima It her citizens 10 protect them ind their
property from every enemy and that for the purpose OF
Military Preparations for any emergency the sum OF one
hundred tho sand dollars (slOOOOv be appropriated oF
military contingencies.
hereby certify, That the foregoing correct copy Of
the Preamble and Resolutions or the General Assembly Of
South Carolina, adopted on the 2?d December lSs
(Signed) WILLIAM Z. MARTIN,
Dec 81 1889 Clerk Of the Senute Of South Carolina.
In other words, in view Of the grave as
sauts upon the rights and equality of the
Southern States, our sister State Of South Car.
olina deems it necessary that the slayeholding
States should unite in measures of common de-
fence To this end the State Of Virginia is
earnestly requested to appoint deputies to meet
other deputies from South Carolina to concert
measures for united action.
And this is embodied in solemn legislative
act, and special commissioner has been ap-
pointed to visit our State for the purpose of
urging this request.
The request itself is one which demands 4
prompt and explicit answer. ltcannot be eva
dcd, and it ought not to be. We must at
once accede or deny compliance with it. Here
several points must be considered in their natu-
raj order
lst. Does the present invasion Of our const-
tutional rights demand active measures on the
part Of the Southern States to repcl the agsres-
sion? On this point there can be no doubt
The invasion is continuous one, and leaves
us no choice except as between absolute sub
mission to wrong and defensive action.
2nd. Is it desirable that the Southern States
should unite and harmonize their efforts for
common defence? Here, too, the question ad-
mits of none but an affirmative answer.
Srd. Would conference Of deputies, such
as South Carolina requests tend to promote
the unity and harmony Of combined and etlf
cicnt action? On this question the whole de-
cision hangs to a great extent. We know that
there are many members Of tho General As
senby who would not hesitate to answer this
question affirmatively. We know, too, that
there are few others who would give it as
prompt negative. There is yet another class
who doubt-some who even fear-that failure
Of conference to attain the objects for which
it may be assembled, would only leave the
South in q worse position than before.
We defer, for the present, the thorough dis
cu<sion Of these opinions. But we suggest
that con nfcrencs like that evidently intended
; by the Legislature of South Carolina gives
| much more promise Of uniting Southern action
than does the assemblage Of Southern Con-
| eention. Conventions are apt to be tumultu-
Gus and to dwindle into mere spcechmaking
for Individual purposes and outside effect
But conference composed of some two or
three members from each State would invest
each member with high responsibility and
enable that intimate converse among all the
members, without which it would be difficult,
if not impossible, to arrive at any definite and
effective plan Of proposed action. Our fore,
fathers understood the wisdom Of this distInc-
ton when they sent but three men from FIr-
ginia to sign the Constitution of the United
States.
There is, too, anothef question to be decided.
Has not sovereign State Of this contedcracy
the right to demand, at any time, that her sis-
Ter States shall meet her in conference, to con-
slider the political necessities and exigencies
which she deems sufficient to demand joint
consideration OF united action? Docs not the
obligation of comfy among States, so closely
united in confederation, itself demand that q
request for n conference, formally and solennly
made by one State, shall be promptly acceded
! to BY the States to whom the request is made
Certainly, it seems to us, that no State is ex-
cusabie in refusing such request, unless an
excuse of the gravest and most urgent nature
can be openly adduced.
And if there is State towards whom we
ought to yield the utmost limit of comfy, oi
more than comfy, that State is South Caro-,
lima Less than thirty years ago, Virginia
sent commissioner to South Carolina to con-
yey the earnest request" not that our sister
State should merely meet US in conference, but
that South Carolina should rescind her OWE