Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-03-27

| with those having q common interest, IN" 1'niiu .!
n common destiny. We may hope 10 altaih .""' ,m, ~,
| p~enlence. not onlv OF tile Northern Sthles, u
the whole world, which will make s'e"' s
porous and i happy people. - .,r.;a.r
And this brings me, Mr.. Speaker, 70 e"ilS'oet
the latter branch OF the suljec!-the Conference OF
the Southern S' son,S Is c pr"RTssa and Mississippi.
In upnroachinr this branch Of the subject, dcslfe
70 saw. in advance, that my advocacy OF Ems Contf-
epce is not founded on any desire or Willingness on
nv purt to dissolve this Union. know IL mas 9eeI
assumed by its opponents, somewhat gratnionsiy,. l
! think that the object and design Of this Conferences Is
To runt,rc the ties that bind lis together as n brother
hood of States. | do not undertake to speak t'e sen
! ,incnts. or be responsible for the opinions OF otnciS;
but | uvow nv own opinion and the opinion OF the
people whom | represent IN this floor, when | DE-
clare in their own language: THAT we regard II Lon
ference OF the Southern! States. rs proposed ny Sohth
Carolina through her commissioner, Col. Z. u. Mem
! miurrr. us the best, il not the only means OF pre-
serving HE onion Of these States: and We cordially
u,Druy,, ui such Il Conference. In the Judgment oi
the people oil Prince Eiwurd the Legislature ought
TO ACCEPT, =. once, the invitation 10 meet ohrSDullct"
brethren in Conference to secure Immunity oil aetioh
iu q common ciiiSr, ana Tor TIE !ro'hoI'oi' . '"'
COMMON Interests
Such i, The reason lha! governs my action III rcle'I
! ruce To Til, subject. And is gentlemen nave 'ec,ie"
| Ia suppose and, indeed, have assuniedl sha' tl"se
! a. Us Whn advocate {. Southern Conferences, arc I"r
;r,r.u.ra,iur, measures iur II dissolution OF the mon,
I desire to c;sabrisc the minds OF airy VINO MAJ sup
pose tia, | belong to tha. class OF politicians VINO;
ior sligli; caIi,cs, would rupture the DORIS 'n"' "hN
lis together. u.
Like the gentleman from Alexandria, lAr' Me-
Ernyir who told Us, that his father sailed
forty wears under the Il!I OF the l,Iion' l 700 WaS
| born 10 ~! inheritance of Il profound ana rtvcFch'ial
regard for that priceless C"i"h, pu!ehaSeI i' !. > y =
IN. bloolv sacrifices Of the Revolutions. Like nm, !
ZOO, have been taught 10 turn a!Id worship VIII
nImos. ilDla,rnl,, devotion, that Mon las H! rtcttr",s
H. biz with blessings 10 every portion 81 tht re.
rub!ic-guarun,ccing rs it did, ,qmaltty OF rights
! dralinr out ryca handed justice To the husholcS', TIC
,,nr'., and the weakest member OF the Coilederacy.
too. have looked with Il glowing pride, when none;
i'm, m Arurrlcan citizen can iecl upon those ornad
,.r;,,, aud hri.lt star, nov 1lusiin: above Us from
The top of TIL, Capitol. which told me OF IN thi"l
ot ,G~dl hGnor, tgqGl rights. and sY.0t PE0f.tftoh 10
every member, and every interest embraced within
her broad boundaries. IL WAS III part 10 atlhin li",
Equality, that our ancestors suffered such sacr'heeSo oil
toll. Of life and blood, to purchase i"r rs ana our
children after lis. that r:ry t2aatHy wlicn !h'S Gay
/, denied TO us hy the concurrent Legislative ana
iid;cia! efforts of sixteen States "f tine mon, GEM
hrucinr Il majority of Federal numbers rs appears
Gus bv the report on '';hc ~llarrcr's Ferry Outrage;
made 20 this ilous: 10y the gentleman from tu!-
p.p,,rr-a report which commanded the approval 81
every mcnbcr.u; the committee, and las received
tl,o unanimous Sanction Of this body.
need 90 10 further than that report itself l" hild
the cause and the necessity for 4 conference a'liohs
those States apuiIsl whose rights this hostile lcgIs!a-
: I.il IHtN bIFiiS -
,,laincd 80 cloqueutly and 20 justly.
SO far ~, the right Of rcclalinlns our prol'crl! III
the no,I-.!uvclroIdiuy States IS conccrncd, wiiai Is
this Union, or the Constitution under which we I'VE.
worth TO YOU. or 10 nri The solemn compact guar
antecin, that RICH, has been repeatedly ana persist
emily broken and disregardcd. Sovereign States, III
their legislative assemblies, have enacted laws rem
derinr migratory tl!at compact. We learn from liat
rrport that several Southern citizens have been
murdered whilst engaged in attempts 10 rescnc their
slavc,'-as they had II right do. Others nave netl!
IMPRISONED for the >atnc cause. And wlro has oceli
punished: can not recall one solitary instance lh"r
do believe that Tie whole history ut The country
will furnish one in which any citizen OF 4 tree Stale,
who has resisted the execution III the fil4luVc slaNc
law, md in so doing committed crimes demanding
the srvercss penalties OF the law, has ever been CON
vic,r,i ever Of a ulisdeInrinUr. y clllzeii nj ' rglii!a
| Q.cmunl ci.l, years ago hud his property "reStei
from him 10y violence III New York, III the broad
light OF day. and 20 this day there has not even been
II recovery therefor III 4 civil court.
That il ncttnc way VIC deal WIN thcih. ohr courts
| are thrown open 10 them H. 10 ourselves, and they
! have the same rights, remedies and facilities vi re-
coverv therein that We have. Every atom "i property
thvv brin. here Is uS much protected by our I""' rs
oar own. and their property Is ns sale mere, u oar
Own. Whv shall Il Yankee dare 10 BRING To ' 'rsiiia
| his trunk vi notions, and his cargo OF Lrool!lS and
| onions, and our laws protect him from Insult aih
robbery, willie y Virginia lady dare not ;aRc her
chulnbcr-!mid 10 New lork. for Tear she VIII nc IN
suited or her property stolen The sllveholulhS
. GNlNlGS llaNC lII4lklN ava y Nei' ~
tulnrIy and insult, regularly progressing ana !ilc;c;,-
! yrr, as We have borne and iorcbUrnc, thGt VIII, II al
lowed 10 contnnc, stamp them, IN the es'i'Ia''oh ~
every brave man. aS the bn>cSt towards o: TIC pro
intiui!r>; :-Scs that ever rr, HuIi!rd - wear I'll cl''"-
lei.
We are, or ought 10 lie, and were intended TO be-,
| ~co-.quaI States. IN II c0nirdcrated Union; anu, III Tie
face ana III defiance OF the constitution ana ia"S,
! which guarantee that equality TO u, stnll! Priests
| and ilircling-toolS OF Eulieran; Aid Societies, nave
! dared 20 deny lis our Comfy and equality, and We
! have feared 20 resent or iorborlir 20 notice II.
Mr. Speaker. We must rccti;y those mean naira@cS'
ar stu;, talking about clivalrr. bur fireSidr5 have
| lately been invaded, orr citizens slain, and the!r
houses sacked by II rpii!an band, supported ny lHs
! sympathy and current sentiment OF Inc North' ana
| sustained by the money oi Il sections! l'r'! no"
LARGELY dominant there. uud who hold lie power Of
the government under lhei- control. Sir, what h"'t'
it TO YOU or 20 me, ;lIUag! our i!ag floats on every sea
and our commerce finds Il market IN every to!t 81 the
world, il Our homes, our iireSiLeS, anu orr lall!iies,
orr rights, our property and our liHcs, Share n"' 'sh'
:an's protection:
These evils will have 10 be rcnedicd these ny
! rressions stopped, il We mean 10 be free ana equal
States.
And know OF no means that promises so mheh
towards tic accomplishment of these ends. u Tor Tile
Southern States to meet together in friendly confer
ci,.c, and. with one voice, ,irnllr y, calmly, but b'GrGI
~, LsmgnI that these aggrc.sions upon u' 'hht
G,0$:.
synua,hv, which should cndcar them 10 our hearts
by nil the tender tics Of h~rother!y love and neigh
b,rly Kindness, have stepped forward ana llNi'cH us
10 meet them in counsel for the defence OF coiIIlI"h
rights and the promotion Of common interests. Inc
rrnor, of the committee, 10 which | have before re-
irrrcd. declares that "a proper SENSE ol scl-leSE"ct
and the instinct Of scli-presrrvatlon, require TINT We
should adopt such measures Is may DC necessary |"
secure ourselves against future a|grcsslois, ana l"
meet every emergency which may hereafter a'l"c.-
That. ''udlrunislIc by tie past, IL Is our dlty ~ pre-
pare Tor The future. by placing ourselves III an 't'i-
tulc OF defence, und by adopting such measures Us
may be necessary for our security and welfare. ana
we have solcmIiy resolved, that We earnestly m
yi,c the cooperation Of our sister States Of tile So'ith
in CARRYING out the policy" OF nrnlilg and equip
ping the militia, encouraging domestic manufactures;
promoting direct trade with foreign, countries ana
establishing our commercial independence.
By the legislation OF this session, We have made
u,nnjr provision 10 farm and equip the lnl!itia.'-
The bill NOW under consideration Is Intended 10 en-
courage domestic manufactures, promote direct lrauc
and establish commercial independence. ana
why shall We hesitate to confer with our sister States
81 the South, To attain that cooperation with them
,wlicl We have ''earncstiy invited for the ACCOM-
pliShIucnt OF either O, the ends winch have hceh ~ n
iiratcI. or anv other OF common interest Z" ts ais
Why should Virginia refuse TO consult with any
State. North or South, when requested TO DO 40 III 'he
most respectful and solemn manner possible;
|; has been Infatuated that such IL conference w'nIa
be REASONABLE 10 the Constitution, we 40 h"l seer
,;i,anion. We would conspire with the elements 81
the S",;ii. ~ the lirltning-rod c~onsl'ires WIN INC
thunder bolt when it scizcs the dangerous fluid III
lis tirh; and conducts il safely TO the ground.
When the Federal Constitution was adopted, IL was
III the contemplation Of lis trainers thnt occasions q!
necessity would arise in which the several State 10
vcrnlncnts would confer together and eSpol'se u COM
mon cause. Mr.. MuiiSon-thc father OF the Constr
,~ution-(in the Fcdcsaiist. page ..0j said that m
wurrantabie cncroacImeatS Oh the authority Of
the State Governments "~"uid be Signals Oh
general alarrn." Such MI alarm has been excited
throughout the slaveholding States, by the hostile
legislation Of the free States directed against the
value and security OF their property. That every
rorcrnmcnt-ncuniMg State govcrlmcrts-wonideS -
ronsc a common ~calsc.'' Tint is now sought. ~
correspondence would be opcncd.' Tina; has been
done. South Caroliua and Mississippi have CORES
pounded with Virginia in due torn, through Their nc,
credited commissioners. "rlan, of rcsistailce would
he conccr,el." Such concert OF action is now sought.
And how can there nc concert, unless we confer
together! Was ever propicsy more tally rcrHhed
What; was prophecy. has now Become history.