Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-02-04

COMMON defence, Wui-h the CONSTITUTION guarantees
Numerous meetings were held in which men OF oil polt
cal denominations participated and heartily concurrcd
in those measures Of prccauou and sclproccon, con
s,ent with the Constitution which the occasion suggest
ed and in the firm resolve to maintain their rights at
every hazard. Such the attitude naturally and in
snctvey assumed by the whole population Of Virginia,
in the presence OF the ansOcal aud menacng demon
sratoa which Immediately followed very sue
ceeded the affair at Harper's Ferry.
Let now look at another and more cheering aspect
Of the scene. The conservative classes in the Northern
States who ordinarily take but little part in the political
exCitemens OF the country, aud like the same moral
elements elsewhere are constutionay aud proverbiay
slow TO act began at length to be as much startled at
the Developments that taking place around them,
as the people of the Southern States themselves had
been. The great communities of Philadelphia, Boston,
aud New York in the order in which name them, held
solemn and overlooking assemblages such as have not
been witnessed before by the present generation in
which they denounced in Of Just aud unmitgaed
adherence the crime committed against the safety of
sister State and the peace OF the Unon rebuked its apo
ogsts and sympathisers with noble and virtuous in
dgnaOu; rendered earnest assurances OF fraternity and
support 10 the people aud authorities of Virginia; and
proclaimed in loyal and manly language their fidelity to
the Constitution and their determination to fulfil each
and all of its obligations and pledges
An uninterrupted succession Of similar meetings has
continued 70 be held since at various points in the nte
ror Of the Northern States at which the same senti
mens of horror and indignation at the unnatural and
reasonable crime committed, OF aterna attachment 10
the other States and of loyalty to the constitution and
It's covenants reiterated, if possible with
nteuser ervor-showing that the nearer we approach
the great central heart of the nation the stronger
are the pua,ous for the maintenance of the Uniou in
the spirit of mutual confidence and affection in which II
was founded by our fathers
These more recent manifestations, / cannot but be-
Heve should be taken as the true expression of the
sense of large majority of fcllOwCitizens Of the
Northern States Why should it not be SOY Those
States have deep stake in the peace and harmony of
the Union Their industry their trade, their mauuiac
lures their navigation ostered by an unshacied M
tercourse with the South, and thrive by the abundant
and increasing productions of the latter IL IS too the
common government of the Union which ensures to
their principal branches Of enterprise aud cmpoymeuts
OF capital tlc protection and encouragement they need
aud by which they have grown up 10 their present I'M
m,n-c Development
With a sensible and ,aglcions people they are
neither the dcu>Ous of morbid Ematicsm nor the arts
of political ambition cam long produce state OF blind
their interests and their piehlcd obligations
The, may De ej away. for time, hv Fictitious excite
meu,. bUt When those ey,'meuS have run their bret
cursr such people never be brought TO believe
u .1her earnest tllt there IS "iTcpres>ine cunHrt
he gceu two systems of8bor which have, for so cytcud
,I period been tributary 10 each others wants and
uli>tcrri to each others prosperity Nor can such
1.pu, boz drilled into the absugh hHluciuy'pu OF sup
posing that their preferred social Institutions 40 home,
g under the m,cltbc shield OF their own soNer-
,ri choice are iu auy danger OF subvcrsiUn by do
u,sc institution ofmotier part OF the coniederacy,
rul'ly gugsccut aud noulgTe-sye and asking Tor IT.
self only immunity from the uuaWiu! interference OF
Others.
10 obvious tlut d reaction has already commenced
IN the public mind OF The North with regard TO that del
icitc social question which hats OF Late been so WauiOuy
used los politicians as the instrument OF sectional aga-
tou and strife, The people there must now see the ma
tarl fruits - this citation, In tue bloody aud reNOiuug
tragedy 40 larpars ferry in the growing and danger
d~ eusious tween the two great divisions OF the
,orfrj. rJcy. aud Ia the inevitable tendency OF those
d..eu-ous iI longer continued TO undermine the ioun-
daion Of the Union itself They will not therefore, de-
bcr,y make jb,mseve, accessory, before or after The
fact TO course OF action fraught with ruin to their own
interests well the overthrow OF All those generous
hopes bound up with the great American experiment OF
free. Republican Institutions.
Letus await with dignity and cooluess then, the
progress Of events Let check boy unSccmy Nio-
l,u.c by deuuucilous of secession and d-Uui1u thc
steady advance of that -1luary reaction which 4 10"
doing IFS office with large masses OF the .oprrInn1ed
and nIieri. people of he North and which, there IS
ground to hope will ere long by the regular and peace
u action Of the bil'o-hoy redress the grlc OF which
We have right 90 complain. lu the mean time, there
resources of seprotacton aud defence which the
wise frame of our government haas e'- within 'Ae con-
troll Of tie States aud which no reasonable mind can
bawcm- for recurring after the warnings overt and inn
p.it with which have beau visited 10 is one of the
characteristic advantages of thc fedegave system under
which live that affords more remedies with. the pale
of the constitution for the defence o. public liberty than
any other form OF political organization, and consequence
~ admit, less for resort % revolutionary and
extrt-cous .tg.ioral modes Of redress
The STATE governments the organ, OF the rcsiduary
sovereignty of the States. may lawfully adopt within
their pccye spheres Of action all such measures for
the security oil the nights aud Interests oil their consutu
eus as are not forbidden by tue terms OF the federal
compact Let the Legislature Of Virginia in the eXer
else OF this authority, make every necessary and proper
provision for strengthening the defensive attitude of the
Satg-iet the discipline and organization OF the body OF
the militia be improycd-let the formation of volunteer
corp, be encouraged-t the requisite arms be procured
ard furnished boh-let every legitimate and iudlcou-
encouragement be given 20 own domestic industry in
order diminish dependence upon other sources for
the supply OF articles which the iime IA now fully come
Cor us 70 fabrcate for OureveSet the Legislature, as
far as possible foster navigation and commerce OF our
oVn-iet them in everything and boy all the means at
their disposal build up both the moral and material pow
or of the State These the great OF public
security well az OF public prosperity, and are all with
in the pale of the constitutional authority of the States
Wise and proper all times, the crisis demands them
now.
Il remains for Ms 20 consider how the question, which
has produced these fatal divisions in the country, should
be dealt with upon the national forum All must see
that organized sectional parties, founded upon ques-
tiou so ~eu.i ive as this in a Us relations are standing
menace 20 the Union They hang the country Ike
dark AMI angry clouds which threaten, by their out
burst 90 carry devastation the face OF nature aud all
tb. i1Urries Of providence. "Whgt Mr.. MADISON asked
a. the of le Missouri restriction, s % control these
-r.r' repu-ye ma,,c, from awful shocks against each
utcr' which may shake the Union 20 IFS centre, not
rcad the Government; Ia twain: Should such party,
founded on su'islc' sectional principles aud sustained
5y exclusive sectional affiliations, obtain possession
o. the Government by means of dominant gcog"phi-
cal minority % will be the everest and most hazardous
d f..s i.4t.H l- -sI ar
could by possibility pass. No good or wise man should
Doe willing 20 see tlem put 20 such test
risof the highest Importance, therefore, that the
question OF slavery hOg'd Doe taken entirely out OF the
aroma of national politics 1t is in Itself essentially
local and domestic question. There is but single case
i which the Constitution designed that should be ihe
si. of Congressional action ami tuat Is to provide
the mode by which tine constitutional guarantee for the
surrender Of .j'iycs il To- Doe enforced. With respect
io ttt Congress Aas already performed ITS duty and Is
-o flr tI,eia, o.i-s'.
Iu aI other c1scs, and especially as 20 the status of
.,yyrv u the common territories ot thr Union, the qucS-
tons couctruu.it age LEGAL g.e.tous involving the APP
location aud construction OF the laws and Constitution
o.. the country aud as slyh are Co. proper uhec's OF
iul coeuztuoc. lu lhe hands of the Judiciary, then,
DC these questions rests Jud every good citizen should
a..a CHAT peaceful and enlightened mpngc, clcVa-
tud l- los Eig character and the independence OF ITS
official tenure above the region Of party passions and
temporary c>ri,cmcu's has been provided by the Con
,iou for the decision of questions at once 50 delicate
and so intricate. There then remains no other practical
question with regard slavery, but the action OF the
territorial communities upon 70 when forming their Ton
-t.utious aud asking 10 Dee admitted sovereign states
into the Union and in relation 90 that there ia now
general agreement of al fair minds that the great prn-
cplss of American liberty aud public law require that
the new States well the Old shall be free to choose
their domestic institutions for themselves unshacked by
tine authority of Congress orauy other interference what