Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-11-20

Oi sovereignty b. lorce oi arms. But the States
! OF the Union are not the subjects of the Federal
Government; were not created by it; and do not
belong TO it,. They created it; from them it de
rycS its powers; 10 them it is responsible, and
when it abuses the trust they reposcd in it.
they. as equal SovercisnS have q right to re-
sminc the powers Respectively delegated to ii
by them.
Upon my mind there is no doubt that Gcor.
sia or any other State in the Union has per.
feet right to secede from il whenever the peo.
pie in their sovereign capacity decide for them.
selves that the compact has been violated bv
the other States. And neither the Federal nor
4 State Government has any right to make war
on her !Dr the exercise Of this act o! sovereign
" than they have TO make war upon her for
the exercise of any other one Of her sovereign
powers. Should Georgia determine, while 7
exercise the Executive power, to seccdc from
the Union on account Of the violation of the
compact by other States, should deny the
right Of any other State or Government to co.
cree her to return to il. In such case the al.
legiamce Of her ctizcns would be due to her
alone, and each would be entitled to the pro-
tccli0n of her flag.
THis they shogn hare And if any other
Government should interfere, and assume iu.
risdiction over them, and stake the lives Of any
of them upon Il charge OF treason to tSauthori-
t. for following the flag Of Georgia, would re-
talia.c promptly, by seizng and hanging upon
the nearest tree two of the subjects Of such
Government for each citizen Of Georgia whose
life should be thus illegally taken | need
only add that regard the question Of separate
State action, or Of united action upon the part
Of all the Southern States, as mere question
Of policy, and not as 4 question Of right As
the cause Of The Southern States is 4 common
cause, and the aggrcSsonS upon their rights
are common, should think il wise that their
action be common.
If the fifteen Southern States of the Union
should meet in Convention, and determine to
scccdc from it, there would he no war, no
bIood>hed So many Of the Northern people
are dependent upon our cotton, and our trade,
for employment, and for the ncccsSareS as
well rs the luxurcS of life, that they could
neither afford to fight us, nor to stand by and
see others do it, Nor could the Government
Of Great Britain afford to witness an invasion
OF the Southern States. We are planters, u
large portion Of the people Of England are
manufacturers We come in competition with
none of their interests. Our interests and
theirs arc mutual and reciprocal. The people
Of the Northern States arc the rivals Of the
people Of England in manufacturing and ship
ping. Both are dependent upon US for cotton.
-Four millions Of the people Of Great Britain
look for the means Of their supper; 10 the cot
ton crop ot the Southern States Of this Union.
An invasion of our soil, which would cut or
single crop Of cotton, would shake the pillars
Of the English throne, and the cry Of bread
or blood would at once control the action OF
the government, the army, and the navy Of
Great Britain in our favor.
| am aware that the opinion is entertained by
many, that the Southern States, in the event OF
Il dissolution 0f the Union, would be in worse
condition than they now are, III reference To
the rccapturc Of their fugitive slaves; as it is
said large numbers would escape, and we would
have no process by which We could recover
them from any portion Of the Northern con-
iedcracy. This is q great error. In case Of q
separation OF the two sections, and the forma-
tun OF new governments, the people Of the
Northern coniederacy would no longer feel that
they were connected with Slareryin the South,
any more than they now are in Cuba and Bra
zil
Most of the Northern States have already
enacted a stringent laws against the importation
desire such "a population III dllfvuw92yald .nRi
would bc willing TO spend money to rid them
selves Of it, They would need our cotton, as
they now do. ard would tinh our trade still in
dspcnsable 10 their prosperity We should
then have the power To regulate our own reve-
nue. laws tariffs, etc, and to discriminate
against them, and in favor Of European States,
If we chose To do 50, by imposing export du-
ties OH cotton purchased by them, and import
duties on manufactured articles sold by thom
to our people. This they could not endure
and prosper.
The result would he that they would, if re.
quired, enter into treaty with US to bring
back our fugitive slaves and deliver them to MS
at the line if We would agree 10 4 favorable
commercial treaty with them, by which they
could buy our cotton and sell us their goods
upon equal terms with other nations. \ SINH
lar treaty, for the like reason, could DO made
with the English Government, by which Cana
da would no longer hc the harbor Of fugitive
slaves.
The sentiment, no doubt, prevails in the
Northern States, that the people Of the South
would be in great danger from their slaves, in
cnsr wc shonid attempt to separate from the
Northern States, and to form an independent
Government. lnSlirrection and revolt arc al.
rcndv attempted to bc held in terror over u.s.
do not pretend to deny that Northern spies
among us might be able. occasionally, to incite
small numbers Of slaves in different localities
to revolt, and murder families Of innocent wo-
men and children, which would oblige US
promptly to execute the slaves who should
have departed from the path Of duty, under
the deceptive influence OF Abolition nccndia-
ricS.
These instances would however, be rare
Our slaves arc usually under the eye Of their
masters or overSccrs. Few Of them can read
ur write. They are not permitted 10 trave! on
our railroads, or other public conveyance,
without the consent Of those having the control
Of them Thcy have no mail facilities, except
such as their owners aliowt them 10 have, and
no means Of communication with each other at
distance They are entire Y unarned, and
unskiIlrd in the use Of arms. \ general revolt
would, therefore, be impossible. But the
more important fact which is we'll known in
Southern society, is that nine-tenths Of them
arc truly and devotcdly attached to their mas
tcrS and mistrcssrs, and would she'd in their
defence, the last drop of their blood. They
feel and recognize their inieriority as race,
and their dependence upon their owners lor
their protection and support, whose Smile OF
appreciation constitutes their highest enjoy.
mcnt. They have not been accustomed to
claim or exercise political rights, and few OF
them have any ambition beyond their present
comfort and enjoyment. In case of a plot or
conspiracy. the secret could be communicated
To but few, till some would learn it who would
Immediately communicate it to their masters,
and put them upon their guard: This would
lead 10 an immediate seizure and execution Of
a few o! their leaders We have therefore but
little cause Of apprehension from rebellion OF
our slaves.
Let uS !ur 4 moment contrast our difficulties
with our aborcrs, in case Of ! division, with
the difficulties which the Northern people
would have with their laborerS.
Many of the Northern masters, or employers,
If they prefer the term, are now in possession
Of large fortunes which they have accumulated
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