Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-15
LETTER OF HON. WIN. C. RlYES,
TO MIR. BOTELER,
House of Repre- ntat ives.
THE NATIONAL CRISIS.


CAsrLE-IIILL, sth Dec 1860.
Ny DEAR Sir II observe that you have made pro-
position in your House for holding solemn family
ell consisting Of member for each State upon the pre-
sent distracted and emnenty critical condition OF the
Confederacv This right and proper The great work
of our fathers which has preserved in peace and hap
piness for near three quarters Of century, aud given
rise to spectacle Of national growth aud development,
without any, the remotest parallel in the history OF the
world ought not to be abandoned without the most earn
est efforts for its Preservation But will these any e.
forts avail: Unless a very different spirit, from that
which seems thus far TO have animated both OF the
IRENE parties be successfully invoked the prospect
would be gloomy indeed. ..... .-I,.,
have led TO the present condition OF things The recent
triumph Of a powerful sectional party In election for
the two highest offices Of the government-wih its eau
ddates taken exclusively from its own section voted for
exclusively BY its section, aud with political creed
avowedy autagouisc the interests and institutions Of
the other great division Of the COnederacy-is an event
which necessarily awakens both anxiety and resentment
in the opposite section, and according 10 the most ord-
nary maxms OF human prudence and serespect, calls
for an attitude of vigilance, rmness and if need be- in
flexible resistance.
Its the first time in our political annals that such
thing has been attempted venured upon and argues,
to say the least extraordinary degree of temery aud
heedessuess on the part Of those who have made the
experiment in the face of the solemn and not unrendy
warnings which were addressed them IL is not the
individual elected whoever he may be- but the hostile
sectional combination which elected him. that constitutes
both the danger and the offence.
What then is to be done Shall we rush at once TO
dissolution Of our compact Of union; tear down the
pillars of the temple which contains the precious dep0
sit of our rights and liberties; and bury ourseyesfor
a time at least-n one common ruin with our deuded
or offending cohfederatesy This would seem to be the
course Of desperation and bndness-not Of and
deberaiion.
There are few If any, among us who do not feel and
acknowledge that the Constitution Of the United States
ii honestly and faithfully pursued in its letter aud spirit
affords every desirable guarantee for the rights and oer
ties Of all the plItes to it, We entitled TO demInd
and insist upon a loyal and upright ulfment Rsll its
obligations, the sole and indispensable cond ~ on
which the Union eau be maintained.
The equal rights Of the States in the common Terrific
lies Of the Union the immunity of their domestic insl
tous from all external interference and control direct
or indirect and the surrender of ugves from service
are fundamental principles of the constitutional compact
which however clear theory, practically denied IN
various quarters and call therefore, for and unequv
oca securities for their future observance. If these Sc
eurtes be demanded with calm and digufed bat DfeAi-
bic firmness-not with buster and denunciaton-l can
not doubt that they will be yielded by large majority,
If not by ALL Of our co-states If any should refuse
them BY that of recusancy they will renounce the
authority Of the Constitution ITSELF and put themselves
virtually out Of the pale Of the Union.
Such terms of settlement those here briefly indica
sd-susceptble in their details of or less develop
ment-uould in my opinion satisfy the views OF large
majority OF the sayehoding States They would not be
likely to obi ain the acceptance of Sou Carolina who
determined by foregone concusiono 20 out OF
the Union in spite Of every possible concession and 10
rag as many Of her sister States she after her.
What success her policy OF eoercng other States into
DisHRiOR may have, remains to be seen. But Il may,
not unreasonaby be presumed that Georgia Who did not
recognize her dcatoriA authority in 1882 and in 1884,
would still prefer her platform, laid down with so
much wisdom and frmness in the latter year, and which,
with two suggested additions Is so well adapted
TO meet the acquisitions Of the present crisis II GeOr-
ga true 10 the traditions OF her former patriotic policy,
should be satisfied with an adjustment, recoAcing the
constitutional rights Of the South with the preservation
Of the Union the probability is that her neghbors Ala
bamA and Flords, would be equally so.
But whatever might be the decision OF those States,
there can be little doubt that Maryland Delaware Vir
gnia Kentucky, Tennessee North Carolina, Missouri,
louisiana Arkansas Texas and, it is to be hoped Mis-
ssipp Also would cordially unite in such plan Of adjust
ment
These are the natural allies of Virginia in every great
crisis Of the Republic. She never divorce herself
from Maryland Kentucky Tennessee and North Carolina
States which Immediately surround her, and with which
she has so many common interests OF the most int-
mate and vital character And when is recoected that
10 onehaf Of her territory she Is Western State hav
ing for that portion Of her domain her natural outlet TO
the ocean by the river Mississippi she is by that crcum
stance as we'll by the large number Of her children
Who nov people its magnificent valley nkedby the ties Of
kindred feeling and common destiny to those flourish
ing and prosperous States which have risen 70 such mag
ic wealth and power upon its fertile borders
Il is also 10 be remarked that the saveholdng States
Of the Valley Of the Mississippi by their position on the
banks Of grea. stream assigned by Providence as
common avenue Of commerce for themselves and her
powerful communities, inhsbtng ITS upper parts and
having dissimar domestic institutions, could never light
ly regard severance Of the Union by such line-Gn
event which would bring with il to them inevitable
cts and the danger Of national controversies and wars
as il abundAnty proved by the history Of the river when
ia mouth held by independent and foreign power
whatever Affects the securit Of their domestic insitu-
tons or eopards their equal constitutional rights in the
Union and ready at all times to make every sacrifice
to defend them the States commonly called the BOr
der Slave States also are, they yet not smen-any
more than these Border SAtesWilh passion for Dsu-
MON for its osu sake disposed to rush into il heed
les.y and unnG cessarily.
Let then the States have msntiO1ed-rsinfcreed, i,