Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-01-31

UDllgeS tnc QlSSOlullOH Vi lHS CHio',
the Abolitionists go-let them be driven to Can
ada, or to utter destruction, or further, II they
can. | would reserve for my State and for my
section, wronged as they havc'bcen and they
still are, all the powers and possessions OF the
Union. Tremendous applause, repeated and
prolonged for some minutes.
But though these are my rights, and this the
course I would advise, yet, ] will stand by my
State and her oppressed ~ncishborS in any de-
tcrmincd action size may take, according to her
sovereign pleasure. have said it, and will
do it.
But the accusation Of being too devotcdly
attached to this Union is not the only charge
which has been urged against me-. have been
also assailed as an agitator with the design OF
d~isunion. 1t is sufficient to say, that 1t Is I'M
possible for me to be guilty of being too devoted
Il Union man, and, ut the same time, an agita.
TIM disunionist. The fact is, that these con-
Trajectory accusations proceed from my being
q conservative State Rights man, and Il defend.
er of the Constitution and the Union, without
being either a mischicvouS destructive or 4 base
submissionist.
stand between these two extremes, and take
counsel from neither, for neither can or vii!
uclCEQ lily IlSulSy plSSSifS my PSSSSf NNNP
sacred my honor. Both alike are 1T war with
the Constitution, with State rights and with
the Union, and both would destroy all indi-
ridual rights and security. And, in snr hum
bic opinion, neither will fight for any rights,
whenever they are tested, in or out Of the
Union. \ firm and conservative purpose OF
conflict with either, will make it retire before
the test of arms at any moment Of trial. The
true mode Of testing men Is to know whether
they ill prepare for conflict, and be ready to
meet the issue by arms. Let them toe the
scribe Of the armed lists, and then they will
prove the earnestneSs and honesty Of their pur-
pose. Let not the coward plea be put in, that
men who are conscious Of right are afraid Of
forced indictments of constructive trcaSOn.-
Let us not die Of vicious and perverted abstrac-
tons, in the craven effort to dodge battle, but
let US rather die . healthy death by arms.
Above all, let us not prefer the futid dissolution
OF decay to the dissolution by fire and blood.
Aye, there is {. dissolution worse than that
which can possibly result from immediate re
~sistancc to aggression. In the moral and Pc.
litical world, us IN the natural world, there are
two kinds Of dissolution. There is the health
full dissolution by arms, when the whlZzlng ball
brushes through the brain, when the drawn
sword sewers the yitalS, or the blazing iagot
criSps the Sinews-when i man or 4 State, III
the full vigor Of health and strength, takes the
ono bound into another condition Of existence;
when the man or the State, purified perhaps by
condition Of existence.
Then, there is another and Il far worse diSSo-
luton = the dissolution of decay
IL (....0, - Al, -. go ,rh, ,,itI !,
me, hate and oppose dissolution, | appeal TO
you especially to save this country--to unite
with me in saving this Union from the rotten
and fcctid dissolution Of decay. Applause. +
DO not, | implorc you, let us sink 10 that de-
graduation where "all the ills Of conquered
States shall cling 10 uS'-till "meanncss and
weakness and q sense Of woe, 'gainSt which we
cannot strive and dare not murniur," shall
make our country the last and worst Of PEG.
pied deserts. DO not, | iinplorc YOU, let disSo.
luton come on, step by step, degree by degree,
now Il little and then Il little, until you have Il
government that is not worth maintaining, a
Union that is not worth preserving. | tell you
that if YOU let this federal Union die by degrees
and rot before it dies, it will stink in the nos
trilS of Union men worse, far worse than it now
ollcnds the olfactories Of those who would Ills
solve it instantly. And the dissolution which
now most immincntly threatens this conlede'
racy, is the dissolution Of decay. We cannot
remain in our present position without decay
and death and all the worst tcrrors OF dlssolu'
tiOu-thc dissolution of all the cheering alice
tons and Of impotcnt sectional hatred, without
the vigor and health Of resentment and resist
ance.
1t is not one effect nor another, not one raid,
nor one case Of fugiliFrs from justice, nor ono
instance, nor many instances Of unconstitu'
tional and aggressive legislation; or of violent
opposition to the execution Of just and ~neccssa;
nv legislation which constitute the national
grievance under which We are suffering. 1t is
an unhealthy condition Of things which is the
cause Of these thousand disastrous effects
This condition must be reformed and this
cause Of decay must be removed, or diSsolti'
| ton is inevitable.
In 1865, I stood on the banks Of the Ohio at
the mouth Of the kanawha. | looked up and
down the stream Of the "heautiful river" |
turned Eastward and scanned the valley Of the
kanawha. saw the fattest soil that the dews
of Heaven ever moistencd. ! saw the most &C.
NAL sunshine flooding with living light mea'
dows that would Craze the ''cattle Of i thou,
sand hills" and mountains %aboundlug in coal
and iron and salt and oil. When | looked up
on this land Of latneSs-this land blowing with
milk and honey" | asked myself: why cannot
| bring my Slaves to this section of Nirslnia'S
own territory and settle them here on the rich
est soil inviting agriculture and mining and the
mechanic arts; and Offering a profit 10 labor iar
beyond the capacity Of the poor lands OF East
ern Virginia, where | am settled? | asked the
reason why | could not settle slaves there, whilst
| had all the qua,lruple guarantees OF State Con
s~titution and State Statutes, and Of Federal
Constitution, and Federal statutes, besides both
federal and State iudiciaricS! | found but one
reason, yet that was Of itself sufficient to rem
der null and void all the combined guarantees
of State sovereignty and confederate ilith.-
On the other side Of the river, they burn sig
nal Grcs BY night, and run all underground
railroad to Canada By night and day ,nceaS
inely. There is c~eascleSs underground lnva
sion of individual rights and State sovereign
tv. from the bordering free State, which, us !
bv authority OF law, has made abolition Il fear
full certainty within olr own borders, eating
like n cancer into the vitals Of our OWN terrific
~. 1t is invading lis, not less in the bor'ie'
States, than in the federal territories. Unless
some eTlClcnL meillS SltaiI w dpEllSH w >hSS'
the evil, what the free States are now to tn
borders, the borders will become to the int
rior counties Of our own State, perhaps IN :
few more generations. 1t is actual INVASION
more dangerous than that of john Erown, con
stantly and certainly going on.
Gentlemen, is this thing TO DC endured! Is
this silent invasion TO he left unchecked unit
it shall render Virginia as absolutely iree'so
MS Kansas was ever frec.soilized by the Jas an
netias of a %Lecompton constitution: And
the repeated notification of federal statute
constitutionaIly provided for the protection o
your property, to call in vain for =" determines
effort for justice? Aye, there are some wh'
could not endure notification in South Caro-
lima, who now look with a tranquil gaze OF
Northern notification. They would not ALLOW
South Carolina to nullify an oppressive revenu
bill, an unjust tariff act, but they will ALLOW
Massachusetts and Vermont to nullify the tnsi
tive slave law. Is this to be patiently endured
And does the voice which denies the protection
Of legal authority to your property Throughout
- TIT .sl 1,not,b &c ~, n,,,pi.n n