Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-11
WAsnIYaroN. ZOE. a0. lsa0.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 1860
M Dear SRI am in receipt of yours Of the 9th
inst aud thank you for your kindly alusiol to myself
In connection with the fearful agitation that now threat.
ems the Acknowledgement of our government think the
Presidents message will meet your appreciation but |
have little hope that it will accomplish nythng in mode
rating the madness that rules the hour The indications
that the movement has passed beyond the reach OF
human control. God alone diSarn the cloud Of its
Ggh,nings South Carolina will be out OF the Union aud
in the armed assertions OF distinct nationality pobd-
bly before Christmas This is certain, une,s the
OF events is arrested by prompt and decided action
the part OF the people aud the Legislatures OF the
Northern States. The other Slave States will follow South
Carolina ia a few weeks, months. TIE border States
now so devoted to the Union, will nger a little while
but they will uCite their fortunes with those OF their
Southern sisters Conservative have no ground
10 stand upon-nO weapon to battle with All has been
swept from them by the gully agitatons and infamous
legislation OF the North. do not anticipate with any
confidence that the North will up the solemn
soousibdes Of the crisis by re,racing these ti steps
which have conduct US to the very brink Of pedton,
politically, morally and financially.
There is feeling growing in the free States, which
says LET the South co. aud this feeling threatens rap
idly increase. It IL ia part the fruit Of complete
trngcmt Mt aud in part WEAKNESS OF this perpetual
conf between North and South, which has lasted
with increasing bitterness, for thirty years. The
try wants repOSc aud Is willing 10 purchase it at any
sacrifice Alas for the delusiOn OF the belief that reposc
will follow the overthrow OF the government.
doubt not from the temper Of the public mind that
the Sou heru States will BE- allowed to withdraw peace
fully but when the work OF dismemberment begus We
shall break up the fragments from mouth 10 month with
the nonchalance with which We break the bread upon
breakfast tables If all the grave and vital questions
which will at arise among these fragments of the
rupured Ieplbi: can be adjusted without a 10
arms then have made progress since the history
Of our written. Bot the tragic events of the
Lour will show hat we have made 10 progress at all
We shall soon grow up Of cheit4ins, who will
rival the political bandits Of South America and Mexico
end who will carve out TO US our miserable heritage with
their bloody swords.
The masses Of the people dream not OF these things
The suppose the republic be destroyed to-day, and
peace vail smile its ruins tomorrow. They know
nothing Of civil war Tns Marah in the desert of the
pilgrimage Of nations has happily been for them seal
ed fountain Tley know not others do OF its bitter
ness and that civil war is scourge that dArkens every
freside and wrngs every heart with anguish. They
"a be commserated, for they know what they do.
Whence all this IL has come because the pulpit aud
the press aud the covering, unscrupulous politicians oil
the North have taught the people that they rcSpou
bic for the domestic institutions Of the South aud thai
they be faithful God only by being unaithful tC
the compact which they have made with their fellow
men. Hence those "hberty bills" which degrade the
sta ute books Of some ten Of the free States, and
coniessedy shameless violation Of the federal consiiu
ton, in point vital TO her honor. We have here pre-
sented from year to year, the humliatng spectacle
free and sovereign States by solemn act OF legislation
sgali=iHg the theft Of their neighbours property. say
g since is not the less because the subject of til,
depcsble crime chances TO be slave instead of horse
or n bale of goods.
From this sane teaching has the perpetual agi
atOl Of the slavery question, which has reached tn
mind Of The Stare population Of the South and has rem
dered every home in that distracted land insecure Th
is the feature Of the "rrepressbls conflict with whcl
the Norhern people are not familiar la almost ever,
/ nj the South hav
aud poisoning aud couIgfaton have marked their foot
steps. Mothers there lie down at night trembling be
side their children aud wives cling their husbands
they leave their homes in the mUrning. have brother
residing in Mississippi who IS lawyer by profession, anC
a cotton planter but has had any connection viii
! politics. Knowing the calm and conservative tone o
his character, wrote him, a few weeks since aud i'm
pored him TO exert his Ldlence in alaying the phrcnz
o. the popular mind around him. He has replied 10 M
a. much length, aud after depicting the Vaccinations
the wrelches to whom have alluded aud the cOnsterna
ton which regns 10 the homes Of the South he saws
is the unalterable determination Of the Southern peop
10 overthrow the government the only refuge which
Il left them from these insupportable wrongs and b.
aid5-"On the success Of this movement depends m,
every earthly int'resthe safety Of my roof from th
fteLrani and OF my wife and children from the poison
and the dagger
give you this language because It truthfuly express
es the Southern mind which at this moment 81 Jws as
furnace in It's hatred 10 the North because OF these in
erns equations. Think you that any peope can endur
this condition Of thngsY Whea the Northern pre ache
hfusol into HE audience the spirit Of Assassns aud Il