Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-11-27

at Is when great great difficulties utu'
must exalt themselves TO the occasion, all IS lost
Strong passions under the direction Of feeble feeds
slow fever which only destroy the body thai
entertans il. But vehement passion does always di
stes and Is even auxiliary 10 powerful understanding
ana when they both cnasre and harnonousy, the:
orre great IT, destroy disorder Within an TO rrpr rju
y from ahroad. II TER herr time MGt cal,
.sor no rHJdr conception ofhings, and Gr ersrti"E.
IN no ru'gdr 'trHin, ii it mt"efat hour at": Pr0r
aence hds aPpOnsd 70 Mn0ti'n. Every !itfe mtdsHr,
great error and every great will bring SndA
rum Nothing can be directed above the mark We aim
All every Thing below 1t Is sbsolu!ely thrown away
We select this morning from the wisdom of
Edmund Burke, the sentiments becoming The
crisis" and the philosophy OF resistance that
Should govern the action Of the approaching
session Of the General Assembly, anil com
mcnl it 10 the consideration ul all tie mcu-
bers.
The rejection Of II Southcrn Conference was
little measure" Il very great error and
brought "no SNAIL ruin" The "mark we aim
at Is tie safely and honor Of our State and
section; aud though they may demand the
certain sacrifice Of thousands, better make the
sacrifice than entail upon our pnstcrity the brand
Of interiors in government designed for
equals. \ false humanity. that lowers the
standard Of Southern rights, and is satisfied with
the poor boon Of unprecedented fugitive slaves
which abadons the other and more impor-
tant issues Of the slavery question: should moi
influence the Legislature in this sercrcst trial
OF our people. Our rights secured, our equal
ity acknowlr'lg gcd br law, and our property
protected in the common territories, will pre-
serve the Union But nothing short of all
these can re unite lic States Of this Confedc-
racy. Virginia must embrace the whole ques-
tion in any effort >!Ie may contemplate propGs
ing for mediation. She must not expect the
Southern States 10 become satisfied with the
repeal Of Northern laws nuliiiying the fugitive
slave law. The escape Of slaves is IL grievance
peculiar to the border States the denial Of
our rights in the Territories is an insult and
wrong common to all the States of the South,
and must be embraced by Virginia in every el-
fort at cancellation. The repeal Of the nuIfy-
ing laws would bc indeed an encouraging sign,
from which the hesinung Of the end might bc
discerncd. But it Is neither ull, nor yet the
greater part Of Southern grievances.
War is indeed q dreadful alternative; but dis
honorable infcriority is the worst evil that ean
befall people. An insult submitted to IN
vites rcprtitom, and when Inflicted wth impu-
nifty upon whole people encourages arrogant
donInation, subvcrsivc Of just government.
1t was more England's insulting claim TO
govern the colonies than acts Of oppression
that caused our iorciathcrs TO resort to war.
Every brave people are more tenacious
Of honor than Of pccuniary gain, the claim Of
right to tax, rather than the amount of the
impost produced the revolution. Shall the de-
scendents Of such abStractonsts surrender
right which carries with it the brand Of inferi.
ority, and the stamp CT disgrace:
The denial Of ihe right Of the Southern
States to perfect equality in the territories, the
Dstrir. Of Columbia and everywhere else COM
mon TO the government, is Of itself just cause
for withdrawing car consent from govern
ment which mas i'rru prustituted from It's orl-
ginal spirit, evcn though the forms of the Con-
sttution Lave been observed
"When lon: train Of abuses and usurpa-
tiouS pursuing invariably the same object,
evinces Il design to reduce them under absolute
depotsm, it is their right it IS their dnty, to
throw of such government, and to provide
new guards for their future security I'VE
have warned them, from time TO time, Of at
tcmp,s made hr their Legislatures to extend
an nnwaIralltai,le jurisdiction over o'lr pro-
perty. "lhcy have been deaf to the voice oil
Justice aud cc;sansuinily" Hl:d constitutional
Obligation. Are We not justified in withdraw.
inc our conscn. from Il Government thus marked
by every act that may define tyranny?
Oar ioreiathcrs taught us that the consent
Of the governed was necessary TO constitute
the Just power" Of gnSrlnmcnt; they taught
Us TO Withdraw that consent from ANY govern
mcn, 10 alter nr abolish any system which dc.
nice! us safety and happiness. We care not
whether it be constitutional secession or organ"
lied revolution which oar turcfllherS lett with
the States it is "tIiv puwe: to sap the tie OF
confederation aS Il l.a.ion might break L treaty,
and to repel coer,on rs :. nation might rcpcl
INVASION
The hope OF compromise ami concession must
be abandoned. the iu!! acknowledgement Of all
our rights must bc the nsimimuin Of our demand
the limit nr ollr satisfaction. Unless this be
granted, indiy iynalion wiI succeed the terror that
now pervaIes our c,un,ry, ana 'the revival Of
high sentiment, spurring away the decisions OF
safety purchased at the expense o! honor, Will
yet drive Us 10 thai generous despair, which has
often subdurd Gistcuy.rrs in The State, for which
no remedy could be oun'l III the w!SeSt cnun-
ellis