Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-07-16
ND. MONDAY MORNING, JULY 1e, 1860.

more or less remote il would be DESTROYED with Ger
tanty and ruthessness proportonate to the opposition
the people to the intervention Of Congress Aud more
over IL intervention is TO last longer than during the
territorial condition. the property Of the stakeholder will
become vaueless precisely at the ns ant that ii into
political influence element of representation in Con-
gress. So that both in political and in pecunary
we hold Intervention" snare of the South.
Fourthly, the establishment Of this doctrine would IN.
evitaby perpetuate the slavery agitation in Congress
To avert this fatal and constant agitation has long been
the aspiration of every partos heart Conservative
parties have in terms proclaimed paramount consd-
Grafton Of policy, and conservative have often sha-
ped their political relations with exclusive reference to
this object But the doctrine of Intervention opens the
door to infinite controversy Not only will the framing
of each territorial bill be the signal for renewing
the battle but Congress will constantly be assaed with
petitions on the one hand affirming the protection to be
inadequate and the other unnecessarily great. One
party will continually demand more protection the other
continually ask restriction. Which party will be
most likely to obtain favorable hearing in an abolition
Congress is difficult surmise for Congress being
sovereign and independent within its sphere earthly
power force it to pass law obnoxious TO the will Of
the majority.
Filthy Though the principle we're normal and practi.
cable and advantageous to us and faught with dan
ger the public peace is question of purely legal
construction of powers and be settled by the JUDI
ciary, to whose decision oil Democrats and none
willingly than Judge Douglas will cbeerfuly bow.
We are aware that il is claimed by some that the Su-
preme Court has decided the question: but surely Judge
Douglas may be permitted to doubt the fact wht such
constitutional lawyer as Hon. Reyerdy johnson denies
it. and such political model the candidate Of the Sc
ceders for the Vice President as we have above seen,
denies all authority Of Congress in terms no less unequiv
ocal. When the Supreme Court has decided IT, or if
that tribunal has already decided it, Judge Douglas openly
and all suitable occasions his resolve to acqu
esce at once.
sixthy. We contend that the principle sweeps away
al.ath hnlwnrk of he
ton IL the jurisdiction Of Congress be admitted
on this subject the gate il opened for the largest
license Ii is idle to hope that the action of Congress
will be limited to favorable egsation-dle in fact to
hope that Congress notoriousy Black Republican ever
will legisae for the benefit Of slavery and feel the
truth Of this more clearly than the leaders of the Sece
ders They kaop that Black Republican Congress will
not pass laws protecting slavery and their insisting
liking this dogma party test can only be explained on
the supposon that the disruption OF the Union being
with them foregone conclusion, they have organized
their party demand which they knoD cannot be
Piled WITH that there may be no delay doubt in pre-
cipifatng the issue Of revolution.
No. if Congress undertakes to legsate on this subject
History is without instructive warning 10 the pro-
bable character of such legislation The Spanish Court
once climed the right to legislate slavery in
Cuba aud the annals Of the island inform that Of
the protective laws permitted any who dssat
ised 18th bis master TO go before Notary, who should
assess his value, which price the master bound
accept from any person whom the slave ehose ss
owner. Nor are We Sisboat admenition nearer home
Our own Congress has in four memorable instances
sumed jurisdiction to the question of slavery. In the
first case it swept slavery forever from the Northwest
Territory in the second it made the slave trade piracy
in the third it established the Missouri Compromise lne
IN the fourth it abolished the slave trade in the District
of Columbia And this il the banquet to which the Sc
ces.ionists invite the South.
Lastly, If the principle right, and expedien and
practicable and useful in its nature il is at thia period
unnecessary.
On this subject We shall content ourselves with quo.
ting the language of an able advocate Of Intervention
an ultra Southern man. and of the cear st minds in
the South Judge Reagan, Of Texas In a speech deliy
cred in Congress- feS weeks before the meeting of the
Charleston Convention, he used the following language
( Daily Globe, March l, 1860
"As have spoken OF the power Of Congress to pre-
tect slavery in the Territories say word
10 avoid being misunderstood. have said Congress
has the power and that circumstances may render the
exercise Of that power necessary. But AIN not discus
sing this question now aud DO not wish ia ho understood
as saying teye IS any necessity iur Its exercise this
time Slavery Il not expected 80 into Washington
Nebraska Kansas TerriloHes and hence no Laws
necessary for lis protection there. IL exists TO
limited extent, IN ne" hvAiUU aud Utah Tn New Mexi-
co the Territorial Legislature has passed the necessary
laws for It's proecton aud in Utah there is complaint
Of a want of additional protection This all our
Territories and shows that legislation nog aeee.
sdry the subject"
Fellow Democrats Of Virginia, can such a'barrtn ab
sractiGn this justify the disruption Of your party
much ess the overthrow Of your country. To this latter
con,ummaton We solemny believe the secession move
ment inevitably tends. Many Of the supporters of Sc
ceson would shrink with horror from this catastrophe
but that such is the object Of its leaders, their character
and anteccdents concusively establish We do these
leaders the ustis 10 eOosy that they are In earnest
that they have resolved to secure this assumed right
and they cannot be suspected Of the chds play Of qu
ety acquescng in defeat when tho principle involved
is OF such transcendenL consequence. Every con-
cedes that they viii he defeated be ore the people and
pkat HOrY viii they tamely submit for four more
wears to this awess oppression with no certainty of de-
liverance, then! The idea is prepOserous; revo-
lutons go backward If any considerable portion
of the people support them the bulletin of their defeat
viii be the signal of revolt The cotton States
the language of the head of this movement 'vil be
precipitated into revolution" Gna Virginia. with the
other SoutherH statss viii be invited to initiate the dig
naed example set at Baltimore, and follow tho wake Of
the more determined States out Of the Union.
Let sell ourselves TO saeh fatal aud wicked scheme.
No. fellow Democrats Of Virginia, let rally under the
ancient banner Of party loyal to the creed OF
fathers fa hul TO the Union that noblest monument
and guaranty of natural rights aud political freedom
Let redeem our pledges observe compacts, keep
faiIh happy in the conviction that this patriotic
course entirey consistent with that paramount aleg
to States Rights which the Democracy Of Virginia
have cherished with more han oriental devotion.
Already ntimations reach on every hand that the
sober second thought Of many who at first lent h,ir
countenance to this parricda blow Democracy and
Union, has led to the retracng Of their steps St the
cohorts Of sectenasN thqnde at gates and now
in every day OF gloom to the 'od guard" of Virginia, is
committed the noble Office Of standing in the deadly
breach summoning the scattered legOns 10 the walls
Accept the danger and the duy-your goious history
procaima you capable Of the sacrifice and worthy Of the
post. Let unite we did in the immortal
Of 1851 and the proud record may be ours. that
twice 10 single decade We have saved the Republic.
FRANCIS + RlVES, |
THOMAS WALLACE, c.;,.
THOMAS BRANCH 0o'""''''0'