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

would Tomorrow propose such 4 bill. | would
nroncse it. if no one else wouId-providing that
the General Assembly should elect commits
S~ioners. having respect in their appointment to
all ~noIitical sentiments in the State, having re.
spcct to the Opposition as well as the Demo-
cratic party, having all parties fairly repre-.
scented by commissioners appointed TO confer
with South Carolina. 10 confer about what?
would enact that your commissioners Should
confer upou the best mode Of defending the
Constitution of the United States, Of maintain
ing the Union and of restoring it to its original
p,inritv: and that after full conference, they
should report back to Virginia the best
measures Of resistance to infractlons OF the
constitution and disturbances Of the Union. !
would go further; I would instruct them,
finally, # they discovered any existing or ap'
pretended a.grcsSions too imminent LOT uelay,
too serious for ordinary remedies. TO report
bark their views Of the proper ana Jusuuap'e
modes and measures OF redress.
Is any man here afraid OF conference! are
Won 4 friend of the Union, and yet believe that
the Union is too weak 10 bear consultation as
10 the mole and measure Of preserving IL! 10
yo, Lelieyc that the Constitution OF the United
States has so little potentially in 1t that 1t Will
not bear inquiry as to the best means Vi sualu,
ing il: You have 10 faith in this Union, snch
as havc-you have no confluence III 'ie SG.r
bilitv Of the Constitution, such as | nave!
vou cannot arrce with me TO trust the defence
of 10th 10 the consultation Of sovereign states
Of his Coniederacy. Appoint yonr comh',S'
sioncrS. then. As for me, ] do not desire TO DC
one of these commissioners. Not that ! desire
TO avoid the responsibility. never shrink
from responsibility. But | adlhlt TO you
that do desire to be left free to Judge
of the action of these commissioners, and
if their recommendations are trustworthy
| wish to be untralnlncllcl in urging their ac
ceptance by the people of Virginia. Take
your best men. Send your two Senators If
they will go. Then take some sound, corser-
vatiyr, notwithstanding Wing. Send n COM
mission composed Of three or five members
taken in such proportion from political parties
As the General Assembly shall determine, anu
| would appoint these commissioners by the
General Assembly and by Laws. No one man
should be bc permitted TO select such iunc'
t~ioilaricS.
As to the idea that hear whispered around
that there is a proposition 10 defer the measure
bv referring it to the pcop(e-tllere IS neither
time nor cxpcdiencv for submitting Sucha mea-
sure ut this time to the people. lou all know,
gentlemen, that am not afraid oil The people.
never was and never will be afraid either 10
trust them when proper. occasion requires, or
TO assume responsibility before them when
can thus best serve them. would not leave
this question to the people. This measure
should be a conservative movement, and a po'
u,,lar election ut this time would cnibarrass IL
with extreme agitation. ;,
l.. The peoplc are now united, and incenala-
ries would now make the reference OF TINS
measure TO the people the OCCASION OF distract
IN. and dividing them. y! worse thing LOT lne
Union. = worse thing for State rights could
not he done, than to put this subject and offer
such an opportunity for distraction before tlic
people of Virginia Ut this noment Start TINS
question now upon the stump, anu ihsteao Oh
remaining united aS we now are and MS we ever
should be, you will have distraction, you VIII
have disscnsion and division, and the question
will become the football Of party strife. and
we have not time TO refer this matter to the
people. Such Il reference would cause 4 delay
of twelve months. and such delay would not he
respectful to the sister sovereignty, whose
Commissioner is now waiting on our action,
and cannot be required to wait out the time OF
Il popular election. | beg you, gentlemen,
not to be drawn from your prcprlety by
such n proposition to avoid responsibility
You are responsible to the people AS trns.
tees of the power Of the State. Let
the Legislature speak, and be responsible
to the people, if you are not afraid OF the peo'
pie. Applause DO it! Dare to do it! As
lovers OF the Union, | implore you to set the
inquiry on foot-how can the Constitution and
the Union be best preserved? This is fair
This is proper. This is fighting i'll the Union
ana without arms. 1t will work like magic
It will save you the necessity OF future and eX'
IRENE resorts.
You must unite the South to save the Union.
Do you fear that the proposed conference may
serve 10 mite the South for the purpose Of dis
union? This is preposterous. No dellbera-
tive body, no conference, no convention ever
Yet made 4 revolution or ever will. l will tell
you what will make arcvolution. Leave q peo-
pie TO suffer from wrong, and withhold from
them their peaceful and legitimate remedies
Continue this, and You will find men Of cour-
age and strength, like the people Of South Caro-.
lima, will become Disguised with submission,
and some indignant leader there will rush
you into 4 revolution, and force you, against
your will, to take sides either with the North
or with the South, and you will then have 4
revolution without concerted action, without i
united South. Applause.
Are you ready for it? Are you prepared for
it: Mark you! you yourselves rave had some
part in binding this Samson lie Is now lean
ing against the main pillar; if he eYerts his
strength, the temple will fall, and you AID I are
in the temple. say again, arc you ready for
n revolutionary movement: ] am not ready.
! thank you for the armory bill. | thank yeu
for arming the militia. But gentlemen, you
must arm, and train, and confer q long time
before you will be ready. If yeu will only
prepare, the very preparation will OF itself de-
lcnd you, you may rely upon it. But IL You
leave yourselves in weakness, you will only IN
vito aggression, and become the Jest OF women
and the Scorn of men,
1t is true, | do not know-God, in his infinite
wisdom only knowS--whether, in any event, the
wrong and treason already committed must not
he purged out, and the peoplcd purified through
fire and blood. Of one thing be sure. Fire
and blood must finally erase this national pol
luton. if the rulers and leaders Of the people
shall remain too ti,nid 10 remove it by decided
resort TO peaceful meals. ! have done my best
to check The dissolution OF decay have done
my best to ward Of the dissolution Of fire and
blood-but If fire and blood must come, will
strip for the battle; | will meet it; comc when
il may; come how it may-bring il on either
by treason or by timidlty-l know not which l.
the worst--trraSon Or cowardice. The result
Of each is the same. In any event, dissolution
by blood and tire is better than the dissolution
Of decay. In the terrible coEiiagration which
consumes national decay. see Gods mercy
mingled with his wrath. But it may be asked,
again, what ultimate measures will be proposed
for the consideration Of the intended conlercIey;
The answer is easy: You should appoint Gin