Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-05-11

5. kcSOi.eU, I max congress HAS OSOuStitutioou
ri1h, 20 abolish slavery III the District OF Columoia
& I~.esol"cu, That the duty OF atording adequate
protection in the Territories previous to their ic9a
organization IT, States, t. equal rights Of person alt
property respected under the constitution OF IN
Union, ~ incumbent; on the proper legislative antto
ri.y thereof.
Tho Miserable Abstraction" ut Hnlil
more.
The result ut Charleston has caused the Up
position very great rejoicing. They seem t
SEQ in it some hope for their organization
some prospect Of their returning to power
from which they were elected some eight years
ago. The Convention now in session At Baltl
moro has only risen to notice since the adj ourn
mcnt at Charleston, and to avoid the fate ofthe
Democracy, we SEQ it widely stated by thu
newspaper correspondents that no platform
will be laid down-thut any man limiting at ne
rroes will be kicked out Of the Convention.
The permanent President Of the Conventlcn
the Hon. Washington Hunt, of New York,
pronounces the slavery question an adStrac'
tiou." As this cry of abstraction has been the
subterfugc Of the tiinid and timc.scrv!ng polltl-
clans of both parties for several years, and as,
notwithstanding the cry Of abstraction, the IN
terest felt in the slavery question has gone on
increasing in strength, md tho subject grow
ins in importance until all parties Of any re-
spectabilitv as to numbers or talent have dlTl-
dcd upon it-until all denominations OF Chris.
tiaus arc agitatcd by it-until sections are ar
raycd upon it-until disunion seems imminent
from tit seems the height of folly to hear the
President of ! political Convention announce a
subject Of such vital Importance, and invo!r-
ing the integrity Of the Union, as an abstrac-
ton.
"a miserable abstraction, SAYS Mr.. Hunt
and yet this same party conducted the last
canvass in kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia
upon the issues involved in this miserable
abstraction and the Opposition Convention
Of Georgia, that appointed delegates to this
same Baltimore Convention, unanimously
adopted the following platform:
l. The right of property i'll African slaves is
recognized and guaranteed by the Constitution
of the United States.
.. The Territories Of the Government are
the com;non property Of the citizens OF the
Union.
3. That neither Congress nor the Territorial
Legislatures have the power to pass any laws
prohibiting the introduction Of slavery into
any Territory, nor to abolish slavery therein,
nor any power to destroy or impair the right Of
property in slarcs by any legislation whatever.
/. That it is the duty Of the Federal Gov
ernucntt to protect the citizens OF every portion
Of the country in the enjoyment Of all their
property, Of whatever description it may con-
siSt, and wherever its constitutional authority
extends.
5. That the enac;ments Of State Legislatures
to defeat the faithful execution Of the Fugitive
Slave law, are hostile in character, subycrsivc
Of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their
effects.
What says the Georgia delegation. to this
denunciation Of their platform by Mr.. Hunt
What will be thc course pursued by the Ken
lucky delegation, whose party opposed the
election of Gov. Magotin because, as they al
legged, he did not occupy the true Southern
ground upon this miserable abstraction"
This ill.adviscd and foolish declaration of
Mr.. Hunt will do much to bring contempt upon
The Convention.
When the whole nation is agitated and men
OF AL parties are anxious rs to the result, when
the imminent peril of the times causes anxiety
among even most determined opponents Of the
Democratic party. the folly OF Mr.. Hunt be,
comes almost w!ckcdneSs, when he attempts to
allay the excitement by crying out miserable
abstraction" Had ordinary discretion and
common sense marked the organization Of the
Opposition Convention, it would have attract.
ed attention and Importance, where Mr.. Hunt
has brought contempt and rldiculc. If its sub
sequent proceedings are not characterized with
more wisdom and honesty than has so far beer
exhibited, it will itself become a "mOst mise
ra6le abstraction"
2. S.-Sincc writing the above, the telegraph
informs US that John Bell, of Tennessee, has becl
nominated for President by The Miserable At
strsction." Mr.. Hunt has given the party
most excellent name, "Ihe Miserable A6strat
ton" We don't know IN 'abStvaction" NOR
miserable than John Bell, Of Tennessee.
--O--
s.Thc States and Cnion., aud Hon. Win
L.. Ynnccy.
The course being pursued by the Washing
ton Estates and Union towards the Hor
VIM. L. Yancey is calculated to DO Judge Doug
las far more injury, than it can possibly in
Aict upon Mr.. Yancey.
In the very able speech which Mr.. Vance,
delivered before the Convention there was no
one word of harshness towards Mr.. Douglas
but the questions at issue were discussed with
out reference to individuals and upon Consti
tutional arguments only. Mr.. Yanccy did full
and complete Justice to the talents, integrity
and motives Of the Illinois Senator, and alb
stained from any remark or ~allusion that reflect
ed in the least upon the honesty Of Mr.. Douglas
Mr.. Yancey o6eyea instructions in withdrawing
from the Convention, and Judge Douglas, VIC
have no doubt, would have done so likewise
had he been similarly situated. If "Yancey.
ism is at the lowest possible discount at the po.
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