Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-05-25
lIiSCELLAN EOUS.
From, Washington City.

WASHINGTON, May Is, 1860.
Messrs. Editors: The Chicago Convention
having made its nominations for President and
Vice President Of the United States, the tri-
u,,ph Of the Democratic party III November
next is o certainty Of which there can be no
reasonable doubt, provided the South act with
wisdom in selecting her standarAbearcr III
TIN: contest .
The issue existing between the party o!
Ja3gc Douglas. at the North, and . few scat
tered adherents throughout the Southern
States. and those in that section OF the coull-
try whose vital Interests are threatened to be
snbyerted by the lever Of 'squatter sovereign
t." is one that can DC no longer rcconciled
with . harmonious cooperation OF the two ele-
mcuts thus opposed to each other. The South
clnnot rccedc from its present constitutional
Standpoint. The Douglas section Of the party Is
equally Is determined to insist upon the plat
form ybich they have erected for themselves.
Anl from this conflict of interests and opin-
ions on one Of the most important questions OF
the d:y. . union Of opposing elements appears
to m, 10 be entirely beyond the bounds OF pro-
b,bi;,ty. Senator Douglas speech Of Monday
and TuesdaY last, in the Senate, has made
the breach wider than what it was before;
for on that occasion, with the power OF
Hercules. he welded bis oratarlcal club
against every one who stood in his way, in op-
position to SQuatter Sovereignty, never before
eoualled BY him. As Il fierce, bold and mas
,erlv effort, | have never before witnessed any
thing TO equal tha: speech; but it wanted the
essential elements on which to rely tor the cor
rcc:ness Of the conclusions TO which he wished
to arrive, namely the truth OF the proposition
that Intervention by Congress %prccluded that
body from affirming the right Of security u
slave property in the Territories OF the unltec
States. or of lesis!ating to secure it therein,
Whenever 4 Territorial Legislature should at
tempt to deprive u citizen of the benefits at
tached and belonging TO tina; si'rcies OF proper
- urder the guarantees o! the Constitution.
The cases Of apparent concurrence with his
views, and which were quoted by him with
a~mbidcy;rous tact, with the certainty OF speedy
demolition. rs political Inconsistencies, now
tia. these holding them liRtr with him as to
their true intent aud meaning, are but castles
in the air Of his own construction, and are,
therefore, OF little account in the controversy.
What, then, arc the facts Of the case: Simply
the following:
When the compromise measures OF lS3O
were passed, and the kansaS-Nebraska bill
.c.afirInod the doctrines q! 'non-inte:ventlon'
bv Congress, either in the States or Terrific
ries. it had reference solely to one CT other Of
Two things, viz: That Congress could not leg
islatc slavery into 4 Territory, nor exclude 1t
therefrcm; and to this extent, and no more,
did the doctrine OF "non-intervention" go, as
understood 10y the Democratic party, whether
at the North or the South. No one then
dreamed that the Territorial Legislature had
the power, or could exercise 1t in any way, 10
~ l.a Co,,.kcpr n.tiyOrr IT fhnlr
vested rights in slave property, il they should
-: :. se.i. ,.....s. ~ lni;.ia:c witllt ID the
common territory Of the Government. Ac-
cordinr 10 the common and correct understand
ing Of this question, the citizens of the North
and the South were equal before the law, while
remaining in q territorial condition; nor was it
thought that the rights OF the citizens Of either
section, sojourning there, could, with the re-
1no;est shade OF constitutional power, be de-
privcd of rights which that instrument guards,
wherever the institution Of slavery exists, with
n Jealous care. Mr.. Douglas doctrines of
'sQlatter sovereignty" rs premises for the
arguments set forth by himself in his late
speech in the Senate. are untcnah!c and cannot
be maintained by logical analysis. TIL mere
c!ap.;rap repetition Of Congressional non-inter-
7cntion by hin and his supporters is too trans
parent = hum5uS TO deceive even the most Su-
~pcrticial reasoner, who has the courage to di-
vest himself Of personal or Gactious prcjudices.
in his favor rs 8 candidate for the Presidency.
This feeling Of favoritisrn for him for that Of
fee, has become cpide!nical with every super
cnuated politician here Of every party, who
expects to share in the government spoils if he
should happen to gctinto the Presidential chair.
Ent, with the lights before ruc, this result can
not occur. The Baltimore Convention may
give Mr.. Douglas n nomination, but where arc
the electoral votes to come from that arc ne
cessary to place him there Not from the
South, and certainly not from the North, for
he cannot calculate on any other State but his
oxn, and that is even doubtful, ,o support his
claim fer that office.
How will the South then act in this difficult
aa.ir? viii it run up Mr.. Hunters flag again.
as It has done at Charleston, with only thirty
seven supporters around it, and q majority OF
those from Virginia, whose people are unmss.
takeably in favor of Coz. Wise MS their first
choice? Or. will the Convention select q man
of no account, and follow in the wake of the
two Conventions recently held in Baltimore
and Chicago, and nominate ,nen of straw ms
their Gle-leaderS in the coming conflict? Let
US hope they will not do this. The course is
now clear for the Democracy of the South
dIo VI iS ->'''ii wv, " SCtilC u ululutHl,
and crush out Republicanism for ever, rs an
agita:ins element Of 81 dangerous tendency 10
our perpetual existeaCe as . nation.
Give Us a ticket that will suit the South and
secure US . show Of the North, and our victory
will be an easy one. l will offer YOU one which
think has a charm in it for the Democracy 0!
both sections, and which no faction or party
could defeat. 1t -"W WISE AND Woop."-
Give is Henry 4. Wise of Virginia, and Fer.
nando Wood Of New York, and no power in
the country will be able to defeat lis. Rcpub-
~licanis,n and scctionalism will be forever blot
ted out Of existence. and harmony, prosperity
and peace will then supcrvenc and raise our
country 20 a higher pinnacle of power and glory
than what she has ever enjoyed under the pro-
tectins agis Of the Constitution. @. p. G.
Later from Europe.
Stu YoRK, May IS The steamship Persia, With Liver
pool dates to the 18th instant, arrived here ,tl. afternoon.
Continental atairs we're generally unchanged. Csribal.
dis expedition 10 Sicily was the prominent. :nIic o; the
day, hul up 20 :he hour the Persia sailed nothing authentic
wxt known as 10 his landing, II Was beirYed tina. the In.
surrec,.on continued in the interior IF the island.
A panic existed At Shanghai and business generally wu.
snspcn led, owing TO the advance OF the rebels.
Garrbald'- expedition numbering e,2N strong anil well