Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-01
4AltBmoll0 Enquirer.
TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 1851,
The Public Meeting on Thursday Night.
BY TYLER, WISE & ALLEGRE.

TUESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 1851.
The Public Meeting on Thursday Night.
In obedience to a public call, the citizens of
Richmond, on Thursday night, tho 27th of De-
cember, assembled in tho numbers yariously
estimated at from fifteen to twenty-five hun.
dred, in and around the African Church, to
give an expression Of the sentiment Of the peo-
pie Of Richmond, upon the present condition
| Of our national affairs"
The meeting, in respect of number and re-
spcctablity, exceeded any public meeting ever
held for any purpose in the city of Richmond,
hundreds leaving the yard Of tho Church, from
the absolute impossibility of gaining admit.
lance into the house. The spirit, tone and
temper of the immense crowd exceeded the
hopes Of the most ardent disunionist,
Much division of sentiment existed
yet it was caused not by any hope or desire IS
preserYe- the Union It h0D e1ists, But It was
rather rivalry between men us to " hich series
OF resolutions ecent farthest towards disunon.
This was evident from the remark of Mr.. Grat-
tan, "a Bell and Everett member Of the COM
mttee,) that he supported the report of the
committee because it went farther than the
resolution of Mr.. Crcushaw
The proceedings OF the meeting will be
found in our columns to-day to their care.
fu perusal we invite public attention rs an au-
thoritativc expression of the people Of Virginia.
The resolutions will he found 10y no means be-
hind the demands Of any portion Of the State,
| and in unmistakcable terms announce the set.
tied purpose and determination of the good
people OF our noble city not to be behind the
people Of the State, of which il is the Capital,
and Of that section Of which it hopes the
Southern Confedracy will make her one of its
largest and most prosperous cities.
Many Of the ulen that composed this meet
ing we never saw drawn t. public assembly
by either Of the great parties That have divided
the State, and nothing but the wrongs inflicted
by the North upon their State and section
could have induced the old, gray headed faith
ers Of Richmond TO have left their comfortable
tiresideS on that cold night to have participated
in public meeting.
The speeches were able, positive. determined
and, sometimes, eloquent Mr.. Crenshaw Mr.
Patton and Mr.. Aylctt, in their opposition to
the report Of the committee, enlisted the sym
palhy and support, ii not Of the majority of
the meeting, yet Of minority so large that it
robbed their defeat of all appearance Of 4 spi.
itof submission to Lincoln on tho part Of the
meeting.
The speeches of these gentlemen would have
undoubtedly defeated the report of the COM
mittee, had not Judge John Robertson-a mem
Of disunon--co,ne 10 the rescue Of the com.
ulittee. Hundreds thought, that if Judge Ro-
bertson supported the report there could be no
fears of its not going far enough to make the
country understand that Richmond was for;
disunion. =. a.!
q Ourselves, g menbep. Of the; comsaitt tteas ard
arnE!ihs Spr1f & asasIug s56
vinced us that the only error made by the COM
mittee was mistaken estimate Of the Union
feeling Of Richmond. The committee curbed
the impulse Of extreme opinions in Difference
to the idea it entertained that Richmond was
behind the temper and spirit Of the South
but the reading Of the first resolution con.
WINGED the writer Of this Of the error The
wild applause that shook the house, upon the
reading Of the words "orT OF IT. in the first
resolution, too plainly told that the spirit Of
independence governed and controlled the meet
ing.
The second resolution, rcprobating coercion,
was received with immense applause. The
third resolution was not so well received DO.
cause it was thought to be advising Sontil
Carolina not to capture the forts. TO us this
seemed il forced construction, because Of the
words "unleSs, in the opinion "f such State,
such bostiltics be essential 10 l.cr safety, which
left the matter Of taking the forts entirely To-
the people Of the State. What particularly
recommended this resolution to Us, was the
distinct recognition Of the necessity for "a new
Of 1T Of the first resolution.
The speech Of Mr.. GeorgcW. Randolph, ahvo-
eating tue report of the committee, was an cx-
ccedingy able effort, adding to his wclIearncd
reputation Of one Of the cIearcSl heads Il, the
bar of Richmond. Mr.. Eandol llI-tor the be-
nclit Of our readers beyond the State We will
a
in all the points Of character which mako a
man, is ''worthy son Of m illus;rions sire"
Mr.. R. y. Daniel followed Mr. Randolph in the
advocacy Of the report Mr. Da;ir 1t Bell
and Everett politician, and most warmly de-
voted to the Union OF these States in SUPPORT
ing the resolution, delivered speech replete
with many beauties, and !illct! with Union sen
timents but Mr.. Daniel, though warmly
esteemed by many, aid respected 10y all, failed
to awaken that enthusiastic applause which
greeted those speakers whose extreme opinions
spoke the sentiments Of the meeting.
Judge John Robertson advocated the report
of the committee, and sustained it agaa>t The
powerful assaults Of the extreme jisunionISts.
The contcrnp;uous manner in which nc spoke
Of coercion, Of Northern armies AMI Northern
force elected tremendous applause. ButtyPcs
and printing presses are incompetent 'a express
the wild excitement that followed the remark:
"Who will he the officers Of this Northern
array? Burlingalnc wont fight anywhere but
in Canada, and Summer dodsrs from rattan.
while the 'sclick" of mahogony stock pistol
has unmcasured terror for Brgadier General
James Watson Webb
Judge Robertson defended Gen. Scott from
the Infamous chars: that lie would ever, As the
commanding officer Of any army, turn traitor
To Virginia, and incur the infamy Of Benedict
Arnold. lie had known Gen. Scott for many
,..ar. uni hclirrcd him raithfnl Mnl PATRIOTIC