Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-02

tutional measures vet. believe that eli our
difficulties can he settled Aad SHY do "''
licve ity Why sir, rs said ycstrra!y' s:
tlelnen are in the habit Of announcing ''le
whole North, when they speak OF The assSsieS-
sion Of the Northern States. They nave ''',
rotten that in the last Presidential election
speak from memory, for | have mol the sI"''s
tics before me-but believe there were hot
less than fifteen hundred thousand lreciier' III
the non saveholding States who cast their 'otsS
against Abraham Lincoln. fi'tes: huNorcH
thousand, More than all the votes cast
in all the Southern States put together,
And ret. sir. those Northern men are Nil
denounced broadcast, without any us
tinction. The very men who have away
stood M for the rights of the South, they arc
10 20 overheard with the r:st, ana no ezcep
ton to be made. / say, sir that IS AL "rn'iS'
am convinced that ull our difficulties Will oe
settled if We can only get ias questions III
proncr shape. and &c. ,ilcmI before the people
because there are 10 doui't hundreds OF thot-
sands who voted forAIr. Lincoln, whose views
have become 40 much modified since inc E'H1
Presidential election, that II lney ha4 an op
portuni:y 10 give another expression % 'her
sentiments to morrow, llc; T"nia Certainly 20
against him,
Mr. President may be wrong IN ;ie views
Which entertain. ! am labla To error l
know, ike u.hcr rnen. But il lnay lie thought
by scEic sir, that nIy se;,tlmeats-iny con.
seTvaiire senlinicnts-sre entirely loo strong.
Well. sir If that be Sc, | cannot help It
Wb.n look back 10 the earl : history OF My
country.-snd must be pcr;niil'H TO say here
:hat the FIRST public meeting that ever attend.
Ell WAS when was boy ct school-when !!
read tue history OF the country, and when /
recall the toll, and hardshpS that CIR Rrvon.
,onary ancestors had 10 emconnt"r in order
that they might work out for lis liberty and
peace when reflect uDGn he .ncu who took
part il, that memorable contest ;fat It vas n
| Washington, . M,rgan, Il Williams, Wayne
and hosts oil other great men who tcuSt tor
the liberty OF AmerIca-l say, str. That /! ~
sentiments are conservative. cannot help Il.
Nv attachments TO the Union have ever been
strong. And %hcn come dom 10 the period
Of the war of 1872, Why sir, C5n say that
this day there are mouldc'ing in The dust lie
bodies of some of my OWN blood relations,
whose bones are nov deposited beneath the
surface Of The soil in Louisiana, %!io fought
under the command Of the great and noble
General Jackson. the hero Of New Orleans, in
order 10 perpe,uate tha; glorious Union Tor
which Washington fought ii the days OF the
Revolution So say, Nr President! that the
instincts Of my nature are such That clnnot
relieve myself Of thu attachments which, ia the
days ii my youth, formed for this Cn;on:
We may talk sir, about Southern Con
iederary or half dozen Southern Coniede.
racius; but tell you that you val! neEer have
better Government than the one which we
hare had-and which We yct have, | trust |
believe, sir, that the Constitution o! the United
States and the GoTernement Of the United
States are the best Constitution and Govern
ment which ever God permitted free
people Oh this earth 10 enjo:. ] do not
believe that any Confedcracy that can be
built Up anywhere will ever approach to the
Government of the United State, aud you may
build up as u,sny as you please.
Mr.. President have heard great deal
said about reconstruction. | have heard it
said repeatedly that The questions il not nov,
"how cau this Union bc prcservedr" hccause,
they sur, it is airea,!: diasU!-eG; but the qneS-
ton is, "hoa- strai! il be reconstructed And
it is cpnienled .i!.; Virginia niGi,t go oit Of tie
Union in order !:a; she lunY ieip To reconstruct
liz II is c0ntenIed, sir, ti.at Virginia must 20
cui-and, suppose, turn round ana cnit
TIE OliltT e!l!l '9!Ir Wilt ' "
yina to stand, Us sa;l before. just =herc she
has III ways stood. want her 10 exert such
an il furlice as she has exrrled in The past |
want her To act u mediator in the present
s,Hac; and If she deserves to nave any inuu.
ence that middle ground is the place for her TO
occupy in order that she may secure that iIiiu'
cnce. am opposed to her going ont OF the
Union; first, because she May never return,
and next, because there is no neccasiI! !':r her
10 90 out.
Mr. President, it 1as been admitted. be.
lieve vervwhere-e1cert. perhups, in some OF
the States tina, have already secedcd-that it
would he well to lay down proposition rs 4
basis Of the settlement of oar difficulties At
least, that has been the cry in ny section Of
the country. But then, sir, the question arises.
what is The best mode 70 be pursucdI And
thai is the rock upou which many have split.
AS 10 the time !, for one, thin!: that after we
have laid down proposition as basis ct set
t.rment, we should then give The Northern
people an opportunity--a fair reasonable np'
! I;urtuni,y-lo consider it, and &c give them
time to say whether they will accept our pro-
position or not ask you, Mr.. President,
SHY and wherefore make proposition to any
man. or any set Of men, - settle difficulty,
il, before you car. get 4 reply, YOU place your.
selves III such position that you cannot nc.
knowledge their ac9u!csccncc, if they should
| conclude to accept il'
Mr.. President-I do not say that scces.
sion is remedy for any of the grievances
asaDs, which We hare complained. Why, il.
vas admitted the other day by tie honorable
gentleman, the Commissioners from Georgia
lMr. Eenn.ng) that if tho State Of Virginia
should Join the Southern ronfederary, it would
bs necessary to have :! standing array along
her horhrr--4 lire OF two Thousand miles III
extent, heIieve Enw., sir, | hare I:ct the
statistics with me- have not md IN" time
nor the inclination n procure iheu-ou;
! will venture to Sag that standing army
would cost more in five years than oil
the tugitives that have escaped from all the
slave States That gentleman admitted that it
could hardly be expected that Virginia would
90 with the cotton States unless it could be
made to appear that it was her interest TO DO
50. Well, sir I don't knuw how 1t IS with
other gentlemen who are members o! this Con-
vention, but can speak for myself, and | can
say hat have listened in vain for reasons i
have never yet heard advanced reason to sat
isfY me That il was the interest OF Virginia to
90 Out Of the Union
Mr. Presidential is the custom Of public
speakers, everywhere ia this land. whenever
they can appropriate anything 'hnt has ever
fallen from the lips ei' that great man, The
| Father Of his coDniry t. grasp II with eager
ness and present support 81 the views
which they themselves entertained. hare
heard his sentiments referred TO in this hall,
but cannot see how gentlemen can, with con-
sistsncy, quote then unless they intend to net
&C :ord,ng 10 the ndv.ce which he gave. | vas
Pleased to hear nay friend from Bedford (Mr.
tioaes) point out, in the Farewell Address of
Washing!, n the mode laid down in the Con-
stitution OF The United States by, which griey.
ancrs ought to be removed and alterations TO
the Consultation III ide. Ard NOW, sir, beg
leave to read another short extract from that
memorable Farewell Address Of Washington,
end wanl to see how it :ccord$ With the VIEWS
| ,f those win, advocate SeccSSion. | clu wiling