Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-07

I extent, t!!e TlS!.t Ol every SEFeNolucT III lne
land to carry his property into all the terri
! tories Of the United States: Such is the de.
cision Of the Supreme Coult Of the United
States. But suppose there were no such do
cision, and we had to redress our rights in any
other way. l ask, gentlemen, to point out to
the how it is that secession will give us the
right to the territories that We demand! lie:
us look at this matter practically. Are ne to
acquire our equal rights in the territories OF
the United States, by Seeding from the
United States; by turning our backs upon
those territories; By giving up ell our right:
claim and interest in those territories Did
! ever the Imagination of man conceive such an
unnecessary way Of redressing go great a
wrong?
Again it is alleged that Black Republican,
ism has got possession Of the government, that
the South is in minority, and therefore that
i, will be at the will and pleasure OF j Black
Republican government. l viii read you a
short extract from til. opinion Of Mr. JeiFtr-
son in his i.iaugnral address of 1901, believe
it was. | commend it 10 the attention OF my
Democratic brethren; for, representing, us | do,
Democratic constituency, Laughter | have
the right to call them brethren.
lie summed up in this address as among the
essential prime pies Of our free institutions ''the
preservation Of the General Government in its
whole constitutional vigor as the shcctanchor
of our peace at home and safety ABROAD; jea-
lons care o. the right OF election BY the people
ii mild and safe corrective OF abuses which
ere Topped hy the sword of revolution where
pcaceable remedies are unprovided; and ubso-
Lutte acauiesccrce in the decisions Of the major
ity-,he vital principle Of Republics, from
which there is no appeal but 10 force, the
vital principle and immediate parent OF despot-
isIn
am not here Mr.. President, 10 defend the
election Of Abraham Lincoln. believe that
his elcction-anh in this 20 farther than some
was virtually fraud upon tie people Of the
United States. | ain utterly opposed ~ the
tnaunrr in which he was nounatc6-nDuina-
ted, IS he was hy sectional party, ard upon
sectional platform, with no representation III
the body which nominated him from the South;
but he vas nominated ard elected according to
the forms Of Law. as to the crro,S and wrongs
! oi his administration would meet them as
would meet all other errors and wrongs, by the
force OF reason, Unit! ressnn has no icrcc, and
then would resort 10 the Ultima rt.ttn.
But, We are told that we are in a minority,
and that Inc Black Republicans may swallow
; us up Who placed us in the minority: In
the irsi place it is fact that Lincoln is elect.
ed by n,eagre plurality Of the votes Of !hc
people Of the United States But would in.
,;uire who placed US in the minority? What
would have hcen the complexion Of tho next
Congress Of the United States il our sister
States, as they are called mad he.rkenrd to CUR
voice and eu,ren,y? We implored them to wait,
70 pause, 10 deliberate and cooperate with Us and
see if there were no constitutional means no
peaceful means Of preserving this Government
and rcdressing our righ,sy But they would
not wait, und went CT, contrary to our wishes,
Contrary to our entrea;ies. Now, inquire, in
view of these indubitab!e facts, who placed US
in the minority? Sir, it was these sisters Of
thc seeding States. It is fact that cannot be
controvertcd that the next House Of Repre-.
scntatiyes Of the United States, if these States
had been true TO themselves and true to Virginia
would have contained majority Of not less
than thirty against Abraham Lincoln's policy.
The Senate is SO organized that if the Govern
men. had been preserved rs it was on the 9Th
Of November last, they would have had I MA.
iority III that body ell through the Constitu-
,ional term Of Mr. Lincoln as President You
sec now vino placed US in i minority, and Vet
ti. bus.bear Of being in Il minority is paraGed
before our cycs, connected, 1t the Same TING.
with most sympathetic demonstrations OF at.
lvctionste regard i5r our Southern sisters.
Then there was the Supreme Court as an
other protection for US; and with ali these pro-
tections against the policy Of the Northern Re,
publican party, what danger had the Sout. to
apprehenG-.w practica, danger, ask =
Nune at all.
Sir. Lincoln could not have appointed
tnembcr of his Cabinet without the consent Of
the South-he could not have appointed en-
officer in the whole Federal Government
whose salary amounted TO thousand dollars,
without the consent and ratification Of the
Southland We never would have had law
objectionable to the South presented to him to
be signed, and made final according 10 The pro-
visions Of the Constitution. Let US then hear
no more about minority. Let US hear To
more about the tender sympathies Of our sece-
ding sisters, who have left Us il this minority;
who have left US to he tra,ntlcd under foot;
lett u TO the mercy Of that party against whom
our indignation is sought to be ruiScd by eio.
uuent apYculs every day. appeal to history
and 10 the candid knuwlcd &C OF every member
upon this floor, if these statements | have
made are not borne out by the facts They
caunDt te denied We ere in minority. II is
true, but our sccediag sister States placed Us
in that minority.
It was alleged, Mr. President, By the honpr.
abl. ren,lemaa from Orange, (aIr. MoHloS)
The other day, that the honor Of Virginia required
that we should secede. beg tn know how the
honor Of Virginia is 10 be yind!cated by
ccsslon from the Union! Have We been
yronrud: Have we been reviled? Have our
rights been trampled upon in the Union: !
aa,uit that they have; but claim that honor
snd chivulry demand that VIC should stand
last give not an inch TO our foe, turn not our
faces from him, but vndicate our rights to the
letter uud to the death, il need be, right where
thrv have been ussailed. That seclpa to Inc to
be Vircinis's honor aud Eirgnia's consistency.
One gentleman here, in his eloquent speech
the other day, referred To Another argument
| must saw that it was an extraordinary argu-
m.ut 70 be addressed to Yirginisns-nnd be
illustrated it very fyrclbly aud with great
deal OF detail. lie alleged in effect, that
Lincoln would SO employ the patronage Of the
Federal Government ns to corrupt Virginia.
t. is an argument that would not dare to
mako TO nv consttuen!s-that would not like
70 make in any section of Virginia; and will say,
tha. If Virginia is of such easy virtue as to be
corrupted from her integrity by little paltry
MAD from the Federal treasury, Ter EonGr iS
not worth preserving.
Gen,lenru have also referred to the John
Brown raid, 0t;ch met with such condgn pun
,,brpcnt, aud dcscrvcdIy SO. What Gid this
raid demonstrate 1t demonstrated the AIN.
nile power of Virginia tu vlndicate her vio-
lated rights aud her dishunorcd soil. She
seized upon the traitors and the iclunS, and,
without let or hindrance, hung every rascal oi
rhat rnarauding band, ard she vind!catcd the
l,w 70 the full extent Dissolve this Union
lake away the common obligation of common
government, how then will the case slGndi-
Instead OF one John Brown raid in Is Years Of
our history, We will have John Brown raids
every month, and, perhaps every week al!
along our borders. Instead Of frightening the ne
women and children and exciting the alarm OF