Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-12
The Warrington Conference

The Washington Conference.
The power to preserve the Union being en-.
tirely in the hands of the Republicans, it be.
comes matter Of great interest to know how
that party regards the Washington Conference,
and what respect will be given to its recon-
mendations.
We may premise that the opinion Of the
New York Herald may not be useless, as
intimating the opinion Of the Northern mind
outside Of the Republican organization. 1t
will be seen that the "Herald" has no very
great hopes Of any adjustment from this Con-
ference; that it looks for no settlement from
this body.
The Herald says:
"rhe Border State Convention assembled at
Washington yesterday, and after adopting
resolution excluding the press, and appointing
Committee on Organization, it adjourned
over till to, day. FROM what was done in the
opening sitting of this body, we know what to
expect from it. This fear of publicity is not
consistent with the patriotic spirit and single.
ness Of purpose which should animate its menl-
bers. But it is the more extraordinary when
we take into account the antecedents Of the
men of whom it is composed They are for
the most part the emanations Of the grcg shop
and other low influences which direct the poll
tics of their respective States. They are,
moreover, many Of them, political fossils. who
would not have been again disnterred but for
the shock given to the Union by the secession
movement"
A.more unmitigated SANDER was never per-
petrated. Who are the men Virginia has de.
puted to the Convention! His Excellency
John Tyler, lion. Geo. W. Summers, Hon.
Win. C. Rivcs, Hon. John W. Brockenbrough'
Hon. James A. Seddon. Every member Of the
commission has filled places of the highest
Importance. And yet the New York Herald
has deliberately falsitied the facts of their lives
by designating them as ''e,nanations Of the
grop.shop. and other low influences" merely
because they excluded the "Herald's" veracious
correspondents from prying into the sessions
of the Convention. But our purpose is not to
hold up deccncy and truth TO the Herald. We
shall invite the attention Of our readers to the
opinions Of Black Republican journals Of this
conference at Washington.
The New York Tribune, the acknowledg,
ed organ of Mr.. Lincoln, with no more truth
or decency than that extracted from the "Her-
rald,' says
"a majority of the men who compose it be-
! 70 ptta
ly rejected and thrust aside by the people, and
without presti &c or influence in nineteen o! the
most important States Of the Union.
''Propositions from such body for the set
tlement Of the present difficulties can hardly
have much weight with the country, They will
inevitable fall stillborn, like the propositions al.
ready brought forth in the Senate and House OF
Representatives, not one Of which, even II 1t
can be got through Congress, can be carried on
an appeal to the people.
The Tribune" also presents the following :
NOTICES FOR THE DAY.
81 will suffer death before will cor3ent or
advise nv friends to consent to any c. icesslon
or cempromise which looks like b-ying the
privilege Of taking possession OF the government
to which we have Constitutional right; be-
cause. whatever might think the merit ot the
various propositions before Congress, should
regard anv concession. in the face Of menace as
the destruction OF the Government itself, and
| q consent on all hands that our system Shall be
| brought down to level with the existing dis
organized state Of affairs in Mexico. But this
| thing will hereafter be, as it is noH, in the
hands of the people and if they desire to cal
Convention to remove any grievances com
planned Of or to give new guarantees Tor inc
permanence Of vested rights, it is not mine tc
oppose ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
"Inauguration first; adjustment atterward.
-[SALMOS P. CEASE.
This extract the Tribune has pledged itsel
to come from Abraham Lincoln, and since the
attempt made for adjustment.
But we invite particular attention TO tht
character of the amendments upon which the
North is expected to insist. The Tribune says
But before the business Of amending thu
| Constitution is really undertaken it may o'
we'll to consider the important fact that wher
the question is opened the Free States may
have something to say on the subject So lonE
as the Constitution remains as it is, the Fret
States will cordially abide by it, as they alwa5'
have done, to the letter, and in the spirit IN
which it was made But if the work OF alter
alton shall ever begin, they will of course haV'
the right and may have the inclination, to in
s;st unon amendments in consonance with thel
own views. and for the furtherance ot then
own interests. If there is o Slave Power in thl:
| country. there is also Freedom Power M
Fathers of the Republic ordained the Constltu
fion .to establish Justice insure domestic tran
| guilty, and secure the blessings OF hoefty. =
They purposely excluded from 1t the very Fatiis
of slavery. What was done by the latAers II
the eighteenth century will not De undohe oy
their sons in the nineteenth, but Will rather "
carried on and perfected. If the Constltutiof
is to be amended, it can only be oy striAing
out the clauses which provide Tor the return o.
fugitive slaves and for the representation
three.ffths Of the slave population. IL my
additions are to be made to it. those aduitlons
"to insure domestic tranquility, and PROVIDE 1oi
the common welfare" must contain an eSpnci
denial of the right Of secession, must proh'o'
at once the further extension OF slavery, ano
must rive to the General Government the pow
ar +, take measures for the speedy extinction
of that disgrace to the nation and chief cause
of all our public evils and disorders.
On this basis, well understood and agreed
unon the free States will undoubtedly consent
to Convention, not of the border States alone
but of all the States, called in regular ana
dicnifed manner to amend the Constitution
But any attempt to amend that instrumen
solely in the interests of slavery, Will not only
be utterly futile, will not only be rejected BY
the free States with contempt and Indignation
but will work the political ruin OF whoever
proposes, or advocates, or sanctions them. lh'
Shareholders may a; we'll understand first aS
last, that their sceptre has departed that theil
mower over the North has been thrown away
never to be recovered, and that IN what way
however they are to escape from the pit lntc
which they have plunged themselves, they neee
not hope to be extricated by any further con
cessions from the free States
:.x-Ep.Iand and the United States.