Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-30

Virginia on the 9Th May, l776, in the city of
made known the purpose Of
the people no longer to submit to the grievan-
ces under which they labored ard against
which they have petitioned the King and
Parliament Of Great Britain. They declared
that theY had no alternative left but an ahrct
to the will Of overbearing rulers,
or total separation from them. That ap-
pealing to the searcher Of he;rts for the sim
cerity of former declarations Of an earnest de-
sire to rcrs;n in connection with the mother
country, vet they were driven from that iDci-
nation hv the wicked councils of its rulers,
and by the eternal la,cs Of SelJ preserc0tioa--
They, therefore. unnnim0uA1y Te'oiSed that u
general Congress onght to declare the Colonies
free ami independent States, 'absolvcd from
all allegiance to or dependence upon the
Crown or Parliament Of Great Britain"
That, sir was the declaration made by our
ancestors in the city of Williamsburg, prece.
ding the Declaration Of independence near two
months; in that noble old city where you and
| (rcterring 10 Mr. MoSrAauEl have been, and
where We enjoyed the hospitality Of those who
love the spot which is couSecraleG by SO many
glorious reco.lcctions Of tue past Now, Sit,
Is this our condition! ! am no: here 20 speak
ut the ca2srs which have led 70 the dissolution
Of this Union. am not here even "a dclerd,
10 the extent 10 which other SeE;!s.aca have
and will upon this noor, the action ot South
Carolina, OF Georgia. and ot the o;heE seeded
SIalrS. aul not here 70 sag ihut they hare
taken their position properly without CONSUL
tation with the burdrr slave States o! this
Union. AIN not here upon that question. but
| S,snd here to point this Convention and the
people Of the State Of Virginia, 10 The iact
that whether it ba with cause, Or whether 1t
be without cause, these States are 10 longer 4
part Of this Cuion. confess, then, To iau't,
If it be one, 10 think that il even they have
deserted tie patelna home without als the ca1.
scs winch they allcge, that it is our taly still to
g,I in pursuit Of the wanderers that We may re-
claim lhe,u. would 70 and endslv"r TO bring
them back; would not 80 and endeavor 10 teach
our brothers their duty, but would tell them
here IN this Union, this conSccrated home y!
ours is the spot whcre the Father ii his coun-
try placed I'll his children when he lett them
that home where lie would wish TO behold
them nov could he look upon the oTcd and the
lost. But, sir, they are gone, and confess that
hare a strong, most earnest desire IN The
reconstruction Of this Union, not only to
bring back those States, but to engratt upon
80 Constitution such provisions, sach amend
menls as will forever put to resi- nil these dis.
tracing questions, SO that even South Carolina
may live as one Of the sisters Of the Union
alongside Of Virginia. ard alougsile Of sil OF
the other States that formed il
But, sir repeat, the Union is broken up
How was it: Not by the act Of Virginia, but
i, was dissolved by the act OF seven other
States, who, As they conceived, Tor just cause,
suadered the b0ndS ths, bound them 10 US
Then, say, | want You ail-all OF us 70 recon
struct as far as we can, the Union, so AS 70
bring back these States into one commoa Iam!-
Is.
Now as to the causes which may
have operated to produce this state OF
things upon the par. Of the North and the
acts Of the Southern government, do not
propose 10 dwell. Can We shut cur eyes TO
the fact, however, tha, that very State oi things
has arisen h=re which our political associates
upon this RGOr-aye, sir, tho very men Tor
whom we voted for the Presidency in 500 and
IN $40 hove <~sia'--i, ~hvneHer II arose,
would be JUS: cause for dissolution OF the
Union stand here 10 acknowledge that
voted, in 1856, for Milard Fillmore ss candi.
date iar the Presidency, after he had been de-
tra.ed, too, for tue noiBinal!on at Baltimore,
four Years previous. ! stand here 10 dec'S:e
tina, when he became President Of the United
States, bY the death Of General Taylor, feit
qualification in believing that when re went
into the Presideatia! CHAR, from my knowledge
of his previous character, and FROM his aSsocl'
atiors and his speeches upon ibe 1oor OF the
House OF Representatives, be would pursue
course which would give peace and quiet to
the wholc couci.y. knew from the character
ii th= ,uan, tha, he might te trusted hy the
State Of Virginia, and r>peat, that with plea
sure supported him upon that occasion, after
the sentiments which had so often heard
uttered by him in speech made ut Albany,
in 1856, MIR. Fillmore fully and satisfactorily
again expressed hirnsclf. The state Of thing:
to which he called the attention Of the country
has now ariSen--he was then speaking OF the
probable election Of Mr.. Fremont to the preSi
t.encv, and, referring TO the fact that hc was d
sectional candidate, urd "as supported wholly
upon tue aatislavery issue, supported exclu
s,yrly by party at the Nnr'h, ho said then
aha. believed he would Say, and what he
cusht to have said
ave see political party repre0enting ca"
didaas Jar the Presidsacy and Wee P,eS'den
cy, selected, for she first time, from ne .Jret
States alone 'cith tie aToued purpose oJ e1ec!tns
tause candidates6y suJra5es Of one part Of th'
Lutvn oalv, 10 rule ocer the achote On1ted
States. Can il be possible that those acho ar
engaged in such measure can Adce ssy7ous'5
reRcsted upgn the consequences chieh must IN
ecitu1iy toliop in case Of success' Can thes
Aucs the madness or Jolly to belitDe that on'
Southern brethren uiH submit TO De go1s'ne'
BY such a CAiJ -Nugistratsf =,
He then asks his bearers whether the NoFtf
would submit to be ruled over by presioen
elected exclusively by the votes OF siaTchoil
ers and expresses the opinion that they "oul'
not submit for 9 moment. He then proceeos
.'And DO you believe that your Southern oretn
rem ars less sensitive on this subject than yol
are. or less jealous Of their rights yo'
do, le. me tell you that you are mistaken, al''
therefore you must See lnat If this sectlona
marty succeeds, il leads inevitably to the de
struction Of this beautiful fabric reared oy on
for.sathers." These are the words ahd warning
Of patriot.
That was the question which was put to th'
American nccp'e in regard to the election
Fremont, by Ar. Fillmore himself. Let nj
.sk INV cout.try men Of Virginia: is there any
,niny IN the character OF Mr.. Lincoln and h!
associates to entills them to more respect
And was be not elected by merely scciiona
put,y has not that party ,riumphedg =,
There vas another distinguished man. 10 l',
whom also voted, whom in common witi
yentvucn around me Of that party to which
have ever belonged, have always, sustained
a man who was sustained in the last canvass
earnestly and zealously, no, only by my friend
1T the polls, but BY friends who, with all tn
powers of eloquence and tao force Of argument
contributed to his election. But, believe, n
had entertained sentiments then, such as as ever.
man of every purity in the State OF 'irg'n,l
mirht endorse--a man. permit me to say, wn
has been devoted in all his walks OF i'e, PUG
lie and private, to the promotion Of III
honor and happiness Of his country: l alluo
10 Join Eell, Of Tennessee. Mhat d'h nc say
Grn:.e,r.n seem 10 suppose that al" tu"H.n! !
IL rn