Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-15

| Gongrcg, from the House OF Represents
tivcS, and left us in :: minority no. on? i!
the Congress just closed, but in tie Coz
srcSs that IS u assemble next fall,
| Understand ne, Nr. Chairmaa: have
! 10 intention and no disposition 10 und1:
| AXE ANY drnnnciatioa Of the seeded States
~ OF any other States. This is n"s the time
i'1r dcnunciatior. would rather say what
might promote peace and harmony, than 70
| add anything whatever 10 the distractions
of our unfortunate country. Du. !, i;
due to the truth oi' history, It is due to
justice and right and fair dealing that MS
matt should bc placed in its jus; and far
! light. What was the duty OF these States
| to us: Had we ever done them wrong -
Had VIC failed 20 do them right Were VIC
not to largo extent identified in Interest.
and ought we not % have been identified
in feeling and in action: Why is K. thc:,
that they have left us--left H. hell p,cSS i'll the
hands OF those that they tell H. ".> Gu: >:.r-
mcS Sly. there arc circumstances connect
| cd with This matter that fill nc, when
thinl. Of them with the deepest pa:n and :o:-
row. When ! heard. sir, Of :hc fact t.lat
the election Of Abraham Lincoln, which
al Of us must Gcp!orc rs great disaster.
aS 4 great wrong done to the entire South,
was received III the city Of Charleston,
South Carolina, Wi. the firing Of one hur-
lrcd guns. mast confess lhat / was CON-
PEELED TO inquire whether we have had NJ
earnest sccondin: Of our efforts 10 defeat
him from people who thus rejoice over h!s
election. | mus; confess that did doub:
whether sc have been in heart and sou! :.
united South in earnest, homes: opposition
III tho asccndancv Ut the Republican parry.
SIR. it seems to lie that the PLAIN dut!
and policy Of the whole South was that VIC
should ali confer together and lake Our a.
ton, whatever it might be, together. Was
there any necessity for our leaving thc
Enion' None. sir; none whatever. Tac
Constitution itself provided sufficient guar
autccs and sufficient protection. While We
had tic Legislative department wc had the
guarantees Of power spoken Of by thc gen-
i!rman from Albcmar.r, Or. lloLco~ug,l
a; being possessed by the Barons Of Run
nrmcdc. We had the power Of withhold
ing the supplies of Government untll We
compelled them 10 yield justice. and pro-
trciinn and safety to the South. Sir. the
reference TO the Da.ons OF Runnrmcdc,
brings 10 mind The principles and prac:iles
which have prevailed among our Engi!a:!
aacrs;ry. ! cherish the maXiEis a:.i
u;ageS OF .Anglo-Saxon and Norman liberty
which W. have inherited. and which fonI-
" hrl;eve wc have improved upon. cherish
thar practice oi Enylisi liberty tha; forces
from power the concessions due 10 right d"
withholding the supplies Of Governments;
SIC had that power, We had that right, ana
we had. moreover, long line Of itl;st:ious
and Lrillian; prcccdcnts to guide us.
We're we justified. sr-will we be
justified in impartial history! IL the ;"d@-
ment of mankind-ior thus dcscr,ny the
great experiment of American CoHstiir-
tionai libcrtv-for abandoning oar s;:oHg-
holds OF defence and f"rtiicat.onS, rrC.
the mere taking of an c"tpoSt: l. this i:
accordance with the practices and prince
pies which have always distinguished Enc-
lish liberty. which had supposed would
ever distinguish American iipcrtT: So lar
~ | am concerned. confess that ny IN
siinct>. that my impulses were not TO ~
from the Constitution and seeH re:dse IL
other resorts; bat felt inpclicd to !hrowr rp
GcfcnccS around the Constitution aud, VIZ:
The friends uf the Union. with the !g.cni:
of the South and with the friend: Of Con-
<titutiona! right ard Constitutional liberty,
to gather, within solid phalanX. around the
Constitution Of the United States broken
if you will. threatened if YOU wil!--bu'.
because il was LroEcn, because II ws'
threatened. because it was in danger. felt
disposed the more to rally. with n! Il!
might and heart and soul, TO the defence OF
this last hopc--as verify believe. of thc
permanent success Of civil and religion"
liberty in the world. That was ~ dis
position and that, think, should have
been the disposition Of all the South. Bat,
sir. it was not done. y new idca--a n:w
practice has been introduced into the Cor
>titutional history Of America. Sir. SINCE
the Constitution Of the United States was
rormcd-snce its foundations were la.d
deep down, as it was supposed, in the yer?
hearts Of the people Of America, new Itsai,
new inventions have come to pass ; q. .. -:
have now the railroad, the steamboat. aa9,
an,lgrlatcSt invention Of all. we have the
magnetic telegraph, as the grea; prtc;pita-
ton, by whose magic influence government
is oycrihrown. civil liberty prosiratcd and
the reign of violence. Of confusion. and oi
anarchy. inauguratca. Sir. il seems TO be
regarded now a. degrading TO a man. IS
something hcroGa.inE from his MAN.
spirit. to take counsel upon the grca. que
| tons now dis,racting the country, az" -
await mature consideration of what ancc;s
our most vital interest. In The Goo;i o.d
times. JUS; in proportion 10 the magnitude
and Importance Of the Interest At Stahc, II
was regarded as higher duty TO think. %
pause, to weigh well every step, 10 consult
together. How is it now /: We are urged
every where to take counsel Of our pas
sionS. instead Of our iudgment--to lie
~
rather than by the suggestions OF rc2-
son. Upon these our Southern brethren
have acted. They have refused counsc..
ThcY say they are justified in not confer.
ring with Virginia, because Virginia refused
| 10 20 into conference with the Southern
States a year ago That, III my opinion,
has 10 just bearing upon the question. q
proposition is made to Virginia to 20 !A:o
conference ayowedly for purpose; of dis
union. She is already satisfied, without
conference, that the time has no. come Ter
dsunion, but that each State has; within
the Union, sufficient power and sufficient
means Of scll-lefcncc and scli-rlnd!cat!cii.
| and therefore she declines 20 60 INTO cor
! ference, called for the aro%cd purpose CT
d:sunion. Does thai, az all, justify thc
| idea thatif Virginia had wanted dIsunlon she
| would have been at liberty to disregard
altogether. the interests and safety Of South
Carolina. and TO 20 into action without
consultation 1t is very different thin;
10 decline proposition for action which,
when declined, disturbs nothing, breaks
| mp no interest, alarms no commerce. Dc
,troys 10 safeguards. tits very different
! thing to decline conference then, and 20
decline it now, and follow u the
refusal By an act Of violent disruption e.:
;hcsc seeded States haze done. L:ci q.
the position they have placed rs IN. We
have been connected together by ties, socia!
and commercial, "a sort such as have nc cr
bound together the people Of States before.
These tics were Of such a character that
the people of South Carolina were bonni
20 regard them in any action that they
! e G. =.