Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-02-05
LETrER FROM JonN MINOR Horrs.

RICHMOND, Va, Jan. "a, 1861.
To CHARLEs PALMER, THOMAS SAMPSON Il. T. JAMES, MAR
T BvRros, SAMUEL PuTSEF, and several hundred othel
Of the citizens Of Richmond.
GENTLEMEN; have seen your card IN The
Whig OF this morning, addressed to Messrs. Nc
Farlanr. Johnson, and myself, asking that we
will represent you in the Convention soon to be
held in this State.
So far as my name is concerned have to say,
that have neither sought nor desired to occupy
the position, which regard as one of far more
responsibility and importance than any with
which my name has ever been, or can ever here
after be associated, for, as far as the influence
of Virginia can control ii, single vote in that
Convention may sape or destroy an Empire 10
the future, such as the world never has beheld
and never will behold again. Yet Richmond has
always been true to me, and l shall be false to
my own name when prove false to Richmond,
and therefore l can shrink from no responsibility
that 1t may be the pleasure Of her citizens to
bestow upon me. Still cannot accept this i'm.
pOrtant trust without first enabling you to under
stand distinctly, in advance, what line of policy
] should pursue and recommend for your adop-
ton, and then, II defeated, shall have no cause
for regret on my own account, and shall be
relieved Of very responsible labor, and 1t will
require less time than it did in 1864, '55, and
'56, to find out who has consulted your interests
most faithfully.
The absence of all right on the part Of one
State to separate herself from the other thirty
two, when no pretense is set up that there is a
correlative right on the part Of the thiry-two 10
separate themselves from the one, is, to nv mind.
an incomprehensible logical absurdity, which ]
have already argued in your presence during
the late canvass, and which need not be repeated
here.
That the time has arrived when the public
voice. and indeed the public welfare, demands
that there shall be a satisfactory and fnal ad-
justment Of oil questions of discord between the
two sections Of the country, that we may live in
peace hereafter, no one will dispute. The aues-
tiou is, what ought to be satisfactory to US, the
Southern section, constituting, as We do, the
complaining party in this case
For myself, am prepared to insist upon every
ot or title of right that the security or the honor
of Virginia will entitle her to claim under the
Constitution as 1t is. ] am willing 20 vote for
and take as much more as the North may be dis
posed to yield. II have not heretofore claimed
as much as others, it was not that was un-
willing they should obtain and enjoy it, but
because l did not believe it would be granted,
or that we were entitled to demand it ns Of right.
and therefore l never have consented, and never
will consent to make tue existence or destruc-
tiou Of this Government depend upon any abstract
or impracticable question, that may or may not
arise, outside of the Constitution, such as is now
proposed, of guaranteeing Slavery, by constitu-
tional amendment in all the territory hereafter
to be acquired from Mexico or South America,
which trust may never be acquired at ALL
There is nothing can do tbat will not do to
avert the utter desolation that will Assuredly
follow in the train of disuniOn, rebellion, and
civil war. will 60 as far as Ruy man alive will
or can go to settle by compromise and eoncila-
ton every question of disturbance or distraction
in our National Councils. am even free TO saw
that there is no compromise that has been, or
can be proposed, that will prove satisfactory to
the North and South, aud restore harmony to
to the country, that will not meet with my cor
dial support, and, except as a matter Of curiosi-
ty, | would agree never to inquire what com
promise was adopted for have no interests in
this Government that are not identified with
those around me, and whatever will satisfy them
will satify me. | do not set myself up as a
maker Of laws or constitutions, 10 which all
others must bend and yield. Still, am not
without my own views as to fair mode Of ad-
jusment upon all questions of Constitutional
Interpretation, which could be done by making
a case, on each disputed point, for the immediate
decision Of the Supreme Court, which is the
tribunal established for that purpose, and let It's
decision stand as final and conclusive on all
parties, and then we could see what party il is
that is not willing to live under the present form
Of government fairly administered.
do not believe that, since the world was in a
state Of ehoas, there ever was, or that there ever
will be again, so general and universal an up
heaving Of society, so ruinous and desolAting a
disturbance Of oil The social, moral, political and
industrial elements of people, for such slight
and insufficient cause, as this country now ex.
hibis to the gaze of the astounded nations Of the
earth every one Of which causes by prudence,
forbearanoe aud discretion, il taken out Of the
hands Of selfish and aspiring or disappointed
politicians, and intrusted to the people at the
Bigler resolutions, may be settled amicably,
tremendously and satisfactorily, in the Union
and under the Constitution, within the next sixty
days, while there is not one that win not be 4