Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-07

lars This party, thus organized, succeeded IN
tho month of November last, in tho election OF
lis candidate for the Presidency Of the Unitea
States. -, ia,
In the meantime, under The mild and genial
climate of the Southern States, and the in
| c~ressine care md attention for the we!l-oelhG
and comfort of the laboring class, dictated
alike by interest and humanity, the African
slaves had augmented in number from about
Gno 600 at the date of the adoption OF the
constitutional compact TO upwards Of 900. ooo.
In moral and social condition, they Ind been
| elevated from brutal sayages into docile, intel,
I;oent and civilized agricultural laborers, and
sSnnlicd not only with bodily comforts, but
with careful eligious instruction. Under Inc
snperyision of a superior race, their labor hao
been so directed as not only to allow O grauual
md marked amclior.tion Of their own con.
dition. bnt to convert hundreds of thousands
of SQUARE miles of tho wilderness into cn!tiva-
ted lands, covered with a prosperous people )
towns and cities had sprung into existence
and had rapidly increased in wealth and poP,u'
rotion under the social system Of the south 4;
the white population Of tho Southern save
holding States had augmented from ABOUT
|. $50, 900 ut the tiatc Of the adoption OF Inc
| constitution, to more than $500, OO0 IN lo09;
! and the productions OF the South IN cottoh,
rice sugar, and tobacco, for the full develop.
mcnt and continuance Of which, the LABOR Vi
African slaves WAS, and is, Indispensable, had
swollen to an amount which formed nearly Three.
fourlhs Of the exports of the whole Gn'tea
States, and hsd become absolutely necessary
TO the wants Of civilized man.
With interests Of such overwhelming mag
! nitude impcri!led, the people Of the Southern
! Sta;rs were driven, by the conduct of the North,
20 the adoption Of some course oil action 10
inert the danger with which they were openly.
menncca. With tins view the Legislatures OF
,he several States invited the people Of the
several States to select delegates 10 ConTen'
! tons to be held Cor the purpose OF determining
! for themselves what measures were best ADAPT
cd to meet so alarming . crisis III their h'se''
ry.
uere it may be proper 10 observe, that from
= nerioi as early as l7gS. there had existed IN
I ali Of the States of the Union a party, Utmost
unintcrruptedly in the majority, based upon
rho crscd that each State waS. IN the last ro'
sort. the sole Judge as we'll OF It's wrongs as Of
The uoGc and tusasure IF redress. Indeed, II
is obvious that, under the law 81 nations, TINS
p%rinciple is an axiom ~ applied 20 the rsla'
tons Of independent sovereign States, such as
those which had united themselves under the
constitutional ccmpac The Democratic par
" If the United States repeated in It's success
full canvass in 1856, the declaration made IN
numerous previous political contests, that 1t
would faithfully abide bv and uphold the
nr;nciules laid down in the Kentucky and VIZ.
| ginis resolutions of 1T9S, and III the Tepor! OF
! Mr. Madison 10 the Virginia Legislature in
! 1899; and that i. adopts those principles as
constituting one Of .te main foundntions Of lis
political creed
The principles thus enrhatically announced,
embrace that to which I have already advcrted,
the right Of each Stale 10 Judge OF, and redress
the wrongs Of which It complains These prlr'-
cielcs were maintained by overwhelming me-
l~oriliss Of the people Of ali The States OF the
| Union at different elections, especially III the
elections of Mr.. Jefferson in 1905, Mr.. Madison
in 1909, and M. Pierce 1852.
In the exercise Of \ right 50 ancient, so well
established and so necessary for self. rrcservs-
ton, the people Of the Confederate States. in
their Conventions, determined that the wrongs
which they had suffered and the evils with
which they were mrnnced, required tia! they
should revoke the delegation Of powers TO the
Federal Government which they had ratified
in their several Conventions. They Ccnse-
~gnantly passed ordinances rcsu!Hing all their
rights as sovereign ard independent States, Rro
dissolved their connection with the other States
Of the Union.
: Having done this. they proceeded 10 @rn 4
new com pact amongst themselves, by new nr;i:
cles Of Confederation, which hnSe been also ra-
titled by the Conventions Of the several States
with al approach 10 unani!lity far exceeding
that Of the Conventions which adopted the
Constitution Of 1TST. They have organized
their new Government in all its departments:
tbs functions OF the Executive, Legislative and
Judicial MsgistrRt., arc performed in accord
ancr viii: TIE will Of liz people AZ displayed,
not mr!e'y 10 = rhe2r::' acqnir"cercr. hutlH ne
! enthusiastic support Of the Gn:pr::tn@nt thug
c~s;aF,!i. :s"f. By !hcui:"!ve-; a"i hut tur the IN.
) -~-f--"-~= ~ AZ" !."r-rr".-r.t ii Ian |. aited
Sta. IN THIS !e,'I!Gu"i: exercise 1t lie riyhi
q a prn.,i. Ia >oi!..nv"rn,Ha::, p:""". happi-
icss and prs! "r,;Y would :.o~ ami;e on our
lan1.
That pence is nrLentiY desired by This gov.
cinment and people, has been manifested in
crery possible form. Scarce mad you essen.
bicd in February last, when, prior even to the
inauguration Of the Chief Magistrate you hal
elected, you passed a resolution expressive Of
your desire for the appointment: Of commis-
sioncrs to be sent 10 The government Of the
United States 'Gor the purpose Of negotiating
friendly relations between that government
and the Confederate States Of America, ard
for the settlement Of all questions Of disagree
meut between the two governments upon
principles ofright, justice, equity and good
faith"
Il Was my pleasure, rs veil as my duty, TO
co. operate with YOU III this work Of peace
Indeed, in my address to you On taking The
oath Of Office, and before receiving from You
the communication Of this resolution, | hnd
said, "as a necessity, not 4 choice, we have
rcsorted to the remedy o: separation, and
hcnceforth our energies must be directed t"
the conduct OF our own Affairs and the pcrpctui
" Of the Confederacy which We have formed.
IF just perception Of mutual interest Shall
permit us peaceably TO pursue our separate
political career, my most earnest desire VIII
have been fulfilled"
1t was in furthcrance OF these accordant
views Of the Congress and the Executive, that
! made choice Of three discreet, able and dis
tinguished citizens, who repaired to Washing.
ton. Aided by their cordial cooperation. and
that of the Secretary Of State, every effort
compatible with self.respect and the dignity
Of the Confederacy, was exhausted before |
allowed myself to yield to the conviction that
the government Of the United States was de-
termined to attempt the conquest Of this pco-
pie, and that our cherished hopes Of peace
we're unattainable.
On the arrival Of our commissioners in
! Washington, on the 9Th March, they postponed,
at the suggestion of a friendly intermediary.
doing more than giving Internal notice of their
arrival. This was done with a view to afford
time to the President who had just been in
auguratcd, for the discharge Of other pressing
official duties in the organization of his admin
l%stration, before engaging his attention in the
nh;ec. Of their mission. 1t was not un-
til the 18th Of Tie month that they officially
| addressed the Secretary Of State, informing
| -: e = 49, ==i.sl aSl :.s.;aa