Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-28
THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 2s 1861

have elected sixty eight OF their chosen leader:
to the Federal councils who have Deliberately $
endorsed the infamous Helper book, which nd
vlsed Our STARE, 10 rise at midnight and cu
the throaiS or their masters, ard murder oul
wives and innocen. little ones They have de
liberltely placed under the ban four hundred
millions Of dollars worth cf Southern property.
They have said that ;bcre shall Dc no more
slave States admitted int" the Union, and that
there shall be no peace so long rs we claiui The
right OF property in Slaves.
Are We going to submit TO tEiSf Our ifh.
thcrs crowned themselves with immortal honor,
not because they threw of tho British yoke,
but because they resisted the first attempt to
put it on ard they took up arms for the sacred
right Of representation. But We will be only
seven Slave; States against nineteen Free
States, aid Ec will be, TO all intents and pur.
poses, distinguished in the Government which
we claim tofc the embodiment Of freedom it
self. Send :5vpur representatives. to Congress
and let thrp rutn. Call the ayes and noes up
on them. They may 60 through the forms
peculiar 10. public assemblies, but our North
eTn masters will decide; and practically We
will be without representation i'll The Fedora!
councils sc. long as we shall staCd slumbering
between ths -. ectiops.
But, sir, iac j,lrr.ion, say, comes back at
last-which Confederscy will &c join! l for
one indulge no such gloomy f,Teboding in re-
gard to the future of Virginia in p Southern
Confc;1eracy as the gentleman from Rockbridge
pictured FOR her | believe that she CAN
be the leading star in the Southern con-
stelIation she would be the largest
savehoIding State in the Conrederacy, with a
salubriouS climate, and soil Of unrivalled pro-
ductiveness with the richest and most mex.
haus,ible mines Of coal, iron, copper and lead !;
with the nobicst and most magnificent water
power in the world; Virginia, say, at the head
OF tho Southern Confederacy, would car-e out
for her people magnificent destiny in the
future That ConiederacY, sir, would haze
territory twice ns large az the continent Of
Europe; population twice as large as that Of
the Colonies at the period o.! tho revolution :;
it would have a soil aud climate unsurpassed
in the world; grave patriotic, public Spirited,
high.lninded population and, sir, il requires
no prophet, or son OF prophet. 70 predict that
Virginia would rise at once to the front rank
in the race Of material greatness and power; /;
capital and enterprise would spring up as if BY
magic, in our midst; Our noble waterfalls
woG!d whistle with machinery, and the spindies
|
mac tho Rappaliannock, and the James and
Norfolk, with her magnificent harbor, would
become tic gFaatrst ceni:perciai emporium of
the world.
Then, sir. let us not trust 10 inc SIREN
song Of peace, peace when there is no
peuce; let us not hug the delusivo hope
10 cur breasts that all may yet be well
Let us no, lrrst - tie tender Inrrcies Of Abra-
ham Lincoln and his conGedcratcs but let lis
come up TO the dignity Of the occasion and as
Scrt our own rights, sir, and maintain them in
the strength Of our own manhood and in the
fear OF God.
Sir, the gentleman from Rockbridge (Alr.
MuogE) referred to tie subject of party poll
ties. regret he has done SO. In doing it,
however, ne tonli occasion to make 4 fling Mt
Ihc Breckinridge Democrats. lie held them
responsible for all the ills which now aflct the
body polite lie stated that the distinguished
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Brcckinridgc)
who was candidate for the Presidency in the
last election advocated SInatter Sovereignty
when lie ought to have known that ne was
nominated upon the idea and the sole idea, that
he advocated protection for slave properly in
the Territories and went against the dogma Of
Souatter Sovereignty. But will not 60 into
the question OF politics. only regret that it
rss introduced iiere What have we 10 do
with politics: Sir. We are Tirgniars all no
matter what may betide us in the future; no
matter what may be before US in that un-
dereloved future, the same destiny awaits all
the people Of Virginin-whether they be
Whiss, Democrats, Americans, Breckenridge
men, Douglas men or Ccll lnen-no matter
what political party they may belong to.
| r., l,t ,,t n ill., ha ic m,
Gi, and We are zenlously engaged IN bringing
water to extlnguish the flames, quarrel on the
way. LIT us set aside the bchests of party
politics; let us endeuvor to rise up TO the
grandeur and sutlnty of this occasion and
! keep our garments ali unstained by the uiisera-
| bic sPolS oi party lactlrs.
know not what others may do. But in
this dread hour, in this hour cf trial and Of
need 10 our common mother, should feel my
self unworthy of public confidence, If could
think for one solitary moment Of past party
conflicts 1t is said, Mr.. PresIdeht, Of the
| Duke Of Wclling;or that upon ono occasion
q war-wo.n hero vino lad served him during
| all bis Campaigns, came 10 s4c his old com.
m4n.lrr The Duke remarked 60 him that he
bore about his person uarY aigns Of war and
gsid TO hir.: where did you light, sir; and 10
what Regiment did you belongT ] he old SOL
der replied that he had served him during all
his Pcninsull campaigns, that he had lost
leg upon lto heights Of Cula;Iava and an arm
upon the pa,ns Of Waierlon My Regiment,
SIR" was the gallant 55rd." Did you, sir"
said the Duke, when in the fire OF battle,
think OF your Regiment 2 The eye Of the
old solder dashed with excitement and in
disnation. If loved my Regiment" he re-
piled, "I gloried in her standard and her ,rl-
uuipt,s; 7 would giTe my remaining lile ior Der
honor. But on the battle field thought only
Of my king and my cnannT.'
! Sir, let lha. spirit aniDiate ns noS, and IN
this dread hour which so deeply concerns US
all, let us think Only and for the rights and in
tercSt and honur of Virginia.
Mr.. President for myself, though know
no evil more horrible than civil var, am pre-
pared to accept any alternative for Virginia,
rather than submission, buulliation aud dis
grace; and my prayer is that Heaven may
pr otect and dcfeud this noble old Common
wealth.
Mr. GoGsiy-Mr. President, l should not
ask the attention Of this body 10 day upon
the grea: and important questions which now
distract the country, were it not that feel It
to be my duty, to express the views which will
govern and control my action here. have
come here as a member Of this body to en-
dearor, in snch manner az may seem proper
to myself, 70 discharge tic high, responsible
duty which rtsts upon me, as one ot those
who have boon clothed with the Sovereignty
and power Of my native State have not
heretofore, As you will bear Inc witness, oceu-
pied one moments time and attention Of this
! body, and assure you, sir. that now enter
upon the performance Of this duty, with many
raisgivirgs cl my capacity TO say any lklng
that can he calculated in any degree 10 reject
even the smallest light upon subjects SO mo.
mcntous as those which not only s9itate our
own State, bu, ;Eis Union. from one extremity
to the other.
have come to this Contention sir to act as
may think proper, without pledges and without