Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-29
General Scott'x Views.

Some illusions having been made to the an
nexed paper, both in the public prints and in
speeches, and some inisapprchension OF its
character having thereby got abroad, we have
obtaincd copy Of it for publication. in order
that onr readers may see what it is:
FieEs suggested by the emiuent danger Oct.
~, lSGU,) of disruption Of tie Lhiom by
the secession IF one or more IT tie SoHthern
States
To save time, the right Of secession may be
conceded, and instantly balanced by tie cor
relative right on the part Of the Federal Gov
crnmcnt against an interior State or States, 10
rc.cstablish by force, il necessary, lis former
continuity Of territory. LPaley's Moral and
Political Philosophy, last chapter.
But breai; this glorious Union by whatever
line or lines that political madness may con-
trivr, and there would be no hope Of re,nniting
the fragments except by the laccration and
dcspotism Of the sword. 10 effect such result
the intestine wars Of our Mexican ncighbors
would, in comparison with ours, sink into la"re
chiids play.
4 smaller evil would be, to allow the frag-
men:s of the grcnt Republic to forru themselves
into new coniederacies, probably four.
All the lines of demarca;on between the
new Unions cannot be accurately drawn IN
advance, hut many Of the:n approximately uay.
Thus. looking to natural boundaries and coni-
mcrcial aflinitics, some Of the following from
tiers, after many waverin:s and conflicts, might
perhaps become acknowledged and fixed:
l. The Potomac river and the Chcsapeak c
bay to the Atlantic Q From Maryland along
the crest Of the AlIeshany (pcrh"ps the Blue
Ridge range Of mountains to some point III the
| lto. tl,.
head of the potamac to the west or northwest
which it will be most difficult TO settle. i. The
crest of the Rocky Mountains.
The southeast c0nfcdcracy would in all hui
man probability, in less than five years after
the rupture, find itself bounded by the first
and second lines indicated above, the Atlantic
ard the Gulf Of Mexico. with its capital at say
Columbia. South Carolina The country be-
tween the second, third and fourth of these
lines would, beyond doubt: in about the
same time, constitute another confcdcracy,
with its capital at probably Alton or Quincy.
Illinois. The boundaries of the Pacific Union
arc the most definite Of all, and the remaining
States would constitute the northeast conledcr-
acy with its capital at Albany.
| 1t, at the first thought, vii! bc considered
strange that seven slaveholding States and parts
of Virginia and Florida should be placed (above)
in new confcderacy with Ohio, Indiana, lii.
nois, &c. But when the overwhelming weight
Of tue great Northwest is taken in connection
with the laws Of trade, contguity of territory
and the comparative indifference TO free soil doc.
trine on the purt Of Western Virginia, Ken
lucky, Tennessee and Missouri, it is evident that
but little if any, coercion, beyond moral force
would bc needed to embrace them; and have
omitted she temptation Of the unwasted public
lands which would fall entire to this conledcra.
CYAN appanage (wcll hushandcdJ sufficient
| for many generations. As to Missouri, Arkan-
sas and Mississippi, they would not stand outa
month Louisiana would coalesce without much
solicitation, and Alabama, with West Florida,
would be conquered the first winter from the
absolute need Ul Pensacola for q naval depot.
If | might presume to address the South, and
particularly dear Virginia-beng 'natlve here
| and to the manor born woad affection
ately ask, will not your slaves he less secure
and their labor less profitable under the new
order Of things than under the old? Could
| you employ pro!itably two hundred slaves in
all Nebraska or five hundred in all New Mcyi-
CO? The right, then to take them thlhcr
would be barren right. And is it not wise
| to
! Rather bear the Ills We have
Than fly to other. that We know not 0tF'
The Declaration of Independence procaims
and consecrates the same maxim: prudence,
! indeed, will dictate that governments long IS.
tablished should not be changed for light ami
transient causes" And Paley, too, lays down
as fundamental maxim OF craftsmanship;
never to pursue, national honor as distinct
| from national interest,"" but adds "rhs rule
acknowledges thatit is often necessary TO assert
the honor Of nation for the sake OF lis ntc-
rests.
The excitement that threatens secession is
caused by the near prospect of a Republicans
election to the Presidency. From sense Of
proprcty, rs a soldier, have taken no part in
the pending canvass, and, as always heretofore
mean to stay away from the polls. Ny sympa-
thies, however, arc with the Bell and Everett
ticket. With Mr.. Lincoln have had no coln-
munication whatever, direct or indirect, and
have no recollection Of ever having seen his
person; but cannot believe any unconstitnlion.
al violence or breach Of law is to be apprehend-
cd from his administration OF the federal gov
| crnmcnt.
From knowledge Of our Southern popuia-
ton, it is my solemn conviction that there is
same danger of an early act Of rashness pre-
| liminarr to secession, viz: The seizure Of
|
son and St. Philip, in the Mississippi, below
New Orleans, both without sarrsons, Fort
Morgan, below Mobile, without garrison,
Forts Pickens and Mclsac, Pensacola harbor,
with an insufficient garrison for one; Fort I'u.
! laski, below Savannah, without Il garrison;
Forts Aloultrie ard Sumter, Charleston har-
Dor, the former with an insufficient garrison,
and the latter without any; ard Fort Monroe,
Hampton Roads, without sufficient garrison.
! I'm my opinion all these works should be i'm
Incdatcly so garrisoncd as TO make any at
tempt to take any one Of them, by surprise or
cup de main, ridicnlonS
With an army faithful 20 its allegiance, and
the navy probably equally :" I'D with Fede-
raj Executive, for the next u i've months, Of
fir,nness ard moderation, ". ch the country
has n right to cxpcct-mo ation being an
element Of power not less than .tirmncss- -
there is good reason TO hrl' that The danger
of secession mar be made % !Gss away without
one conflict Of arms one c..ccuilon Or one arrest
! for treason.
In the meantime it is suggested that exports
should remain as free as At present; all duties,
however, on imports, colleHcd (outsidc Of the
| cities as such receipts ,:n,ild be needed for
the national debt, invalid tensions, &c, and
| only articles conraband u' war b. refused ad-
| mttancc But even this refusal Wo,l.G be unne-
ccssary, Us the foregoing views cschew the idea
| OF invading Il seeded State
Oct. 90, 1860. WiSFiALD SCoTT.
Lieutenant. General SCOTS respects to the
Secretary of War, TO say
That IL copy OF his Views, e., was des-
! patched to The President Yesterday IL great
haste but the copy intended for the secretary,
better transcribed, (hcrewith.) was not in time
for the mail. General Scott would he happy
if the latter could be substituted for the for
mer.
1t will be seen that the Views" only apply
to a case of secession That makes gap in the
present Union. The falling off (say) OF Texas,
or of all the Atlantic States. from the Potomac
South, was not within the scope Of Gen. SCOTS
provisional remedies.