Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-15
nd ,her seem to he pre-

S, he ruined. Who brought ABOUT
..nieF ofjthings? If the causes OF the
rnntion Of this gorcrnment were SO deep.
,,..o,ci ns to render it impracticable and
~n.dv;soblc for the people of the North and
,hn n,onIc of the South to live together,
mo,Id + NOT have been III accordance with
tno sn:rit of the age that they should con-
for tnrcth,r in 4 manner due to their past
ns.nc;otions Of common interest, and make
ns.verancc of peace, thereby securing all
+ho commercial and social advantages, ana
avoiding rs far as possible all the evils that
w,uld follow upon such a separation. was
i in accordance with the spirit OF the age
tnat n violent disruption should take place
which would ctcctuaily destroy all hopes
~ uracc in the future, and all the adraots-
e,s which would result from social ana
Commercial intercourse. All these things
soon to have been ~disrugarded, and we are
nlnnred now into that financial embarraSs-
mm.ui which is ever the result of uncertain
~ in regard to the future. How disunlon
aud further disruption 10 likely to restore
confidence or give assurance OF resce, l am
at 4 loss to understand.
Bat, sir. this disruption has taken place,
and seven States have withdrawn, ae .fact0,
whether L iaTe or not. II Is too late now
10 draw the precise distinction between
Constitutional and revolutionary, or
n~eacctul and violent remedies. Seven
States, de tiacto. have undertaken to with
draw from the Union, and have undertaken
to establish a government for themselves.
And it becomes necessary for Ms to con-
slider the new relations which derolve
upon us. In the first place let me con-
slider our relations to these cotton States.
l DENY the assertion that we are in any
sense dependent for our policy upon them.
I deny TIA, it is either a physical, moral.
or commercial necessity, that We shall
follow their fortunes. | deny that we are
So .shi,chcd on' TO them US to be dragged
AFTER their destiny. | hope, and will
not abandon the hope, that some day or
o.her, sooner or later, the people of these
States will see, what | think | see
now, the utter hopelessness in any
business, in any commercial, financial,
or International sense, Of their obtaining q
Government, such as will satisfy any pco-
Me who have once lived under the stars
AID stripes. l do not pretend to deny that
they NAV establish a Government which
may satisfy the fancy of some people, but,
sir. with all the talk about the glory of a
Southcrn Confederacy, with all the talk
about the splendors of a Confederacy,
which, as the gentlemen from Albemarle
has said, is to have for is theatre hdJa
continent-it is after all but q Southern
Cnnfederacy, which is to have but haJ a
Continent; and those Of us who have lived
under the glorious Confederation of these
United StateS,embracing a whole continent,
may well refuse to go into ectasles OF aG-
miration over the proposition to be-
come members Of d~iSmembcrcd half, aye,
less than half, Of a continent. 1t seems to
ME that this argument, this idea Of the
brilliant future which is in store for the
people Of the South, if it proves any thing,
proves too much for that side. 1t only
proves the magnificencc, the %splendor, the
great advantages Of the glorious Cnion
which we had, and which trust in God we
may have again.
Sir, it NAV suit the fancy Of some TO
wander amid ruined cities and admire the
proportions Of broken columns und crumb-
ling arches, but | prefer the cities Of living
men. l prefer the hauntS Of busy indus
try and Of thrifty enterprise. It may be
reserved for the philoSophio antiquarian
hereafter, to trace out, in the future hlsto-
ry Of this continent, how this great and
ri ;hty republic underwent, time and again,
disruption and d~isintegration, and how, at
each step downward, it still retained a large
share Of the brilliancy and maguiticence Of
its original proportions.
Bu,, sir, after all it must be admitted
everywhere and under all circumstances
that each rupture, each division, will
have q ruinous effect upon this glorious
Confederation of ours. The broken f-ag-
mcntS OF the brightest diamond into the
market to be valued !; compare their aggre-
gate value with that Of the uNbroken jewel,
aud YOU will have a faint illustration Of
the condition, in the estimation OF mankind,
Of this Union Of ours unbroken and its
condition with ever so many confederacles
erected out Of its ruins.
Bat sir. s3ine Of The States have left :Is, and
their action has brought Us inio new relations
with the other States. What are cur relations
to the border States-onr pavsi"al relations !
Lnok, Nj. ChairmyMI, I! Gu relations 20 North
CarriHma. SEa has acicI ~ her Legislature
and ov her people oiclnuly consulted ~ It
polls. What has been her voice! She has
refused ercn 10 call Il Convention to consider
1he o. .,tiOu .! secession or d,Suni0n. How Is
j, in regard to Tennessee? She has done the
SINE .hiGs. And So in regard to Kentucky.
l.. MARYLAND no melting Ct the Legislature or
Convention has been had. How, then, are We
situate? Why, sir, asked 4 boy IN the
street. lie other day, how Virginia would so
out Of the y ia! md the reply was: Il sup
pose S:e will have to So by water, in q dug
o1L" Laughter. How are we TO act now
l. must be- by separate State action, | suppose.
How will we join the Southern Contederacy?
All, when We ask any Of our earnest and rapid
friends now this thing is to be done, they tell Us
that the voice Of Virginia will be potential with
N5r:h Carol:ns, and that North Carolina, in
Difference to the voice of Virginia, will reverse
he. ~:naturci and deliberate opinion. and vi!
South with Us. Do you not think, to say
Tie .sasr. that il would be 4 little respectful in
US, 70 ask her whether she Will: Does it not
strlke you that il would be more consistent
with a proper eclfrespect, ON our part, and ?
proper res. CT to 4 sister State, who has acted
as she has IjIc, and declared her purpose so
,eccntly-,o ASA her whether her voirc is
- ne controlled BY our action, and whether
She is prepared to reverse her conduct at
our bidding. The border States have all the
Claims upon Us that the Cotton States have,
ard some additional. They have the claim,
that TIE Cation States have, Of past as
soc:u,:.,n, and they have in addition the
claim OF present association. the Cotton
have the claim of similar. institu-
tons SO have tue border States, and, in addi-
ton 10 that, they have the claim Of similar dan
gers, and similar wrongs. Then they have tho
the stronger and the better claim upon
US. thiEk we would be derelict in duty to
ourselves, would act in disregard OF common
prudence OF the rights, feelings and interests Of
those States, if We we're to undertake to move
one step without q conference with them. The
proposition of the Committee Of Twenty-o'e
before this COMMITTEE now for its consideration,
for such conference.
OR relations towards the free States are
We not only have the same COM
plants og,iast them, but much more serious
complaints than ever the cotton States had
We not only have causes Of complaint against