Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-04-20

respondent at New Bedford as il contains an expression
of the opinion of the most eloquent Of the extreme abo-
ltonists the present aspect of political affairs
But EN- sorry that gun should be fred at Fort Sum-
ter or that gun should be fired from it, for this
The Administration at Washington does not know its
time. Here a series of States girdling the Gulf who
think that their peculiar institutions require that they
should have n separate government They have right
to decide that question without appealing to you or
me. large body of people, sufficient to make nation,
have come TO the conclusion that they will have gov
crument of cerain form. Who denies them the right
Standing with the PRINCIPLES of '76 behind us who can
deny them the right? What is a matter of few mil
lions of dollars or few forts II is mere drop 10 the
bucket of the great national question. 1t is theirs Just
es much as ours maintain the principle of 70 that
A. Lincoln has right to single soldier in Fort Suu
ter.
But the question comes secondly, "suppose we had a
right to interfere, what is the good OF =" You may
punish South Carolina for going out Of the Union
That does not bring her in. You may subdue her by
hundreds of thousands OF armies. But that does not
make her State. There is no longer Union, ii Is
nothing bu; boys play. Mr. Jefferson Davis is angry,
and Abc Lincoln is mad, and they agree to fight One,
twO three years hence il the OF the afternoon
is correct we shall have gone through war; spent mil
lions quired the deaths of hundreds of thousands and
be exactly then where they are now-two nations a
little more angry, little poorer, and great deal
wiser and that will be the only difference. We may
just as well settle it nov as then
You cannot go through Massachusetts and recruit men
70 bomblrd Chart ston and New Orleans. The North
ern mind will not bear it. You can make such a
popular The first onset can be borne. The tele
graph may bring news that Anderson has bombaried
ChIreston and YOU may riOce. But the sober second
thought of Massachusetts, will be wsSelu unchrisln
guilty" The North ~ill never endorse such war In
stead Of copqueng Charleston you create Charleston
in New England. loI stir up sympathy Tor the South
Therefore It to me that the Inauguration Of var
is not only violation of principle, but it is violation
OF expediency.
To be for dsunion in Boston is to be an Aboitionss
To be sgans dsunion IS to b. Aboorists TO day in
the streets of Charleston. Sow that very of things
shows that tie civilization Of the two cites is utterly
tdgonstc. What is the use OF trying to join th'ny is
Abraham Lincoln capable OF making fire and powder lie
down together IL peace! II he can let him sgnd bis
amy 10 Fort Sumpter and occupy il.
But understand me, believe IL the Union exactly as
you do in the future. i ! s "y proposition Go oU'
geg;ltWcn, you welcome 10 your empre-take il -
l.e them tfy ,he experiment oil cheating wih ore tand
and ideness with the other know hlt God has wit.
ten Bankruptcy" over such an experiment. If you
clauOuade South Carolina YOU caunonade her into the
sympathy OF the world. do not know noo but wiat a
msjority Lere is my side. but kroS this that if tie
telegraph speaks true tonight that thc guns echOng
around Fort SumteTih ihGE majority is against US, for
l. will ctuyert every lan into secCssi0nst Btsl e.
there il another faithful element in The problem There
ger extend TO the black at the South best sym
pa,hy aud cur best aid.
We stand tonight at the beginning Of a. ovn ehich
may have the peace III" rgiu !, generation 10 a bO-
som lnarrus3,e .aT We Know not where it will end.
The SoG:E Is poor, add are rich The poor man can
DO twice the injury TO the rich that the rich can
10 the poor Your wealth rides safely re .Oson Of
the All New Elgl2pd d. IT, miilor9 aoat. The
North wht2n, c.efJ with it, wealth. The South Lag
commerce. but she can buy the prvateers oi every
race 10 prey on yours. Ii is dangerous sriir when
| wealth quarrels with pOve tv.
Driven TO desrlir tae .OgtaeTn States may be poor
and bankrupt but the poorest man may be pirate and
u long New highlands tonnsge third of that o: the
civilized world, the South punish New England
than New England can punish Er.. W. provoke asriie
in which are detelee,tss IT. the contrary, hold
ourseye " tue strife Of IDEAS if we manifest that
strength which despes tsult and bdes its hour are
sure to conquer in the end.
dstrust those guns at Fort Sumter do not believe
that Abraham Lincoln | do not believe in
the madness OF the Cabinet. Nothing but madness can
invoke war With the Gulf States. Ny suspicion is this
;haI the administration dares not compromise 1t trem
hes befoe the Ave hundred thousand readers OF the New
! York Tribune.
! But there Is safe way to compromise Il Is this
seem TO provoke war, cannonade lhe forts What will
be the first resuti New York commerce Is pale with
bankruptcy. The aIfIighed seaboard grass grow
Ing in its streets. 1t will start up every man whose live
| i!oOu nauES upOH utCt uttusiy'hS N4H htJ
miser. Those guns fred at Fort Sumter arc only tc
| irighten the North Into compfomi'1s
II the administration" provoses bood,hed it Is tFci
-nohing use. 1t is the mastery ;unnlns Of She deyi
of compromise tho aeere..y OF State. He is not mac
enough " le. those States rush into battle. He knows
thattAc age OF bullets is II gun Is fired In then
waters is fred at the wharves of New Yok at the banl
vaults of Boston, at the money Of the North Itsmean
to alarm l, is policy not sincerity. 1t means conces
sion and in twelve months you will see this Union re
constructed with Consttuto on like that o! Montgomery
New Eagland may indeed never be eoereel into
slave confederacy. Bat when the battles OF Abraham
Lincoln are ended and compromises worse than Critten
dens are adopted New England may claim the right
secede. And sure as gun is tred tonight at For
Sumter, within three Yeas from to-day YOU will SCI
these thirty States gathered under Constitution twic
as dsmnable as that of 1881 The only hope of liber
is in fidelity to peace, to the slave. Out of that Co
gives us nothing but hope and brightness. Ia bloo'
| there is sure TO be run!"