Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-15

which were tistastrlul to them upon wholly
independent grounds. Sir, it suggests disa
ereeabls reflections in looking back to the his
tory of the positions the South has taken in
regard to The slavery question when We are
compelled ia ask whether those who seemed
to be cooperating with us 10 secure the peace
and harmony Of the country and the rights Of
the South havr not rather been engaged in
exaggeratilig difficulties and inhaming passions
than fairly endcavorins to settle and heal the
strife 1t is a most melancholy subject for
reflection when We come 10 think OF their CO.
operation with Us in the past
But, sir, although it may be tue opinion OF
the gentleman from Albermarle, (Mr. HoL'
coABs) and those who belong 10 the particu.
lar school IF politics that claims him rs among
its brightest orna,ncnts, that there can be no
contract between us and the people Of
ths North, such has not been the
opinion Of Virginia, such il not Low
her opinion, for her General Assembly
last winter, by u large und overwhelming vote
declared in favor of .inaugnratins a mex con
tract of Unconstitutional alncndmenS between the
people of Virginia and the people oil the North.
Aye,sir, and not only that, but they laid down a
chart of Constitutional amendments, as would in
their Judgment. Re satisfactory to the people OF
Virginia. And when TIC election was held for
members Of this body, If ain correctly IN
formed, n very large majority OF the members,
now upon this floor, declared to their %constitu-
euts when candidates for election, that they
would be satisfied with the adoption OF the
plan suggested. Then. sir, it ia not true now,
that it Is the voice Of Virginia that no bargain
ought to be made and that no bargain
can be made with tho North. Sir, cannot
ard | will not believe that we cannot bargain
with these people. On the contrary, am
strongly convinced that in both the North and
the South, HE great masses 81 the people.
leaving out the politicians and !ansllcs Of ootii
sections, have This day an earnest yrarning irr
each other, and for peace ard union WITH eaca
other. l verify believe That to be the senti-
ment Of the people OF this country. both No7th
and South; and, for one | will never be salts.
fled 10 see this government, which has shielded
and protected US SO long, overhrown. ! VIII
never consent ID any plan Of dlsmer'De'nieht
Of il, which does not involve, rs Il necessary
condition, that there shall bea direct appeal TO
the people, North and South, to know Of each
other, face to face, III the exercise Of the high-
est franchise of 4 free people, al Lie polls,
whether it has come 10 this, that II people Unit
ted by so many historic associations, by so
many ties ofsubstant!al interest, by 50 many
bright and glorious hopes. must part! whether
il has come 10 be understood by the people d
the North and the South that the hour oil ne
cessary and angry separation has in fact conner
Until it has been 80 declared 10y the peup'o
themselves at tho polls, / vii! never, no never
consent to give up this blessed government VI
ours
But we ave told that If VT make any bargaln
with them, it mus: be- kind Of contract new
to this country: it must be u bargain in which,
BY some mysterious process, We are TO correct
a great mistake that has been made. Ia old
times, We used to be ina majority, AMI as the
majority, we had certain substantial heneats,
certain very comfortable cnjoyments. But, in
the process Of time, i'll the progress Of Affairs:
ira course Of business Of which ! dc rot CON-
2!ain, in tho course OF the tide OF emigration
which do not object to, the PEOPLE Of tae
North, Of the free States, have secured
u majority. | do not envy them the
means, | do not envy theta the employtnenS,
Or the prosperity by when they have Come to
be the msjoritY. l prefer HM9 position Of the
South. indrs;r;aily ana socially, both, to the
position OF the North. Butit has 50 happened
that the South has come to be in a minority;
and now We nre 10 undergo Ronie curious
transformation under what IN called 4 conlrac.
or guaranty Of power by which this minority
J., 50 be converted INTO Il working majority ut
this Government. Lei us have u guaranty Of
power" | have heard c: gaarantKs Of power.
There is no doubt that it * admissible aa IL
principle in government that AS Il means OF
protection and defence there shnUld ba, within
certain limits, guarantees g power in the
hands CT minoritirs, or Of interests, likely to be
iniurionsly Affected. There is no doubt Of that.
=" nave an instance Of it in The propositions
of the Peace Conference, and we have al III
stance oft in the propositions reported 10 this
Convention by the CcnuIittee on Federal Re-
lni;uns. | recognize it ~ b proper principle in
that case. But protest tnnS it never can be i true,
that it never tan 10 / wise policy 10 undertake
to place the government OF thlS country or Of
any State in shiS country, or OF Any cominuni-
t. in any State, III tie administrative hands
OF minoruy. Il cannon be- right, sir; We are
nj Yet u pneula; govtrnprmL J have never
baen suspected, l believe, Of any overweeniRg
admiration Of What arc called The popular ica-
lures cf Oh: government. have never been
q Democrat III a"y party sense, but, am a
republican, thsrrush'g9ing; and, | believe, lhEt
oIr ~ s!eni OF government has but one iounds-
ton pn which it. car rSt safely, and tina! il the
yirti,a and Intelligence vi toe people; thai it
has but ona administrative body iha: il can
With ssrcly, and that is the body Of the
majority Of the people. To what extent or in
what fu.m the people shall participate in the
s,lni ayvration Of their affairs is i question OF
wise Ox,ediencv, depending upon circulnstan-
CTS ibaL admit Of no gen+ral discussion. but,
sir, the principle underl;es all Our institutions,
that il IS q government Of the majority CT the
r~onie, and, whenever 1t is understood that it
is 10 rest upon any other foundation, il will
tcpp!c and fall 70 pieces from its own weight.
Sir, We build upon that foundation. O:hcT
foundation has l:ut been laid IL .t:ia country.
1t is founded upon Confidence sl;at our PEG,
uie have sense enough 10 make n bargain, and
integrity enough to keep Il bargain. The Con-
sti,uIon recognizes tic proprictv 81 a distr!hu.
ton Of power among ~var;"ns departments oil
administration, for the purpose OF securing the
maturci and deliberate Judgment OI The pco-
pic. But sir, i: never mas hccu, and never
will he admitted to be- sound, that the govern
mental administration Of this country should
be coniGed TO the hands Of a minority OF the
paople-
do.aot know that I understand exactly the
which is suught to bc established by
Inc gentleman from Alhc;narte, CIR. UoLooMEE)
[ under stool thnt the advocates of this prlnci-
pie Of abe guarantee Of power relied upon it
enti,tlg as "a defensive measure, and hat 1t was
neysr proposed by them tina! il s!:o'id be any
thinI rsolv than = veto for The protection Ct
the minority section; but tl.e crn~tlelna'rfrom
Aih.marle, Ms understood him, developed
the iden III . new form; ne declared that tic
Sousi, u,tist have guaranteed and placed III her
OVID lnrods the power OF cSpansion-tliat the
minority must, by some means rs yet nnex-
p~iaiaai, hive the power 10 acquire territory.
and tn expand Tie institutions OF the South
INTO il. i do moi understand how that il to DC
accomplished. it seems to be Il departure
frou, what | always understood ic &c the prin.
ciplrE o. the guarantee Of power.
The true principle, 'as it seems to :D', is tbss
while the working Of tbs Government shall be
~ - ,I,n p,,;,rir, in all ri IL. pr1inur-