Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-07

.=-.....a.e..l-z-.
;nto g discussion Of the right Of secession.
The day for the discussion of that question has
passed. Whether it DO a constitutions. IT,
revolutionary right six or seven States % 's'S
South have already exercised ihat Esnt' ""o
yireinu will exercise it if she thinks !. iieces
sary for her safety AID for the rrUtscliol' u.u
maintenance Ct her rights SIZE Will eHe'e al:,,
that right regardless oil cri'aequelces-s.!c ' ~
stand upon the platform oi l'ahtii"o'c i'.nt
TO maintain bur honor and criEo oach any Nv
vasion that may be made upon heE.
Hence, sir, If the Northern States, VINO a H.,
in large majority, will not acknowledge luz
right of secession, will not recognize .,le n'us
psndence of those States that have withcla""
from the Union-how Can you MAINTAIN 'n'
Constitution Of Tire United States u.e,'
was decision upon that point Il ''le 49, 49,
ern majority IVES 10 surrender 10 Us I
things to which we ere shtlticc-'ot =
n,snI nothing to which NC arc not entitIeu-n
they are unwilling t. Recognize iHo HUE
dance oe these States, II In utterly i'hPosS'o't
t:,,t n constitutional number cali W oo'a''''"
iu ratify any amendment thut may Dc inoPo'
Ell to the present Constitution. /. Is neceSe.',
thut tHcn,y-i!rc States SHOULD fo1e !"i .,'e
amendment before it coDid become psit Vi Wv
Constitution, Dues any body dream 'hat az!
Southern State will vote for any a:i'eiiunie,'t
that will meet wilh the approval vi 'hs -No''h'
ern majority! That, Sir, is out oi TIC cues
ton. | have no IDEA that any Southern o'A'e
would record such vote.
Sir. do not the occurrences wnith iia'e u
ken place n: Washington within The iast l"o
DAYS satisfy US that this Northern lhhJu''! I"
unwilling to surrender 10 the South It's just De-
u,snds; is unwilling 10 Acknowledge nhy
amendment to the Constitution ulat ""iiid sat
i.ry even the mos, submissive III \ .rsiua' 81,
=, inr as can learn anything OF the sentiments
oC the people OF this Slate, they arc not Will.
to accept anything less than Use Cri'tenurli
resolutions. And lhese nave been spul!'td by
the Buck Republican majority in Tie Senate oi
the United States.
Sir. NC are ,lrceiYing ourselves; We alc de-
ceisiug The people Ui Virgins. that are lo"Hins
IN US for prompt action, when we place our
selves upon the platform that the Constitution
can be amended in Il constitutional way. h""
is il to be done, SIR Ii is true, the Peace
Congress, initiated 10y Virginia aiter long
struggle, has adopted proposition which has
been uii.r.d to t!.y Congress Of the United
States and to the world; but the Congress
even that with any kirh # respect. Neither
the President of The Unl'cd States, The Sc
nate, nor The House Of Representatives have
considered that thu action oi The Peace Con-
. ference was worthy Of their r.spec! or consie'
r .r,,inn II ,cc1us 10 Ine SIR, that the p:op0-
sition Of the Peace Congress, lar from lnsurlnS
the rights and interests Cf Virginia, rather M
wolves n surrender OF these rights which she
now undoubtedly has, so that, So Far rs that
Congress il concerned. il has ciiGtd III mo-
thing. ,,..,,
What then will you have Virginia do: VIII
+ vou have Xxx running about these N"fth.'h
States with his peace proposition III lsl ha"u'
begging the North 10 allow ker.to remain witt
;heiD in the Union upou the terms ol his peace
pr0positiony Would you have Virginia :" lar
. 10 forget The high position which she occupies;
Would you have Virginia SC lar u forget tNs
Truown connected with her nat:ir: Would YOU
have Virginia so far to forget the duties when
she owes to her citizens: Would you have
Virginia SO far forget her constitutions. rights,
. Tor which she has always commended, as 10 20 to
, the North on Blended knees and beg Seward ana
Chase TO coniescend so far IL 70 Icc"nmcnd ire
;,ec2e "! the North TO adopt this reacs
,roL o;tiun. do not believe that there
il a nun in Virginia who woulG nave The
old mother 10 occupy 2 position OF that surt -
She has stood up E"bly IN behalf Q! peace, tic
tnanding nothing hut equality, and ycl SIT,
i.er demands hnro been denied her; and every
etfvr; which siir has made for Cancellation and
COMPROMISE; every effort which she has made t"
preserve the Union has, sir, been treated with
contempt by that Northern majority which
controls the reins Of this Government, that
minority that is determined 70 use this Gov
erh,l,ei,, for tue advancement. Of their uwn III
tcrrSt and prosperity.
Sir. lust after tins effort thus made upon the
part OF Virginia to secure her rights; just after
Ibis f,rt upon the part OF Virginia 10 secure
, the rights of her sister States OF t'e South I;
lust alter this effort upon her part to secure tn"
rights aud equality OF ell ths States; just a. IT.
cinia was making every effort in her power TO
compose the difficulties which surrounded Us,
even before The members Ct the Pence Confer
encc could iairly have returned hOmc-nO:"i!l'.
standing that the Virginia Convention stood
here delaying action in the hope that something
might cnanete frpm tl!t North which would
give promise Of peace, aud showing every sort OF
determination to demand nothing that was not
+ right, 10 insist noon nothing that Was wrong,
! the President Of ths United States, III ihr IN.
augural address which he delivered OF yeater-
day in Washington, uttcIS sentiments winch
breathe war ard revolution, srd treats with
culierprt the declarations made ~ tile Legs
lalurc Of Virginia almost unanimously -ihat
..ny attempt by the Federal Government ~ 20.
/, cree tie seeded States would he met "th re-
sisiauce. A! the very time that Virginia Is NC.
cupying this position that va calculated 70
i.sarm her udYcrsaIics-a position that might
carlse her to &c kindly and respectfully treated
this prcsilcn, Of The United States pledges
himself that the os;ous platform upon which
lie was noninated-the Chicago PLATFORM
should be his law.
lie uttered sentiments which arc not ouly
calculated TO excite and arouse Virginia to re.
sistai.ce, but which will excite every lover OF
iree,1iu 10 Resistance erri.r Where.
Sir, in this emergency what Is The cutJ al If.
gnia2 Shall she be content with lurre rc>'3lu-
lions: Il that what il demanded of Virginia
1T this crisis: Why, sir, fer The last twenty
years she been passing resolutions Oi RESISTANCE
10 the death, and, one 81 one, her resolutions
yf resistance have t,etn dlSregarded; one by
one these resolutions have been treated With
contempt by this Northern majority; and Sr'
enia has rot yet placed hrr>ei; ia that att
,u,lc of resistance which her own resolves Ir-
nanded that she should nave assumed long
ago. Why was this Convention called: What
was it called for. Was it merely for the pur-
pose Of passing resolutions: Was it not BE-.
cause the sentiment was deep-seated III the
bosoms of the people that they should take
some action? And do you nuw propose mere
" to PASS resolutions that any effort ut cDcr.
cion will be met with resistance
There is nc time nov to take that stand
Lincoln has proclaimed that lie will cocrce the
seeded State. Sir, The question does not arise
whether the collection Of the revenue aud the
re-occupatiou of the forts is coercion or not
believe the common sunSe 0! the people OF
Virginia understand that the collection of the
revenue bY the Federal authorities from an un-
willing people, and the occupation Of the forts
against the remons.rance OF the people, IS coer-
cion. /. is so understood by the people, and
L.. ,urtfh NuIll LII