Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-14

IN ment would be established having ali the pre-
er lsn Gf the one it woHld suppiant Ii woul
le be where the public miad has been habi;uate
~ to beholtl the Government; il would be wher
l. the Northern man could cone without preil
r dice, whair. ia my judgnlcnt, a. no disIar
tc iay, New Jersey would come, Pennsylyani
&c would come where Ohio. lndisus and llliEoi
J. woulI speedily come, when the accession ,
c the remaining States would be but quest;o
e Of time
Y Not believing in the practicability 81 recon
i structiug The Union upon amendments t
S the Constitution under Republican dynasty
q and having no hope ia that direction If vs.
o prccipitsteIy establish ourselves ut Mon,.o
q merry, l would adopt the middle plan.
a With the border States assembled in Con
1 gress. with their separate Conventions in ses
: sion, with all the machinery in readiness lo
( lnal action, with the strong inducements to ;
, union with the Southern States can any on,
doubt that terms of association satisfactory I,
both sides will readily be agreed upon! Car
any one doubt that the accessun uf The eigh;
border States, together wi!l be iar more Ser
v!ceabe and acceptable TO lGa Southern State.
taan 'he separate accesslan oi the Slate of Fir
gina! Going alone she would carry n.
: strength to her new allies, but ndI 70 their en-.
narTassInents; going together with her seven
neghoorS, she would carry the strength Of
Gil, Si7!ng solldlty to the Compact and tiie SC.
curly which solid structure imparls.
Bat it is objected that the scheme of the
onrder State Congress surrenders the ultima
tu'n OF the / tn resolution and subjects Tirgi-
glnIa to tine determination Of the other States
lhere IS no foundation for this objection; for
nothing IN the proposed amendment inpars
ltie force of that resolution. She may carry
its determination into effect prior 10 entering
iaio the Congress, or she may forbear It's exc.
cntlon until future tinIe propose 20 leave
tie choice On that point perl. city free Size
may abide 5Y the recommendations u: The
Cungress, or she may reject them. | pr0Drsc
10 a!Id hnT i'll tu way, bu. 10 leave her free,
with all the lights then before her, to pursue
that policy which enlightened sta.-suanship
may DICTATE ard the welfare u her people de-
mand.
Can anE one doubt that By the time the pro.
posed Congress is to assemble, public opinion
| in ulr own State, and in all the other border
States, will have ripened upon these questions,
20 rs TO lead necessarily 10 their easy solution?
Can ANY one doubt that By that time The minds
ol I'LL Of US will he united in common policy:
Events are on the wing and each successive
flight contributes its influence towards instruct
lng our judgments and dispcllng the darkness
that ObscureS our way
At this tlmc our councils are divided; those
OF the other border States are in ike man.
ner divided cur people are divided
opposing sections of The Stale arc .rraycd
against each other; and 10 set before them now
an ordnance Of Secession, taking Virginia
II ~. ITlF 4 h,. iy;,,,
these divisions and anlaconzv the sections, |
until final agreement shall he made impossible. !
Win Maryland, North Carolina, and Tennessee |
remaining in the Union, und acknowledging |
the authority Of the Federal Government, in |
what condition would an ordinance Of seces-
sioa place Virginia? The industry Of our
people is nuw depressed; would such an act
rrIaove tie depression Their commerce is
embarrassed; would separate secession dispcl |
the embarrassment? Would it not rather |
deepen the depression and increase the enlhar.
raSSncntS !: Nay. would il not strike 4 fatal |
paralysis into every fibre of the entire system.
How lang would she remain in her isolated
condition When would the intcrposins
States follow her cxarnpict In The mean tine
~ha: would become Of Harper'S Ferry, OF For
treSa Monrce, Of Fortress Calhoun, Of her
foreign c"ninercs: lIow would it be possible
in {, ;sod 20 -. G:lnn and biuodshed? Secession
the Southern States and was seeking 10 iniu' |,
ence the action Of Virginia, with a view 10
their interests, might advocate that plan, be- |
ca,iae thereby The attention cf the enemy
woHld be attracted to another quarter but as
represent Virginia, and arm seeking her safety, |
would avoid it. necessity may compel to II,
choice nr7er.
Concert among the border States will avoid
war, or if that extremity at last be forced upon
lis, We shall have the strength to meet it that
un!ols gives
But Mr. Chairman, il we turn orr thoughts
from these painful contenplatlons and lift them
10 the cheerful hopes oi friendly adjustment
anil re construction, there is much in the pro-
positions Of my amendment commenting IL TO
approval some Of its advantages have already
been pointed out. but there is another to which
| will advert If tle adjustment is reached
upon the plan OF The Committees report, or
UPON the basis OF the Montgomery con-
s;itulion, something would still be want
ing necessary f;r the harmonious working
of the renovated system. Neither would re-
ieyc US from Tie danger OF recurrence IN Inc
future "f lhe very evils we now SnHcr. The
effects Il eiihur ,lnuD,i, ss, would be palliative
at ii:ss, hnt the root would reulain, and i'll
stead Of rra,icating the plant, We would be
oaly removing part oi the TahG SOL lna'
ntu:ishes its growth.
rbe sHavrhoIiny States and the nonSlare'
holding States have diverslties Of interests
the differences OF soil, climate, labor and pro.
due,nns, necessarily give rise Co them. ." hen
associated under common government. these
| -: fbn;r
evenly balanced, they compel to conflicts fcT
royrIn,.l.ii:a. supremacy. Tie divisions will
bnrnGic sectional. aud the conflicts will rage
In,ii victory brings esirangeIent and dIssolu
t,oii as It's necessary attendants. The Const'.
tution Of the United States mas this defect.
> Notwithstanding its departmental divisions,
and separation OF powers, and notw!ths!and'
ing lis various modes Of official selection, the
, entire framework of the Government rests, al
last, upon the power Of the majority. Popular
major,ics elect the President, who appoints
E the Judges; they elect the Legislatures that
apnoint the Sena. ors, and media,ely or imme
: ,ila.ely give torn and direction TO al govern
mental action. If We reconstruct upon Tux
: plan %! my amendment We can remedy ,hE
: defect. and by cngraftlng upon our amended
Constitution the principle Of sectional equality
= vyanl from whyse wild groHth our misfortune
: spring.
c The resolutions reported BIZ the COMMITTEE
= on Federal Relations, command my approVa!
v The discussion Of them will be more upproprl
r ate when they come up separately for adop
c tion: but will take this occasion to say tha
: they proceed upon lhe true theory Of consti
: tutiionui construction They recognize tn
g States as the true parties to the governmen
c compact; mean The States in the sense q
the i,eoyi. ri the States; they recognize tn
O original sovereignty and independence of III
o States, and deduce from these premises to
j. right of .hc States for just cause, to sever the'
II connections with each other; they recogn's
- tue goycr.;asn: as an agency Of the parties
- and the iunctionariss who administer 1t,
their trustees snd agents, and thence feduce
,yal want Of authority on the part oi the go'
r h Al