Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-03
istence as q slavcholding people depends upon

tions Of the earth.
That is enough, sir. IF there was no other
point, nothing else in the history of the slave
~ question but these facts, they would. be
enough to show that We cannot stop these az
gressiols, and that eternal separation is our
only remedy. But, sir, let me look 4 little
farther. think, these facts show that these
people cannot now relluquish that for which
they have been contending for 70 years. Now,
SIR, have no desire to say anything disreSpect-
iul about these Northern people. have an
lnenablc contempt for their leaders, for such
men as Seward, Sumner and Wilson. | be-
lieve they arc hypocrites. have no unkind
feeling, however, for the great masses OF their
people. But The generation that now governs
the North have grown up in the last 30 years,
and every llan OF them, except Charles OCon-
or, OF New York, that I have ever heard
OF, believes III their hearts, honestly be-
fore God, that slavery is a sin. Judge Story,
Chancellor Kent, and Daniel Webster, in his
great argument before the Supreme Court OF
the United States have taught them the falla-
clous doctrine that this is Government OF one
people, und being a Government Of one people,
1t necessarily follows that one section must be
IN part responsible for the sins OF the other
section. They honestly believe II, and can
respect an honest man in that honest belief. But
[ conlemn, Idcspisc canting, hypocritical dcma
gogueS, such as those leaders who strive to rise
10 place and power upon these honest but falla-
cious and deiusiye convictions of the people Of
the North. Judge Slory's book is 4 textbook
in al their Colleges. DIR. Maryland, a great
t%hcologian, who has written 4 book upon Moral
Philosophy, is an authority there, and his
book is a textbook in all their Colleges; and
i'll that book there is a whole chapter put forth
10 show that slavery is u sin. Then, SIT, there
is Peter Parlcy, useful and instructive as his
books arc-yct, begin ut the first, as have
done, and read them al through, and you will
tin0 pcryading the whole works an anti slavery
feeling. This feeling lies at the bottom of the
whole, and the design is to create the impress
sion that slavery is Il sin and q wrong. Here,
then, YOU have the masses indoctrinated with
Parlcy's doctrine. and the educated young man
indoctrinuted with Webster, Kent, Story and
Wayland's dUctrinr. Then you have-and
defy any gentleman here to deny ia union
Of the masses, the honest masses, to strike
down an institution which they believe is sin
Gul-a union, | say, Of the masses with the
educated men and political leaders; and again
defy any gentleman here TO point me to an in
stance in the history ui the world, when the
masses have united with the leaders for given
purpose, that they ever ceased from their ef-
forts until that purpose ha1 been accomplished,
or they themselves have been destroyed IN
their efforts to accomplish il.
Then, sir, | ssy that this is n reason why we
should separate. Look again ut the way in
which these Northern people have been edu'
Gated. They have had anti slavery catcchisms,
anti.sla7ery priests, anti-S!avcry lecturers /;
they have anti.siarcry everything. Their
whole system is pervadcd with anti slavery
feeling and ant;-slavery sentiment. And yet
Virginia statesmen get up here and talk about
the overwhelming tide that is to destroy the
ant, s~lavery feeling Of the North, by paper
guarantees attached 10 the Constitution. You
MAJ just AS well attempt To dam up the tum-
bling wa:erS Of Niagara, with your little finger,
us to attempt any such thing. Take this il
lustration: You are Il religious rIan. You go
to church, to the Episcopal Church perhaps.
Now take your little boy, seven years old, let
his mother night and morning teach him to
knecl ana say his prayers, teach him the great
truths OF religion, and continue her. instruc'
tons until he becomes 4 groSn-up man,
let him be taught all the beautiful formula {;
Of the prayer book. and when that man
goes GU. into tho world, can you turn him
away from the doctrines his mother has incul-
Gated? Yes, sir, you may one or Two, here
and there, but the proposition is q general one,
that lie will adhere Steadlastly to the end
Well, sir, these people Of the North, in their
honest zeal, in their sincere desire to eradicate
an institution which they, in their heart and
in their conscience, believe 10 be sinful, like
Hamilcsr, when he took his son Hannibal,
nine wears old, and made him swear upon the
altar eternal hostility to Rome, they make
them swear ~etcrnul hostility to your institution
nf slavery. And H." yon euppose you can
change the sentiment Of such Il people by pa
per guarantees! Sir, ] desire not to say any
;hing unkind 10 any gentlemen here, nothing
thut shall in its remotest tendency interfere
with the feelings of any gentleman here, but
I must state to you, Mr.. Chairman, that I was
startled, astounded TO hear gentlemen stand
up and declare such opinions; to hear them, in
times like these, crying, "walt, wait" delay,
delay" when every day, every hour, brings
the event these Northern people desire 10 &C
c~oruplish nearer to your door.
Well, sir, our idea is, that Government is
simply made to protect persons and property.
Tha, is my opinion. | believe that when you
have a Constitution und laws sufficiently
strong to protect persons and property, the
less legislation you have the better. Their
idea is lust the reverse. Their idea is that Co.
vernment is a great machine to dispense bone.
G,sand bounties to individuals; their idea is that
The majority must govern without regard TO
tho rights of minorities. Can We live with
people lik these? Look at your Government
now at Washington. Is there SO corrupt n
Government upon Gods earth rs your present
Government at Washington There il stands,
your citadel of liberty itself, a place where the
most corrupt scoundreis upon earth gather 10
gcther for the purpose Of population and fraud
upon the Government, upon the honest masses
Of the people Of the country. Look at your
members Of Congress, expelled for receiving
brides. Ever department Of your Government
themselves. Do you tell Inc that you Gun save
this by paper guarantees in the shape OF
amendments to the Constitutions: Mr.. Chair.
nan, in my humble opinion, there is no
other cure but to wipe it out and begin aircsh.
1t is = failure. 1t BIAS lived seventy.tirc years,
nlni TOW you have got to wipe it ont and begin
arrcsh or it will end in despotism; and those
men who will not vilelv ard slnvishly submit
to that deSpotism will be slaughtered upon
some battle field fighting in defence of the
rights and principles that nave been handed
down to us from our ancestors.
Mr.. Chairman, | find it is impossible for me
10 say all ! intended to say. ] cannot hold out.
But, sir, there is ono point | want to present
beGure | take my seat lt is in reference to
the moral question. | do not know what is
the religious leeliug Of this assembly, but | am
not asliaIired here or elsewhere 10 proclaim the
honest belief If my heart. believe in God, !
believe in His Providence, l believe in His
direction, and | believe, asa moral, Christian
man, it is my duty to do what | can 10 separate
my State from these people at the North, who
orc striving day and night to destroy one Of
Gods irstitutions-;he institution of African
slavery. Let us luck nj it. How did it get
here? We mr.. told tia: about 1920 there was
Il Storm at sea, and that somewhere off the
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