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

t, GeStlUn ol an improper motive.
e The CHAIgMaS-So the Chair undcrstoo
g. Mr.. SCOTT, Of FauGuier.-I was attrib
is ting 4 motive to those among US, who a
at the most ardent friends Of the Southcl
III movement, arising out Of all apprehensic
D? from which alu not free myself. l thin
n, that many Of them arc, perhaps, actuate
t. in their hostility to this course Of proceed
" ing by reason Of an apprehension that a
ID adjustment may be made which will fix til
) dcStlnles OF the border States with tn
;s Northern Conicdcracy. Gentlemen on til
II other side are actuated think, by sim
y lar apprehension, proceeding from the OF
poSitu direction.
= 1t is feared that if an ordinance OF seces
. sion he adopted, the State will be colnmh
II ted 10 the Southern Confedcracy upon
:, permanent separation from the other States
u One fears Northern, the. ether n South
ern conncXion, and hence the diversity.
But, Mr.. Chairman, both sides are for re
construction. One proposes TO re-construc
the Union npon amendments to the Fedora
i Constitution, tc be sought for through tn
: = action Of Tie non-alIvciolding States; tn
: other proposes 10 reconstruct upon th
Constitution Of the Confederate States
-
1t liberty to assert that there is no member
Of this body who would not, if he could
-, restore the Union 10 it's former condition
if, by the restoration, that feeling could b.
restored between the people of the two
sections which existed when the Union was
formed. Every member who has spoken,
has avowcd sentiments friendly TO the
, Union. Every one has declared desire 10
see the Union reconstructed. We urc all
CnionSts. We are all for reconstruction;
for mcndins the broken parts; for rc-uni-
ting its shattered fragments. and tho same
sentiment prevails among the people
When expressions hostile 10 the Union gain
| uttcrance, it is because Reconstruction is
dsparcd Ct. The diversity is no. between
those who arc for the Union and those who
arc agains: 1t, but between those who are
| hopeful of reconstruction, and those who
are hopeless Of It. 1t could not be other
wise. If we consider what the Union has
accomplished in the past, and what it is ca
pable Of accomplishing in the future, every
heart must leap with glad emotions at the
prospect Of its restoration. From thirteen
subject Colonies lying along the Atlantic
| border, we have increased to thirty-tuur
sovereign States, stretching broadly to the
| Pacific Ocean. From three millions Of
| people. VIC have increased to more than
thirty millions. We have subducd will
dcrncss and pcoplcd it; pcnetrable forests
nave given place to breathing, living popu-
lation. and silent prairics have become vocal
with human voices; cities, riYaling the pro-
portion and magniiicencc orthosc orancicnt
days, every where dot tic surface of our
hrf, In, 1,l -
iStcnce by some great magic power. In
agriculture, manufactures and commerce, in
the arts and sciences, in all that constitutes
nation 5 wealth, and nations greatness.
IN the short space ofless than eighty years,
we have reached an cmlnence that places
Us IN the foremost rank Of the nations Of
the earth. And for our own peculiar in
stilutlonS, what has been effected; From
five States that recognized slavery, we have.
increased TO fifteen. From 100000 slaves,
worth one or two hundred dollars each, VIC
have increased to 1000 900, worth from five
hundred to thousand dollars cach and,
upon the products Of their labor, the world
depends for its prosperity and progress. 1t
cannot, therefore, be matter Of surprise
that, III Convention, composed Of those
who represent all the varied interests Of
ih!s great Comm monwealth, tha, Union
Some would reconstruct upon amendpents
TO the present constitutions; while others
would attempt the same thing under the
constitution Of the Confederate States. But
they cannot agree; q cause OF DIVISION be-
tween them exists, which, fear, will, TO
the end Of our deliberations, keep them
apart. IS there no common ground on
which they may meet? Is there no way
TO avoid the Scylla, on the one hand, and
Charybdis on The othcr' Is there no safe
middle passage
Permit me 10 call the attention Of the
committee TO the amendment which pro-
| pose 10 offer to the 14th resolution, when
| that shall be reached. That amendment
provides that, in the event that our propo-
sitions Of adjustment shall be rejected by
the non-slaYehulding States, the border
slavcholdng States shall each assemble IN
Convention, and appoint delegates to u
Congress OF those States, TO be charged
with the duty Of proposing al amended
Constitution, upon which the border slave
holding States, the Confederate States,
and such Of the on-slaveholding States
rs may concur in the same, may sale
| " unite; at which Congress, the Con-
| f,deratc States, and the concurrlng non
slaycholding States are to lie invited 10 send
! Commissioners. The border States vii! be
in Convention, ready to act finally; con-
stitution will be agreed upon, satisfactory
10 the Confederate States, which can be
submitted at once to the Conventions IN
session, when, by the same act, separa'
/ ton from the present Union and Reunion
with the Confederate States can be effect
ed. Thus will all unnecessary delay bt
avoided. and the hazard and uncertainty
arising from separate action. Thus, too,
will a peaceful solution of the question
, be obtained; hceause, when tho border
States move of together, the dissolution o
tho present Union will be complete.
J Bat if separate secession be determine
upon, in What attitude will the State b'
placed: She will be sent to knock at th'
door Of the Southern Confcderacy an hum
! bic petitioner for admttancc. We are toll
$ that friendly hands will be held out t.
c greet her; but if she goes alone she vii
+ take the position which the Contederat
j States may choose to give her; she ca
/ make no terms. Docs the Constitution
: those States suit her? Can any advocat
c oc this policy answer the question Ar
her interests identical, in all respects, wit
: the interests OF the Cotton States: On tn
e contrary, arc there not diversitics betwee
c tilem' She has had no voice in the con
struction OF the Government, and can nav
c M influence in the direction OF its policy
have said That if the Southern States re
Il main permanently separated from us, tina
e in my opinion, the border slave state
r. could not safely confederate with the nor
,f slaveholding States, because the poilcy
the Government would be moulded VIII
2! exclusive reference TO the interests OF LII
dominant majority. and apply the sam
: argument to the Southern Contcderaey.-
= Can those who would precipltate US in'
:. the Southern Union, give any asSurane
n that our peculiar interests VIII not De SUI
,r ordina,ed to the interests OF the oomlnai
&c majority Of our new associates
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