Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-05

there never breethed 8 human spirit on tha SOL
Of America 1nore strongly and deTout!y a.
tachrd to he Union Of OUT fathers than l.
xas, however. in favor G! ~ Union tnat dc
not secure perfect equality ana lIotecton o
al rirhts guaranteed under the Constitution
T w,s not iosrnsibls Of tho fac: that several o.
he T,rlhera s:atca bad openly repudiated
,,e;r constitutional Obligations, and that if the
nri,c,,l,s cr The present dominant party
rrhnuld he carriad cut, ultimate separation was
,necitahle. But still. [ did trust that there was
wisdom and p,:riotiSm enous h at the NORTH
when aroused - correct Inc cFltS, "r'sht ii'
nronps and 70 10 u; justice. trusted even
to the last for sonc hoP"thi reaction III IN:
popular sentiment at the \ 'Tta.
We. ettachcd % thu Uninn, ho~ever, MI
on account! Of Ire Union per Sc. but wa
u;rychc,l II il for Whist was iGS saul, It's vital
IL and spirit; these we're tae ring elnholi
mont Of tie great principles Of self s 'sernmrnt,
spriagius f"cm HE great truth, that TIC Just
powers Of ell governments are derived from
Tie consent Of tito governed, rs II was trans
rpittcd to u by or fstherS ms is the ioun
datioa on which al)n. all c Institutional liberty
is and must be f.ascl-aGd 10 these principles
I an to- lay attached lst Us ardently aa | ever
was before, and | now ANNOUNCE TO you my
solemn conviction that tn. oaly hope you have
for the preservation Of these principles, is by
YOUR alliance with those who have rescued,
restored end re established them III tho Coa-
sti,ution of The Confederate States-ther" is nc
hope in tho States North.
Thn iis~Ggrccmenti thai existed IN our Slail
as 10 the cGu-ss tia: we should pursue, before
the last r;a, ~ e SECESSION vas slopicd were
mora 80 ~ tie lay.la and maTrer 81 relres",
tbaa A. - Tic caus: o. Tho grinTancc or the
pxist&ac. 0: he srir9 ,nc, requiring redress.
| ;ikc this OCCASION. III passing, 10 state y Jon.
that n oar C5nreatioa there WIS considerable
difference Ct cpinion on this "ic5 Of tho sub
i.ct. Il nay not liz known 70 you that on tnat
OCCASION, ! disagreed with The intinrliy on the
cours. adop.ed. Ny vo.c vas recorded against
the secession ordnance in our Stale. vas
for making one more effort anal for getting the
whole Svn;h united if possible in that cttht
for redress.
But whon tAv State il her sovereign capacI-
iy Determined otherwise. my jijgnnen: Mas
Welded to hers. My allegiance was due to her.
Nv f%,rtuncs were linkei with hers her canSc
was NV cause; and her destiny WAS my d"sl:-
ms. i large minority in That Convention yhtel
AZ Gid. But alter secession was determined
On By the mi ,rily, a resolution was dawn up
10 q tG:cF, tha! whereas the lack OF unaniin.
ilJ Ga the passage u! tie ordinance was owing
more to Il Disagreement ne 10 the proper lnGde
nj Tue time for n redress ui existing wrongs
ari .:.rca;crGd wrcngs than rs 10 the fact oi
ti!y ex 'sirrc.. # Push wrongs as required re-
dress; therefore, after the mGda and manner
wsc adopted BY n insj 'ritS Of the Convention,
ira. ali VI iS. Ms m ~ d.nru Of our detcrmina-
t,cu % nnaintain H.. State in her chosen remedy,
SHOULD .i.a The ordinance and with that deter
IMITATION und:r that resolution, cTcry mcm5cr
Of the Convention, except SIX, signed It. Those
six also ds:iaiu ed upon record a like de;crulina
ton on their part SO our State became n unit
upon TIC mcaGure, wien II VAS resolved upon.
ii! anterior differences nncrgSt III we're drop.
pcd. The cause o. Georgia was Inc cat:Se OF Us
al! ard 81 'ra:ti il will be in Virgins. Let ell
pa>l i E.lenccs d" forgotten. Whether, If sciac
other Course t,ad u. Ell adopted, Dir rights c"nid
haze G.:iwa!.ir bees 8acuIed IN tic 81! Lni"l,
is + prg?..:uI .."% :'i-t an :IT4: Il: G:!.s.. go
| aEl .:cn - ~co.icse, ne ] frankly %, that me
late Indications gii'!l s.Ia.s c~"!!Huca litaL
the IN: ,rity at tho North we're bo1t upon our
destruction at every ctst anl every haz ,rd.
nj AL CfEbNN, ~ Nl"'' VIA ~ Why '''s''
is on our o~n strong arms and stout hearts,
with unity among ourselves. Oar course is
adopted We can take no steps back wards. The
time for compromise, if it ever EXISTED, is past
Mlny eniertain'd hopes from, the Peace Con-
~. S>"-that failed. Even M extension ce the
Missouri line, which, vas IF Fred by prominent
South, m men. was ~s!ilenlT rejected. Every
ind vi N Of Northern sentiment OF the part
OF the dominant party there, since the election
last iall, shows that they were and arc bent
upon carving oat their aggressive and de-
slrucIivc pullcy against US. THIS they lnsidi'
ously expected to succeed in by relying upon
the known strong Union sentiment in the Dor
der States. They evidently rci;ed strongly IN
this in Virginia. Their policy being TO divide
and conquer. In this, | t!iink, however, they
counted without their host.
The people nj Virginia nfy haze been At
taclcd 10 toe Union; but they are mu:h more
attached II their homes, their ires'des and AL
that IS dear 10 Observation-Disclosures libe:-
t..
All hoprs u preserving this in the Old Cnion
are gone forever. We must for the future
look 70 ourselves. Il is cheering TO feel con-
sciouq that we are npt without hope in tina!
quarter. At lirs'. / must confess, that Was
not without s,riMls a,or'hcnsio7s on that
point Tn's: approximations were a!laytd at
M~ontgomrt5.
The men wLv We're sent there were nntsuch
materials as re7o!utions usually throw up
They sernrh to understand thoroughly the po
sltion .! atf,irs the past. the present and Ikc
future. Taer duly appreciated tho magnitude
Of the responsibilities resting upon them, ard
proved themselves, | trust, MT only deter
mined 10 overthrow cur Government, but ca-
pable OF building ZIP another. Their work, os
| have said, is before Eoa. One leading 'dea
runs through thu Shcic-ihe preser 7stion Of
,hut time.h"Hor,d Constitutional liberty which
they Inherited from tnrir fathers
The Gr,t thin, s'as 20 organize q PrhS;Sinr-
nj Government. Tnis vas dcne by the ndop'
ton of iii. Prov:siona Constitution. Il is 10
last hlt one ear, and conforms to our ancient
usases as nearly as practicable. No changes
in essential or fundamental principles. We
have bu, onc legislative hohy. This POSSESSES
the powers Of tbs old Senate and House CON-
bincd; but the RICH 5 o! the States ard The
sovereign equality OF each is fully recognized
mere fully Than under the old Con
stitut!on, which was the basis Of the
action cf the Convention tor, during
the Provisional Government, on all quc7.
tic,.s in Congress, each State has al equal
vote. This Provisional Government was nnlJ
4 temporary arrangement 10 meet til"
c.isencics unti! q permanent constitution
conid BE- formed aud put into opera,
:i3n. This vas really The great work be-
FIRE than.
In ihis, as il tic Provisional Government, the
Old Constitution O! aur fathers the Constitution
o. Madison and Washington, WAS their model.
I said | might say something touching its pro
visions. lilnr Viii not allow mo to 60 much
into details. fol viii please read md cSamine
i, infinitely fw yonrselvea- Whiio the old
Constitution VAS the baais and model Of its
construction, you will far! in it several chang
80 ard notifications. Sv:ae Of Them important
But of them all I make il passing this general
remark-;lley are all Of a conservative charae
ter. This is tue luost striking characteristic Of
cur rcvy!ltini ~ charge Of government thus
fer, ina; none Of the changes introduced are Of