Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-04
For the Enquirer.
TUT nc ENYVTeT.
To thc Refugees In America from Foreign
Lands.

TO thc Refugees In America from Foreign
LANDS.
FELLOW CorNTRYMES OF THE OLD WoRIn:--
Whether driven from the homes OF our birth
by the oppressors Of our native land, or revolt
ing from the tyrannic despotisms and the pru.
tended constitutional monarchies Of Europe,
we have sought and found new homes and safe
asyiums il these far.famcd, prosperous and
hitherto happy States Of the American Union,
founded upon the sacred principles Of self.
government and State sovereignty, which for
eighty years have been the bulwark and GUS
todian of the personal liberties of the Amcri.
can people North, South, East and West-aS
we'll as Of ourselves the sons Of their adop.
ton. The Constitution which once united
these sovereign States neither knew Northern
nor a Southern section Of this grest country.
1t only knew its creators-thesc sovereign
Stutes-to be equal and supreme in their po.
itlcal CO partnership, associated together for
the specific purposes of common defence and
external protection. This magnificent temple
of human liberty was established and cement.
ed by the precious blool OF Revolutionary
sircs, who were as we'll Americans as French.
men, Germans, Poles and lrishlnen. It's struc
ture, indeed belongs to the American people;
DIl !tS Vllii e.c!Icilt, luc lHCIpIc pl
self government, which underes it, as well rs
that Of constitutional liberty, is the property
Of all mankind. That flag which was adopted
by those sovereign States within the period Of
fifty years, was designed TO be the emblem Of
nn other Union But it is no longer It's conse-
Grated ngis. 1t was not the banner OF our
Revolutionary Sires--and it is not now the
standard Of human liberty, but the sym
Dol Of iespotie tyranny. Those great
principles Of self government, constitution
al freedom ard State sovereignty, upon
which alone the individual liberty Of
man could have been perpetuated have
been gradually overturned by the selfish ard
unprincipcd agency Of Northern politicians,
who, for their own purposes, have inaugnra'ed
II false policy utterly adverse TO the principles
Of the Constitution, and tending directly 10
the consolidation Of all power in the Federal
Goverhmenl; thus establishing despotism pre-.
cisely similar to those Of Europe which we
had SO Indignantly abandoned. The arlul
agitation Of the African slavery question was
only an instrument cunningly devised and
employed for sinister objects, by the political
schcmcrs of the North, who for long years past
have been undermining and working out the
destruction Of that once glorious Union Of SOW
eregn States. Every sincere patriot, every
lover OF human liberty, must hope that the
people Of the North may yet discover, Gin time
to arrest the awful calamity CT intcrnecine
strife which their mad rulers have commenccG,)
that the inconsiderate support which they fur.
nish to those rulers, who have SO inSaneIy re-
jccted every umcable proposition tor settling
these questions of State sovereignty, must III
t;mutely end in the destruction OF their own
liberties, without the possibility Of ever reSto.
ring that Union they have thus ruthlessly rent
asundcr Before, however, this hope Or ex.
pecta,ion can become q reality, and can posi-.
bly, effect cx;elminution Of this nefariouS in
vasion, through the prevalence OF rational and
Christian principles, it is our sacred duty, en-
urins alike from our oath OF allegiance to sup.
port the Constitution in its purity, as we'll AS
from our obligations, the cause Of human liber-
bertT, to take sides with those States which find
it impossible TO secure their fundamental pria-
cipes OF State sovereignty within that Union,
from It's perverted association. Guided by
these principles and these considerations,
which earnestly and sincerely believe
and feel to be right aud true. have offered my
services 70 the Confederate States Of America,
and have accepted a commission under their
authority, directing me TO raise, for the period
of the war, twenty companies oi soldiers, to be
formed into brigade, and to raise two regiments
to be received into their service with the proper
complemen. Of officers. Respectfully submit
ting fer your consideration and approval the
foregoing views which constitute the prnc.
pies of my determination and my action, now
most earnestly invoke and call upon you, ny
fellow exiles from the despotsms Of Europe, to
unite with me IN defence Of those cherished
principles OF se!fguverpucnt, constitutional
liberty and State sovereignty, which the glo-
rious sircs of the first American revolution
cortided to the special guardianship OF our
American fellow citizens, as well as 10 the dc.
scendanls OF those libcrty-loving foreigners,
whose ancestors mingled their blood with the
blood Of those llustrious Americans in the eS-
tabl!shment Of these great principles. IL IS u
legacy bequeathcd to US all alike. Lightly
years of It's peaceful enjoyment has proved lts
priceless value. Itshould be upheld with all our
devotion, until the people Of the North Shall dis
cover and understand the selfish machnaion Of
their unprincipled political rulers, and finally
comprehending their own deluslon, Shall al
length turn rcpcntant to that glorious temple oil
worship, of Washington and Laayette,o OF Kos.
cuisko, Pulaski and Dekalb, and all their Illus.
tious compeers Of revolutionary glory.
Your aIcctionate and libcrty.lOving
Fellow Exile
GAsPAR TocHMAS,
Majos Of tl:e Polish Army Of 1851.
n would respectfully notify those who art
disposed to join me in this sacred cause Of lib
erty, that the places Of rendezvous for receiV-
ing your services will be published as soon as
the proper orders and instructions shall be is
issued.