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

his advantage: Let US then unite up
i. this propo sition. Why should we dil!
l. about it? 1t is objected that in I
e progress of the scheme recommended
Il the Committee an adjustment may be reac
n cd by which the border States may be pc
k manently separated from the Confcdcra
d States, but this objection comes from tho
: who have heretofore insisted that the pr
n positions to the Northern States are an id
c and useless ceremony. If this be so; if Il
c ceremony is indeed mere Y formal, VIII
e may they not defer SO much to tie opil
: ions of others rs to so through these form
: and ceremonies, when the result must
to unite us all in common policy and brin
= about eventually the very measure upo
: which their own party is so intcnt' Irth
4 Northern States reject our propose
D.. amendments, no alternative will be left Il
= but secession, and the other border State
will stand in the same necessity. Their
can be no apprehension Of any middle con
t !rderacy; no one proposes chat form Of al
ijustment. If, therefore, we separate from
, the Northern States, we must join til
, Southern ConfedeTacy, We will only hav
, to adjust the terms Of Union.
But does any one fear an adjust tmen
with the Northern States upon Tie plan 9
the Committee? know there arc SOM
who yet remain hopeful Of settlement il
that way, but l am not one Of them. | once
thought such settlement practicable.
thought the people Of the on-slavcholdns
States would consent to proper amend.
mcntS Of the Constitution that an intelli.
gent perception Of the blessings Of Union
and feelings Of common brotherhood would
overcome the prejudices that stood in the
way. thought the same influence pre-
vailed with the people Of the Southern
States; that underlying the excitement by
which they had been prccipitated into re-
volution there was evidence Of strong
feeling for the Union.
Under these impressions, Il left my home
hopeful OF settlement, bu. I regret to
say this hope has vanished.
The adjustment Of which am speaking
is to be sought by amendments to the pre-
sent Constitution, and there are but two
modes Of amending that instrument. One
Is by propositions Of amendment cmanating
from Congress, the other by the instru-
mentality ofa National Convention. Is
either mode practicable d? The first has
been already tried and failed. The recon-
ncndations Of the Peace Congress were re-
jected the Congress refused to submit
them 10 the States. \ National Conven-
tion can be called only upon the demand
Of two-thirds Of tho States, and any
amendments recommended by it requires
the concurrence Of three-fourths Of the
States TO make it part Of the Constitution.
Can two-thirds Of the States hc got to call
4 Convention, and can rec-fourths Of
thom be Got to concur i'll satisfactory amend
ments:' According to the Northern idea,
the Union is yet composed OF thirty-four
States. They reject the fact Of secession,
and still claim the seven Confedcratcd
States as rightly subject 10 the Government.
Upon this hypothesis twcnty-thrce States
will be necessary 10 call Convention, and
twcnty-Six will be required to ratify
amendments. If the Confederate States
be left out Of the enumeration, eigh-
teen States will he necessary to call
q Convention, and twcnty-one to ratify
amendments. Can the concurrence Of the
requisite number Of States be obtained p
In any computation it will he conceded that
the seven Confcdcrated States must be left
out they have formed separate govern
ment, and repudate the Federal authority.
Upon the one hypothesis, therefore, the
Of two OF the States. and
pI the iIuluucr WHO Iuvn nvY.r"..y' -----
form Of adjustment. am willing, hower-
er, 10 try it. am willing to defer so much
to the wishes Of others, especially as am
assured that when it fails, the divisions and
dversitics that now mark this body Will
disappear. To diSsipatc our divisions anu
obtain united action, may we not make
this small sacrifice Of individual opinion
At one time thought the experiment OF
the Southern Confcderacy Of doubtful Is
sue. Time has removed that doubt. We
have seen those States advance firmly aud
dispassonatcly in their work OF rev.
olution we have seen them adopt gov
crnment suited to thcir eXigencics, OH
which their people rcpose in confidence
Ecsec the opposition at one time manifest
cd against it, daily growing less, and the
Government itself becoming daily more
firmly established. have, then, on both
sides, facts upon which to rest my opinion.
In the North l see less and less disposition
to rc-cstablish the Union, and in the South
less and less necessity forit. We met here
under circumstances Of great excitement
and pcrvadng interest. For two months we
have been dcbuting questions that concern
the peace of the country, the integrity OF
the Union and the safety Of the Govern
ment and we have held this debate in the
very presence Of the high functionarles to
whom the powers Of government have been
recently conGded. But not word has
been spoken to relieve our anxiety, not &
measure projected or promised, having re-
ference to the preservation Of the peace OF
the restoration Of harmony; nothing ha
been done to relieve the nation from. th'
apprehensions that Cypress it.
We hear Of intentions to reinforce South
ern forts, to supply Southern garrisons
the City Of Washington is still in the keep
ing of tho military, and the President ant
his Cabinet move by day and repoS
by night, under the protection Of the Fede
raj sodierv. Obdurate silrnce pervadc!
all departments no word q explanation
no kindly counsel, no EXPIRE sion OF hop
comes to dissipate the gloom.
IF FROM the fxnctionari", NJ Washington
, we turn to the people by whom they wer
elevated 20 their places, W. discover tn
, same stolid indifference. l say then, how
! ever buoyant was my expectation, how
+ ever strong myhope OF sa': stnctory ADJUST
, mcut through the free States, that eXIecta
ton is gone, that hope has lied. lido not be
!, lieYe it practicable, under existing c'rcum
G stances, to reconstruct the Union by eithe
4 mode Of amendment pro"idsl b. the Con
: stitution. / do not believe Il practicabl
c under the policy Of the i!nnss'iiate seces
:. sionists. ii Virginia attaches herself no
: to the Southern Confedcracy: and the othe
;, border States establish themselves at ono
S at Montgomery, they will place an impo:
: sible gulph between them and their NORTH
f ern associates. While, therefore, hay
b little hope Of Reconstruction by the OF
C scheme, have rs little by the other.
c The border States must hold firmly
: the position they occupy. Central as
o the other States, their interests arc DIV
c ded, flowing partly into Southern al
: partly into NortherQ channel. they 9. O.
It cupy g. position in which they will suti'
greatly by separation from either.
~ o1 tho 1In'oo and Y