Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-05


The course here indicated will hr followed,
unless current events and experience shall
show modification or change TO he proper !;
aid i'll every case aud cxisency NY best dis
cretlon will be exercised, according to circum-
Stances actually existing, and with view and
Il hope OF peaceful solution Of the national
troubles, and the restoration Of lraternai SYM
path'cs and affections
That there are persons in one section or ar-
other, who seek to destroy the Union at all
events, and are glad Of any prclcxt to do il, |
will neither affirm or deny; but if there bc
such, | need address TO word to them. To
those. however, vino really love the Union,
may not speak:
bcl"re entering upon ~ grave matter as
the obstruction OF our national fabric, wth all
It's benefits, its memories, und its hopes,
would it rot be wise to ascertain pre-
cise!y why we do il? Will you hazard SO
desperate step while there is sny possibility
that any portion Of the ills you ifs
from, have no real existence. Will you, white
the certain ills you Hy 10 ARE greater than all
the real ones you fly fromy viii you risk Inc
commission oil 50 fearful Il mistake? All pro-
Tess to L= content in the Union if all constitu-
SlpiIdi Euu Jc iilitillullIcu
Is it true, then, that any right plainly writ
ten On the Constitution has been denied!
think not Happily the human mnd is 80
constituted that no party can reach to the au.
dacny Of doing this thing. Think, if you can, of
a single instance in which plainly written pro-
vision If the Constitution has ever been denied
II, b. tie mere force OF numbers, majority
should deprive minority Of any clearly writ
ten Constitutions right, il might, in Il moral
point OF view, justify revolution. Certainly il
would if such right were Il vital one. But
such is not our case. All the vital rights Of
m;norities and Of individuals are so plainly as
sured To them Gy atirluatiUns and negatioIs
guarantees and prohibits in the Constitution,
that controversies never arise concerning them.
But organic law can never be framed with a
provision specifically applicable TO The every
question which may OCCUR in practical admin
i>tration. No frresi ght call anticipate, nor any
documrnto Of reasonable length contain, express
provisions for ull possible questions.
Shall fugitiyrs from labor Lc surrendered br
National Or by State authority! The Consti
tuition does not expressly say May Congress
prohibit slavery in the territories: The Con-
Stitulinn docs not expressly say. Must Con.
Constitution docs not expressly say.
From questions OF this class spring all our
constitutional controversies, and we divide up
on them tomajoritics and minorities. 1.-THE mi
nuritcS will net acquicScc, the Gno)oritics must,
or the Government must cease. There is no
other alternative for continuing the Govern.
ment than scquicsccnce on one side or the other.
II minority in such case vii! scceGe rather
than ucGuesce, they make precedent which,
in turn, will divide md ruin them Ter III.
nority Of their own will seceda irGIn them.
whenever mi ori.y refuses 10 be controlled
by such minority Fer instance, why may
not any portion Of ncw concderacy, yeur
OF two hence, arbitrarily secede again, precise
y as portions Of the present Union now Claim
to sccede from 1t All who cherish dis
union sentiments are noT hcing educated
to the fact and temper of doing this.
Is there such perfect identity Of interests
among the States to compose new Union
as 10 produce harmony only, and prevent re-
newed secession Psinly the central idea OF
secession is the essence Of anarchy MAORI
ty held in restraint by constitutional checks
and limitations and always changing easily
with deliberate changes Of popular opinions and
sentiments, is the only true sovcreisn Of L free
people. Whoever rejects it, does Of necessity fl
to anarchy Or to despo:-m. Cnanni,y is pos
Sibe The rule Of minority rs a permanent
arrangement is wholly inadmissblc; 50 that,
rejecting the majority principle, anarchy or
dcSpoiisn in some form is all that is left.
do not forget the position assumed by some,
that constitutional questions are 10 be decided
by the Supreme Court. nor do deny that such
decisions must he binding in any case upon
the parties 10 a suit rs 10 the Object Of that
suit While they arc also entitled to very high
respect and consideration in all parallel cases
hy all ether departments Of the Government;
and while it is obviously possible that such
decisions may br erroneous in any given case,
still the evil effect following it, being limited TO
that particular case, with the chance that it
NAV be Urcrruled and never become rrccc
dent for other cases, can better be borne than
could the evils Of different practice. At the
same time the candid citizen must confess that,
if the policy OF the Government upon vital
questions affecting the whole people, is to
be rrevocably fixed by decisions ol' The
Supreme Court, the instant they are made, in
ordinary litigation between parties in personal
actions, tho peopl. viii have ceased 10 DC
their own rulers; having. to that extent, prac-
ticaly resigned their government inlo The
hands of that eminent tribunal.
Eor is there in this view any assault upon
the Court or tho Judges-it is duty from
which they may not shrink to decide cases pro.
perry brought before them; and il is 10 fault Of
theirs if olilers seek 10 tern their decisions to
political purposes. One section Of our coun.
try believes slavery is right, and ought to be
4 t,l.f
and ought not to Ge extended. This is the
only substantial dispute
The fugitive slave clause Of the Constitution,
and the law for the suppression Of the foreign
slave trade, IRE each es well enforced rs airy
law can ever be in the community wherc the
moral sense Of The people mper!cct!y supports
the law itself. The great body OF the
people abide by the dry legal otjeciinn
in both cases, and few break over III
each This, think cannot br perfectly
cured, and it would be worse. in both cases,
after the separation oG the sections than before.
The foreign slave trade, now i:nperlecily sup
pressed, would he ultimately revived without
restriction in one section, ~l.efugilive sIaTcs,
nov only partially surrendered, would not be
surrendered at all By the other.
We cannot, physically speaking, separate.
We cannot remove our respective sections
from each other, nor build an impossible
wall between them. 4 husband and wife
may be divorced and 60 ont Of the
ard beyond the reach Of each
other, but the different parts Of our couu-
try cannot do this. 'rhey cannot but remain
face TO face; ard intercourse, either anicable nr
hostile, mus, continue between them. Is 1t
,o.r;I,l In ,i,,.n in mako that intprcoursp more
advanlageously or more satisfactory after aepe.
ration than before? Can aliens make trea.
ties easier than friends can mako laws p
Can treaties he more faithfully enforcd between
alienS than laws can among friends? Suppose
you go to war-you cannot fight always; and
when. after much loss on both sides and no
gain Oh either, you cease f5hting, the identi-
cal questions as. to terms cf intercourse are
again upon you.
This country with lis institutions, belong 10
the people, who inhabit it. Whenever they
shall grow weary Of the existing government
they can exercise their constitutional right Of