Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-21

their c0ntCderatcS, rs 2-ConSiilucut ~
the Union, they have never sought 10 use tne
Government OF the United States to beneht
themselves AZ the expense of other portions u
the Union. No eager pursuit OF gain mas
| blinded their sense Of justice. Their cities,
| which, before the Revolution Of l776, were
advancing rapidly in prosperity, haTo been
paralysed in their growth, and have sSe!led by
their tributary commerce, the great CONNER
| cial emporiulns Of the North. They have not
assailrd the institutions Of the North, although
avrariauism, Fourierism, frec-loveism. Nor
monism, have found there their congenial soil.
For the eighty-four years that We have been
associated With them under one Government,
we have acted on the principle hat the North
ern States, as the Southern States, we're sorc-
reigns, whose internal rcunomy MAS sacred TO
themselves. And, NOS wneI! We leave lai.n.
we take nothing frutn them. We !esse them all
the ends Of free Government cnilnpaired ny us,
81 laid down in the Declaration ct lndepen-
dence, life, liberty and tbs pursuit OF hapP!!-
nes&" We Simply take ourselves from tneir
political association and control. nat ~ thelr
course They otter US virlence ana war.
The power tu coerce O State into onehien"s TO
the Federal authority, was distinctly proPotseai III
the Convention which framed the Constitution
of the United States, to be q part OF The Cen-
s,itution. and il was AS distinctly rejected
Such a power was totally Inconsistent Win the
whole theory Of the Constitution, which vas
that the Constitution WAS a compact between
the States. Give to the ascnt-thc General
Goyernment-thc power Of constituting the
Constitution, and Of enforcing is coast-uo.
tons upon the parties 10 the CONSTITUTIONS!
compact, and the parties to the compact would
1,h. Cr.,,nr. IF fb.. i,rpStltIl-
ton. when they T, j.ctc1 il, euuid not have mis-
understood the purport oi the proposition 70
confer on the General Government the power
to coerce q State. Yet in the clear light OF the
prime pies involved, ard the distinct refusal to
Grant this DOW err, The Government Of the Uni
ted States claims that II exists, and calls Out
troops to enforce it. Ii their blinded avarlce
and lust for power had lett tieIu their usual
discretion, they would have seen The absurdlty
of attempting TO Suhiue the seeding States
tc their authority. They would have hasteacd
to propose terms of friendly accommodation;
and if they had failed TO save q union with w.,
thew would have obtained such arrangements
as might have made the South as valuable 10
them as the United States proved t" be to
Great Britain after their separation. But they
are as reckless @! their own liberties as they
are O: ours; and supper. their Executive
in an uSurpation Of powers, Tor which, IL
the purrr days Of their political existence,
they would have executed him. For
what crime can be create: than that of
unconstitutiona!iy producing war: Instead
OF rebukiug the usurpcr, however, the people
OF the North, Seem 10 recognize in the Presl.
dent Il correct exponent Of themselves. II the
Confederate States ever had any doubt us to
the necessity Of u separation frotn the peopleof
the North, that doubt would be- removed By
the .ecklessness with which they allow their
own liberties to be trampled on. They appear
10 have no idea of free Government. Those
necessary restraints en- po@er-thoso nicely
adjusted balances, By which justice and l!her.
~ are secured in n Tree GovernmrEt-are not
understood
The future historian Of The times in which
we live, may be sstonished at The long for
bcarance and patience Of the people Of the
South, under the c~onticual aggre4>'ons y! the
people Of the North. Looking merely to the
interest OF the people Of the o1ut!i. their sub
mission cannot be accounted for on any prin-
ciple credltablc to their intelligence or patriot. ;
ism. But q people are not sl".ys governed
by motives nf interest. The!. are ira
dictionary opinions and attachments. which
are often stronger il their Influence,
than mere interest. An attachment IN the
Union of the United States, was Il sentiment,
a passion with tho people Of the South, trans
mitted TO them BY their arcrsturS. The great
hero and patriot Of tho Revolution OF IS was
a Southernrr. The Constitution of the United
States vas mainly The work cf Southern states.
men. All the President; ot III" United States,
excepting i've, were S9utherncis. In the cab!.
net ard in the tielh. the Union was the great
theatre on which the genius Of the South for
command WIS displa ycd. II is not surprising,
therefore, that thu peopl. Of the South should
BIZ slow 20 surrender Il Union and goTernmcut
rendered illus,rious by their public men, and
rejecting rs gIo;ies on themselves. They
loved the CnIpa, and could with difficulty
rcsii.o tha, i; hn;nd :hcin To their hltte!est
ENEMIES. Aggre$s;ng on the North in no way ,
asking Only the observance OF the ConstItu'
ton their fathers made With ours-conscious
that the operation Of the government o; the
| United States was TO the advantage Ct the
| North. all the motives which usually ac.Iate !
men would seem 70 render II most reasonable
that the North would cease its ~senseless aggres.
sions. Such was The reasonable hope ald eS.
| p~ccultion Of tbs people of the South, after each
| slc .ssive contest; whilst their lore for the
| Union dictated the sacrifices they made To pre-
serve it But decisions cannot prevail forever
against facts. Slowly but surely the great
fact was developed, that the North designed to
use the Union to overthrow it.eir liberties ard
to make them tributaries. Their generous pa. !
tienc:, their heroic love for the Union, was
construed into fear; and, preSuming Oh their
supposed imbaciiity, it is attempted TO subject
them by tho sword. This attempt at suhjec-
| ton cannot Succeed, and the Cnlon between
the North and the s u.h is foIerer dissolved.
Conscious Of tho ~Justic. of their CAUSE, the
Confederate States can feareSSly face the ar5it
rament of the world. They accept the stern
trial imposed upon them for the preservation
of their liberties and institutions and rely.
ing On Him who alone governs the destinics OF
~nstions, enter upon the h;gh duties their con
d!rinn involves.
The isSl,irc nj letters of marquc and repri.
sal to priratecr:, has been the usual practices
Of all nations at war with cs:il other. An ct.
tort was made q fc~ years >iuce, b. the chief
| European nations, 20 abolish thiI practice, by
the consent Of the civilized nations .; the world.
It was defeated by the Government OF the United
States. They refused to surrender thr RICH.
to employ the militia Of the sea-" IN any future
conflict with other nations. They preserved it
for themselves, and w. presume for the resi-
vi tWe "OFli. lu:S ~ lcHNl CA!ihot O'JeCl u
privateers being employed against them, in any
war IN which they may bc engaged. Oar lac
! associ,teS 10 the government vi the United
States hav.: sr;geG tie whole q the Uri..G
/ States navy, one hull OF whiai. belongs To
rs, and design using It sSaiist u. We nave
but one resource 70 me-: The advantage ;hey
possess b. this unjust s"ixlre. We mast
meet them 90 the high seas by our prIsaieerS.
This is our right, anL II Mi! ,. our ouGy to ex.
erci5e it, so long as they wage war against us. II
they observe Inc usagcs Of civilized warfare,
! the Confederate States will not disregard them.
1t is The interest Of al nations, under the hu-
manc principles Of Christianity, to atnclicratc,
As far rs nossib!e. the inevitanIc crueltina nf