Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-12

o'N"ihe VI ttat doCtrlho England will seize
on the Island OF Cuba, the grcat gate to the
uuit and the mouth Of the Mississippi, and it
VIII not be long before we find her setting up
claims Tor debt against Mexico, and making
that Claim preteNt IL descend upon Mexican
territory and hold it as an indemnity. She
will do with her as she has done every where
else that all opportunity or pretext has been
afforded her. She will take advantage
OF our division and weakness, to extend
her power on this continent, and We cannot
resist. How will the South resist those en-.
croaehmcntS She has no navy, and no army,
and if we reflect upon the proverbial greed for
power and territorial extension, that has al
ways characterized England, sc behold dangers,
which might we'll admonsh the South against a
resort TO any policy that involves division and
weakness
With such nations aud such influences all
around the Southern States-he,umed in by
| such auVersaTIes without The power of cxpatl.
sion- how long can a Southern Cunfcderacv
endure! How long can slavery exist? And
put 1t to gentlemen to say whether these sng
Sestlons are not more than fancy:
Then, SIT, there is another thing We must
| LOOK TO- 1t is very easy matter TO pull down
4 house, but difficult matter to build it up.
|; Is easy perhaps 10 break down this Govern
ment; but, Sir, when we break it down it will
not be SO eaSy matter to build it up
| Again, gentlemen ask Us, will we Join the
| North or will we join the South. say neither
one nor the other. We will stand upon the
| old Constitution. Let our dcstines he place.!
upon that; and not upon some miserable basis,
which is liable to be changed 10 accommodate
every fancied necessity. But, sir, there are
other perils to which this new Government
would be exposed, and would haze gentle.
men reflect upon that.
What sort of Government will we get?-
Look ut what they are doing i'll Montgomery.
| Whit have they done! had supposed sir,
that standing in the midst Of Convention
like this, J would recognize the great princi-
| pie that all power WAS derived from the people.
! had supposed, sir, that was in the luidSt oi
Convention the expression of the Ia:
election, requiring us to seud back to ttisn Tor
arbitration or rejection. whatever acilrn wc
take hcre--that recognizes the fact that oar
people We're determined not 10 submit to ANY
decision which SHOULD not have tl.e!r fill and
unduubted sanction How does the matter
stand in the secrdcl States: Alabama went
out Of the Union wish Il popular majnrity
against her action. The saulr may be S;na Of
MISSISSIPPI, II HSCcI l!]stI
Louisiana dld The same thing.
1t seems 20 Inc that this Southern Conicde-
racy is disposed to repudiate the principle that
the political power resides in the people. Will
Virginia agree to that, What had the people
to do with the choice Of the Congress at Mont
gomery? Nothing. II is kind Of scli.con
Stituted body 1t was not chosen by the peo-
pie ltwaS catled without; the: sanction or :u
thcrity. And yet it has ordained govern
nent, and Imposed il on the people without
their sanction OF authority 1t has appointed
President and Vice President without any
popular election Or ratification. :! totally rev
government, is formed, without the popular
sanction, which is imposing lakes, raising ar.
mics, and levyEg war, all, withou, any direct
authority OF election Of thr people e. utc ID.
Solute ,iesp"tistn do n,rrt An,i Yet j. IS 10
such Il government as hi: that gentlemen wish
TO attach us. Gentlemen cry out against the
tyranny of their own government, ui:d YET de-
| nOuncc us because We hesitate to allow our.
selves to be thrust into the embraces Of such Il
military despotism. Whittier are we tending ::
What may We expect, sir. in Government
that acts in this manner: What may We cH.
pcct, sir, but = stroug military gnve0ncnt,
very nearly approaching Il military deSpotism.
| refer to these things merely to Suggest The
idea Of the system OF Government which the
policy Of these States lOreSEaaaws. And these
cotton States, thus premonishing US OF future
| oiSarchy, or constitutional monarchy, "r nall
tary drSpotisln, must always have the balance
of power in any Confrderacy We shall toriG
| with them
! would ask the Convention 10 bear with u:c
little willie longer. ! regret that feel my
sell unable to repay the cnlriesy which is
manifested to ue.
say, sir that secession necessarily implies
the placing Of this State upon 4 proper war
footing. Sooner Ut later war is inevitable. If
we enter into negotiations wilh the Federal
Government, and separate reaceably, war may
be avoided for time. but we shall ultimately
become engaged in war. Secession. therefore,
implies necessity Of putting this State upon
war footing.
Now, gentlemen, are acquainted with the
can we'll appreciate the difficulty Of deiendn:
our long sea border. But what l wi>h mrre
particularly to direct attention TO is .his: Lcok
at our Western border; 70 down to ;.:c Zen
] tucky lire-to the lower end "t Wayne county,
and follow OFT border from Wayne, BY Cabcll,
by Mason bv Jackson, W Wood, by Peasants,
BY Tyler, by Marshall. by Ohio By Brooke,
br Hancock nearly to Pittsburg-Lwo hundred
and fitv or perhaps three hundred miles 81
hostile border, upon which lies o;i- Of tie rsi
noweriul States Of the Cnion-tjhin. Ard
| Then VIC 90 back by Hancock, Brooke, G!ii",
! Marshall, Wetzel, Monouga(ia and Preston,
which exhibit one hundred and fifty or Two
hundred miles more Of hostile borficr, upon
which lies the most powerful State i'll thc
| Cnion-the great State OF Pennsylvania. Look
how we are thus fxed-stucl in Ike wedge
between the enemy ard the Red ses-45Q miles
of hostile borders surrounding w.. liable 10 Re
swept from border to border, by the raEge 81
an ARMSTRONG gun, for ouc hundred miles q: our
! territory.
| Now. sir, louk at our position. Between rs
! and you there is the almost impossible barrier
Of tic Allegheny mountains; and you, gentle
men of Eastern Virginia have no; scen pro-
per 10 give US enough legislative aid n iran;'
| pierce these mountains that We yilt have al.
| rect communication with you. We are cut oil
| f,o,n the Eastern section of the State How
| would We stand in Southern CuniyGeracy =
| Why. sir. we would he swept by the enemy
from the face Of the earth before the news OF
an attack could reach our Eastern friends viii
| ron leave us in that condition? VIII yon
drive us out of the State md leave us At the
mercy Of our eeern'ss:
viii you plare us in this extremity VIII
YOU bring this ;icsuaion upon Us? VIII 70"
expose orr wives ard children % the sword:-
to the raSages If civil war:-io the perpetual
scourge of tie Understandable raids which will
! inevitably fellow upon q dissolution Of the
Union? You sec that we shall BIZ the weakest
point of Southern Cpufedcracy, and, there
fore, the point nf attack. VIII yon make
North. Westerf Iireir;a the Flanders OF AnicrI-
| ca aud convert uur sn'ilrg valleys into !i'r
slaughter pens Of ms brave aid Loyal il pe"I'i''
ss dwell in the Odd pomini'II" ''opr not
think there exists sufficient Fidelity TO US I"
Justify me in saying, nor you yer Will; ha''
Itnr 1nIlst vnii d..-ShG;;ld Y&l take me utter