Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-08


cisn O! tue North, would be the height of
folly: at II future day it may be otherwise.
The most friendly portion Of the Northern
people look OH slavery as an unmitlgated evil,
and would reject any defence Of it rs an Us.
sault upon religion and morality. They are vii.
ling to tolerate it il kept ont Of sight They
will not seek it; but liberation OF what they
consider nuisance, is all we can expect from
them. There are no signs Of permanent re.ac-
ton at the North-we must not take every
rgfuent wave Gor change in the direction Of
the current. In The language Of the Tribune,
il is rather ''the crouch before the spring
.Abo;itionism has been sown On most fertile
soil. The North and the South were originally
different and have diverged from each other
farther still. When these States we're settled
the mother country was rent with political,
religious and TO some extent, social strife
Royalist struggled with Republican, Episco-
pallan with Puritan, Town with Country, the
military spirit of the middle ages with the
| newlv-born spirit of commerce. The Puritan
migrated 10 Massachusetts and tho Cavalier to
| Virginia, and having boundless cont ent tu
expand in, they developed their difference
without restraint One became Commercial,
the other Agricultural, one held slaves the
other comparatively none; their climates
differed, their pursuits differed and they them
selves became unlike in eyery thing except
| their common tongue.
| speak not Of these differences as matters of
reproach but simply as historical facts. In
better man than the Cavalier. lie that as it
| may he differed from him i'll sentiments, man.
ncrs, and pursuits.
| T,yart,, baiorn R.valnfinn I}T
Franklin pronounced it impossible to unite the
| Colonies. Common danger forced them to-
gother, and common weakness for time made
the Union practicable But that period passed
away, the necessity for union. growing vut Of
the exigences OF the times, has ceased. Abo
li;ion came and widened the differences until
the Common Government has become 8 mere
anarchy, nuisance, reproach to civilized
man. The Congress Of 1850 and 1850 saw its
members more than once mraycd against each
r,il,l for personal conflict
This state Of things is produced by the vain
eff,.rt t. bird Two nations together who struggle
and chaGe against their bonds They are as
lfIeren. lis F.cnchmen from Englshmen; their
social life is different; nothing could bs more
unlike the home Of 8 Southern Planter, the
manners, sentiments and habits Of thought OF
his family, than those Of his scc:al peer at the
| North
The Union has answered its purpose 1t pro-
tected us when weak. Now, that we need Its
protection no longer, and that our differences
have rendered us unfit companions, il is forcing
nature longer to retain it.
| LIE: us ~, hut to no Border State Confedcra-
CIV. That is commercial ahsurClity; and po.
| iil;cglIy obiec!:onsbic TIE border S ave States
| have tHc same products, are competitors, pre-
| sent 70 market for each others productions
| and would have Cd Interstate trade, no union
except political one 4 minority CT those
States have small aud decreasing interest
! in the institution Of Glnvery, and are hot such
protectors as we should select for that irstitu
| tor, in preference TO other States having q
greater stake in il.
Let us 20 TO the Southern Confcderacy-
with tho border States, il they will; if not,
without them. If we encounter the evils oil
dislnion let us reap its advantages. We are
| told thu. North Carolina will intervene and cut
Us off, i! she be lion in cur path, what are
we in hers! If we cannot get SOUTH neither
can she &c; North, and our powers OF cndu
rance are us great as hers But she will CO.
The same causes impclhng US operate US strong.
lv upon her. II re 60 first, our example will
influence her; if she 80 6rst, her example will
Internationally Influence US. We shall soon
COME together, if We rnomentariiy separate,
md tiai ourselves in Union where We may
rest FROM the disrord SO destructive Of our
peace ard prosperity in the existing Confede.
| racy.
We are told that il wil! bring war. On the
contrary, il will tend TO avert war. Virginia
united with tue Southern Confederacy, will
present snail inducemcnt for war npun tba,
Cousederacy. If We stay where We are, and
war ensues, we must either fight our friends or
light our own Government. Neutrality is i'm.
possible and would be dishonorablc
View Inc qaestinnS before Us as you will,
and Withdrawal from the present Union seems
to be the safest and best course for us to pur-
sue lie. III not hesitate to luke II and to sub
nit our action to the peopie for their approoa-
ton.
thank the Convention for the patient at.
tcntiun with which they hive done me the
homer 10 listen to my remarks, and only regret
that they are nc: better rewarded for Their
| uouhie.
i Table sAoejng Mat the home mor&st FIR
Wheat Is in the .S1u'h.
Whes: crop Of 1850 100, 4s5 Oh bushels.
! Seed 10,04S594
s0,437,S $50
Exported .............. lS,sls,4Hs