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

laws it may be proper TO say that OH th"t
iect Virginia was not only triumphant, outH
was a triumph of which her statesmen noasteu
more than OF any other OF the many t'ulhP's
that they achieved. .
Mr. MoSrAGuE-l was about to come 10 that;
I am very glad that the gentleman Interrupts 90
INC. | wrote down his words ut the time VI
course he has the right to explain anu cor'eGi
his remarks. If he does, his argument VIII
not have tho injurious effect in the COUNT
which ! know it is having and has had. Inc
ren,lemar distinctly said ''on cvery question
a. well as the slavery question" wrote ~
down nj the time. Whether or not nc ineaht .
saw 50. he certainly said it. But no" ne ul1'
| claims il. and it is not necessary Tor me 10 io''
Low that branch Of the subject, to sho" tuat
yirripia had never ratified and SANCTIONED Ill
Faderal acts. could show that Virginia new
rr sanctioned or ratified the high protective
tariff policy Of The geacral government. anu
that she never sanctioned Ut ratified lis inter'
nal i,nuroyemen. policy. But the gentleman
sars his remark had reference only to the slave
rv question. Let US see how that qnestioh
stands. ~
intend to show, Tomorrow, that this war
on the institution OF slavery did moi, Us seems
10 be the cummou opinion here and elsewhere,
bcain in 1885. will show, to-Inorr"w, from
,h, records of thc country, that 1t begun III
tho first Congress We ever had, and that 1t has
ragged with gradually increasing force tr"li
Lhat time To the present. If you will take up
the proceedings Of Congress, you VIII sec that
in 100 p]ctiti0ns were presented in favor nt
the abolition OF slavery, and have Deem ever
since. and ask the gentleman Il Virginia Or
her politicians ever ratified ur sanctioned mat
motley on the part nf the Federal agents i'll
Washington?
MY friend is n lawyer, anl, | have TO doubt,
an&Sol. unpi and his experience a. tic Oar
should have taught hin. better. When he ex-
alnincS 4 witness or rofcr- to u matter IN co"'tr
he ought to tell Mi about It, Or his adversary
will tnrn it against him. II: refers to Virginia
sanctionins and ratiiyins the Missouri ON
promise line in 1920; but there IS another lact
connected with that which my friend omitted,
and which is pregnant evidence to sho" that
Virginia did not sanction and ratIty Il. iiia|
fact Is, that in 1854, the first Time .lrgii'ia 5o'
an opportunity 10 make Il lick atIt, hoth "l hcf
Senators, and all but one Of her represent
t~ntires, voted to repeal it, and did Trprai IT..
Was that sanclioEing or ratlfying IL: lnere
it was on the record, (and voted against wheh
passed by Is Cu. OF the 81 members ol The
| House Representatives, from Virginia. drawing
u line Of dcuarcatiJu between the North anu
| South. The South had been cumPia;nil% oi II
for thirty years, as IN e:icronrHilcit Oh 'N'
Constitutional rights, and the i!!St time F"t
cot Il favorable opportunity N'rgiilla went Io''
ward and assisted in blott!nH II irHIn ti'e sta'-
ute books.
Well, sir, | have shown yoa tina; Virginia
never sanctioned this war T.! pettioAS against
slavery carried on through Congress. II sac
has, | call upon the gentleman to show how,
when and where, specifying II rs he would ID
an indictment.
But, SAYS the gentleman, she sanctioned the
compromise Of 1850, that compromise, winch,
in nv humble opinion, has done much 10 bring
about the present condition OF the country; by
the unconstitutional, unjust and Ubiquitous nd
mission Of California, We wire deprived Of al'r
equality in the United States Senate. The
argument which The gentleman made 10 prove
his assertion WAS m ud csptaadum one which
did not expect 10 heaT from him, AL! Will
meet il in the same style. He says that in 1852
hotf, Of ;ir great political parties Of Virginia
me; in convention and declared their s~atlS!ac-
ton with it. | think. if my friend will lock
back to the record Of that period, So lar as
these parties were concerned, he will see that
they did not express satisfaction but simply
acguiescencc. There is n great difference be.
tween acQuicscing in q thing which one cannot
help, and expressing IN honest iona tide sat
| ~lSfactiDn with il.
The aA captanGum fact which | bring up as
an Offset To the AL caprand1m argument OF my
friend. is this: In 1856, the distinguished gen
tleman from Princess Ante canvasScd this
whole State, for Governor. He Was heard
from the .i!l1n.ic's roar To tie placid waters
IF the Ohio. On ino,:n:"ir tops N" IN valley.
! know tEa' N cEriy p@ecii ms tiii'ir. IL de-
nOuuCcd ~ uHu," ;urru '.i;n'. i.''.''!i2iUtLlS
Of $50. "sT~cr.,;y IT,. .a!rai--:'.i 4 ;;tI,i"rnlH,
the Observation-Disclosures; u !'%i-, ".h ~ abolition
Of the >l.y. TIA H. i'll e." h"-'ri", o! in;!t'riIla.
Ahd ":it, l:S iut. '>r'v"iv.'~> goa ''..-, -"~--
his o~pii;i"as, Ne prr:'!s elected tin ~ ten
thousand laul.:lif. Was t!!2t y ratification Of
the Compromise Uf 1850:
Another point which my friend made, struck
me, coming from one who had just expressed
his appreciation of tie whole system OF govern.
mental policy, az the most remarkable that |
ever heard fall from the iiEs Of a Virginia states.
man. He declared that III his uHimatum
which was to settle this question, and IN give
peace, and quiet, and tranquility 10 the coun.
try for ever. he wculI H"t sanction, by way oi
amendments 20 the Constitution, what was
called guarantees ui rnrcr, because that you'd
adm; the right of the minority, and not Of The
majority. to control the government, and that
this was i government Of rnajorities.
Mr. BALuwIN--My statement on that sub.
jcri, vas, that ulr government has its I0undn.
ton in the virtue ard intelligence q! the l"o-
pie; that the administrative force Of the CAV.
crnrncnt must be ludycd necessarily in the
hauls of a majority that | could not see the
proprirty of undertaking 10 place the admins
traton Of the government Ill any oil:cr hanGs
than those OF Il majority 81 Tie people; and
that any attempt 10 bTItd toe administration
Of The Government on any narrower ioullstntlun
| han the virtue, and intelligence, ana power 81
a majority ur The people would lead to lis over
throw.
Mr.. MoxrAsrG-ExuclIy. did not misun.
dcrstand my friend. lie says that this is n
government, the whole administrative authnri-
ty Of which is in the hands Of Il majority Of
the people. The administyattrs J0ree. What
is Lincoln bu: IN administrative officer?
But. sir, | utterly deny the proposition. !;
is entirely ut war with the theory and practice
of the government. Why, sir, what did the
gentleman FROM plttSylvania, Or. TKEDwAY,J
Al others, declare Is a rcason why We ought
to be satisfied with a9d not resist the present
administration Of the Federal Government
Why, that although Mr.. Lincoln was ~electeri,
n IN majority OF Il rniJ!ion Of the vnscs Of the pen.
pie were cast against him. How could tIe
gentleman say that this was the government
Of a majority, with that fact starring him in
tho face. Tine very aim, and end, and object
of 4 government, is 10 protcc. the minority
against the majority. 4 majority can always
protect itself. If you glre 10 the minority no
guarantee Ut power To protect itself, against
the agsrgSSjnris If :h. minority. thea your
goveiEn'n' is hut \ 'icsr"tisfn nI n]iir,h":s, the
wur>; III al ,ir: ~,nils:r* IL government Of
strcn;;i. and i"t 4 @~ns.'rrncpi Of right. II
my ir;r'.d vii tG!:. l., IN. i'rmsi'.i.!:n!, he
will III: d that Il minority o. tie people can
break up the cn'C1HHurI; wnrvrer they
please. 1t is It :i;i kRuNa 70 every intelligent
man, tina; q m%ajvriiy OF the Srratc OF lie Uni