Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-08
RoLLEsToS, NEAR NORFOLK, Va,


Gentlemen The continuous illness OF my
self and family, since the receipt OF yours OF
the S,h inst, must excuse the delay OF my
acknowledgement. And rs you request me 10
reply hv publication in Il leading paper in the
State, and as many others have called ior tae
expression of my views upon the present crtI-
cal condition of the country ! now address
myself through the columns OF the enquirer,
to- all the friends Of the South, and especially
70 all who are Jealous Of the honor OF Virginia,
in this hour OF trial to tine courage and the
fidelity Of her sons.
We are under the test ui 4 terrible trial
not 50 much the peril OF agsreSsion-not so
mich the horrors of war-not so much the
sacrifices of wealth and peace-not 50 much
m, dissolution OF our g,orious nationality,
9Th ,he destruction Of all its past, all its
nowcr, all is pro.n!se-but greater peril
s,ill-thc peril cf not bsiHg .ronnd true to oar.
,.lres. That is the most trying test now Of all.
The other dangers may not be avoided, but
ri!s-of not doing our duty to ourselves, our
country and our poSteritv-dependS upon our
selves, aud Inav, whatever else befalls us, he
Shunncd br wisdom and courage We may be
shattered TO pieccs-we may be torn and rent
asunder--wc may be conquered-wc may die,
because il may not bc in our power 10 avert
these caiamtieS or to defend ourselves against
them; but il is in oEr poesr 10 arert the
.rorxt calamity Of al rhich can 6eraU any
peopie-shGms and diShoaor.
We are put in this peril Of dishonor by the
aggrcSSionS and wrongs which we suffer-
These have resisted and resented in every
form in my power for twenty-five Years OF my
public life. In Congress, from 1888 TO lS44,
when ior eleven years | warned my conslltu.
cnts without ceaSing, Of the disastrous consc-
Guences Of compromises, concessions or acqul-
csccncc even on the questions Of slavery, asl-
ta;ed bv Adams Sladc and Giddings. On the
admission Of Texas, when fanaticism renewed
the Missouri restriction. On the admission Of
California, when the EXTREMIST violations OF
the Constitution of the United States were per-
pc;ra,ed BY military usurpation in dcrogatlon
Of our rights and seltrespcct. In 1850, when,
by compromise, fanaticiSm was allowed, Tor the
first time. to cross the line OF 81 deg. 30 mill,
and actually uSurp part Of the territory OF a
slave State. In 1856, when we were threaten.
cd with the election Of L Black Rcpuhhcan
President. In 1859, when Virginia soil was ac-
tually invaded hy arms, and no,o, when patience
and forbearance TO outrage and insult cease u
he 4 virtue at the moment when the Black
no,ycr is about To he installed into the chei
uapistracv Of the United States with all tho
means of destruction TO us, organized IN con-
s,ita;ional forms. -NoT, say, stand where
have always stood. rcsentng and resisting
our wrongs -relterating every word and act o.
the past, and especially what uttered IN w,
rin,hjan Hall in Richmond, Sept 1855, and
what | said in Norfolk in September last, anc
still urging tho action which inaugurated IN
Princess Anne few weeks ago
have seen the new propositions which
you say hare since emanated from dis
tnrnished sources" and | have seen no.
thing to cause me to change my views OF
action. am more than ever confirmed IN
urging upon you the most determined ac
ZION. the more because have seen in some
n hesitation and halting rs to their course, In
others, slavish spirit Of submission, and from
none any definite course Of efficient and manly
resistance.
shall not stop here to enumeratc these
wrongs, to which VIC are expected to submit.
They are long series, aggravated, inVeterate,
vital. They aSsail our property, our peace, our
social safety, our selfgovernment, our lives
and our honor. They openly violate all law;
they demolish the dignity OF the white man BY
attempting to set up negro as his equal; they
act upon the motto "that white men cannot be
free where negroes are slaves" and, therefore,
seek to free the negroes every where ana un'
der that pretext, take the Liberties OF ~hite
men every where under their care and )urscic'
ton: they resort to every means anu every
influence without scruple to accomplish
their ends; they denounce the covenant o,
the Constitution as one with deatn anu
hell: they nullify the laws and II,
spite of Federal Constitution and federal
statutes State Constitution and State statutes,
haye as ctfectually abolished Sldrery IN many
counties of Virginia herself and other d0rde'
States as ID has been abolished in Pennsytra
nin. Ohio Indiana, Illinois. Wisconsin, 0'
Lg,ca. They have nearly aboitionized Mary
lard aud Missouri, and free soil has eaten like
a cancer into tine vitals Of Virginia and hentuc,
XIV until many Of their people are inec'eo
with the mania of the Blacklist Republican,
ism in our midst. They have attacked our
State sovereignty and equality. They have
brought upon us the raid Of llarpcrs Ferry
And, above all, they have made an entire sec
tional majority Of people to nate U.s. anu ma,
lion our character, and 50 to contemn Us us " "
nlnck the very beard Of our manhood ana Scit'
respect In a word, these asgress'ons are la
brvond any grievances Of which the Colonies
co.,nlaued against Great Britain. II our
G,,hrrs took up arms to defend Massachusetts
ior throwing the tea overheard into bos'o''
h,rhor surely VIC are called on to resist agsfeS'
riors far trausccnding stamp tax or 'oi'
mace duty-and we are bound by every COM
non ,;c "a buckle on our armor 10 defend Souu'
Carolina. ,lo
Not only our Northern friends, SUCH as lhe
Hon, Caleb Gushing, Chas. 0'Conor, Esq,
and others, admit our wrongs IN the'r 'u''
event and cry shame upon our Northern en-
cmies. but our Northern enemies themselves
admir- th.. fact and plead justification OF their
pcrpe.ra.;on and glory in the daring TO Pt,pH:.
tratc thclu We arc not only injured oy tnen
outrayvs, but insulted by the boast That tncs
snail bc fepeateJ-that the agitation, so m.lu
rious to our peace and prosperity, Shai, " ue
without ccasinS and that the conflict s,'aii W
irrepressible." The aggressions have thus la'
heen so monstrous and so succesSius-so ui'
met and with such perfect lmpunlty, thaI oui
enemies canuot be made to believe we Will ie
s;.t or resent. until zee take up arms ana re
,o,.t IN rsroiution. Nothing less now VII!
vince them, for they .con,enn both our WI,
md orr will to maintain our rlghis a"u su'''
our honor.
This being our cause and condition ol co CON- .,
r,,;nt we are still in confusion asking "na
we shall do Wills, States are rushing into re, re-
ynj,,,;on sll around US! South Carolina III;
taken her departure from the confederacy. :, :.
approve her act. Though secession, pE.lia!
is not the remedy would commend to Virgins m
xet there was no other course for~South Caro-
lima. She has made herself the van State =, o
on- defence. If there was no other reason 1o'