Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-07

SN00'AS Att9SiSaiPPl Out VI Tue Union. I1QI
the people put their foot on that effort, as
the popular majority put lis foot on ,he
eler1 winch was recently nla,le 10 drag her ou.
OF the Union. wish to read resolution
passed by the Convention in Mississippi u, that
time, called in pursuance oil an act Of the Legis.
lsture, to take into consideration the propric.
ty of seeding from the Union Here, sir, is the
| resolution:
"Resolved, further That in the opinion OF
this Convention, the asserted right of secession
| from the Union on the part of State Is utter.
ty nnsanctioned BY the Federal Consultation,
whIch was framed to establish, and not to
destroy, the Union Of the States, and that no
secession can in fact take place without sub
version OF the Union established, and which
Will not virtually amount in its effects and con.
! sequences to civil revolution"
| That was the deliberate expression Of the
popular voice Of the people in Mississippi in
Convention assembled. about the year 1851;
and like sentiment prevailed Ut that very
time IN Georgia; but 1t Was pnt down by the
| able efforts and able arguments Of Mr.. Cobb,
Secretary Of the Treasury, He went home
| from Congress, and was candidate for Coy
! ernor, anu the issue in that State turued, as
understand it, upon the right of State to Sc
cede. lie took ground against that right,
and that may not bs PLACED in An attitude
| perhaps of asserting what cannot maintain,
| beg leave TO read few short extracts from
his argument; one IF the abest arguments |
ever read against the constitutional right Of 4
State to Secede from the Union lie snid on
that occasion:
''lf it had been recognized undouheed prin.
clple that eac! State was bound 10 remain in
the Union only so long AZ it suited it's own
convenience, nu one can doubt that these States,
instead of withholding their assent lo The Con.
sLitutlon, after it had heen adopted by the re.
quiSite humber, would have come 4: once into
Tho Union, with the intention Of immediately
Withdrawing from it upon the refusal OF The
other States tu adupt such amendments sS they
desired; but, regarding the effect IF their rail
dcation Of the Constitution ia um entirely dir:
Jerent tight r0Ra tte Secss,ion ISIS tf the present
tag, they adapted quite different policy
So tar US %e can gaLher light and information
from the opinions and actions of the pleE who
framed aud adopted the Constitution. it all
goes to strengthen aod confirm the conviction
| have already expressed a2uinst tie eristesce
n any such riyht.'
vii. not detain the Convention ky the te.
dious procrsS vi. reading farther extracts from
that very valuable argulucn;. | pave been be-
trayed, contrary to my expectations, lar from the
line OF remark INTENDED to make, and far from
the notes ,hut had made to guide me in my
remarks, when rose u address yo::. | COME,
then, 10 notice IN curSory and brief manner
the objcctioas that hsrs 20 the remedy pro.
posed ior the evils that nuw iupend over US
that is, the secession Of Virginia from TIE
| Onion. | have made memoranda uf those
evils as announced hy the gentleman from
Orange, and by other gentlemen upGa this
toor, and propose now hastily-and nm
afraid ii will be unsatisfactory give brief,
running and cu,Sory commentary Oh the yio%s
advanced by those gentlemen.
The first argument III favor OF secession al
legged, believe by the gentleman from Orange,
Mr.. NogroS, was the bitterness and acrimony
with which Southern institutions are constant
ly asSailcd by the Northern press, Northern
scholars and by the Northern pulpit. | would
inquire OF tue gentleman from Orange and OF
this Convention, hos do they expect that the
mere act Of secession will silence the Northern
press school.house and pulpit? wan. to
know how the mere act Of seccssion-when we
have drawn Oh all allegiance 10 the common
Government when we have left our brethren,
Il 1t may DC proper 10 call them so, with BIT
ter hatred wrungng III the bosum tv be still
| more Intensified by direct autaS aSoniSm Them
wr have thrown of all ths obligations Of L
common Government, common courtesy and a
co:nlnJn nationallty-Hill advance u one inch
towards the silence Of the Northern press, pull
pit OF school.house! 1t Will ouiy ag9rarate
tae evil il viii only add poison 10 the yiru.
lenc0 and acriuUuy Of which they now c0;a.
plain, ard wil! give tone ard effect 70 tie very
obectloiIs which these gentlemen are urging
~ u cause Tor Eirg giniu seeding from the
onion.
Again-auother argument in iav-r Of secrs-
sion, urged b. THESE gentlemen, was to be found
IN III. Efforts made by the Northern Aboll.
iionists to induce our slaves to absconl, III the
!. operations OF the Underground Railroad, in
Tue Personal Liberty Bills and lhc nethclency
Of the Fugitive Slave Law ior the recovery OF
fugitves. Now, sir, secession is proposed us u
remedy 70 cure these evils How will 1t &c.
!. compsh this objcclI As told you, am no,
going into legal argument here. From the
TACT tnat an recognized as a kind OF outside
barbarian, and as living away up in Northti .
Virginia, amongst the Abolitonsts there, OF
course, YOU cannot expect nle to be very acute
IT. logic; Come here as plain man from the
{ mountains, looking to common sense as my
guide AS said, secession, for the evils oi
which We cotS plain, is proposed rs The remedy.
How will il work, tur Instance, IN rerreace |"
, the recovery OF Oh: slaves: Let Us look at
this matter. You dissolve the Union What
then: The cuInmon national obligation Ii dc.
stroyed. Will not the negro find It out! The
motives to flee across the line would be in
creased, because the negro would know that
whenever he crosses that line, he will he free
There will b. TO fugitive slave law for his re
coYery aud he will know il. There will Inc no
,,oSse oomitatus to aid in the delivery OF The
slave to his master; there will be 10 federal
arm 10 enforce the recovery OF Anthony Burns
at the point OF the Northern bayonrt There
will be mono OF the power OF the law, The
power of the Constitution and the power OF Il
common nationality 10 DO this. How, then,
! will secession remedy the evils Of which gen.
tlc,nen complain: As | have shown ycI' II
/ will only increase and assravate them.
But then again, these gentlemen say .here
are the Personal Liberty Bills of the North
IN the first place would Ask, why Shoula We
condemn the General Government on TINS ac
count? Why should we dissolve the Union
because some Of tho States members cl thiS
Confederacr, have seen proper 10 40 wrong !!
we dcnounce those Bills and consider them as
not only an insult to Virginia, the whole ooulh'
bu. also to the people who ortairea them.
They are an insult TO common ssESe. tat what
has been their operation? They have never
been enforced but have remained BLANK up
On RI. statute book Northern courts have
uniformly declared them to be uncohsi'tn'Ioia! o!
and to be nul ard void and however "trh-
| siye in character or spirit they may oe, Inc
,rnrh is tla. they have nescr intrrposed one
J ;ot or tt;le of hin,rance in the way of the re-
coyery of single fugitive slave
Rnt pass TO a third argulaen. which gentle.
man have urged in favor Of secession. and
| ,h,, "a that the Republican party threaten TO
ayciuds the South from the common territory
ND to destroy the equality Of the States. for
'n. w;,i n.yer submit to such law, and want
! .o,r M fnr Virginia an equal right in