Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-04
Admission or-Horthern2 Srates into the
southern Confederacy.

Admission OF Northern States into the
Southern Confederacy.
tsrSn the Charleston Mercury, March Isl
As the new Constitution has been framed,
there is nothing to prevent the admission OF
Northern States into the new Confederation.
\ vote OF two thirds is all that is requisite;
and after the accession Of Virginia, Maryland,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky Missouri
Rni Arkansas, there is likely to be no great
d ii:ulty IA obtaining this vote. In thus con-
st,uctiny The fundamental law, OF course
struggle has occurred in the secret sessions Oh
the Mon'g ,lnery Congress, in which those re-
fu>ing to close the door against tue reception
OF aa,i slavery States have achieved victory.
Thus The policy Of ultimately admitting the
antislave Stats Of the Northwest hrst, ana
afterwards Pennsylvania, New York etc, ID
obviously the programme or preTaiilng idea OF
the Montgomery Congress. Ihe Un'oa IS not
70 be reconstructed on terms OF the Ola Con-
sti,utioD It is to be re organized on the new
basis. ard We are in danger, if the views Of
the Constitution makers are carried into pTac.
,,ce, If being dragged back eventually into
,,litc A afii,iation with the States and peoples
from " HON We have just cut loose.
Now, sume may think us hypercritcal and
capious in seeing anything diss greeable or in
0tO;i1L lsull IL dit, Nlltu uAttSao appear w
progressing satisfactorily. But reference to
the future must govern us in The present, IT We
would control events. II is shortsighted and
pI>illanimous to cover up and conceal FROM
view stubborn facts which, however unplra-
SAINT to know, our future peace aud prosperity
urge us not to overlook, out to strive and
remedy. II has been found that, in the con-
s,ruc,ivn ut 1 great ship, the unwise insertion
g St,ct IF an timber has jnyul pQ
her fate, with The loss af hundreds of lives and
millions OF property. So defect OF grave
chara cter ike this Of The new Constitution,
may entail upon the people Of the Southern
States the difficulties aud dangers Of again
going through the sarue struggle from which
We are emerging, and perhaps may ultimately
xrcck the hopes Of republican liberty through.
OUT the world. Ii is 100 late, and South Caro-,
Ina is no, the State to resist the embodiment
Of this impsudent provision in the OonStitu.
ton.
And it is almost hopeless to expect that, af:
ter the accession Of the Border States, the fun
d,rr.ntai law can. without undue commolion,
be so amended as 10 establish the policy Of
strictly proslarery Confederacy. The plank
is in our ship, and we have but to make the
best Of it I'VE can only endeavor, by the ap-
plicltion Of the preservatory preparations Of
corrective know ledge and the instllment Of
sound wholesome, and purifying views Of
craftsmanship, 10 ward Of The peril, and es
cape the evil. that may result from what has
been done aad cannot new be avoided.
Ii is, therefor, not to oppose the adoptiou of
the Constitution hy South Carolina that We
breach the subject, but simply, and at once, to
oppose the idea and policy Of this new kind
OF reconstruction or reorganization, and to
build up and fogtify public opinion through.
on; ,He South, as lar As We can, against using
the discretion that will be given our Congress
under the proriSo of a tHo-thirds vote. For,
it sufficient time be allowed the people of the
Southern States to realize, under their own
q yvrrnncnr, the amount OF security, pros
perty, and power attainable without -connec.
ton with the North, except By treaty, we have
great hopes that they will outgrow presen.
p7o..ivilirs, which We are iaiu to consider
weak and unwiSe, and will firmly refuse ad.
ris>ion u all N,rthern States, whose people
d fer from US radically and in snch hostile de.
gree in regard to our domestic institutions,
aud nose Panic faith must render all paper
Constitutions and parchment obligations utter
ly nusa,ory and worthless for ali The purposes
Tor which laws are useful
The position attributed By the "Mercury'
to majority OF the Montgomery Congress,
has been openly assumed by some distin.
gu;shed members OF the Virginia State Con-
vention The proposition lately submitted BY
Mr.. Gogsin, if we understand it Alright, con.
templates the ultimate admission of non slave
holding States 10 the Southern Confederacy,
in such manner as to restore the old Union
under constitution formed in tho FIRST in
stance BY the South. 1t is plan for total re.
construction on Southern basis of const!tu.
t:onal amendment and the amendment offered
by Mr. Hall, Of Wetzel, consemplates similar
adjustment.
Tue Mercury" has justly pointed out an
obstacle which presents itself, at the outset to
such pan of reconstruction, riz:--that the
constitution Of the Confederate States framed
solely for slaveholdrg States, will hardly be
found TO ernbody sufficient guarantees for the
protection Of slavery, when majority Of non
slrv. holding States shall be admitted to the
Cnn:eierlcy.
Thus, tie plan OF reconstruction, as we'll as
others, has its NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. difficulties
requiring the most skilful adjustment
We are told that one, at least of the distin-
guShed leaders in the Convention has deter
mined to brace his lons to the task Of securing
the annexation o: al the Northern States to
the Southern Confederacy. on such terms us
will protect Southern Rights from all possible
invasion BY the new corners. This gentleman
,ba rf AieY in lpa16r. |
ship, and, we are told. does not hesitate TO re-
pudiate all schemes which have been offered
hitherto, as altogether crude and inadequate ;
and to pledge his own powers for the perfec-
ton Of plan to supply all requirements and
Deficiencies. We have only received partial
intimations as to the details Of this expected
plan Of adjustment. We hear that it proposes
no. only to take the most ultra Southern
grounds hitherto assumed by any political par.
ty, but also to diminish The quota of repre-
sentation in the Senate, TOW awarded to the
SMALLER States Of the North, and to give to
slaves full Gnstead Of three. 6flhs0 represen.
ta,o1 in the lower house Of Congress.
Whether such radical proposition is really
inteul,d 10 secure the annexation Of Northern
Safes on safe terms, or, altogether, to prevent
such annexation, may admit Of reasonable
doubt.
We furnish to the public this foreshsdoWing
Of co,nng proposition, in the same form in
which II hiss reached US. We apprehend that
tire lap, OF 4 very few days, will furnish both
the naue OF the mover aad the full aevelope-
nent Of the movement
AIsMpEgs or CoSoREss TO De ELEcTED-Io
complete The next Congress there remain to be
elected no less than eighty one members
OF these eight are to be chosen by free States,