Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-22
The Virginia State Convention,
SIXTH DAY.
TContinueG from FIRST page. J

and right, and juSilce-and we are no longer
alone. Very soon our own children from Flo
rida and Alabama answer back to the maternal
call, and our great sister, Georgia, marshaled
forth her giant offspring; and from the grave
Of the gallant Quitman, on the banks of the
Mississippi, there came forth his weli.known
clarion tones, (applause;) and Louisiana PROVED
her paternity in the appeal OF liberty anu
now young Texas has raised her giant loE'h
and marches to the right Of this maIesIlc CO.
lumn of coniederated suvereisntleS zap
plause.)
All, gentlemen of Virginia, wherever outside
Of Tho i,oraers Of Virginia, the voice Of a son
OF Virginia has spoken in this hshI II 100 mas
been kroxn. because ne spoke IN the ancient
tongue of his mother. (ApplauSe.) |, one OF
the humblcst Of her sons told my countrymcn,
that before the spring grass grows long enough
10 weave ono chaplet Of victory they will hear
the sound as of the tramp Of mighty host Of
r.rn, and they Will see floating before that host
the banner y hose whole history is one blaze
of glory, and not one blot Of shame. (4pr!auSs.)
Ave, they viii hear coming up from tha. host
ono "rce like their own, but it will be the re-
sounding ccho Of that voice which has thun-
deTed into the hearts OF your God-llke slrcs-
give Inc liberty, or give inc death! zap
plausc.) ArG on that bauner will be written
the unsulled name Of Virginia. (ApPiause)
Gentlemen of Virginia, have promised toe
much for our mother: 10 suggest Goaot,
would be more than b!aSpheny l believe she
will come | believe she vii! take her place
which she mas held for one hundred yearS-the
foremost OF al! the world in the ranks Of liberty
and Of justice. (ApplaIse.) The world knows
her history, and knows no history above it in
the niche Of iane-and, knowing that history,
none dare doubt where Virginia will be when
her own offspring, and liberty and justice, call
her to the tsht (Appiause)
Mr. President, lear ,i:at am deiuded b5
the Scene and place 10 so beyond my ntcaton;
but yet, with Your PERMISSION, and taat oi TIE
Convention. shall ask 10 stea! tew more
minutes Of your time nave enGcavored thus
far, although perhaps somewhat e:raticaiiy, 10
couiine myself specifically to the question in
hand OF my own mission. And IN connection
with that, gcnlleucn, L you will permit me,
viii take :. lew moments Of your time, and will
assume your permission, while / endcavor 10
exhibit 10 the Convention some Of the reasons
which the people Of my State deemed as fun
damcntai causes why there Gun never again be
a reconstruction Of the late Federal Union.
The truth seems evident gentlemen, TO every
mind which d,res TO speculate adviSedlv upon
the principles OF this revolution through which
we arc now passing, that these principles DO
Involve irrecoucil.ble differences between the
SvStclus on which slave and nru-sl&reholdlHg
communities may he calculated upon as en-
during.
Now. wc believe that these drersites per-
tain TO every attribute perrading the whole Of
these two systems, and we therefore believe
that this revolution, with this separation with
this disntcsratiOn, is not mere accident;
that it is net the mere casual result Of tenn.
porarY cause that IL is not mere evaneScent
bubble Of popular error or irritation; that it is
not mere dream Of philosophy, and that it is
net The achievement of personal or individual
ambition. We believe, gen;leIueii, that it has
far p:uiounder cause than all this. We be-
licvc that il is not only revolution OF material
necessity, but that it is revolution resulting
from the pro(oundest convictions, ideas. Sentl-
meuts and moral and intellectual necessities Of
earnest and Intelligent men. We believe that
it is not only the never.Gyirg struggle between
The Freedom Of labor and tue despolism o!
power, but ii:;t i. is that still sterner conflict
which shi:cTel Greece, and disintegrated the
huge and solid armies Of Rome; that conflict
WINCH gathers into its contendiug armies not
only all the necessities, but all the customs,
al tic laws. all the intelligence, all the senli.
mcuts, all the passions. which constitute the
civilization OF man. We therefore believe,
that although you may centralize coercing
COVER 4; the city OF Washington, stronger
Than tho Pr:e;orian band when The eagles OF
Rome scared from Lcuconia to the Caucasus,
sou can no more coaieSce the people OF Viz
ginia and the people Of Vermont, the people OF
the ST. Lawrence and the people OF the Gull
o! Mexico, the people Of the RIO Grande AID
the people of the Hudson, than could RotEc
make one Coalition Of the Caul, the Brton and
the Ionian No community Of laws, no co1n-
munity nf language, Of religion, can arralga-
mate. according TO our tailh people whose sever
ancr is proclaimed by lnc most rigid requisi.
tons Of universal necessity. African slavery
cannot cS.st AZ The North. The South cannot
exist Without African slavery. lapplauSc)
None but nj; equal race can labor at the North;
norc but 4 SUBJECT race will labor at the South.
Now for these reasons and fer others, per-
haps, VIE believe that the political sociaiisnis Of
these two systems, OF these two sections, have
assumed shapes so diverse, that their continui.
u O. action Is an absolute impossiblity. On?y
T. cite one or two instances gentlemen, for | !
an only making these suggestions for your con.
sheraton: At the North, IN the free States, the
pure, the simple, the isolated the exclusive, the
absolute principle upon which all political and
social organism. is constructed, is that OF pure
Democracy, saving scarcely reconcilabc modl
Gcatloa ia The shape Of vague and indefinite
system OF representation. There can be no other
principle Introduced into the Northern social
is,ns, save this, in its utmost aud EXTREMIST
intensity. Il Is the vitalizing principle; It is
tn. breath Of llf. to the Northern institution.
The almighty power OF numbers, OF simple
physical nun,oc,s, from one TO countless NH
lions is the sole Gus!s Of political and social !
agreement in the Northern States. Now,
fearful manifestation exists Ut this moment
uerc is the Government OF the United States,
as wc all know. established for the protection
Of all par;i,s equally, and yet, by the accession
Of this number, that Government has limited
section Of the parties Terr:toT,aliy. That
Government has unduly taxed section OF Inc
parties. That Government has Threatened
with imal,ncat peril, if not with 'Estant de-
s,tuciion, PARTS and sections OF the parties 10
il, and tie people and the States North are Z;
this moment consulting together whether, BY
the mere power Of numbers, they shall not
sub;ugate parties TO this Government. Now,
the modification Of this principle at the South !
is 50 essential, that it cannot co-exSt with the
same principle in its unrestricted form rs !
have exhibited at the North. At the South it
is modified, it is controlled, it is made abso.
iStely subject The recognition OF specific
property Is essential to the vitalization of
itac political organism. Now, this indicates that
the instant you engEaft one Of these rules into
the coraiS Of the other section, that instant
the section which you have invaded pershes.
II you institute property a. an element VI
Northern political or Social organism, you |
destroy tle whole system which exists at the
North. If you exclude It from the South, you
subv,r, tho whole system on which the South !
eru civilization exists.
Now, gentlemen, there is another which We
regard a. Of more weight, more potential, by
far, than either territorial or geographical segre.
ga.ion-iia. OF pol;.ca! and social diversity