Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-07-25

WHICH IL Treats. We nave given most res
pcctful consideration, and now lar before.yori
our response. We regret that want Of time
has not permitted us TO make il more per
feet.
We haze not nccn -ant,ng. Mr.. President,
in respect to you, and in devotion to the con-
stitution and the Union. We have not been
indifferent TO the great difficulties surrounding
you, compared with which all rnlernational
troubles have been hut as the summer cloud;
and W have freely given you orr sympathy
and support.
RrpudEtlng the dangerous hrrpsiea 81 the
secrsSIoiilsts, we believe, with yUi, that the
war on their part Is aggressive aIrl wicked,
and the objects for which it was 10 ke PROSE
cuted on ours, defined by your mes-a;.c It the
opening oil the present Congress, to be such
ms all good men should approve, we have not
hcstated to vote ell supplies ncccssarr.to car
ry 1t on vigorously. Me ha"" -oted sii tie
men and money you hare asked for, ar,i e"cS.
more; re have imposed enormous 1a,;s$, on IT
people, and thcy arc paying then. --::s;r cheer
fulncss and alacritT ha have cncouraifs;:a oa-
listments and sent IL the field IaaIiT1 7i cir
best lnen; and 7"Hir IL Gur Ru1lbac Ea-c ri,
fer2,l their persons 70 the enemy ad TleiTes II
.theireance44ty e4- ,s,lIs Arkansas, asE.isz7
We have done all thus nler ffil: nr-
aging circumstances and in the lace q! mea
sureS most distuStefll to lls and Injurious tG
the interests We represent, and in the hearing
OF doctrines a7owed by those wI1o-caim L.
he your friends most abhorrcnt 10 a. anl'our
constituents. Etlt. for Ill this, We have never
ialterrtl, nor shall we as long as We have a
constitution 10 defend and It government
which protects us; And We are ready for re-
rwrl Efforts, and even greater sacrifices, Yea,
any sacrifice, when We are satisfied it is re-
qnired To preserve oilr admirable form III
government and The priceless blessings GGcnn-
stitulional liberty.
\ few oI our number voted for the rezGl,i-
ton recommended By rcur message Of the
9TH of March last, the greater portion Of us
did not, and VIC will briefly state the prom-
Ifcnt reasons which influenced our action.
In the first place, it proposed radical
change of our social system, and was hurried
through both Houses with undue haste, with
ont reasonable time for consideration and
debate, and with no time ut all for consul
iatlun with our constituents, whose inter-
est il deeply involved. IL seemed like an
interference by this government with Gilcs-
ton which peculiarly and exclusively be-
longed 10 our respective STATES, on which they
had not sought advice or solicited ail. Many
of Us doubted the constitutional power OF
this government to make appropriations oi'
money for the object designated, and all Of
US thought our finances were in no condition
To bear the immense outlay which IL aGlnr-
ton and faithful execution would nnposr nron
the national treasury.
IL We psnss hnt moment Ia think III lh.
debt its acceptance would have rntallrd we
are appalled, by itS magnitude The PROPOSE
tion was addressed Ia all the State, and! cln-
braccd the whole number If slaves. Accord
ing to the censI, o. lSG0th were then very
nearly tivc rii o'ls Of slaves in the country !.
from natural increase they exceed that mum
bcr now. AT even the low acreage of three
hundred dollars, the price fixed b. the enan-
cipaton act ior the slaves oi this District.
and greatly below their Taai worth, their
value runs MP To the enorma'is sim ottwslrl
hundred millions ni dollar, and ii to that
br added the cost OF deportation and colo
nizaton at Il hundred dollars per head. which
is but fraction more than is actually paid b.
the Maryland Colonization SoCmty, :?r have
xii not
willing to impose tax an orr people Suiii-
cient TO pay the interest on that SUN, in nd
dition to the vast and daIl!: increasing debt
already fixed upon them bv the c5iscncics OF
the var ard, if We had been .rilHng. the
country ccuid not bear it Stated in this
inr'n the proposition is nothing less than the
det"Iistivni.om lEa country of s..":taan hun
irel r.ilion dollars worth OF producing
labor and the substitution in its place ct an
mterest-bcariHg debt oI the same amount
But If VT are told that il was expected that
only the Stalcs we represent wonld accept
the proposition, we respectfully submit lila'
even then it involves a sum too great iGr the
financial ability oi this Government at tis
time. According TO the csnsls Of l>C4-
kcntuckT h:d .22j,4 40 Sia"cS.