Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-05-20

there are many persons among our SouIhcr brethren
probably great majoriiy-who regard the per
pctual assaults made upon their right to their slaves
ms menacing dnngen to their property, liberty
| lives, and social comforts, not less fragrant than
those which united them with us in a common
cause.
After all, the blindness of those who deny that the
south Gun be forced To secession from the Union is
less astonishing aud dangerous Than the infatuop OF
others, who console themselves with calculations that
the loss would not be scnslby felt by the of the
| Confederacy. There would, say thcy remain c.
n"ugh OF population and material, for all tho objects
of grand, prosperous and owrrfn nation. and suf
heient 10 check, and II necessary give law 10
boring States. The East aud West and of coprsc,
would become, ipso facto, new aud homog ncous
confederacy, without the trouble Of new arrange.
ment among themselves; cluster plutked from so
eNuherant vine may easily be spared and Tho
cops ddfHee would he more eliciom without wing
composed OF IioopsNh are always disposed To dis
eon'ent aud maliny, and cmbrass the operations Of
every campaign.
Whoever. III reply 10 these reckless enthusiasts
should assume the duty OF showing The consequence
mat would be found In await the disruption Of the
Union, would fluid himself not engaged inn school
boy sealculaon, to be made IN day with slate and
pencil, n Columbia cocge, III South CAROLINA but
IN compiling volume of no small size. referring To
the posture OF The county prlor 10 the Constitutions
aud anal, Hiug the wonderful changes winch have
occurred with time IN its commercial agricultural
political aud geographical relations. The results
OF such al Investigation would, feat prove less ai-
te'ug to the capahilIy Of tho non -slavoholdng
States, tand especially ol New Engand,) erected into
arral government, OF perseyerlng IN the rapid all
vance 10 prosperity hitherto experienced than so,ue
oil us iondy imagine admitting, even, that the
scene OF separation would be confined aci,
aud that the rest OF tho States would continue To
slng together" Bat how eau any. with the exam
ple and not the fear. OF the fate OF the tepubics
the Southern continent OF this new world before
thcr eyes, 'ndnlgo IN the dream that We should di-
sldo only into Two eonlcdelaeies Looking upon
the map OF the American continent, we perceive the
gaiden ol the world, extending from Mexico and
Cape Hon, converted into a bear garden. hide
pendent States spinging up one day like mush
rooms, aud whitening tho ne%;-yet living long
Rough tGniltct some new calamity on thetr people
COMMIT sumo new farase. Id some rev disap-
noumenl 10 the friends Of hbcIN ono day tcdrial
aud the next day ami federal changing governments
boundaries aud names, thatuolmns Is cohttaut hul
Tie slmt Ui revolution aud the co.tse If agitation
which, with different phases but always enchanl-
my intensity, ht"ods over contiguous. jealous, aud
tyal demnc MISUNDERSTANDING then leuds. aud ami
lnI'ttng then prosperity. With this prospect IN
lulI view, with The news al contests, dlssenspes,
earuage aud dcsolatinn, mud ot perpetual civil wsr
made the order of tho day, IN those new fang
We, an enlightened ehosrn people, are beyond the
reach OF such ralamlies. There Is. think,
some charm III our character that will prove, in all
events, an antiJotc 10 tho contagon of bad p,inc.
PIES, aud the dangers OF anarchy. Tint people
form variety IN the great family oil the human spe-
olcs, aud have a natural aptitude iot making consul.
tutIous and federal compacts. Bnl the only claim
al our people 10 good sense pfc-cmnenl over that OF
Other nations must be found. # NJ all their hay
my framed, and Tor 50 long tIme administered. n
govern mont sufficient iur all the objects ot general
liberty aud security, under which are advancing
10 the highest summit OF national prosperity. Bul
the good sense which, having acquired these adyan
tagcs, is not able to retain them and suffers the
golden ftuit 10 become apple of dscord and fall
tom her hands must cease TO be subject OF boast
or reliance.
The first measure, under tho most favorable as
poet Of separation thai must be inevitable. would be
convention of the People OF The free States TO re-
model the Constitution and ad ust II 10 tle
der OF things. partition ucaty of some sort Tor |
the aPportonmcni OF the domain, and the disposal
OF its property remaining in the South. aud for
regulating commerce, would be indispensable, and
no power can be founded IN the Constitution author
wing any treaty or contract founded on the coniiu-
gency oil a division Of The Union. Besides, the dis
turbancc OF the balance Of power among the States,
The loo alton Of The Seat Of Government, and innu-
merabe causes springIng from tho prodiglous al
that has occurred and is in progress in the
OF the various parts of the Union 10 cnch
other, would probably occasion convention 10 be
demanded with reclamation. Surprising this 10 /
take place, are we OF Rhode lslsrd and Massachu |
sets quite that he first subjects Of discus
SION wond not be proposal Tor basis Of State
re pre- entaon in the Senate! Tins it Is notorious
the great stumbling block to the trainers Of the
Federal CONSTITUTIONS which, for long time, ,hrea-
tened to be Insurmounable. And now that I" En-
pre- States have grown up within and beyond the
old limits, would they be likely aequiescs in our
aijqpot part OF political power IN one branch OF the
legislature II not, should We be ready to resign
II And II not again, do we not here discover the
germe of an out break which would prove the be-
yininr of the end 7" Again. without attempting to !
rnunerate what man can number, are we oi New
ENGLAND satisfied that the alternative Of uning and
forming new confederacy with all The other States
would be lett nj our option May not the myriads
Of the great valley" imagine, perhaps nnly, that
their interests will be more closely affiliated with
Southern han with Northern coofederacy, and
that free access 10 the ocean by their rlvers aud
free trade with Southern ports will outweigh all o.
Iher considerations In winch case they will set Ms
m ITO live ia Snopr." Furthermore, rs our pros
pccl OF dwelling together in unity, even in New
gland, of harr onlzlng IN our views OF pubic
measures and policy, altogether cheering! Andare
our resources so prodigious that VIC are ready and
willing 10 60 alone
La aword, it's manifest that a new convention
would be a very different assembly from that Of It's
PREDECESSORS No parallel can be formed between the
circumstances of the country which generated the
constitutional assembly" aud Itsp present condition.
The popular sentiment every where was fixed and
uuiled IN one convction-thc necessity OF federal
Government adapted To all the STATES. Hence sym
patty IN the great community resulting rom ehpe-
reuce of common sulIerngs, and good humor, from
the consciousness Of honesty and sincerity in then
aim al a common obect. Grave and weighiy differ
enccs of opinion undoubtedly existed, aud were
broup hl INTO that convention and debated with ''hears
Of controyersy;" but they were hc hearts OF great