Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-02-05
COMMU NICATIONS.
For THE VrNDIcATog.

OR THE INDICATOR.
No L.
Messrs. Edors-The decided stand which
you take in your last paper as indicators of
Southern rights, and repudiators of the votes of
our Delegates and Senator cast in opposition to
the Anti Wilnot Proviso Resolutions, which were
adopted by 50 overwhelming majority by our
Legislature few days ago, calls forth my hearty
congratulations. 1t is no less a source of rratjG
cation to me, to observe that you place the cues
ton involved in those resolutions on its true ground
when you speak Of it as ''rising higher and supe-
rior to every consideration of party" 1t is indeed
a question with which party politics has no con
Germ. The agitation Of the Winot Proviso in the
halls Of our national legislature. should forthwith
exercise the spirit Of party, and unite Wings and
Democrats firmly together 10 do battle against
the ends at which the opponents of slave
Try aim. Instead of giving ''ad and comfort' to
1.-THE enemies OF our peculiar institution by present
ing 10 them the deplnrabe spectacle of "a house
divided against its.f," we should adopt the man
Fly purpose of c'ngng to each other closer than
brothers, and Of presenting an unbroken and IN
waverng front in q cause in which Cur interests
are Identical !; our union would give moral in
fuence te our resolves, the weightoi which would
doubtless be felt by the mad fanatics who are hast
Iening to pull down the pillars of the Constitution
Ignorant regardless Of the fact that they, alike
with us, must perish in lis rufus. trust then.
that the people Of Augusta will forget for awhile,
their party strife, and unite together to demand
from their representatives strict account of their
stewardship.
That the course of our present Delegates may
be fully understood aud duly appreciated, ii will
be necessary to reeur to former action on the part
Iot our Legislature upon the subject Of the Wilnot
Proviso. In the spring Of l8A7, shortly after the
passage Of the Nilno Proviso BY the House of
n IL.
Fginia deemed it necessary and expedicnt to ex-
press the sense Of the State, upon a question to
which moHentous interest had been given, by its
passage through one branch of Congress; they &c
cordngy adopted, UNANIMOUSLY resolutions iden
tlcally the same with those which have Just been
passed by the legislature, excepting the resolution
touch ing slavery in the District Of Columbia. and
that Which requests the Governor in the event Of
the passage by Congress of the Wnot Proviso,
or any Jaw abelishing slavery the slave trade
in the District of Columbia, TO convene The Legs-
lature of the State to consider Of the mode and
measure of redress.'' Whore. | ask, We're the
Delegates and Senator from Augusta, in ~ when
these resolutions Were passed Why did not
the gentleman from this county, who was then, as
now, 4 member of the legislature, mar the auspi-
cons mnaa'nltfy which then prevailed, by de-
nonncIng tie resolutions IS unnecessary and mex
pedient. and shine as lone STAR in his OPPOSE
Itlon Was he slumbering at his pest, OF was
his post deserted Was there any greater pro-
prety in the passage Of the resolutions al thai tine
IMAM at the pfesent2 Was the necessity half so
great lien as noao 2 However these questions
may be answered. enc thing is certain, to the
honor Of the State, repeat it, u,laniinty prevailed
upon their passage Cur Delegates a. the close
of the session, turned to their Gpnstitueney-no
one whispered dsapproval Of the resolutions, no
entertained HieapDro,nr tI1uoI,t oi'
the gentlemen was returned TO the legislature,
where he row Is; the other was also returned to
the succeeding legislature, but was ruled Of, by a
convention last spring, not however, because il
was thought he had not faithfully discharged his
duty. And who Will now say, that if our present
Delegates had voted for these resolutions a few
days ago, they would not have been supported by
the people Of Augusta " no is willing TO insult
the men Of Augusta hy saying, thai they would
have made such vote ground of objecttony Is
It not rather dne to them to assert that they would
have regarded it as recommendation?
But In acting as they have done, were our Del
egaes expressing their oaon sentiments merely, or
were they uttering the voice Of majority Of their
constituents II they contend thai their course
was In conformity with the opinions Of their con
stiuency, would inquire by what means did they
arrive al the knowledge Of those opinions ? Was
it derived from the tacit a}p,uual which the reso-
lutons Of ~ met with, or by the course taken by
both parties in the late Presidential canvass, when
it was deemed all important, by the speakers on
both sides, to convince the people Of Augusta that
their respective candidates were sound on the
question Of slavery trow not-such indicia as
these OF the popular feeling are most as
surcdly against these gentemen. arrive then,
al tie conclusion, that hay acted On their own un
instructed responsibility, and in the belief that
COnfidlnG constituency would ouietlv arnuesce in
any thing and every thing which they, in their
wisdom, might see fit to do. The event can only
show whether they fairly estimated the character
Of those with whom they have to DEAL and wAelh
er delegates from this county, whatever may bel
their private worth, will be permitted to SOW dis
cord in counsels where unanniy should prevail,
and thus afford our wachful adversares an occa
SIGN to triumph over cur rTesolution, and to laugh
US to scorn. EiRGlNIUS.