Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1850-11-12


Republican, gives expression to the following de-
claraIion:
''The Republican must be in error, in saying
that {" large portion Of the people of Virginia
would submit TO the repeal Oflhs fugitive law and
the abolition of slavery in the District with scarce
~ murmnr." We can entertain no such oPin-
ion ofany portion Of the State, and we cannot al
law an expression Of the kind 10 60 abroGd.-
While there Is great diversity of opinion as 10
the true exposition of the fesortions OF Virginia,
all the papers the State sRres that the abolition
of slavery In The District 4wae made one Of the
contingencies for holding nsentIoEs-selt1 t1aite
IN tnef s- ! q 2 OF
slave Law woald lead 10 an ainstant ruPtareot the
Union These are practical questiouss which
come home To the hearts and fresides of the peo.
pla of virginia and when either Of these issues
shall come on We cannot hesitste 10 believe that
but one voice for resistance will be heard from
Virginia. We are justified IN this 6elIei by the
uni;ed expression of all the journals in Virginia
that we have seen. Il is important that the
Northern people should understand this matter
The safety, nay the existence o: the Union, u In
yolved 10. ID future developments"
We unite Ia the conclusion that the repeal OF
the fugitive slave law would lead to an instant
rupture of the Union" saith the Enquirer. No,
avows the Republican. "a large portion OF the
people of Virginia would submit to the repeal Of
The slave law and the abolition OF slavery IN the
District with scarcely muEmur. When doc
tors differ who shall decide Z" The leading Or
gans of Virginia democracy puts toFth e1 catne-
dra one opinion which lesser but more reliable
luuinary rebuts with firm conviction OF its error.
They cannot certainly both be right.
The Republican il right and the Enquirer IS de-
ceived. We believe it, from the fact that what
has happened before, under similar circumstances
will happen again. The same causes will gene
raIly produce the same effects Casting back
upon the past we are satisfied that q large Por-
tion of the people Of Virginia would submit to the
repeal of the fugitive slave law, any other out
rage by the Federal Government rather than rup-
tuTo the bonds Of "a THIS GLORIOUS Union Ke'
vert for a moment TO recent history now fresh In
the memory of all who have taken any interest
in this controversy, Look atihe solemn resolves
of Virginia through her Legislature, and the ac-
ticn OF the Federal Government in controvention
of those resolves, and then answer the question
whether ALL in Virginia would go for ian instant
rupture of the Union" These resolutions declar-
ed principles which were supposed 10 contain at
that time nearly the unanimous sentiment OF the
State Only thirteen members OF the Legis!a-
ture voted against them, one OF whom was The
most popular and talented OF Frglnia's Sons
He las all who voted with him) with one or two
exceptions was rejected by the people at the next
soriag election. Thereby indicating that PoPu-
lar sentiment with unparalleled uGanimity sns-
tanned the Legislature IN their course. 0ut "hai
has the result proYed2 The principles 9foweu
hy the resolution have been hAgFanliy violated
Ell on their violation. We have been excluded
s. .IO isrri,orioE The spirit of tie EN'!iot PEo-
v;so enforced, legislation upon slavery in the Dis
trict euactcd-iadecd, nearly every contingency
named in the resolutions, on which depended the
resistance of the State, stands on the statute
book as the law of the land, and we are looking
upon the ruin with sIOlid indifference.
United, never The people of Virginia will
never be united in rupturing the Union, upon
any measure which las strong tendency to that
har.a hhn 1rNh hoiIp
is better TO liberate every slave, sacrifice every
foot of national territory pay annual tribute OF
millions to northern cupdity and do other de-
grading things which no free people ought 10 en-.
dure rather than break Union, the blessings OF
which they know as little do the subjects Ot
the autocrat of all the Russias.
And why this feeling? Why all this talk Of
principles of which we hear SO much and which
we are ever ready by protestatiOns to defend at
the point of the bayonet, but from which, when
the time comes ior action we hgloTlously retreat.
The Enquirer gives an ink!iHg at the reason IN
auuotatiUn it makes from the Spirit Of Jefferson.
That Journal tells its metropolitan contemporaries
some unpleasant trnths-inferring their effect in
the tortuous writings of the Enquirer. IT says:
"Nearly every prominent man or newspaper
in the South, who ADVOCATE the " Compromise,
as adopted by the last Congress, declare their
READINESS 10 unfurl the flag of " DIsUHloa J"
whenever Congress shall abolish Slavery in the
District Of Columbia, or repeal, revoke, or the
r fha NnF4f aak at defiance they
PtoP'et ta,s,ofo,e =, do-e ter ,bonsand times The
os the Cons,,ntion in regard to Fupi.
.;na SIasas As,oeTsmcle the eRic6mond Wbig.
Times, Republican, and Enquiter, after looking
'n1s Il, a. Ienofh and are now the adyocates OF
Ne q Connromise BiII !" and are no doubt alike
srpbiiions of The deIectabIe oIeasure of
arsr, San,he,n man ss traitor or
Jisnn;o,ist Sbo wil mot bopg in willing eubmis.
uisunlonss, ~ vi ,',h;.L 49,. CIsw sod Foo,e
sIon 70 ae .,oh ~ f,-,;sS IN T5er To scoDrge
Aiuu s,i ,SsIs ,,h ,,rrberless otI,e1s
S1 sr,I,";..;o,;s,s If the SontE
tns tIa;r Sea5;ness for
@ oPeny r !. - ~ $50 ,,.snrrS , efTsc,edn
.Ivvhs,s A srd so ;siiI be effaeted" thew ara
nnon .ns Vss wSa - have as tbey. the man ::who