Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-01-29
The Nashville Convention.

looming out so uiSuH0uC "S
noscd Southern Convention, 1t IS no
wonder the following article on this topic
nle,ses rs SO well, since its views and
suggestions arc substantially, il not Iden-
ticaIly those we gave expression to last
wcek, Let no reader omit It's thorough
perusal: i,
The excitement at Richmond on the
slavery question is great and growing
The cold-blooded insOlence OF the Vermont
resolutions TO be found in another column
is of itself enough 10 account for IT. These
have been by unanimous vote returned
10 tina, State, with the declaration that
| VIRGINIA knows her constitutional rights
and means to maintain them. This course
is at once dignifed and decided, and is at
| least as moderate as could have been eX-
pected. Every man in the State will sus-
tain it.
Another movement, however, has been
preached, which we think will not be so
universally pronounced judicious. The
special committee on the Wllmot Provlso
have reported resolution appointing four
delegates, on behalf of the Legislature, and
calling for the election of fifteen more, one
from each Congressional district, 10 The
Nashville Convention, 10 be held in June
next. The resolution has not yet been
adopted, and we hope will not be in It's
present form. We do not want 10 see
Southern Convention, except in the last
extremity, and when that comes we want
to see it recognized and declared by the
people in their primary meetings.
As TO the first point, COnyentlon OF
the Southern States will be almost tanta-
mount TO a dissolution of the Union. Ii
would be drawing, by the voice of and UNI
der the sanction of sovereign States, geo.
graphical line between all NOrtherners and
all Southerners, committing every man on
one side to enmity against every man on
the other. John G.. Calhoun has not pre-,
pared us for that yet. We may be stub
born, but we look on ii with little more
complacency than we do on Notification.
When a man has shown himself indublta-
bly, wrong in one thing, we are shy of ac-
cepting his guidance in any thing else.
This measure is originally his suggestion,
and he has long been striving for il. With
what guarantee of moderation and national
feeling would convention meet under
such auspices as his Would it not rep
resent but one idea-the unity, exclusive
ness, and virtual secession, of the South
Would 1t ask for any support from any
part of the North Would il entertain
The possibility of any Northern mans &C
cording his sympathies and support to the
South Would it not have the force Of
its counsels shattered by some such reck-
lessness as that Of the South Carolina
members of the House Of Representatives
the other day, when they deliberately re-
pudiated by their voices and their votes
the whole of the Northern Democracy be-
cause few Of them had refused TO vote
for Southern man rs Clerk, after having
unanimouSl y helped 10 elect Southern
Speaker-the man, too, thus denounced
and rejected, having done more for the
South than the South Carolina delegation
themselves ever did with all their insane
and factious rant! We speak strongly of
this extremely foolish outbreak, because
we feel so. And if this glorious Union,
now replete with such life and energy as
the world has never before seen, must re-
ally be cut into two wrthing, dying, and
mangled fragments, We hope the deed will
be done, at least, by a hand worthy of its
magnitude, and not by these small minded
agilators. When the South does 90 into
Convention, it should be under such cir
cumstances as will gain for that body the
respect Of both sections of the Union. The
Nashville project has just been sprung up
on us. There has scarcely been time for
the whole South TO speak upon it. Part
of the South is not satisfied that il is ne
cessary, and part is not satisfied that il
ever will be.
We think the question Of Convention or
no Convention should be submitted TO the |,
People of Virginia, and further that rhel
Legislature has no right to appoint dele
gates, should the people decide on holding
it. There have been no popular move
ments as yet, nor does the resolution as i, |
now stands contemplate the possibility of
any. The Legislature would not think of
the Constitution without consult /
ing them, and this is question Taught
with far greater results than that. Even
local questions are often submitted 10 them |
Every county, for instance,
was called to vote OH the Free School
system. The obvious course is, TO submit
the question TO the people, to be voted on
within two months. If they decide for
Convention, delegates could be elected
within another month, say at the regular
April elections, six weeks previous to the