The southern press., 1851-04-02
The Virginia Resolutions and the Aboli-
ttOn1stA.

that the Legislature of Virginia had passed reso-
lutions which called forth Communications from
the National Iateliigencer on the one hand and
the New York Erening Post on the other.
The notice Of the former conveysits satisiac-
ton by what the lawyers term " inuendo'--its
editorials being feasts of scraps" always, OF
Iaie. We, therefore, spare our readers from that
infection.
| But the Erening Post more loudly trumpets
its satisfaction ut the answer Of Virginia to
South Carolina"--and at the same time displays
the feeling excited among the Free-soers by
her desertion of her bolder sister.
When it is remembered that the Posi- is one
of the leading organs of john VAN BURES, the
acquiescents" in Virginia wrfee most keenly
the pain which they have infi ted on their
friends, the fendish joy which they have ex-
cited in the bosoms Of their foes.
The ANSWER OF VIRGINIA TO South CARO-
LlNA.-The proposition of South Carolina TO
Virginia, that she should join in sending dele
gates TO n Southern Congress, which is to act
as special deliberative body for the slave States,
Of the Virginia Legislature. A select committee
Of the House of Delegates reported, on Monday
last, series of resolutions expressing the sense
OF the members, and these, on Wednesday, were
adopted by an almost unanimous vote. They
authorize, beyond dispute, an important infer
ence, namely, that the people Of Virginia under
stand very well that ii is no,c, as il dlloays has
been, for their interest 10 remain tn the Union
and that this view Of the matter is so universal
in the State, that scarce an individual can be
found bold enough to call it in question. The
dream cfa Sputhern corfederacy is regarded as an
idle caimera, and however willing certain of the
Virginia politicians might have been to encour-
age it while it was likely to serve the design OF
e.torting concessions from the North, yet, rs
soon as it has answered this purpose, and no.
thing more is to be expected of it as an engine
of persuasion, it is sent, by the general vote, to
the garret-the common repository of furniture
out of use I'LL ii shall again be panted.
Nothing is wanting to enable US to make a
handsome retreat from this project of secession.
Virginia cannot any longer countenance it, mas
much as she has gained by the threat of separa-
tion, as is admitted in thcse resolutions, every
thing that she could have reasonably expected.
South Carolina, which was more extravagant
in her demands than Virginia, will not think
of going ont of the Union unaccompanied by
her powerful colleague and accomplice, and,
after sufficient delay to answer the demands
of dignity, will quietly take herself out of the
scrape.
The first of the Virginia resolutions is some
what remarkable in its exprg sons, which are so
chosen, that they would ans,oer as aceN at he
North as at the South "1'he wisdom, justice
and constitutionaliiy of the Lite measures Of
Congress" are doubted by many in this and
other Northern States, as well as in Virginia; but
those who thus doubt, generally agree with Vir-
ginia that this will not excuse any attempt
against the integrity of the Union. This resolu
ton was adopted with but single dissenting
voie-lhat Of Mr. Harrison. He desired to
make, as was very natural, an explanation Of his
solitary vote against so reasonable proposition
as that contained in the resolution, but was not
allowed to do 80.
The resolutions are to be sent to the govern
m ents Of all the States, except Vermont To
South Carolina, which talks of treason, Virginia
is !very civil; to Vermont, which insists that
none of her citizens shall be carried out of the
State as slaves, without inquiry by jury, she is
| very sullen.
We give below the resolutions, with the vote
bv wliith each ofthem was passed in the House
OF de,egaie-:
Here follow the resolutions az passed.
This language, and the inferences to be drawn
from it, are too obvious to require comment
ing sneer at the vague generalities in which a
shelter is sought from the shame of unqualified
submission, is too significant to pass unobserved
Well may the Abolition leaders beckon their
hounds to the chase Of what they begin to deem
a helpless prey--well may they exult that Vir
gina, the mighty mother of State rights, the
buwark hitherto Of The South, acquesces in
Northern spoliation, and turns away from her
sister, who only asks her cooperation in de-
tending her own solemn pledges and decara-
tons In this recc, ton of her overtures for
peace, "at all hazards and TO tie last extremity"
can she not see that her foes, and those of the
South, will allow her only the privilege of
choosing the mode of destruction by violence !;
or, by what the modern philanthropists term
"painless extinctionw
If the warnings and the Indignation of the
friends she has deserted cannot awaken the Old
Dominion to sense of her dangers and her
duties, surely she must heed the exultation of
her foes, which even policy cannot suppress.
We have given one striking manifestation of
this already, in the article from the Post; we
suboin another equally ominous from the Ma
tional Era, the central Abolition organ, which
thus halls wih delight the action of the Demo-
cratic party of Virginia, in the passage of those
resolutions which presagcd the final and most
fatal ones When the National Era joins the
Union and the Inieuigencer in calling for "THREE
CHEERS FOR OLD VIRGINIA." have we not fallen
on strange times indeed l-and Virginia also
BASIS OF DEMOCRATIC HARMONY AND ACTION
We hail with delight the spread Of True Demo
cracy in the South When the Democratic par
ty of Virginia speaks in favor of human liberty
who can doubt its final and universal triumph
The Washington Union calls attention to the
resolutions lately adopted at Richmond, Va, by
the Democratic members Of the constitutional
convention, and the Legislature now assembled
in caucus They form the basis, it says, on