Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-04-01
THE TIMES, TERMS.

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1t is apparent from the following communca-
ton to one of the delegates in the Convention,
from the Augusta district that the force of the re-
monstrance we quoted some days since from the
Staunton Spectator, against the useless contlnu-
alton of the Basis debate, was keenly felt. can
Augusta Delegate" rather ingenously, assumes
that the only inference deducible from the extract
as we cited it, was that the people of Western Vir
GINA are willing now to accept constitution
with the mixed basis Now we drew no suchln-
ference for ourselves, nor can we perceive that
it was fairly to be drawn by the reader, from our
manner of making the quotation for we express
" set forth, as the Spectators reasons for urging
the curtailment of the debate, its conviction that
further discussion would not produce any change
sin the views of members ofthe Convention"
can Augusta Delegate" complains that we did
not continue the quotation, and give what the Spec
tator said of Western discomfort at the prospect of
having the mixed basis engrafted upon the consti-
tuition. In our turn, we may more pertinenty de-
mur to his emitting the patriotic terms in which
that paper deprecates the suggestion of ga diyi-
sion of the State" If, where our correspondent
interpolates the words The article closes 10Th the
folloacing paragraph, just after the statement
that "the tone fthe (Western) press is violent
even to the open advocacy of division of the
Stae,'' the reader will insert the following glow
ing sentences he will have the Spectators whole
view of the subject :
"We Mould fdin hope h0tcerer that this feeling is
any thing but general. Varmlg as ace favor the a.
doption and deeply as should deplore the defeat
Of this fundamental Republican principle, HEAVEN
FORBID ISSUE SHOULD EVER AFFECT THE UNITY
GLORIOUS OLD DOMINION"
No! neer be it told on the pages of story
That Virginia was doomed by her children to die;
Let us rather aspire to the patriots glory,
And still add new strength to the patriots tie.
Say not that your mountain can ever divide US,
Made one by communion of fortune and fame;
Me thinks the mute mountain would mutter and chide
For severng The ties that have made us the same ,
This extract,.we may say to "An Augusta Del
egate, in his own language, "presents the Spec
tator's article in quite different HgH," from that
in which he would read it, and shows that, how
ever rashly some may proffer the grave issue of
a division of the State, should the East insist up
on what it honestly believes to be the right, the
editor of the most widely circulated and most
Influential paper of the West is utterly opposed
to the wild project. So we do not think can
Augusta Delegate has taken much by His motion;
and, at any rate, the Spectators appeal to the Con-
venton to put all end to its already proracted and
certainly fruitless debate, stands with unimpared
force. That is the only issue we were dealing
with; as to the more important one, whether the
East must surrender for fear that the West will
divide the State, it presents question from the
discussion oil which we shall not shrink, but which
ought to be decided by the people, not the Con-
vention.
For THE TIMES.
Mr. EDITOR In the daily Times of Saturday NOR
ming last, find the following article, which in my
opinion does much injustice doubles unnentional)
to the article of the Spectator from which you have
copied as the undoubted public sentiment OF all the
Valley, and Trans. Allegheny portions OF Virginia:
"The Siaunton Spectator frankly acknowledges. that
it has no hope of the basis discussions producing any
change in the views of members OF the Convention and
therefore urges the cura lment OF the debate We do
hope that such appeals as the following from IVES
fern paper will nave some effect upon the body:
"1he East has clear majority OF nine in the. Con-
yention, all OF whom steeled against conviction,
and SO securely bound by solemn pledges to their cons
uency, that conviction even can never be followed
by practical conversion That the White Basis is DOOM
ed 10 defeat there is opinion, not the shadow OF
a doubt Why then this war OF words-this worse
than useless expenditure OF time and money! 1t Is not
for dictate the which should be pursued by
members of that body, but il does strike rather
questionable reform. to crowd the columns of the Sup
plement' week after week with substantially the same
matter at an immense cost 10 the Stae-not one line
of which have the slightest bearing upon the decis
ion OF the question at issue.
The only inference, legitimatey deducble from the
extract presented in your article, 49, that the people
OF Western Virginia have abandoned all hope OF the
OF the suffrage basis and are willing now TO ac-
cept Constitution in c the mixed basis is reeog
nized when fairly presented The article in the Specta
tor warrants no such concnsion, and from what
know OF the Editors OF that paper, can safely say that
they never imagined that such inference would be
drawn by any one. They are decided suffrage basis
men.
Permit mo to call the attention of your readers to the
two following extracts quoted rom the article to
which you have referred and from which your
was taken. The editor follows up the quotation made
by you with the following significant remarks:
"What is to be the result OF defeat OF the White
Basis upon the future destnies OF The State time only
"can reveal In the West the muerings ofdiscontent
sat the prospects ahead. onnous Of fearful Storm
in their demands unheeded The tone OF the
"Press is polent-eren 10 the open Advocacy Of d.
"pision Of the State"
The article closes with the following paragraph:
at is erident hoIoeuer that the adoption OF the Re-
"port before the Convention is to bring about cr
isis in the history OF Virginia, fearful 10 contemplate
q" neither the appeals Of reason the demands of
Justice, shake the determination OF the Eastern
mslorty lei them not be insensibte to the dangers
"threatenng the integrity Of our noble old Common
sce1lth-the common mother OF US ALL"
The preceding extracts present the spectators arti-
Gle IN quite different light and show very clearly
what the East may expect, il the majority in this Con-
venIion shall undertake 10 force upon the West the Ba
Fs now under consideration. We in minority in
that body, without the numerical resist
eeisfuIy the will al those who, defiance oil the
des principles OF Repubiieanism have, by the most
just means towards the Vest secured the power they
WELD. The East, however, must understand
distinctly, that the majority mot "a governmental
5orify representing minority Of HE psope intend TO
exercise the power in this State Whether the right OF
that majority 10 be acknowledged 10 this Convention