Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-03-24
THE V1RGINIAN.
A. w. c. TERRY. EDITOR.


This aphorlsm Is abundantly proved by
the recent strange and unnatural coalitions
ofthe odds and ends of political parties
In the North, there are organized factions
opposed to the Fugitive Slave-Law,which
are moving heaven and earth to effect Its
repeal, even though the accomplishment OF
their object be attended with the destruc-
Of the Union itself; whilst at the South,
there are other factions equally opposed to
other provisions of the recent measures Of
adjustment, and who are alike fixed in their
logged hostility, and alike candid in the
declaration of their Interior purposes
But we have among US still another faction,
more to be dreaded than the avowed dis
unionists themselves, because under its
pharisaical protestations of attachment to
the Union, it can more easily divert public
attention from the calamity that must lc-
Ultimately result from the successful pros
ecu,ion ofits designs. Under the specious
garb of friendship and an outward respect
for the ritual, it hopes to smother the enmi-
ty that turks beneath them, and thus to
gain admission into the sanctuary and
overturnthe affairs dedicated to the worship.
An open avowal of this purpose, would
Of course destroy the chances Of success +;
and hence these factionists, whilst they have
too much cunning not to conceal the ends
aimed at, are doing more to bring about
the awful consequences of ruptured
brotherhood, than the South Carolina dis
unionists themselves. 1t becomes the par
amount duty Of the patriot then, to expose,
whilst exposure may be serviceable, the
tendency of course fraught with such i'm
mense dangers to the country. The germ
Of anti-unionism must be nipped in the
bud ere the poison ofthe ripened fruit shall
be infused into the veins of the body polite
All these extremes have met; and though
operating upon different platforms, they
are all fastening to the same goal. Mad
H's' iuiCo uic Houl anu, ii ticlc ID Iol
enough Of patriotism and wisdom left to
rule this madness of fanaticism, then indeed
is the country in most lamentable condi-
ton. We have not overcounted the dam
gers that really threaten us. Have we not
seen during the last Congress, the most
strange and unnatural combinations to de-
feat the adjustment measures Have we
not seen i'll these combinations spirit of
recklessness and disloyalty to use no harsh
er terms, that ought to be at least sufficient,
to awaken the slumbering energies of all
true lovers of the Union After the pass
age of the Compromise measures, which
were designed and regarded by the pa
triotic men who aided in securing their "a
doption, as final settlement of this vexed
question, it was to be hoped that even those
who had opposed them, would yield their
opposition and, for the peace of the coun-
try, quietly acquiesce in what necessity
could not obviate. These measures, lat least,
deserve fair trial but instead of that we
see Mr.. Mason proclaiming in the Senate
that he had no confidence in the efficiency
ofthe Fugitive Slave Law, his own bant-
ling and we find Mr.. Chase of Ohio,
from the opposite extreme of the factions,
echoing Mr.. Mason's sentiments, and CHM
ing in with his belief. Messrs. Powell,
Bocock, the Lynchburg Republican,, ct id
onane gen~s,declare that they have no conf
denceinthe efficiency of this law,which they
regard as dead letter and so say the
disunionists of South Carolina and the ia
natics of Massachusetts,. If the extremes
differ on all other questions, they are, at
least, most tremendously united in their
opposition to the Compromise, to secure
the repeal of which they would even haz-
ard the perpetuity ofths Union-that very
Union whose existence the agitators here
abouts tell us, depends on the faithful exc
cution of the Fugitive Slave Law which in
the same breath they declare to be dead let
ter Now,whatis the difference between the
Lynchburg Republican, Messrs. Powell,
Bocock, Averett &c, on the one hand land
the Charleston Mercury, and other disun-
lonists of South Carolina, on the other -
Our neighbour believes the fugitive slave
law cannot be executed, that it is dead
letter." and yet the Union depends upon
the faithful execution of what he assures
us is a dead letter. it follows, therefore,
that the Union is already practically dis
solved, and so the acknowledged disunion-
lists say. Gen. Cass said "Ae ,cish ,cas ia
tier to tie Monght," and he at least is good
authority with the Republican, though we
see DIR. Averett has repudiated him.
In connexion with this subject we beg
leave to call attention to the suboined ex-
tract from the National Era, the abolition
organ at Washington City, which it will
be seen is equally as much opposed to the
Compromise as our neighbour ofthe Re-
publican, and which proposes to make that
opposition available, by usingit as the ba-
sis of organization for the new Democrat
&c Party it is striving to form. 1t appears
that whilst the Republican is fighting a
gainst the Compromise in the South, the
National Era is doing the same thing in
the North, but whether the combined hos
tility ofthese extremes will be sufficient to
break up the Union, remains to be seen.
We hope not, we think not; though DR.
Averett says the fugitive slave law will be
repealed, which they say. is tantamount to
dissolution Here is the outline of the Ma