Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-05-01
THE VIRGINIAN.
-~s~~~~~~.~~~~
A. w. c. TERRY, EDITOR.
LYNCIIBURG, MAY 4, 1851.
The Convention.

LYNCHBURG. MAY 4, 1881.
The Convention.
Our last notice ofthc Convention left
Mr.. Wise speaking, with some reasonable
prospect of his concluding by Saturday
night. But the end Of Saturday night has
come and gone, but not the end of Mr..
Wise's speech. He took Sunday to rest
and read over what he had slready said. if
perchancc he had the temcrity to submit
his health to SO dangerous an experiment.
and was preparing to "crack his whip"
again Monday morning. 1t is to be hoped
that his supply ofgaswill all have escaped
with the montho fApril. Henceforth "Ben-
ton on Kearney" and "Wise on Nothing"
will be used as the mathematical definition
of the continuation Of point-a Longitude
nal extension, having neither width, depth
nor solidity; or they may be pointed to
by philologists, as remarkable illustrations
of that species Of oratory which may be
characterized as the "gabblc prolix rersus
the argument sententious." One thing is
certain, Mr.. Wise's speech will need no an
swcr, for nobody viii read it. Its "vast
prolixity" is its own refutation.
Wehavc not understood what position
he and those who act with him in urging
the White Basis, will take, on Mr.. Bolts
proposition, when the Convention comes
to vote. The indications are, however,
| that there will be other cases of Eastern
detection, sufficient to carry Mr.. Bots
plan through. This plan of Mr.. Bolts we
regard as infinitely worse than the White
Basis itself; and how any Eastern man,
pledged to the Mixed Basis can be duped
into the supporter Mr.. Boots scheme, is to
us little remarkable. The White Basis
has some show of argument to sustain it,
but Mr. Bolts plan is a timid and temper
izing surrender of the Mixed Basis princi-
pie, without the merit of conceding the
justice ofthe alternateproposition. Itgives
to the West the White Basis, but gives it
grudgingly, niggardly, parsimoniously,
silly. Now, if the West is entitled to it,
let us give it freely and above-board, say
ing "here, take your rights; we have with
held them long enough; we'll Cypress you
no longer; we see our wrong and we are
ready to atone for our error; take our
persons and our property and use them,
mercifully we hope, but as your own mag
nanimity and senscof justice may dictate y
There would be some merit in surrender
of this sort but Mr.. Bolts proposition
says tive acknowledge the justice Of your
demands, but really we are so welded to
power that, we can't exactly do you JUS
tee ourselves, but will place you in posi-
ton in which you may force US to do it,
From such temporizing policy as this,
we pray to be delivered. And yet we see
Eastern men, who 1refsss to be advocates
Of the Mixed Basis, but whose real senti-
ments are doubtless cloaked under man.
tie, that policy adjusts to fit the OCCASION
eagerly stepping forward to seize the first
plausible excuse that is presented, for de.
serting the standard they were chosen to
support and under which they were un
derstood to be heartily enlisted We dc
not know that any member Of the Conven.
ton has yet avowed himself in favour Of
this plan but, if strans show how the
wind hes, there is reason to apprchend a
few more descrtions still. We warn the
public against these wolves in sleeps
clothing. Thcvcry atmosphere is impreg-
mated with the spirit of detection.
Now, the White Basis is either right or
wrong in principle; if it is right, let us
yield it, wholly and cheerfully; but if it
be wrong, let US resistit to the last. We
cannot perceive what medium there is be-
tween .!hc two systems. There is no go
5ctwcenity that is worth baubcc; but
either the one CT tie other principle ought
to be adopted. The proposed Compro-
mise would be worse ti,an either, as it
would entail upon the East ali the objcc-
tionable principles fthc White Basis, with,
out Its efficiency and we really think the
advocates ofthc plan would pursue much
more manly course if they would come
out at once in favour of the Western
scheme.