Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-04-10
THE VIRGINIAN.
A. w. c. TERRY, EDITOR.
"The Question or the Day.v


"The Question OF the Day.,
Under this head the Washington Union
Of Sunday has an interesting article in
which the necessity now, of giving cor
dial and honest support to the Compromise
is very clearly shown. We agree with the
Union in thinking that j, is high time the
"agitators," both North and South, had
ceased their croakings and abandoned the
policy Of disorganization; but we cannot
think the whole responsibility of preserving
''the integrity Of the Umon," rests entirely
with the North. Undoubtedly, if the Flu
gitive Slave law is nullifed or repealed
there can be no limit assigned to Southern
Indignation which will scarcely fail to mani
festitself in some more formidable shape and
more to be lamented by every lover of the
Union, than 'mere paper resolutions = and
a just appreciation ofthis fact is what we
have all along sought to impress upon the
North. But then the South has a duty to
perform as well as the North. Let her
show by her acts, as well as her profess
sions that, her complaints against the
North are not factious; that she seeks not
to impose unnecessary obligations upon
the North beyond what a just assertion Of
her own rights demands and that she is
willing to ''meet half way" on fair, hon
durable, and just terms of reconciliation.
1.-THE North shows disposition to carry
out in good faith the recent measures ofad-
justment, let us not attribute it to unwor-
thy motives, but let us rather find a suffi-
cient explanation in this change of con-
duct, In patriotic desire to preserve the
harmony of the whole Union and to do
justice to all its parts. Under all the cir
cumstances ofthe case now, we hold the
the Southern "Agitators" to be quite as
guilty in the work of fomenting discord and
disunion, as the Northern fanatics them
selves
But to the article of the Union. After
referring TO Mr.. Wcbster's Annapolis
speech, in which he declared the Compro-
mise measures had been passed in confor-
nifty with the acquisitions of the Constitu-
ton, and "mastb be performed and abided
By, IN ~haterer ereat, and at achaterer cost"
the Union proceeds
"Mr. Webster clearly the danger of prostra-
ting these measures. We are more and more strong
" impressed with the conviction that the Union il.
self depends upon their preservation. At the din
ner lately given by the common council of the city
Of New York to the legislature of New York, the
whole truth was no, told. Mr.. Seward was there.
He denounced disunonists as fit only for the mad
house. But why did not Mr.. Seward add that the
only way to preserve the Union was to adhere to
the Compromised One expression olthis sort would
have been worth all his general descants uron the
value of the Union. Colonel Webb, of the Courier
Office, denied the occasion that any danger
threatened the Unon-ihat 1t was all a chimera and
humbug. The orator is mistaken. If the fugitive
slave bill be coven down, the danger will then be
seen at once: the Union cannot resist the shock
We, who have been the devoted friend of the Union,
and better acquainted with the South than Messrs
Seward & Webb, must warn them again Of the dam
GER which threatens The Union is in the hands
of the North. Ii she carries out the compromise
system with all possible fidelity then the South will
be able to withstand the approach of secession; 9th
erwise, the best friends of the Union will be at once
alienated from tho Union, and the whole edifice
must topple downwards. The greatest danger which
we have to encounter is the ignorance in section
OF the views and purposes Of the other. The North
is persuaded that the South is not in earnest; the
South is told that the North is faithless The CON
stfuton, and that the fugitive law win not be car
RED out. Such orators Messrs. Seward and w cbb
attly Al lti~b III
deny.
Can the trec-soilcrs shut their eyes to the
light of the dayl See how Boston is about to
suffer from the loss Of her southern trade Merchants
in Richmond told us the other doy that they were
determined to have no further dealings with Boston,
and that they recently met Boston merchants in New
York who complained that the South had refused
to deal with her. The Boston Post says "it is cs-
tinaed that more than a milo Of dollars in sales
have been lost to Boston this season on account of
the impression among southern merchants that Bos-
ton would not sustain the compromise measures"
The same feeling viii extend to New York, if she
should be tempted in an evil hour to connive at the
acts Of the aboitcniss and the prostration of the
laws.
And yet IL Is at this very momcnt-when it must
be obvious to every observer that free-solis is the
great element of discord and dissolution, and that
unless ii is put down it will put down the Union
we ind n meeting, which assumes the title of "A
Democratic Mass Convention assembling at the
Lyceum Hall in Lynn, Massachusetts, and address
scd by that nine days senator, Mr. Rantoul in
speech which brcathes The utmost hostility the fI-
gitive bill and sanctionipg n series of resolutions of
which the following is appropriate specimens:
"Reso'rcd, That the fugitive slave law, enacted
by the Congress lately expired, contravcning these
principles is unjust, unconstitutional in derogation
the fundamental maxims Of free government, and
ought to be speedily and forever repealed
Mr.. Rantoul supported these resolutions in n
speech of nearly two hours length. They were e.
nally adopted by nearly unanimous vote ana it
was then voted to support MIR. Rantou at the Con
grrssional election to be held on Monday next
This fanaticism is a species of iniatuaton which
dcfes common sense itself and would rush into the
most dangerous excuses, regardless of all conse-
qucnces."