The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-03

| marked by Bailie Peyton he has Ga woman's and
a lions heart" In height, six feet and upwards
| finely proportioned-of ruddy complexion, light
hair and pleasing countenance. lie was in the
| Florida war, and commanded the First Regime mt
| Of Tennessee volunteers at Monterey.
They are men of more military reputation than
any others in the State Neither Of them orators.
Their discussion was stupid-very stupid for Ten
nessee stump speakers. Jones and Polk, the best
brace of orators that met, addressed the people
of each county in the State in two successive cam
paigns; then followed Aaron V. Brown and Foster;
then the two Browns GA. V. and Neal So, good
speakers; and We who have listened often to their
interesting discussions, cannot be entertained by the
prosy narration Of stale facts, unenlvened by the
anecdotes and repsrtee which we have so long been
accustomed to hear on such occasions. IL. 4.
RICHMOND, Va, May 26. 1851.
OH Tnginia-Hr Position on the Compromise
Measures Defined, and the Reason Why--Hr Re
hatioas at Home the Sarery Qaestion-Tae
State Contention The Question ofthe Whne b.
SIS and the Miroi Basis--Eastan rs. Vcstrn
Vuginia Describei-Grorth of the Latter, and the
White Population Comparative Decrease of the
Observation-Disclosures &onghing off the IN
Stitution-Ihe Uhnes Pressing the Stare Popula-
ton Further S),th- Compromise Of the Convention
Prospect Of Virginia Diyiding, or Of Becoming
Free State-P,aoicai Working Of Mr.. Cay's
Theory of Emancipation, &C., &c.
Thus far, on cur return from the cotton States,
we have the honor to advise you from this capital
of the Ancient Dominion; and such is her stua-
tion at this juncture, such her relations to the
Union, the Presidency, the two old parties, and
such is the difficult question she has to settle with
herself upon the subject of slavery, that we have
deemed it our duty to pause and look into these
things for day or two, having already taken o
look into the Convention.
But, first of all, how are we to account for the
late resolutions Of the Virginia Legislature, acoed
ing, submitting out-and out, to the compromises Of
1850, and recommending South Carolina to submit,
when South Carolina stands in her present attitude
from no other cause than having adopted the pre-
viOus resolutions of Virginia! Those resolutions
declared, among other things, that if Congress
''interlered"-that, we believe, is the very word
''interfered" with slavery in the District of Column
ba, Virginia would show fight, and resist, sat all
hazards, and to the last extremity" South Caro-
lima having adopted these resolutions, sticks to
them, and the chances are decidedly. and by all
odds, just now, that she will make good her posi-
ton. Why, then, did Virginia back out AMI haul
off for repairs Were her resolutions mere '.sound
ard fury, signifying nothing intended to bam-
boozlc Congress- aud to humbug South Carolina or
why did she make such flourish of trumpets'
| We shall undertake to explain the game. 1t was
| X,
between the wings and democrats. In the Legsla-
ture it is generally very tight TT between them
and little loss Of the floating capital Of the demo
Gratis might give the State to the wings in Pres-
Dental contest. In 1877, iS, and 40, the Southern
States pretty readily excited declare resist
ance if they were excluded from California, or If
there was any intermeddling with slavery in the
| District Of Columbia. In Virginia the popular
opnioa was believed to be strongly inclined to re-
sstance. The democrats seized hold Of the idea,
and passed those warike resolutions that have led
South Carolina to the very verge of secession; and
they passed corresponding resolutions construction
| upon which Mr.. Mason and MIR. Hunter, in the Sc
nate, and majority Of the House delegation, acted
in opposition to the bills of adjustment-Texas,
California, Utah, and the District of Columbia
Last winter Mr.. Mason was reelected by general
consent-but that was due to his fidelity to insruc
| tons But, mark you. State Convention elected
by the people to revise the State Constitution, or
rather to make . new constitution-the old enc be-
ing rusty and worn out-and the delegates Assem- b.
ling here during the sitting Of the legislature, it
was discovered that decided majority Of the peo-
pie Of Virginia were in favor of the compromises of
Mr. Clay; and the democrats also discovered that
If they held to the doctrine Of RESISTANCE, they
would be left in hopeless minority, and that
the wings would have everything their own WI way,
doctrine of resistance was simply to give the State
| 70 the wings, by an overwhelming majority SO the
democrats declined to make the issue before the
people-they submittcd-they crawfshed-thcy
backed out-because il would have been suicidal to
have carried the game Of brag any farther. We
doubt not Father Richie had some influence in
producing this act Of submission; but the Con-
/ yention had some weight upon the Legislature,
while the Legislature itself had learned sonnet hing
ofpublic opinion in the ba,k country. The demo-
Gratis gave in they could not afford to throw up the
state, and all the chances for the Presidency and
the spoils, upon "a mere string Of distractions"
We think that South Carolina NAV safely take that
rs the explanation OF irgina, from whom, also, an
apology is due from every consideration Of polite
| usages.
such is the position Of Virginia upon the COM
promises. The wings were fer accepting them
On immense majority OF the people for accept
ing them; and the demo ,ras declined the issue, and
succumhed. The Presidency and the spoils we're
at tho bottom Virginia cannot afford to give up
her hare Of the treasury pap, the democrats cannot
afford to give up their power in the state and so,
in very brotherly way, they advise South Caro-
lima TO keep quiet.
But still, we speak advisedy when we say that
I there are some thousands Of men in Virginia who
win actively sympatLze with South CareIins in
The act and after the fact of secession. md there
: Is the great danger. If the majority in South Ca
rolina plunge into the gulf of disunion, the mnor-
ies in the other Southern States will hardly tail to
/ involve them all in the struggle
| Thus much for the great national question, and
! the submission Of Virginia TO the pa ,h;ations Of
Mr.. Clay. The local politics Of the state will re-
| quirc some statistics, aud little topography and
| geography, TO explain them with any degree Of ga.
| The state Convention elected to build new
constitution has been in session some FIVE months;
ana after sitting several months more, will pr0ba
| lby adjourn, upon patching up something. on the
/ last night, for constitution, without regard 10
| bead OF tail, as wa done by the late Convention in
/ Mary land
| The most difficult question Of adjustment in the
lhginia Convention nss been the basis Of represen
tat.Vn in the Legislature the contest being be-
| tween the mixed basis aud the white basis--he-
4 tween the Eastern and Western divisions Of the
State.
| Nc two contiguous states in the Union arc more
distinctly divided dGoront, geographically. or in
TO lucts and population, than Eastern aud Western
| trginia. Running in q south-westery direction
| nom Pennsylyania through Virginia into North
| Csrouna ard Tennessee, the Blue Ridge chain Of
mountains forms the barrier aud the line OF divi
sion between tho Eastern and Western sections Of
| ~. state. Wost Of the Blue Ridge there is =
valley from fifteen TO twenty-five miles wide,
4 running through the state, and enriched for
| nearly two hundred miles by tho waters Of the