Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-07-01

into this hall to contend for. What is Is years
the lifetime Of State or nation What boots
it to a man who holds that he has o right to an
estate OF st least to half Of it. to be told that If be
win confess Judgment. and enter it on record ex.
ecuton shall be stayed against him for 10 or Is
years Is it saving Of priDciple3 No sir.
Sir there never has been day nor hour
since have been in this Convention, that have
not been willing to concede to the gentlemen from
the West one or the other Of these houses upon
their faso-ite principle and would be willing,
an individual to have given them their choice,
provided that in this compromise we could have
had what deemed a fair equivalent so that We
could have gone out of the conflict wearing our
side-arms, and with our banners flying. That is
not the case now. No, siri We have got terms
that in my judgement, and say 1t deliberately,
never would have been exacted by hostile nations
ut the end Of war Of ten years, when they came
10 treat for peace. Our banner Is trailing in the
das, and we shall have TO go home to constit-
| uents with it trailing in the DUST and tell them
that the utimatum Of The West has been obtained,
and that everything contended for by the East
has been lost.
believe it is true, that there has been no occa.
| son---certainy none within my knowledge or re-
colection---from the vote upon the basis question:
down to u vote for ringing the bell in the State
I y
defeated.--I mean defeated in the end. We have
occasionally had the fruit ia our hands, and al
though it looked fair and promising to the eye, yet
before could get il to our lips, it was like the
Dead Sea fruits, turned to ashes-turned TO ash es
thank God, by no act of mine. ] question not the
motives OF a man among them---not oHe---but /
cannot help expressing my profound regret, that
they did not see proper to stand by us little lon
ger, until we could have made terms which would
not have disgraced u.s.
The last word "disgraced" having been
regarded as susceptible of an offensive con-
struction, Mr.. Januey was called upon for
an explanation Of it:
Mr.. JASSxY imagine can hardly be misun-
derstood. unquestionably did not mean to ap-
ply this term dishonor or disgrace to those who
may regard themselves as the victors in this con-
test have expressly stated that | impngn the
motives of no man, and if did not believe so, 1
would not say so. l expressly disclaim ii.
1appcd the terms 'i,lishonor' and 'sdisgrace7
as expressive of the feelings of those who feel like
myself--ifthere be such here.--that we have been
compelled to surrender without saving one single
rag of the rule of representation to sustain which
we camo to this body.
Let US now hear what Mr. STANARD of the
City of Richmond thought of the settlement
of the Basis question.
What was condition in ls29-'30? The East
went into that Convention with majority against
her, but she was then represented by men who
were able to convert and who did convert that ma
jority into minority. Into this Convention the
East came with majority of nine, and where are
we now Let those who have brought about this
thing, miscalled a compromise, answer that ques-
ton, or let Eastern Virginia answer it for them.
Painfully concous as have been from the COM
mencement that the East had not in this Conven-
ton the representation she enjoyed in that of
iS29-'30, yet INDUCED the hope that some spark
at least of our fathers FIRE yet burned in the bos-
oms of their sons. l did hope that though we
could not originate such arguments as they
brought 70 I'd or enforce them with such eo-
quence and power as to convert a minority into
majority yet with these arguments before the peo-
Pile, making, as they had made, deep and abiding
impression on the public mind and with decided
majority here in favor of the East at the begin.
ming Of the conflict, if any reliance to be pla-
ced on what were understood to be the avowed
principles and positive pledges of members on this
foor--l confess, say. that under these circum-
stances, did indulge the hope that we could so
far hold our own rs not to let the Convention ter
inmate in an utter, absolute, and l was about to
use term ! will not use--I was about to say
shameful surrender the part of the East. For
myself have done, and shall continue to do all
that in me lies, 10 avert this calamity from those
whose rights and interests have been confded to
my care.
We might multiply such extracts to an
indefinite extent. We might pile Pelion
upon ossa in the shape of testimony. Eastern
and Western on this point But it is unue-
cessary to do so-the man who after reading
tho terms of the Compromise itself. can view
it in any other light than as perfect, abso-
lutte and unconditional surrender Of the Mix
ell Basis principle, could not be convinced
though one rose from the dead to rebuke his
incredulitv. We dismiss the subject as one
not debatcalle.