New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-10
THE VIRGINIA DILEMMA.

1t seems that recent article Of ours on tie
the Republican party naturally stand On tle
tie State.Rights doctrines Of Jefferson, has
quite futteIed the Volscians" in the Old Do.
mipion According to The LieHigencer Of Pc
tersburg, it was hard blow for the Slavery
ext, nsion Democrats. They cannot deny their
convictions of the truth of the State. Rights
principle, and neither can they deny that the
modern Pro slavery doctrines are most hagrant
infrir cement of them; so between the two,
they are placed in what The httHigeacer calls an
awkward dilemma.
That print counsels them 10 surrender the old
doctrine at once. 1t says that they cannot hold
the ancient State Rights theory, and be good
Pro- Slavery politicians. They must prove
beretics, therefore, in respect to the faith of
their fathers, Or rebels TO the present tendencies
of their party. The Republicans sre the real
defenders Of the rights of the States, ia the
meaning Of the resolutions of '9S; and the Viz
ginia Democrats who adhere TO that formula
are only clipgiDg to platform already occupied
by The TRIBUNE and its friends. We quote a
few words from the Petersburg Journals
1--WE have always thought the resolutions Of 9s %,
Which have been the political Koran Of the Virginia De-
mOcracy, were susceptible according 20 their received
Interpretation, of applications TO very different
from The special and legitimate one for which hey were
framed. The truth s tOat under Government like
ours too II uch caution canaOt be observed by great
pary in fixing rules of Constitutional construction
upon any exciting political emergency; for II Is obY
Ous that such general rules liable, from their very
nature to be transferred from the particular sphere IN
which they designed 10 operate 10 other which
the course of events may III the opinion of politicians
rcLder proper and iustihabo The resolutions IN ques
ton were intended 10 meet ard remedy spe ial evil.
The lepeal OF tie Alien aud SeditiOn laws was their
obicc ana, this accomplished they should have been
ollowed 10 remain on the shelf until another similar
asiOn, directly authorizing resort 10 them should
occur. The frequent and almost incessanI discussion
of The dOctrue o. these Resolutions and OF he Report
ncoompauymg them, by the Virginia Democracy With
reference to questions which involved neither Identity
with nor similarity 70 the Alien aud Seduou laws has
n our ind ment, been eXceec ngly wise and hlQo
tic We have more than once taken occasion 90 eX-
ucss our disen; from this course, AMI have el salts
tc6 that It's tendency wGs rather 20 increase than 10
lessen popular enbsrra ssmentsto comphcai1 rather
thar 10 facilitate the adjustment OF those s-urnmg
isucs which under the Influences of tldt vast diSt.
siiy of interests existing IN country and under "a
Union Ike ours, will, from time 10 tme s3fns mp 10
ogiate The public mind.
The hiethgencer is altogether correct Il is I'M
possible to cosciliatc the modern Pro Slavery posi-
tion with the old Virginia State Rights doctrine
They are as Incompatible as Paines Age OF Reason
with the Gospel Of John, Slavery itself is with
a highly moral and civilized condition Of society.
The former would oyerslaugh all rights in behalf
of single great interest, while the spirit OF the
latter is, Let justice be done though the heavens
fall" The former is eager only TO secure lis
presert triumphs even at the sacrifice Of Princi-
rle and future prosperity while the latter main
tains that the true glory and only safety Of IA
tons consist in rigid adherence 10 principle and
truth. How then can two things so opposite -four
ISL in the same sell , How can man even poll
ticiAn profess an undivided allegiance to both
But the dilemma OF the Virginia Democrats
does not stop here; for they sre al war with
themselves, not only as State-Rights men, bat