Washington sentinel., 1856-07-26
OLD LINE WING CONVENTION OF
VIRGINIA.


scarcely worthy of notice, and for any effect it
can have upon the vote of Virginia wholly un-
important; but being a part of digested
plan to affect other southern States, we give it
merit.
There are one hundred and forty.seven
counties and cities entitled to representation
in the Legislature Of Virginia, with about two
hundred thousand voters in the State. In this
convention there were only forty-seven coun-
ties and cities represented. Of these, if you
take the political preferences Of the delegates
elected to the last General Assembly as the
criterion, there were twenty three that unques-
tionably were Democratic counties, and some
of them giving tremendous Democratic ma.
jorities, leaving twenty-four Wing counties and
cities only represented, and some of these ex-
ceedingly doubtful being sometimes on one
side and sometimes on the other. Subtract
the counties Of Isle Of Wight, Chesterfield,
Goochland Appomattox, Prince George, Prince
Edward, Hampshire, Frederick, Madison, Wash
ington, Halifax, Louisa, Franklin, Spottsyl
vania, Hanover, Charlotte, Pittsylvania, Peters
burg, and the Democratic districts Of Powha-
tan and Cumberland, Nottoway and Amelia
Essex and King and Queen and Orange and
Greene, and we have twenty-four, because
Amelia and Greene are not mentioned as rep
resented, though they belong to Democratic
districts. Thus, there were actually twenty
four counties in convention, and they not en-
titled to thirty thousand votes. Virgnians,
who know anything of the State, will be
amused rather than alarmed at such con-
vention. Every man represented, and every
representative, voted against the Democrats
at the last election, and yet by the De-
mocrats they we're desperately routed. But
every body knows that the changes now are in
favor Of The Democracy, and that thousands
who voted with the Wings and Know-nothings
then, can't be made to touch them now with
forty.foo pole.
But suppose the resolution adopted by this
body, which will only be famous hereafter for
impotence, should be carried into effect even in
the counties claimed to be against the Demo
Gratis, what number of old line Wings would
be represented by this magnificent humbug.
Let us hear how they talk:
"Deeming that the terms of the call Of this
convention are precise enough, and sufficiently
understood to exclude all who do not now
claim to be Wings, your committee think it
to recommend any other action on
the resolution referred to them, than to express
their opinion that this is exclusively a conyen.
ton of the Wing party, and /. is not to be
presumed that any person not included IN the
terms of the call will take seats in this body"
And suppose the Wings alone were com.
puted in the counties represented, and that the
followers of Sam" were to be excluded from
their deliberations, you might serve process on
the party, and the only return on officer could
make would be "n0n est And yet they
gravely undertake TO speak for the State Of
Virginia, and attempt to figure largely among
the mighty conventions Of the day. They at
tempt to get up enthusiasm, aud TO galvanize
the old Whig party into life. They could not
induce the people Of Richmond even to attend
their deliberations. The whole convention, in.
cluding spectators did not fill an ordinary
sized church. They endeavored to get up a
mass meeting on the public grounds, and the
people who were promenading for amusement
or exercise, did not even cease their promenade,
but appeared scarcely to know that anything
unusual was going forward. The whole affair
was written down as miserable abortion, and
the "Stars" who we're to have shono on the
great occasion we're obscured by the brightness
of the moon. The big guns could not be
made to FIRE. The whole machinery was out
of order.
Under these circumstances, the only object.
they can have is to prevent further detection
to the Democrats, and If possible to induce the
old line Wings throughout the Southern States
to aid the Know. nothingS TO frame electoral
tickets for Fillmore, taking the mere chance
of giving him few votes to carry him into the
House Of Representatives, under the hope that
they may hold the balance Of power there, and
force minority President upon the people Of
the United States.
How much better would it have been for
them, like true patriots, consulting the interests
Of the South, to have sustained the Democratic
party in crushing out the new geographical
party whose sole aim is destruction Of South.
ern rights. How much better it would have
been for them to have sustained Mr.. BUCHANAN,
relying upon his whole political career, and
trusting to the memorable language Of his
speech in lS45, in favor Of admitting Texas
into the Union, when he said: "Surrodnded by
these circumstances, took my stand on this
question, from which / have never since de-
parted. Under the Constitution, the Southern
States have rights guaranteed to them, and
.hese rights ] determined to maintain come
veal, come woe. / determined that ] would
never risk the blessings Of this glorious Con
-ederacy with all the benefits it holds ont, not
only TO ourselves, but to the whole human
race, for the sake Of an unavailing phlan-
thropy. The constitutional rights Of the South