Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-11-22
The True POLICY of the south.

Staunton, Sept. ., 1907.
The True Policy of the South,
At this particular crisis in the history of the
country, when old party land marks have been
broken dow and swept away by the angty
! waves of seotionalism, aud good men in both
sections of the confederacy are looking to tie
organization of a new aud national party as the
last hope o. Il e Republic, it becomes US to con-
slider with great earnestpess what position tue
conservative men of the South should take III
order to secure the desired object The State
of Virginia proposes to be the pioneer in the pa
triotic movement, and OH the 18th OF December
hundreds of her best and ablest men win assem-
BILE in the city of Richmond to deliberate upon
aud suggest some plan which may harmonic
aud unite good and patriotic men OF all sections
and all parties in what may Prove to be final
effort for the salvation of the country. Tire
Convention of December will, therefore, be Ic-
garded with peculiar interest, and the results OF
ifs counsels be awaited with anxious suspense in
all parts of TIE Union.
As the institution of slavery and the various
yexed questions growing out Of it are the sole
people of the North and the people of the South,
the success Of any attempt to organize national
party must depend upon the position which tfose
who inaugurate the movement assume in regard
to this question. How the conservative Ono
sition of Virginia shall deal with the matters in
dispute, touching the question slavery, becomes,
therefore, question Of paramount interest,
which should be maturely considered betoI G
hand by those who expect to participate in the
deliberations of the proposed Convention.
Wehsve heretofore expressed tho hope that there
will be no disposition to take ultra grounds with
the hope of oat-herodiug Democracy ct the
South. Such course would be fatal to tie
prime object of the Convention. On the other
hand, we should as earnestly deprecate any COM
promise or concessions of Southern rights or in
terests for the purpose of oonciliating the anti
slavery sentiment of the North. We have 10
sympathy with the Republican party, Tor could
we be induced to enter mo any for:Eal coalition
with that party even for the overthrow of an
organization equally sectional. No body of
men banded together in open and avowed hos
fifty to the institution Of slavery ought to De
taken into the communion aud oounsels o. South
ern people, nor can we set with or advance t'e
interests of any such sectional parry b. oar To-cs
or otherwise, while they maintain an organ'2&-
ton in itself oHsusive and insulting 10 the South
We are free to confess, however, that if they can
be Induced to abandon their alIi.slavery organi-
cation, and unite with us in the election OF pa
trio.c aud competent statesmen to the high ofti-
COS OF the country, we should by no means OBJ
ject to their assistance.
We trust therefore, that there viii be no in
clination on the part ofmembers of the Conyer-
ton to assume the position of slavery prOpasan-
dists. While the Republican doctrine, which
denies the Tsght of Southern citizers TO take
their slaves into new territories, and would ez-
elude them by odious legal enactments, Is objec-
tionable 10 Southern men, it is, to say the least,
very questionable whether the true Interests OF
Virginia and the South would not be promoted
and the institution of slavery be more surely
perpetuated, by cOn6oing it within its present
limits. We have heretofore alluded u the drain
age of slaves from Virginia Without resort
to the re.openiDg of the African slave trade,
what could esiop this drainage from the border
aud middle States should there be any consider
able acquisition of territory demanding slave Ia
Dor; and ii is even questionable whether tie de-
mand now existing in The cotton and sugar
growing regions may not result in the most Sc
rious consequences to the agricultural interests OF
Virginia, to say nothing of its effect upon the
specular Institution itself. With the diminu-
ton of slaves there must be q corresponding III
crease Of white laboyers, anti-slavery by educa-
ton and by iEterest--sud it is easy to calculate
how long it will be before tie snti-slavery yot-
inc population becomes power In the State OF
Virginia rot to be despisel. Aready the soil
of our State has been Invaded and stained win
the bleed of its citizens by those whose impa-
tient and misguided zeal could not await Tie slow
process of colonization such as Eli Thayer has
inaugurated in Northwestern Virginia, and with
men of such principles coming into our borders
to supply the place Of every slave that goes out,
it may not be very long before we end outbreaks
on the plan of John Browns kansas Work" in
all quarters of the State To our mind it seems
plain, therefore, that the institution itself is
weakened by expansion, aud the security of our
citizens in their lives and property is cores
pondingly diminished.
Why, then, should We assume the attitude Of
slavery propagaldists, and keep elive the fires
of sectional dscord aud st.iie by perpetual quar-
rels over barren distractions and empty theories
while the great interests of a common country
cry aloud for our attention and our torsterine
earel
Westminster Review.
The October number, issued by Messrs. j.
Scott & Co., New York, and just received, con
teins the following articles; Militia Forces