Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-01-26

ginia could pardon tho sin of Abolition in her
public men, i would DO under circumstances like
these. BIT that sis soas nepr ezossed. Il was
sin Of such enormity thst no expiration could wipe
il out, no repentance could bring forgiveness, and
around which no lapse Of time could throw even
the cheap mercy Of fnrgetfulnsss; but which has
boon brought before their vision IN intermnable
raw head and bloody bones"--at each successive
step Of their career. Such has been the affection
Of Virginia for her peculiar institution. Such her
jealousy Of any interference With is veal That
she has refused extenuation for q few words
against IL; even when those words were forced by
personal fear, and popular clamor
But John Letcher, whom no brought his active
and powerful influence to bear in spreading this
infinitely more vilsncendiary and dangerous FIRE
brand OF DIR. Ruffner, had no such excuse Instead
Of having tho youth Of the Emancipationists in
1899, no stood in ls47. tho man Aboltionist, in
the full maturity ofjudgmsnt, high in station and
higher still in tho hope and prospects Of political
distinction. Instead Of being carried away by a
sudden excitement he signed that call after full
discussion. after weeks oil deliberate discussion,
after weeks Of deliberate reflection, and with cool
calculating malice aiors.hought. Instead Of being
swcrvod from his limo Of duty by universal clamor
no deliberately and ipsultingty arrayed himself
against tho settled sentiment Of Virginia, .
sentiment. too now raised 10 the very intensity
Of indignation by the vile assaults, and unmitiga-
ted, and outrageous abuse Of abolition speakers
and press. Yes, at such II time and in such man
ner )no. Letcher deliberately. and for a pvrposs,
lent his mid to kIndle fro Of abolitonirm In Vir-
ginia thousand times more fatal and dangerous
than that Of tho freedom shrisking horde, which
We have 40 much feared. hated and dsspised.
But there is another consideration in this connec-
ton too important to DO overlooked. In 1892 there
was no outside prcssure--no foreign assaults upon
us or our institutions. All questions pertaining
to slavery could then DO discussed Is domestic
matter, and howovor repugnant certain sentiments
might be to tho body OF our people, those who
made them. were not guilty Of aiding or abstting
IN open and avowed enemy, But in 1847, the case
was widely different. powerful party had risen
ontsidc OF Virginia, and the South, who wers ma
king tho most bittor and determined assaults up
on our institutions IL was then that the people Of
Virginia called for general sentiment this
subject. for u general rallyiug in the common de-
fence. II then that the public voice proclaim
ed TINT there was middle ground on this ques-
ton. that "hc who WAS not for us was against u.s."
and that every man 10 he trusted friend or
hated as n foe. We I'LL know how universal this
feeling became. We all know how bitterly the ab
otiunst was exccrntcd NJ an enemy with whom
there could DO no pcace-no forms of compromise
1t was then, that .)no Letcher helped to raise the
standard of detection in our midst 1t WAS thon
TINT he helped To encourage, to give aid and com
fort to tho common foo. 1t was then that no propo
sed to 20 to the enomy with half the territory
and more than half tho populrtion Of Vi'rinia! 1t
WINS thing to be IN Abolitionist il .ilS32. bat
quite another, and thousand time igaTs Sc thing 10
be one IN 1871. 1t was ono thing for Nonedict Ar
mold to be loyal to the Governneft. aud u fight
for GREAT Britain. in l7G5; but out, another for
him to do so fifteen yenrs atterward. The one
was tho exercise of an undoubted right OF opinion
If not u loyal duty--the other was traitorous to
his country aud his kin--a crime which Inns yokod
his namo to eternal iniamyl Can Virginia excuse
49, =. l. A.. Al III = -.
has brought down upon tho devoted heads Of tho
youths of 1882. such undying rstribution' Can
we excuse him for endorsing and disseminating
doctrines which, had II been done by nm Abolition
lot from outside our borders. would have consign-
cd him to the immediate and just vengeance OF an
Infatuated public! No indeed! Unless virginia
shall not only have been lost to every sense Of
justice but shall not only have been nboltionlzed
10 the worry core. I
Wo have said that tho session of 1882 was pro-
life Of political burials. Tho canvass Of 1859,
will BIO Intimately more 80, il Virginia holds Arm
to her original faith and love. Let the young
Democrats of Virginia reflect woll, whether they
car afford to sacrifice themselves In the insane at
tempt to uphold their party in proceeding 50 ut,
terly at variance with the honor and welfare Of
the State, and with its own former policy and pro
fsssions. We know that manyOf them have be-
come Democrats because Of Democratic fidelity to
the institution ofslavery, from the outory their
po''y n"" 'hsuo "PVn VIZ oounas'SSe W A''on,
Clay, Taylor, Summer, Rives, Preston, Bolts, aud
other leaders Of the Opposition. Are they now
prepared TO acknowledge that all these high pro-
iessions Of love for, and fidelity to the institution
of slavery, were but sounding brass and tinkling
cymbals'-that they were all wretched humbug,
q miserable delusion, an arrant attempt to black
leg their opponents ont Of and themselvs into, the
confidence Of the people? We admit that party
has ties and obligations, but protest that state and
sections had ties and obligations Of . far high.
and Of more sacred character. Lot them con-
slider this we'll before they follow their party IN
lead that can only be accounted for by the ancient
maxim-"those The gods Wish to destroy. they first
make mad"
But that tho public may judge for itself of the
character and sentiments Of Mr. Lstcher, as estab-
lshed by the record, We shall proceed to lay that
record before them. We shall first exhibit . d.
gest Of the Ruf6nor pamphlst-whose arguments
he declared to DO Wnansrey0bSe, "sRd calculated
to draw the public mind TO correct cosclussose ON
this momentous questions" aud which he wished
presented in the strongest possibte form. We
shall pay our respects to him in another field, the
Constitutional Convention Of 1851, where he in
Weighed against the Niggerocracy and Niggerology
Of Eastern Virginia the record be noted, and
let our digest be carefully compared with the or
ignal, and most insidious, dangerous, and in
famous document.
,a Ito be continued.
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