Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-06-04
&ailg Hiraiaiaa.
The chsrlssson con$entiou and the 40
d quisition ID. Cnha-Whas the English
Think UfYa0m. lt~{@sA sH Nsr a


much discussed Of lsts. asa Opinions the most va
rious and the most contradictory have been or.
pressed upon the subject. If ws are to bseve
Mr.. Bsighs w must look across the Atlantic for
the perfection Of human government; If we are IA.
believs Lord Grey. the grand experiment Ut Wash
and hopeless failure. The ons. in short, looks ,o
Amorica ia toundiess confidence and admiration,
the other With despair. That both can he right
10 clearly iuaposaible but that both may be wrung
is not only impossible but highly probable. We
confess that we incline strongly TO the latter
opinion. The truth 10 generally iound between
extrsmes.and We are not disposed to take o. ssnu.
inc si,hsr the highly colored pietnre Of Mr. Bright
or the equally highly colored picture Of Lord
Grey. We are not carried away by the aspiration
Of the one, and We are not couvinced by the de-
nunciations of the other. They have both, a. 1t
appears to Us, formed exaggerated and premature
opinions upan an experiment Which is still in pro-
gress. and the future and final results of which
it is impossible ~ yet for human wisdom to fore.
sec. ...7.rs s..=
We need not 10 surprised that American in
stitutions and American afairs afford much food
for speculation amsrg our public men. Tho po-
litisal problem which 10 now being worked oot in
the United States is ,y FAR the most interesting
and important OF the present age. Republican
institutions, framed by able and experienced
hands, and under circumstances peculiarly fayora-
ble for their dcvel' pemeat. are now and will be
for so,no time ~ me, subjected to tho severest
trials. The experience of history abundantly
proves that government Of this kind may work
admirably we'll In States where the territory and
the population ore comparatively small. But the
Americans are nov great natoo, with immense
territorial and commercial Resources, and With u
rapidly increasing population. whose numbers are
continuously swele1 by emigrants and ndventu-
rers from every part Of Europe. No republic 20
great and powerful. and yet 81 essentially demo-
cratic, has ever before existed. That it docs ex-
lat under these peculiar circumstances is u great
fact and novelty In politics. How long it will 80
exist is another affair; and, although we can well
believe that neither Mr.. Bright nor Lord Grey
would hesitate " furnish US with immediate
reply, we shall not attempt to follow the example
Of either Of these political authorities Our object
is u call attention to the present aspect Of affairs
in the United States, and not to speculate upon
the future.
The approaching contest for the Presidency 10
now the point Of chief interest throughout the
Union. and by the latest mail We have an account
OF the proceedings OF the Charleston Conventiun
with reference to this exciting topic. On the 2Gth
of last month that body adopted certain resolutions
with reference to the question Of slavery which
seem TO show that upon that the result Of the cleo
tion will mainly depend. For some time past, in
deed, it has b,en evidnet that this most difficult
and dangerous subject u controversy has been
steadily growing in importance. The wonder is
| that, with 30 much excitement and evaporation
upon both sides. matters have not before now come
I to serious crisis There has been biu,dshed, no
doubt, in Kansas, and more recently at liarper's
Ferry; but no general disturbance Of the public
peace has vet occurred in consequence OF the much
cherished constitution" Of the Southern States
Whether this state OF things will last we have yet
to learn. Meanwhile. the Charleston resolutions
clearly betoken mischief. ThsJ can only be re-
garded -as . public challenge TO the aboltoni.ts,
.r6 oh~ll> ~l,n<tt ~
terms. They msintain shat by the fundamental
laws Of the United States slavery is q permanent
institution, and that neither Congress nor any 10.
cal legislature has the power tO abolish it. These
are declared to be cardinal principles of the ma.
tonal democracy Of the United States on the ,ub.
ject OF slavery" This 10 pretty strong, but il ii
nothing to what follows, for the next resolutons
declares that Territorial Legislature in The
States has vower ''tO prohibit the ntroductionsof'
slaves therein, nor any power to destroy impair
the right of property in slaves by any legislation
whatever This latter resolution. il it has mean
ing at oil. means that The abolition Of the slave
trade by Congress some forty years ago was an il
legal and unconstitutional act and that any citi.
Zen Of the United States has n right to imLoft as
many slaves ns he pleases, in defiance Of any pro.
hibiton to the contrary In other words, the right
Of holding siaves and Of trading in slaves is the
inherent, absolute and nalsnabls rightet every
free born American citizen. and Of these inestma-
BILE privileges nothing on earth Gun deprive him.
1t is startling doctrine. doubt. end where its
authors found il they have not condsscended in
form: Us. But ~ they give il to the world, we
give it to our readers and leave them 70 draw their
own conclusions. We can only as that the pub
LEGATION Of such manifesto at such time is suf
fciently indicative Of the natare of the struggle
to which the Presidential election will shortly lead.
II We are not much mistaken, it will be the most
hotly contested and the most important in it,
sequences Of any that has yet been witnessed in
the United States.
We have referred to the most novel and sug.
gcstive features II the Charles,on revolutions The
permansuce of slavery and the revival of the slave
tradesuch arc the cardinal points In the faith of
the Southern democrats. Bot there il s,il anoth
or resolution pat forward which 10 sufficiently sig
nidcant Of the ystem Of foreign policy advocated
by the prosavery pasty In the States 1t is to the
effect that it is the daily Of the government of the
United States 70 acquire Oabe the earliest prac
tcahls mament." We confess that This latter pro-
position does not in tho least surprise u.s. We can
not but remember that similar one was made
but q few years ago. not by platform politicians,
but by American diplomatists and statesmen of
the highest rank and the maae extensive expeIi-
ence. We need not 10 surprised that, With such
precedent before them. the slave owners Of the
South should revive the cry Of Cuban annexation.
10 by NO means cheerin9. The strange CONJUNCTION
Of democracy aud slavery seems to be fraught with
mischief both " the pseple sf the United States
and to their neighbcfs.
Mls.IsmrPI DExoca Avsc CONVENTION The Demo
cratic State Conyention. which mat at jackson on
Wednesday. and INV 10 SESSION, 10 the largest
political gathering ever aseemblsd In the State
Great enthusiasm prevailed. and resolutions have
.beea passed unanimsusly Ia favor of the course
of the tfissjssippt dsIesntes at Charieston. Del
egates win be fully accredited 10 RichmOud and