Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-05-25
'TI,c N'ir.iuI3 Press.
From tile Madison Cou:.;y !.n's.icam "a. Ln;!''
he ATTITUDE oI VIRGINIA ~ TiIr rf'ciE

THE ATTITUDE oI VIRGINIA r. TiIr CHARLESTON
CONVENTION.
We are free to confess tfa, ltr !:'r;c ~: :.-
fleet Upon the course Of the Virginia 'iris:a
ton ut Charleston, the less we arw satisfied
with l.. The report. received some days ago,
that the Tennessee platform had been adopted
by tue Convention, now turns onL II hc III
true That platform declared that neither Con-
cress 10. the Territorial Legislatures conld de-
Stroy or impair the rights Of Shareholders in
the common territories, ami while 1t ulu not
assert, as il should have done, the duty OF the
federal government to afford positive protection
to the rights o.! property in the territories, Yet
it repudiated the dctcstabc dogma oil SQAatter
sovereignty. 1t was something like II half
way house Of honorable co!npromIsc. and
might in spirit Of extreme r'nciliaiion, have
been occupied by the South. The platform
accepted by the Convention is, under The CIR
cumstances cf its adoption, nothing more nor
less than an endorsation Of squattcr sovereign
ty-purc and simple, undisguscd and unmit!-
gated 1t is virtual dedication ot ali the ter
rtories Of the country, won manly by the
blood and treasure of the South, TO the genius
OF free SOIL Is il to be wondered Mt that the
South should have refused to drink tins cup o
bitterness and insult when thus thrust To tic
lips ? Is it matter Of surprise that the plant
inc States seeded from the Convention, when
Democratic National Council strike from the
platform The last plank on which those States
can stand and thus slam the door Of IN" party
in their faces?
But whether the seeding States acted pre-
maturcy or not, was Virginia warranted in
standing aloof from the South What COM
.(,ro nj ny ~, rI
or Of Justice were there to justify Virginia IL
separating herself from the planting States anti
in uniting with New England and the North
West, upon squatter sovereignty platform. in
open antagonism to the South? Was ii done
10 secure victory TO the Democratic Party IN
the approaching contest. That could not be,
for the great body Of the Northern States with
which Virginia sided, can never cast an clccto-
raj vote for Democratic nominee. Nearly all
those States have resigned themselves hopeless
II into the embraces OF Black Republicsnisn,
and when the Democracy become finally sepa-
rated from the planting States, it ceases to he
party and begins 10 be an impotcrt and rid-
| c,ilous faction.
But even if the Virginia delegation did think
to secure 4 victory for the party hy uniting
with the North on aSquatter Sovereignty plat
form, would such victory be either desirable
or honorable 10 Virginia or the South? Such
| 4 victory would be won in defiance ut principle
won by the sacrifice Of the acknowledged
rights of the South Such Il victory would con-
vert the Democratic party into piratcal band,
whose anilnating incentives would DC prlncl-
pies no longer but lust for the spoils OF office
only.
We think, then, the Virginia delegation
! should have preserved the ancient prestige o!
the Old Commonwealth by standing out for
principle at every hazard. Instead cf yielding;
10 the embraces of souattcr.sovcrcicnty, anti
Democratic States, they should have wheeled
into the ranks Of the South and made the slaTe-
holding States, as by their influence they couid
have done, 6 unit. fthe South had presented
herself as unit at Charleston, it is evident shc
could have eyactcd every guaranty for the pre-
scrration of her own honor and peace, by the
adoption Of n constitutional platform and the
nomination of an unimpcachablc candidate
But rs it Is, the South presents herself 10 the
! eyes Of an cxulting fanaticis:n, dis,nc:rbeief
into CliscordauL sections, tnvH by in:c"na! dis
! scn;ions, impOtent for her own protection, and
al easy prey for her INSCRIPTIONS enemy.
The course OF Virginia in tilc convention II
aYpcays plain 10 us, was vascii'"iing, innbcclle
ton in which Virginia did n@r WiGH #i;'S::' iSS"::t''
tiai and decisive influence n the SIDE nj iI.!i'
| ciple. In this Convention she appears 10 iiavc
! done nothing and to have been nothing au' .
dead weight and draw hack on the SOath.--
She stands alieuated from the South. and sliorn
Of all her ancient influence in Southern coun'
ellis. She now follows up the Fatal and deteSt'
ed example of the Legislature in rejecting
Southern Conference. and seems bent urnn a
career which can only place her by the
side Of the North in hostility TO her o"'il sec
tion. We protest against the fatal and time
serving policy. 1t is unworthy Of Virginia -
We protest against it in the spirit Of the elder
John Flovd, who vowed that whether tho
South was right or wrong, no power on earth
should march across Virginia soil to assall Az;
Southern State.
We are satisfied that the people @; Virginia
repudate the action of their representatives a'
Charleston. 4 State Convention would moi
only instruct those representatives to vote as
unit themselves on all questions, but wou'l
require them to make the South unit and te
stand by the South against all the world. Bu
by adiourning to so early day, the Conven
ton has deprived Virginia Of the power to give
any instructions There is point, however
at which popular forbearancc must end, and
Virginia should be made to submit, at BaIt'
more, TO the arrogant behes's OF Squatter So
yercgnty, and should be degraded to the posi-
ton Of an ally Of the North in hostility TO he'
sister States Of the South, then the people
will indignantly repudiatc the Convention, a''f
will rally to the battle cry Of THE Union i"
the South for the sake Of the Constitution.