Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-11-21
RICHMOND WHIG.
OPINIONS OF TILE PRESS.

What position shall Virginia take in this crisis, is
question Of serious import We are opposed to precp'
tate action and appeal to the people csmly TO consde
before they adopt the ranngs and sophtres oil exce'
partzans or the woopgs OF complete and thorough sub
mssioniss Standing the impregnable basis OF th'
Constitution doing nothing 10 exasperate the contend
log factions or volative of that sacred instrument th'
people of Virginia may yet secure order and peace II
the country and arch the chasm that separated the Sae
of this Union with the rainbow Of hope and OF promise
Even should we be compelled by force OF circumstan
ces 10 take part in fratrcdal war; 70 resist fedora
power or abolition aggression, let do II in an order,
and solemn manner, becoming the gravity OF an occa
sion so awful and momentous. National men should no
commit themselves hastily TO extreme measures, or at
tempt to remedy the evils which sfct us by hasty ard
il-disested schemes. Moderation aud hrmness 10 the
policy Of Virgiua and whatever may be The result LEI
her action be such as will add ustre to her name and
wisdom 70 her cOuusels.
We are not among those who seek to find causes for
revolution aud recession Had we the power we should
blot out every cause which would give the remotes idea
TO such dreful calamity. We have seen nothing yet
which would make US the advocate OF DisunOn. When
ever dangerous and papabe violation Of the Constr
ton occurs for resi,tpce call revolution or se-
cessiOn That the position oil the ilustrous patriots
of Virginia in the early days of the Republic. Such
should be the position of Virgiuars to-day. Tne mode
and manner BY the Constitution for the election
of President canLot be violation Of the Constitution,
even numerical ory should impose an ol jectlon-
able man on section Of the country The feet OF his
election cannot and ought not produce revolution.
When an ouert dct is committed, which infringcs on
the rights and security Of the people Of any Sto that
ctitsef dssoves the compact and absOves all allegiance
to the Federal Uuion The revolt Of the STATES beirays
fear and places them in position OF rebeing against
superior power and is total abandonment oi the doc
rue that the States free aud sovereign aud have the
right when the Union ia perverted TO their injury to with
draw those powers which surrendered to the Fede
raj Government to form more perfect Union. The
idea that State has legal right to withdraw from the
Union without violation OF the Constitution j. absurd
and would make government the most unstable in the
world and convict the framers Of the Constitution Of
weakness and inability remedy the evils Of the old con-
federation This latter position is what's producing the
trouble now and is modernism unsustained by author
" or regso old perversion Of siate-rghts and vi
cious and perniCous theory that would drift all conied
Grated governments Of sovereign States on the waves oil
passion and prejudice.
Governments should not be changed for light aud
transient causes As provision has been made for the
dissolution Of the government its change and separs
ton produce commissions As each State Is ITS own
Judge of the iuractions of the Constitution we artenty
hope that South Carolina and Georgia will not be per-
mit,ed to force their opinions Virginia, dictate to
US what course TO pursue. "HHied S0diH can never
be secured for disunon purposes the barren idea Of
sectional triumph, without act Of treason aud die
loyalty to the Constitution. The pr, ,cptae action Of
the Cotton States will make fearful breach Southern
soil. UisunlOu Is VI
enable and rejecting people will rather bear the evils
that now exist, than fly to those We know not Of
From the FrederieksJurg Recorder, (Doggids)
Ii idle TO deny that the passions Of large number
of our Southern fellow citizens have been deeply aroused
by the election Of Lincoln regarding it species Of
indey the Constitution, they feel that they must at
once dissolve their connection with the Uniou-we
not concur in such views aud beg TO be permitted in
respectful way to give reasons for dissenting with
those who believe that the election OF any man Is SUI
cient cause for dsruptng the States The first is the
President bound by his oath of Office the best Of
his ability to preserve protect and defend the Constu
ton Of the United States and surely if he viii do this
complain for man Is stupid TO require
any pledge exaced by the letter and spirit of that
But some may reply that cannot trust
to bis views Of Constitutional law. Well, you might
have said this Of every President since Washugton and
has happened that Presidents have before attained
20 that at first dreaded bv tho South AMI
vet after their with authority lhey ruei WISE
ly and well, the administrations OF Van Buren anu
Fillmore will attest.
Again it NAV be assumed that he will put ohecona.
bic men in Office. Yes; but be can't keep them there
without the consent OF the Senate and il ia too conser
vatiye to sanction improper appointments. Some will
reason that he will refuse execute the fugitive law, or
by indifference permit il TO become dead letter. True
he nav but who can affirm that he will thus act until he
has been tried and is il not safer TO await such ia-
grant rAusgresson Of duty her than 10 anticipate IT,
aud 20 "SuCcnt Tor tue ual Is tue eNh tneIeol -
Shall we destroy government that contains so many
blessings because il carries along with it some isy-
Suppose we break up the government, will slaves not
still escapeg and if renounce the constitutional provi-
sons for their reclamation, is it probable that We can
ever attain the thing in any other way and are we
then because we suffer au ILL., break up the govern
ment aud suffer worse? We might in this way reduce
all the arguments OF the secesonst to the redeto dd oJ
r1na But whereforeg The President It's true IS not OF
our thinking but We have the Seuae have the House,
and an upright honest Judiciary. Wehave two branches of
the Government; the Republicans Shall We by se-
ccssions break up and give them ALL or shall stand
to our rights as men within the Union? Every dictate
of wisdom points our course, that sensible men we
will follow it, for our part doubt Is entertained Let
us keep the Union and the Constitution though 1t
be 10 the desruc ion OF Lincoln aud his party rather
than to keep Lincoln and the Republicans at the expense
of broken Union and dishOnored Constitution.
That the men OF the North must ultimately renounce
aud repudate both is expcabe upon every principle OF
philosophy in politics and all the teachings of political
history SGch fusion and confusion as that which ele
waited Lincoln must die of its own hand not even The
cohesive power of public plunder' can save it from
such fate Let US abide Time, stick to the Const
tuition. cooperate with the conservative men Of the
North and we shall yet the country to those in
whose keeping it has attained its present unparalleled