The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-08

CAsrE Hill, q JAN 1850
You ask for my opinions the character OF
he present crisis in the condition Of the country the cir
umstances which have produced or aggravated IT, and
he line OF becomes Of Virginia to pursue
0 our duties as member Of The cOniederacy Well
moving how little weight these opinions are entitled TO-
am not one Of those who think il other safe or
saona! way OF meeting the dangers Of tho State, say
Tots s man o,ner dangers % anasr!ste and make light
Old us, than early provident an un
repaired and Hurried CONSERVATION when danger is
pom us)-si ID the mother Of safety" Let u.s. then,
without exasgeracn the hand, extenuation on
me Other endeavor 70 take the true measure Of
The affair at Harper's Ferry, wicked t in its
conception and airociors In lis desgn well savage
and revolving in the provided for It's execution
cannot be adequately judgen in isolated point OF
bad both It's antscedens and rs conseq In
gard to the former, Seemed but the logical acting OF
the bitter denupcatoDs which for years past
systematically inauged in against the institutions
aud 'rrepressibe corfiot proclaimed to exist in the
nature II trgs between The social systems the North
the South. With respect the latter the deyelope
meats Of opinion and feeng which Immediately followed
the bloody Droad fer startling than fierce
denuncisons whch prepared the way for IT,
1t was certainly not unreasonable TO expect when a
crime Of the deepest atrocy had been committed against
the peace and safety Of sister STATE Of the coneSeacy
marked by every circumstance Of cold booded treacbery
and leading IN It's consequences, 10 Uncomfortable hor
rors that but one voice Of indignant Reproduction would
have been heard through the land But nsteai Of that
meetings Doresor less held Ia several of
the States in which, II the crime openly approved
:
portion Of the political press, ordinarily representing
large Of public opinion joined 10 the unnatural
apoheoss proclamDg not only the supernal honors
the IMMUNITY OF the offender. -
Hardly had these first demonstrations Of popular
rss and the press IN which hatred and Of
csnouzed hero of Instruction, Come 10 pause an
incendary pamphlet, Astounding in virtual Indictment
civil as wei as serve war in the Southern States,
brought 10 light, and found to have been clothed with
recommendation and Subscription for its circulation sign
ed by txy eight members actual recent of Congress
That BODY after assembled at Washington ana the
ars act OF its most numerous political party branch
wanting only few votes Of q majority of the whole
House. the deliberate selection OF the sgners
OF the above mentioned caon for its standard
bearer and candidate for the chair To this nomination
they have infexibly adhered through proracted and
hitherto fruess struggle Of eight weeks without ever
having shown so far as the public is informed the sig M
est disposition TO reicnt or even 10 offer less obno ous
candidate.
neither TO color To discuss them. These cts made
most profound impression the public Id In Vmgina
especially where the recent outrage hav ing been perpe
uated, there naturally seps i,v 10 the mani.
festaticns Of public sentiment ect ed in other States
Grss annd rejecting and devotr men. who had ever
palladium of the rights and ,uons Of ali the states
were startled at tho spectacle before their eyes they
eessn ask themselves these things can be in
socAtion o. ates, acknowledging common government
aaa ue by the closest pohtca ss what is the value
q, "'t security for domestic sanauiilsys and the
n mmon defence, wnles constitution guaran.sssf
sos aenominaaons cpascd and heartily oouourred in
er. measures" precauton and self protection consist
snn iH@ Arm resolve 70 maintain their rights It sss'
tasH Such was the attitude naturally PC ~' .actvely
assumed by The whole ocraiaon o. .renla in the pre-
sence NC emf social A. menaciDg demonstr alton which
TtT MS now look at another and more cheering aspect
Of the scene The conservative classes Inc me- nn
ssa,ss who ordiparily take but n.e part IN the pouSa
s~cj,emsnts Of The country and ike same moral ee
ments elsewhere, are oonstitutonaly eno At the
slow to act began at length to be az much ssrea " 'n0
pfe al
the people OF the Southern States themselves had po
The great communities OF Phadelphia, Boston and New
York. in the order In which name them held solemn
and Overlooking asseInbagee, such as have not been
witnessed before by the present generation IN which they
denounced, in Of just and nnmgafed Adherence
the crime committed against the safety Of sister STATE
and the peace of the Union retUked Its apoosts and
deFed earnest assurances Of fraternity and support othe
people and authorities Of Virginia; and proclaimed in
loyal and manly language their fidelity to de constitution,
and their animation TO fulfil each aud all Of its obga
tons and pledges
An uninterrupted succession Of similar meetings has
continued TO be held since at various points in the interior
of the Northern States at which the sentiments OF
horror aud indignation at the unnatural and reasonable
crime commtteo OF iraterna attachment 10 the other
States, and Of atty to the constitution and its covenants
are reiterated il possible wish ineuser fervor-
heart Of the the stronger pulsons for the
maintenance of the Union In the spirit Of mutual conf
dence and affection in which was founded by our IA
Tiers. tsee as noble examples OF this popular feeling
the proceedings, lately published OF meetings a, Btngor
u Maine; Barnsane, in Massachusetts, and Lazerne in
These rscsr, manifestations cannot but believe,
should be taken az the true expression of the sense OF
large majority OF our fellow citizens the Northern
States. Why should II not be so? Those States have
deep stake in the peace and harmony Of the Union.
Their industry, their trate their manufactures their
course with The South, and thrive by the abcndaar
common government Of the Uuion which ipsurcs to
their principal branches OF enterprise and employn,snts
OF capital The protection and encouragement they need,
and by which they have grown up to their present ina
meDse deyeopement
neither the decisions OF morbid fanatcism tue
OF political ambition, can long produce state OF blind
Tfs S, 70 ,ne se interests ana e,r phsaea
mens but when those exci,eneats have their 6-os
in sober earnest that there is r7epressb conflict
between two systems OF labor which have, for
tended period been tributary to eeh others wants and
ministered 10 each others prosperity Nor can snch q
people DC drilled into the absurd Authorization OF sup
posing that their preferred social institutions al hos
resting nndeytte invioabe shield Of their own sovereign
choice are Ia any danger Of subverson by domestic
INSTITUTION OF another part OF the ccnfederacy essentially
qiesceut aggressive AMI asking for itself only
immuuity from the unlawful interference OF others
1t rs obvious that reaction has already comneacaa
10 the public nina Of the North with regard to that de-
cate social question which has of la,o wAn,only
used by politicians the instrument Of sectional agitation
and strife. Tie people there the na,aral
gcdy al HaIpers Ferry, 10 the growing and dangerous
dsensons between the two great divisions Of the soafe
sioEs longer Continued 10 uniermne the soun atons Of
the Union Itself They will not therefore, deliberately
make themselves ACCESSORY before or after the fact 10
course Of action fausht with ruin TO their interests
as well as the overthrow Of all those generous hopes
bound up with TIE great American experiment Of free re-
publican institutions.
Let VA await with dignity and coolness, then, the
progress Of Let not check by unseer1!y v,o
ience By denuucatiors Of secession and disunon the
steady advance OF that sautary reaction which Is nov
Going its office with large OF the sober minied
snd patriotic people Of The North and which, there is
sround to hope will, ere long, by the regular and
eacefu acton q the eao. box redress the sries Of
which We have a right 10 complain. In the meantime,
there are resources Of self Profession aad defence which
The vise fame Of our government has len within the con-
troll Of the Ssases and which reasonable mind can
blame US for recurring TO- after the warnings, overt aud
implicit, With which We have been vsed IS one OF tns
characteristic advantages Of the ederaye system under
which live that affords more remedies within the
pale OF the constitution for the defence OF public liberty
tnan any other form Of political Organization and conss
queny admits less excuse for resort to reyoiatonary