Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-01
RICHMOND wHIG.
THE CRISIS.
Ts Ia Edilor o. Ms Whiq !:

10 the Editor of the Hhg;
The Presidential election has transpired, and the Re
pubcans have triumphed The South feels that blow
has been struck upon her constitutional rights and will
significant promptness she has hurled back the terrible
response that she will submit No State, indeed hal
thus Spoken yet in its penary and corporate autho
riy But, nevertheless, the people have spoken Tney
have spoken the earthquake speaks oi the coming
eruption OF Vesuvius. They are in motion and commo
ton Federal officials have iHstGR.sr resigned theiI
Offices shouts have ascended 10 u Southern Republic
that looms up n the distance; and the bands that have
so long held together the elements Of the Union, art
swapping Asunder audby like the tmbers OF house Oh
fire.
In this crisis of our country what should be the at
ude of NiTgnia-the first the Oldest aud the greatest
OF the Ametcan States IL is her duty TO speak aloud
Sine should let her Noce be heard over the fearful ON
that is waxing around her. Her wisdom her patriotism
and her conservatism should be heard Her connses are
still potent and il they be wisely administered, they
may be efficient under Providence TO save the country
We are on the verge Of ruin The old pillars OF mutual
confidence broken down, ard are rapidly advauc-
ing towards the line that separates peace and war
We in the midst OF events that caunot but inspire
alirm Imme dite action is necessity to the public
safety. Nor should be deferred by those who would
taunt plnic-srcken aud preciptate Cvil war Is
staring in the face. reckless indifference 70 friendly
admoniJon is among the OF peril n which we are
nov involved. Virginia must take counsel day
lostand step may be taken by Southern brethren
which could be retrieved One drop OF Southern
blood shed upon soil, and social war might follow,
whose red track tll the genius of Milton or Dante
could portray in pose or rhyme Ii Is no time Tor the
folding OF in idle speculation. The emergency
calls upon consider aud TO decide. Every good
citizen should be at his post. We should arise IN the
spirit and purpose Of men who dangr without iear
and give ourselves TO the solemn work OF pacylns the
country
A new administration Of the Federal Government is
about to be Daugurated Abraham Lincoln and Hanni-
bal Hamin be the President and NicePresi-
dent Of these United States They have been elected by,
aud they the representatives Of the Republican par
| ty Shall the South acquesce in their election and ad-
ministrationy Or is their election, psO fdcto sufficient
for the Southern States TO secede from the Union
To this fearful and momentous question, oar response
if WISE must be-no. The Governor of the State has Is
sued his proclamation to the Legislature; and
the Legislature should Immediately call Convention OF
the people TO consider what line Of policy it behooves
Virginia to pursue Let that Convention assemble, and
let it for the people. Let il decide, and let VI
speak forth its judgment the South and TO the North
and TO the world. What that judgment would be, it is
Impossible to predict but if consistent with the charac
Of the people for prudence and conservatism we must
believe would command Gcquiesence in the ensuing ad
minstraOn unless arise TO justify resistance
Let the State speak, that her people may be pru
dent and thar other States may not mistake her policy
Virginia should dist city say TO the South-Nhat j.
distinctly true-hat there yet adequate for
the severance Of this ULion. Let her. though in tender
/ and cordial sympathy demand the bill Of Southern
is the catalogue OF her slaves that have escaped into free
States and have not been surrendered on demand p
What dam ge has she sustained by OF Federal e
gisla n against slavery IN the Terroresy Ask her II
her slave population has been disturbed within ber bor
ders Ask her if the slave trade between the slave States
has been interrupted And what can she answer -
Probably few of her slaves have escaped into the
free States AID have not been retakeu under the fugi
tive slave law But she should remember also, how of
ten even in her courts there but partial success,
if total failure Of justice; and her damages sustain
ed by Of Territorial anti-savery laws can be,
when fairly considered but little more than imaginary
Let the South be told that the administration Of Abra
ham LncOln-though erroneOus-may be honest; that
il honest have right TO presume that it will tres
pass on Southern rights unless in the territories that
slavery exist in any Of the unsettled ter
tores Of the United States; that the power of the Pre-
sident then in those territories would be immaeria and
urgaory however excited and that il his action should
be honest and but immateray injurious to the South
then the honor and the interests o! tho South would be
eectuay saved by protesting against the error, and
waving resistance FOR the immaterianty OF Iue wrong
Let the South be reminded also that at her election,
both branches OF the next Congress may be proaycry
aud that therefore, If the President should have the will
to respass upon Southern rights he would not have the
power 10 do So excepting his veto power which would
be Only negative.
These things being So on what principle could seces-
sion subserye the interests Of the South IL the honor
OF the South is not be csmpromitted nor her rights
Of property materially Injured by acquescence in the
ensuing administration OF Abraham Lincoln, how can
be less than phrenzy for the Southern States to ecede
Secession under such circumstances would be first mad
and then The Federal Government has not the
power to permit any Safe to secedc from the Uuion and
f any State should attemp: DO So civ war would be
the inevitable consequence. or this there Is no rational
doubt What the result Of such war may be, no hui
an language can adequately pOrtrayno human imagi'
nation can adequately conceive These happy States
nov plete with pOpuation-eeming with wealth-ther
agriculture and commerce expanding aud their products
multiplying would turn back towards the wilderness
from which they sprang. The intelligence and energy
of the country would be consumed u the fires OF war.
Overwhelming taxation would be demanded by the public
necessities individual industry would be paralizd, and
public and private bankruptcy would supervene. Desc
atiOu would reign the land Violence bloodshed,
aud pllage would be as familiar household words -
Religion and morality would disappear. Aud where We
now see the enlightened citizen, would be found mon
ster resembling more mongtel Of brute and devil than
the ordinary forms Of Christian life.
Suppose however, that secession should be successful
and a Southern Coniederacy should be established
What good end would it accomplish What existing
evil would il suppressg It would work evil and that
onlv Both the foreign and domestic expenses Of Gov
ernment would be enormously increased. The escape OF
slaves into the free States would be frequent and
without the hope Of recovery. Toe African slave trade
could rot be re-opened because Eng l. France SPAIN
aud the old American Confederacy would keep naval
forces guarding he Southern coasts that would newt
ably exterminae that traffic. As Cuba does now so the
Southern Conederacy might occasionally bring in slave
cargo without detection but it would be rare occur
renee and would be dearly bought And if she
should efTsctualy reopen the slave trade what moral
spectacle would she present to the civilized world All
Chr stan nations would unite against her in indci
ment for piracy, and would find her guilty. She would
be the only State in the civilized world openly authorz
ing and pre- scouting that ignominious traffic! Her
ional respecubiy abroad would not compare with that
she nos has as integral portion Of this Union. I'M
der her mercural temperament she would be more liable
TO collisions with foreign States and in those collisions
she would be less able sustain herself with credit
Under that unfortunate temperament she would probably
soon become involved in domestic striies which
might result according her theory Of national disinteg
ration in still other Republics, until the whole Southern
region would become studded with sovereign and inde
pendent Staes-each with tie other jarrng and warrng
| in perpetual discord.
Besides all thi the Souhe n States in seeding from
| the Confederacy, would sacrifice claim which they
rghtfuly hold against the North Of great magnitude
aud importance" and to abandon which would be cut
of from from the South mighty Of power to the
living generation and 70 posterty. We of the Sonth
hs e. in part made this government. We have cOnIi-
buted blood and treasure TO its support The
North has received the benefit of these Southern
ge the South should require the NOrh to surrender ber
proper quota Of the Of defence and protection Of
the whole country when future emergencies may require
her aid The South has paid the consideration Of the
future as well the pass subsidies of the North. The
South at ntergra put Of the Unon is emitted to the
benefit of the intelligence, the money, and the muscle,
of the Northern States in support of the Constitution
and the laws Of the Union Ii would be great evil to
he South to abandon the benefits Of the Federal Union.
Il is say that the relations OF benefit and
obedience mutual aud that the benefits Of the Union
should when obedience TO It's laws is refused. For,
though that true still the obedience should continue,
that the benefits may not cease-uness the contrary be