The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-05-23
The Mistake Made by virginia nj
Charleston.

Robert H. Glass, the editor Of the Lynch
burg (Va.) Republican, was one of the dele
gates from that State to the Charleston Gen.
vention. In a letter to his paper, dated
Charleston, MOy l, he says:
"TAese seeding States came to tie COnUen-
vention with deliberate purpose 10 break up
the Convention, if they fail to get their er-
trens ultimatunl, and their ultimdte design is
to break up the Union by breaking up the De
mocratic party. 1t will be for the people to
determine whether these rash and sectional
designs shall be successful or not. For
myself, l am frank to say that have no
great admiration for the Union-that under
certain circumstances and for good cause |
would dissolve the Union to morrow-bOt
have no idea of assisting in Virginia about
such a serious result, by insisting upon
mere abstraction which is not worth the pa.
per upon which it is proposed to be written.
And those who have taken this step and
form q sectional party, will just as certainly
be crushed out as they live. Their own
people will not sustain them.
"Virginia held a long consultation las'
T night, and holds another this morning.
Some of her delegation is going out, and
suppose will retire. But a large majority
will remain in and sustain the action of thu
National Convention, SO long as it is fair ant
honorable and consistent with the action o
previous Conventions. James Barbour de
ivered fine speech last night to cur dele
gatiun, and it had fine impression. Fo
one, he would remain true TO the organic 1
} ton of the National Democracy il he had L
| stand alone.
II am gratifed to say that on yesterda
our delegation changed it's position of play
ing second fiddle to Mr.. Yancy, and vote
for the re-adopton of the Cincinnati Plat
form. Had we never deserted the position
we had assumed in Virginiu-had we adher
ed faithfully to our position of moderation
y we would have been the ruling State in tn
e Convention, and have drawn the North to I
q and our candidate. But from consideration
. of false policy the majority of US deserte
our position, went to the extreme South, 10
'e our influence and prestige, and fear, 10
II our candidate. We have lost favor with Ii
}. North for abandoning our original position
,t and have now lost favor with the secedin
n States because we refuse to 60 with then
=" In other words, we have placed ourselvt
!" between two fires, and shall come out nut
p damaged, | fear. Iwarned them of the fat
d, error at the moment it was committed, b
20 could only get six of my delegates to star
with me. In his speech last night Mr.. Ba
T" bour said the fatal error committed by Il
n delegation was in abandoning its origin
7e position. His hands were then tied, b
40 now he was free to act and spenk for hir
:. self, and he meant to do it. The Tenth L
" gion District has been with me all the tin
ne on this issue.
" "The Virginia delegates who now talk
%, going with the seeding States are Messr
80 Fisher, Booker, Cecil and Smith. / ho
" they wiH change their purpose, Jut ,oheth
they do or not, it a0iU not change The poSitit
or the cote Of Virginia."
N Virginia is not the only Southern Sta
that will see the mistake it made in oppo
:, ing the old Democratic doctrine, which "
u, have all advocated-that OF CongressionS
- non intervention upon the subject of SLAYER
"a in the territories. There was never an
reason for change of front on the question
h 1t was breach of political faith upon th
~ part of the South to seek to break down th
q Cincinnati Platform, on which We were 6
=. thoroughly committed to the people. Th
70 Democracy Of the country will never tax
# any backward steps. 1t will adhere to Coz
a gressional non-action in reference to slave
n ry, and those who 60 for its Interference ar
n bound inevitably to be outside of the pale {
/ the Democratic party, no matter whethe
that interference is for slavery or ngeint
+ slavery.