New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-10

forward with wholly inadequate pro positiops io'
their removal. Thus, following in the wake oil
Senator Mason he proposes first to consider tue
question whether OF no the Union can be preserved.
To this end be advocates the calling oil Generai
Convention OF all the States, to ascertain if CON-
mon platform cannot be found upon which they can
all agree to stand, and agree to harmonic On the
question of Slavery. Now, not to go into con-
sderation of the precise topics, or the exact poase
of those which would be presented at such o Con-
yention. we beg to ask wherein such body oil men
would differ in their discussions or their actioh,
except. perhaps, in inferiority of character and
talent. from the discussions and action Of Congress
AT Washington, there is now sitting an authoritative
assembly, deliberately chosen, composed OF inc
ablest men Of the country from all sides, and repre-
sentnp every hue of political opinion, holding daily
sessions. and discussing constantly and fully those
very question: and points which Gov. Letcner
deems if of so much importance to come ID an
understanding about. What more does Gov
Ietcber want What more can he have7 And If
be coupsels and discussions Of these Congressman
arc insufficient have we not been stated with those
of other gentlemen of eminence, ventiatDg their
hopes, fears, judgments, objurgations, and invo.
cations, through tho medium of recent Union
saving meetings, from Edward Everett down to
James Brooks? Have we not heard from Ex-
Presidents Fillmore and Pierce by letter, from
Cha,les O'Conor and Caleb Gushing By word of
mouth, from old Gov. Lincoln and young Gov.
Hunt, as well as forty others 2 Conventions are
very well to discuss topics that are in need Of dis
cusson, or to decide questions authoritatiyey that
must be decided But in this case we have had,
and are daily having, piles on piles, heaps on heaps,
reams on reans, of discussion. Where is the need
of more
And then, what is Mr.. Letchers Convention to de-
eide? Iftis to be composed of men of all sides in pol
tics then il will do just what Congress does every
Winter over every public topic of general interest
that tdiscusses-debate vote, and leave the general
subject lust as it stood before. Would Mr.. Letch-
or propose to compromise the question of Slave
over again. The suggestion would excite an
involuntary emile from every man who should hear
it. Everybody is agreed that since the destruction
of the Missouri Compromise, and the action on the
Lecompton swindle, compromises are at On end
Slavery and Freedom have been set face to face,
and on all debaable ground, have nothing left but
TO fight it out. Mr. Letcher himself by vote and
voice helped to put things on this basis, by voting
for the Kansas Nebraska bil and of course he Is
ready to stand by his own action. The question
was fought out in Kansas, as it will be fought out
in every other Territory where Slavery aims to get
foOthold, unless Congress composes the question by
keeping Sayeiy within its present limits, or agrees
upon some such principle as was embodied in the
Missouri settlements which latter act would be
simply to undo the work Of the last FIVE ye.rs,
work which Mr.. Letcher has had as much hand in
doing as any man in Virginia. 'f
We conclude, therefore, that Convention Of all
parties would leave the whole question just where
it now stands, and we think Gov. Letcher himself
must see the subject in this light. Indeed we may
infer as much from his own suggestions. lie him.
self declares that in case of holding the proposed
Convention and arriving at no satisfactory settle
ment of the Slavery question: then the Convention
should proceed to discussion of the question OF
peaceable separation of the Free and Slave States.
Gov. Letchers Convention therefore is con-
tingenty Disunion Convention; and IN this point oil
view if in no other he cannot expect 1t to be re.
ceiyed with favor in the Free States. Anything
that sayors of Disanion in the face of the resoute
position of the Republican party on that question,
and of the recent professional and trading Union.
saving meetings in the North is sngulary il-tlmed
and out of place. For this reason, If for no ether,
Gov Letchers proposition can receive no favorable
response from the Free States, and most certainly
none from the Republican party. The members
and representatives of the Republican organization
ever where would regard as an insult an invitation
TO attend a body whose ultimate object was 80
obnoxious TO their whole course OF thought and
action as suggested by Gov Letcher. . 80
We thus dismiss the proposition OF Convention
to harmonze the existing differences between the
Free and Slave States as wholly unsuited to the
accomplishment of the purpose in Wow. But would
Gov. Letcher know what course should be taken to
reduce the volume, and mitigate the acerblty OF
public feeling on the subject in question, We can
tell him in word Let the South Icy aside, and
cease to present and recur to, its outrageous and
insulting claim to all the Territories OF the United
States, existing and TO come, for the spread OF
Slavery. The demand is alike new, irritating, and
offensive to generation schooled in the firm belief
of the equality of human rights, and that this Gov
ernment was created for the spread Of Freedom
end not Slavery. Let it repudiate the modern
heresy taught by short-sighted politicians, that
Slavery is blessing and should be indefinitely
spread and indefinitely perpetuated-a dogma OF
scope SO great as to carry with it the inevitable re-
opening of the African slaye-trade as measure