The national Republican., 1860-12-15
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN.
VIRGINIA-THE WHIG..

VIRGINIA-THE WHIG.
The Richmond Wing presents the point
strongly, that secession, as proposed by South
Carolina, is no remedy for alleged Southern
grievances, but cowardly running away, and
abandonment Of all the public property and all
the Territories to the North. The Wing says :
at is not our purpose at present to enter
into any elaboration Of our views in reference
to the pending crisis, but only TO hint at them
in q very brief manner. In the first place,
then, we are for exhausting all rational and
honorable expedients for obtaining redress
of Southern grievances in the Union, before
taking up our hat and walking out of the
Union. TO this end we are for State Con.
vention-for q Convention of the Southern
States-and for a general Convention of all the
States. And il, through the instrumentalty Of
these various Conventions, we cannot effect an
adjustment of the differences and difficulties
existing between the North and the South,
then we are in favor, not of secession, but OF
separation upon fair and just terms, to be ar.
ranged by the aforesaid Convention of all the
States.
ain the terms of separation, if no adjustment
can be had. and separation must come, we shall
demand fair and equitable division Of all the
property of the United States, including, Of
course, the South's just proportion of the army
and navy. If such division Of the army and
navy, and Of all the public property Of the Uni.
ted States, including like wise the public domain,
should be refused us by the Northern States,
then we shall be in favor neither Of pedcedbte
secession nor Of pedcedble separation, but Of
immediate war; and war 10 the knife, and war
to the bitter end
"Such is our programme and such our policy,
in general terms and such, we trust, will be
the programme and policy OF Virginia and the
people of Virginia, and also of all the South
ern States without exception. As to the thing
you call pedcedbie secesson-suth b secession as
South Carolina and other Southern States are
preparing ior-we consider it unmanly and
cowardly in the highest degree. Instead Of in
volving a demand for and a defence Of our
rights, it is running away from our rights, and
running away from duty, and running away
from responsibility. 1t is remedy for moth.
ing-it is alike base abandonment Of our
rights and compromise Of our honor.
"And yet, our sister States Of the extreme
South, and many persons in our own and Other
border States, seem to consider it a great poin
gained-a mighty triumph achieved-if they
can only be gracously dtloced by the North u
pedceaUiy secede, leaving all their valuable
rights in the army and the navy and the public
property behind them As for ourselves W,
ask no such miserable and disgraceful boon a
the hands of the Northern States. We ask o
them no boon at ALL But we demand Of th
North, whether we stay in the Union or go GU
of it, our rights and all our rights, political o
pecuniary, down to the last atom or the las
farthing.
awe mean to run away from none of them
We intend to secede from none OF them. o.
the contrary, if it comes to the worst, AM
separation becomes inevitable, we mean to tax
all our rights along with us, peaceably if W
can, forcibly if we must. Never, nerer, will w
consent to u peaceable secession of Virgins
from the Northern States, unless the NortherI
States themselves consent to fair and equi
table division Of every particle of public proper
ty now belonging to the United States.
South Carolina and the other Gulf States ar
short sighted and unmanly enough to indule
in the luxury Of peaceable secession, at tt
sacrifice of the immense rights they possess
the army and navy and the public property
the Union, we shall regret and deplore the
folly, but we cannot help it.
GAS Virginians, proud, courageous, and tent
cious Of every right and interest which belong
to US, we shall certainly not follow their ma
cap, cowardly, and disgraceful example. An
we indulge the hope that most Of our Southel
sisters will yet think better of this matter al
pause and reflect before they consent to TT
away from their duty and their rights, and tai
refuge in the ignominious device of peaceaJ
secession"