The national Republican., 1860-12-11
VIRGINIA ON SECESSION-MR.
ROTTS,S LETTER.

The Alexandria Gazette publishes letter
from Mr.. Bolts, under date of November u,
which tells some plain truths in very plain
way. 1t undoubtedly expresses the general
feeling in Virginia in respect to the proceed.
ings in South Carolina. The letter is too long
for our. columns, and we make the following
extracts:
al do not concur with you in opinion, that
the dissolution of the Union is inevitable the
sky looks threatening, grant you, but so it
has done before, and yet the clearest sunshine
has succeeded, without shower of rain or a
peal of thunder; so trust it will be again.
But, il it is to be otherwise, and the Govern
ment Of the United States is to be overthrown,
no part of the folly, the pickedness, or the
crime, shall be charged upon me, either by the
wise and good men Of the present age, or Of
generations yet to come.
"True, South Carolina has rushed on with a
headlong impetuosty, wholly unsuited to the
gravity Of the occasion, as if she were afraid
to trust herself with time for calm deiberation,
relying more upon the passion than the wisdom
of her people and it may be, that under ridic.
ulous and false idea of a becoming pride and
true greatness, she may involve herself in very
serious difficulty; she may even declare herself
Convention in 1888; but still the Union was
not rent asunder, nor will it now be, as | think;
no other State is likely to go with her, and what
is best, and surest of all, Virginia certainly
piH not in her present state Of mind.
"If could see the least semblance Of justi-
fcatiou in the attitude South Carolina has as.
sumed, would sympathize with her-but can
not, for reasons already given in my speech,
which you say you have just read. see moth
ing in that position but plain, bold, daring,
fiat: footed rebellion against and treason to the
rest of the States, and l cannot, under any
contingency, be induced to take sides with her
in her disloyalty and treachery.
"When should we be safe in declaring ,cdr
for the defence of our honor or our rights, or
for the protection of our people, if in the midst
of the war the Union could be dissolved, and
the Government destroyed, whenever some
one of the States might be disappointed in the
election of her favorite candidate for the Presi
dency, or because her interest would be pro-
NOTED by doing so, or because ii pould enhance
the price Of cotton, TO open direct trade wiM
the enemyP What Government on earth would
thereafter treat with us as one of the nations
of the world, or treat us with respect2 | do
not wish to be disrespectful to anybody-and
most surely not to you-but hope you will par.
don me for saying that one Of the inconceiva.
BILE and irreconcilable things of this world, to
my mind, is, that an idea of such unmixed
and unmitigated nonsense and absurdity as
that of the right of State to secede at pleas
ure, should ever have obtained place in the
mind of any man who was not an absolute
lunatic.
"But if new Confederacy were to be formed,
could not go with you, for should use what.
ever influence might he able to exert against
entering into one with South Carolina that has
played the part of a common brawler and dis
turber Of the public peace for the last thirty
years, and who could give no security that l
would be willing to accept that she would not
be as fathless to the next compact as she has
been to this which she is now endeavoring to
avoid. In addition to which, the objects and
interests of South Carolina, as she conceives
them, are essentially at variance with those Of
Virginia; this State will never sanction piracy,
and if not, South Carolina does not desire our
company, and would get rid of us as soon as
possible.
"What may be the ultimate condition of
things, do not pretend to be prophetic enough
to foretell but do not think there is any like.
lihood that any other State will go out, as South
Carolina proposes to do, in a sort Of sky-rocket
blaze The rest will be disposed to consider
matters more carefully and will take time for
consideration and reflection"