The national Republican., 1861-02-18


spoils of borrowing from their neighbors. The
sscessionists are thus acting upon Scripture
pattern.
THE VIRGINIA ELECTION.
The N. Y. Epening Post publishes the follow
ing letter from /" an esteemed correspondent in
western virginia."
WREELINa,'F Feb. IL, 1861.
"The traitors in this State and their confed.
crates and dupes in the free States are trying
TO break the force Of their overwhelming defeat
on the 4th instant, by pretending that the ma.
jority Of delegates elected were only contingent
Union men. Now the fact is, that very few, If
any, disunion candidates were in the field on
this side Of the Allegheny mountains. In all
the counties, unconditional Union men ran as
candidates; men who had NO complaints to
make, no wrongs to right, no new guarantees
to ask, but who wish to remain in the Union
Just as they have done oil their lives. In sew.
eral counties no opposition could be raised. I
will give you q description Of the canvass in
our neighboring county Of Marshall, as speci-
men.
"Mr. Gallagher, a practiced public speaker,
was candidate for the Convention. During
the canvass he made 6ne speeches, extolling
the Union, but throwing in something about
The rights and wrongs of Virginia and the
South. When the election came, he received
only $50 votes.
Mr.. Burley, plain, common.sense farmer,
was his opponent. In single speech, occupy.
ing only few minutes, he declared that he was
uncompromisingly in favor Of the Constitution
and Union as they are; that Vrginia had been
deprived Of no rights that she ever possessed,
and had no actual wrongs to redress; that he
wished her to remain in the Union entire, but
If the worst came to the worst, and the eastern
part of the State would 60 out he was in favor
Of remaining in the United States as Western
Virginia. When election day came, he re-
over his seeding opponent.
"Our average majority in this (Ohio) county
was only BIG. Sherrard Clemens has major
ity of 905 over the lowest conditional Union
candidate. The vote for and against q refer
ence of the acts of the Convention to the people
shows, nearer than anything else, the actual
weakness Of the disunion sentiment. G."
The smallness of the majorities for the Union
candidates for the Convention in Ohio county,
in which Wheeling is situated, is proof that
there, at any rate, the true test of the Union
strength was on the vote for the reference to
the people Of any ordinance Of secession. In
the city of Wheeling itself, the Union delegates
only had 500 majority.
GuLLINo THE BORDER SrArEs.-The Charles
ton Mercury Of Feb. l3, alluding to its condem.
nation, on the previous day, of certain provis.
ions of the Montgomery Constitution, and espe
cially of the prohibition Of the African slave
trade, says:
In our issue Of yesterday we took occasion
to speak, with some dissatisfaction, of certain
features of the provisional Government. W.
admit that the Government is but provisiOna
and temporary, and that therefore the feature:
objected to may not be carried into the perma
nent Government, and probably ,oere neuer in
tended to be carried there. They pere doubtless
intended 10 conciliate the border slape States
and induce them to an early union"
The border States did not need this frank
ness of confession, to understand what is in
tended to be done. They know well, that thu
slave trade will not long be prohibited by .
Southern Confederacy, to the schemes ofwhicl
that trade is essential, and they also know
we'll, that, whatever paper prohibitions may b.
kept up to bsmboozle the world, the trade vii
flourish on the long coast of the Gulf States
Just as it does in Cuba, where it is contrar,
both to law and national treaties.
PATRoNIzIN0 SEcEssIoN.-Mr. Buchanan
having certain number Of cadetships at large
in his gift, has seen ft to give one of them tt
a son of Mr.. Smith, member of the House
delegation from Virginia, who did not sign the
disunion card of Senator Mason and others a
the time of its issue, in consequence Of beinl
confined at home by sickness, but who gave
his supplemental endorsement afterwards.
A Presidents patronage is an essential par
Of his power; and to see it used at this crisis
in favor Of q secessionist, is a most demorali
zing spectacle. This man Smith has been
bloodsucker on this Government for tim
longer than the memory of q majority Of tn
people Of the country. To give a commission
to his son, under all the circumstances, is Al
insult to the nation, and we hope that it vii
be promptly revoked by the incoming Pres
dent.
AMENDING THE CoNsTITUTIoN.-We rene,
the call upon the State Convention now sittin
at Richmond, if they desire any amendmen
Of the Constitution to be submitted to tn
States, to express their wishes to that effec