New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-14
STOP POOLING


on the question of staying in the Union or going
of to jeff. Davis, and meantme-by an express
vote of that People--no act of Secession is or
can be valid. Yet persons chosen by the Con-
vention and pretending to be representatives OF
virginia. Yesterday presented themselves at the
bar of JEFF Congress in Montgomery and were
admitted to the membership of that illustrious
body; and Virginia herself is darkened by reg-
ments of armed Secessonists, from seeded and
unseccded States, who hssiened thther expecting
TO make an immediate rush on Washington
But the leaders of the rebellion think Gen. Scott
has too many and too good troops therein
which opinion we decidedly concur-so they give
out that Virginia uW not ALLOW Washington TO
be attacked from her SOIL but proposes to stand
strictly on the defensive. But in few days it
is discovered that Harper's Ferry is not tenabe
without crowning the nights on the Maryland
side also Of the Potomac so those nights are
cocly seized and fortifedi aud correspondent
of The Erening Post thereupon writes from
Washington as follows:
"The occupation of the Maryland bights opposite
Harpers Ferry is undoubtedly regarded by the Gov
ernloent as serious matter. SO long as Gov Letener
hC,t Inc Virginia troops Nuc VI 'hN
State the Government perhaps, might not compliant
but the moment they crossed iuto Maryland they
committed an outrage not only upon MARY iahd, pu.
upon the Government Of the United States. That
Government is, therefore, bound TO drive back the Ill
VedeTs at whatever COST
If this be sound doctrine, we may as well
give it up first as last If the Federal Govern
ment, in full view of powerful and perilous re-
bellion, " might not complain " Of the mastering
and arming Of fifty thousand men by the authOri-
ties of one of the revoted States, so long az they
were confined to the soil of that State, then the
Union is fog, the Government chimera, and
the sooner We pitch both overheard the better.
If the Federal Government must see the rebel
flag wave from the roofs of Alexandria, one of
its ports of collection and in full view Of its
Capitol, and may not resent the indignity nor re-
press the disloyalty until the rebel authorities
shall see fit TO cross over and invade the Federal
District or the soil of an unseceded State, we
would have the pretense Of Union exposed and
kicked out If the FEDERAL forces may not enter
Virginia to put down fragrant resistance to the
Union and retake its own navy-yards, armOry
and custom.houses, without being justly charged
with iar0ding that State, we would rather let
Virginia and all that sympathize with her depart
in peace. 1t ia bad enough to wake up and find
that we have no Country-only State-but to
have no Country and no Government, or but the
deceitful image Of either, is unendurable.
Mr.. Carlisle, the eminent leader of the West
ern Virginia Union movement, is said to have
urged the President to send no force into Vir-
gina, under penalty of destroying what is left of
the Union party Of that State We venture to
suggest that the medicine thus rejected has had
a good effect in Maryland, where the very high
priests of Dsunon are constrained to merely
whine out the treason they dare longer
! boldly utter. Were Federal army now
| in possession Of Richmond, Norfolk, and
Petersburg, treason would sing small in the
popular vote for and against Secession to be
taken on Thursday of next week. Mr.. Carlisle
is doubtless sincere Unionist; but the Union
he faYOrs seems to US hardly worth fighting for,
and if he protested (as is said) against an ad-
vance of the troops from Ohio into Western Vir.
ginia, there to sustain the loyal majority against
Eastern Counties, then he evinced the weakness
of an abstractionist rather than the nerve Of a
true patriot.
We do not, of course, hold the Government
responsible for any Of this nonsense about invad-
ing States, or sending troops into Virginia
because hers have crossed into Maryland. We
presume that the President comprehends his
rights and his duties, and will firmly assert the
former while fully discbarging the latter.