Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-25

PePuoIlcah JourlaIS HaVc received that clause
Of the Virginia Convention bill requiring the
submission of the secession ordinance to the
popular vote, is proper matter for careful de-
liberation by the people of Virginia.
Why should Black Republicans rejoice over
this submission clause? 1t is not because they
believe that the people, at the polls, will reverse
the decision of the people in Convention No
the journals know very we'll that whatever
the Convention may do the people will ratify.
They rejoice over this clause simply because,
if adopted by popular vote, it postponcs State
action until after the 4M ef' March, and com.
pels Virginia to submit to Mr.. Lincoln. The
time that must capsc between the adoption Of
the ordinance and its ratification by the people,
will give Mr.. Lincoln ample opportunity 10 make
Fortress Monroe and Fort Washington impreg-
nable to assault, and, with the regular army
already concentrated at Washington, and the
Northern troops rendered by New York, Penn.
sylvana and Ohio, to draw the Gordon of cocr,
cion around the State 50 ms to make ratification
of secession 10y the people an act Of almost
certain anuilIilaton
If the people Of Virginia will reflect, that
voting ioI.submission may result in deprivins
the Convention Of all efficiency; in notifying
their worst enemy Of all their movements in
giving that enemy ample time to concentrate
an army within the State, which cannot be op-
posed, Except by revolutionary proceedings
they will recognize in the danger Of such a vote
ample reason for en!rusting to their represen
tatives the responsibility Of submitting, or not
submitting, the question to the people.
We should most certainly advocate and de.
mand the popular vote, upon an ordinance OF
secession, unless the cXgencics Of the time Of
its passage did not render such vote manifeStly
improper. In this we find that the people Of
Virginia agree with US; but the adoption OF
this clause Of the Convention bill, rubs the Con.
vention Of all proper accountability to the pco
pie.
What necessity can there be for tho people
voting three times upon the same question? p
First, in electing delegates, the vote given bc.
tween candidates is a vote given for or against
secession. Second, the vote given by the de-
lcgate Of the people, in convention upon the
passage Of the ordinance Of secession, is Il vote
given by the people for or against SECESSION
And thus, after two votes by the people, for or
against secession, what necessity can there he
for another third vote at the polls?
ltis simply u cowardly dodge, to give the Re
publicans time, which time they will improve,
not in efforts at compromise and adjustment, but
in active concentration of forces in and around
Virginia. Should the people Of Virginia re
quirc the submission Of The ordinance of Scccs
sion, they will have deliberately voted away
the liees IF many Of their sons ant brothers,
and may look back to that vote as the unin.
territorial but no less certain destruction Of
some Of the best men OF the State. The un.
happy result of such vote will be felt by the
people when the Federal Government, muster.
ing Northern and regular regiments, demands
unconditional submission to Mr. Lincoln, and
the sons md brothers Of the voters Of Eir'
ginia are compelled to sacrifice their lives ii,
defence of the State.
But reject this clause requiring submission,
and what then? The very vote Of rcjection is
an authoritative notice to Black RcpuGlicanisnl
that all hopes Of submission by the people Of
Virginia must be abandoned, and that unless
the sectional majority are prepared to do in
slant and efficient justice to the South, that
the people OF Virginia have already voted them
selves out of Union whose faithlcss confcde
rates have destroyed their rights, disturbed
their peace, invaded their soil, pil(rrcd their
property, and rendered men and money to con-
quer their liberties, subsert their equality and
privileges