Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-02-26
For the Spectator.

IOF WS CpeCtUCOT.
Mr. Editor Ever since came to know any
thing about American history, anything about
the war of the Revolution, anything about A
merican Independence, anything about our Fed
eral Government, anything about the glorious
Union of cur States, have been Union man.
Even from my early youth to the present time
when now grey hairs are here and there upon
me have been, ali. still, and trust ever shall
be firm and unalterably fixed in my attachment
to the Constitution and Union of these States
Such declaration as this which l have now
made was just regarded 10 all times past as the
true and loyal sentiment of every American cit
zen. How different now alas, what changing
times For such declaration as that which l
nave just made, would 10 certain quarters be
prescribed All Union men are in such quar-
tiers prescribed, and none but secessionists and
disunion men are tolerated as good and loyal
citizens. All this is bad enough anywhere, even
in South Carolina. What shall we say then
when the most strenuous efforts are now made
to bring about similar state of things in the
good old Commonwealth of Virginia. Are
there not in the very capital of our State violent
partizaDs clamOrOus for secession that would
glory in our dissolution and prescribe as disloyal
all that adhere to the Union! And why? Be
canse as they say the South is deprived of hel
rights and no compromise can be made with the
Republicans. Whence comes this assertions Ii
comes from the old psrtizan leaders of the Dem
ocratic party. And is it true that the Republic
cans are opposed to compromise with the
South on the subject of slavery? That party il
not unit on that subject They are somewhat
divided in sentiment, but they are all agreed OF
one point. They will make no compromise o
any kind that will transfer the powers of tht
Government from their hands to those of tht
Democrats. They are willing, many of them a
least, to give the South all their constitutions
rights, but they are all unwilling to give uI
power and place to the Democrats, and thus re
store them as party to the offices of the Gov
ernment. The Democrats will have nothing less
and will oppose all compromise that does not in
volve the idea of a restoration of their party tt
the powers of the General Government. They
must either rule the United States or dissolve
the Union. There can be no United States ex-
cept with their consent, and that will not bt
given unless they are placed in office. Such il
their firm determination, the fixed purpose o
these partizan leaders. They are mad with the
cravings of Office and power and will do all they
can to mislead the people and excite them tt
phrenzy about secession. Then when the UnioI
is gone, the reign of terror begins. They have
got their dupes in their own power and now they
will rule them with rod of iron. The liberty
of the people is already gone in the Secedine
States. What have they to do with choosing
their own rulers2 What had they to do in vo.
ting for secession or against it. They are out
of the Union, not by their own act. Their ru-
ers did it all for them, because as they SAID, the
people were incapable OF giving right decision
by their own votes The elective franchise there
is gone The rulers determine the form and
kind of government, make laws to Suit them
Al tov on hp OAODl0 AND
forced loans on the reh and have things all theiI
own way, even Or the question OF war or peace
and who is he that may dare TO gansay or CAL
10 question anything they do. Caesar has the
power and the people no longer treeinen, have
become his subjects s, Wait "a while and Marx
Anthony will offer hiinsa akinaly crown. Who
did not know that things would come to this on
the very day he passed the Rubicons a -.
, Was not this the kind Of game that was to be
played of on Vlrginia2 She must follow in the
wake Of the Secession States was the cry of par
t1zaus minus an office. The fret act of legisa
ture not fresh from the people, because elected
before the crisis, was 10 Cali Convention with
out first asking the people, whether they wanted
one or not. Thelfrst act OF that Convention
was to be an act OF secession Its dolngs were
not to go back to the people Tor the sanction o
Their votes. No such thug was contemplated
by those partizsns. But alas. for them Oh
| Augusta was there with her, indomitable Whif
delegates. Was it not she that was mainly in
strunental in saving the liberties Of Virginia 3
| / used to hear much said during each presiden-
| tiaI canvass about the danger of the Union.-
And the cry was vote for the Democratic candi
dates and thus save the Union! always votet
. Wing ticket, because thought if the Uniol
was in danger the Wings alone could save it,
If the old Wing party had been sustained W,
would never have come to this. The Democrat
have brought all this ruin upon the country.
now understand what was meant by their sdoin!
the Union. 1t was that unless their ticket wa
elected they would divide the Union. Now the!
have done it, not, however, just to their notion q
yet. They want all the South in one confedera
cy with Democratic President. They will g
against all compromise for the sake Of getting
this. Their power at the North is gone, ant
they know it, Then let all the Wings and con
servative Democrats and all patriots OF every
political creed unite with the conservative Re
publicans and carry satisfactory measures 0
compromise over the heads of the partizans ant
save the country now and forever. The States
that seeded without revolution will work
revolution and come back permanently. W.
can compromise in spite of secession.