Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1861-01-03
Union 3teeting.

Jeet OF the present impending erisis- The mee.-
ing Vas one Of comparative in,srest--cssracier-
issd By the Observance Of marked order. and
respectfully attended irrespective Of party or
party procliviGes. THOMAS RUSSELL. VA.
called to the Chair aaa J. W. GAssosas an
Pointed Secretary.
go On motion The fetiovipx sanea gentlemen
we're appointed Comni,aee To draii and ~
port Resolutions. ,o-wis,
George Kooscc, Philip Rngie.
Frank Masrey, Ge0rse Augura.
~ and Thos. w. Green-
While the COMMITTEES retired, q motion by y.
II. Chambers wa made and carried,
Ihst an immediate call be made upon all the
sstrens. whS IN heart. principle and practice.
love The Constitution and the Cnion. and abbor
the faise tongue aud sacriligious hand tia,
wo1id attempt IT. destruction; 10 meet at the
Ferry, on Monday morning the 18th. A, : o,lort
accompanied with Fife and Drum. ther, ;o;n n
Proce-sion and march 10 Chsrle.town In old
Continental style.
The Committee having returned. submitted
the following Resolutions:
Hasreas. in view &C the Indicative .;s,u- ~
The times We deeply deplore the confused and
as'tased condition Of our once happy anil God.
blessed heritage. truly an evil day has over,a.
zen IN, Pregnant with the breeding Of evil events
The cloud Of aggression and depreciation ha.
arisen with ia sad focbciings ia the North
while the storm Of ryengc and secession equal.
~ alarming has arisen in the South both NJ
whieh are the legitimate and sponaneou. r,-
suits flowing from the absolute want of thn,
feeling OF common brotherhood and rc,,nrd of
mutual interests, that should ever abound in
he bosom OF one STATE towards another, M mem
eers OF the great national family And while
ne rsbuhe ne one we condemn the other.
Although many true eanses are alleged bv
secessionists,T in vindicaton Of the rights Of
severing this Union asunder. whose component
parts were oemented BY the blood Of the rcyolu.
tionAry fathers and thus ruin and wreck the
mightiest temple Of strength and national pros
Perity known In the records Of earth; vet we
recognize none nor all ~ q sufficient provoca,
ton fos the cOmmittal Of % rash m act much
less to be an Infallble cure ofexisting troubles.
or permanent guarantee against the perpetra,
ton Of similar grievances.
We declare that our first and most earue., de-
sire i to preserve and 10 perpetaa.e that Union
which was formed by the father.. and which
We would transmit 20 our posterity unborn
with all IN rcsPlendsnt glory and endearmen,s.
even at the Sacrifices 81 our lives
No where have Northers hostilities been NOR.
bitterly felt than here. II any community hA.
been aggrieved-if any people can claim A ne.
eniiAr night 20 apeak-we the eitimns Of Har-
pers-Ferry might justly demand hearing. We
conoede 10 no people or section of this wide
spreading empire. more just call for secession
or rcdresA, than the citizens Of this town. We
have been made unfortunately the target of
Wild northern fanaticixm. The peace and ouie.
OF our homes and our fire sides have been invn.
ded by an abolition handitti Of merciIess ont
laws Our roads and soil have been marked
by the unhsllowsd footsteps of the Northern
kns"e. We have seen their Pike and heard the
keen crack Of the Northerners Rife whose
deadly shot was anerriRgIy aimed at the defence
Iess and innocsat Our Bsighbors blood has
scarce ceased smoking in our streets and At our
door sills. split by the porthora marautIer. and
their untimely gfaseo are still fresh where .Is~p.
their mAneled and nutilAasd bodies. Thy
have made in our midst thu widow and ths
fafherieAs--they have caused tho Plaintive cry
Of the wounded 10 fall 10 mournfaI cadence nm.
our ears and our hearts to blsed and sympa-
'hiss with The suffering
Notwithstanding thsy have vented their in
famed and Petalsnt passions -experimented up-
On " with their misguided philanthropy, vet
we love the Consultations and the Union none
the less for thAt-our hearts beat Tor he Union
and 81 needs b. our hands Are ready to fght for
H. To ssver the bonds Of our glorious country.
hRlloWed By The memory Of our revolutionary
ancestors IL . constitutional iInpos.ibiIitv
therefore We are utterly opposed to tho dissola-
ton sgitation persisted in by tho many petty
hair-braised dopaguggcs. whose highest an,bi-
tioa - on level with the VuIturc o, Wolf 70
seek public booty aod selfaggrAndisenent, even
fit cost ths price Of blood and life. and sink
the Union in irrepaTable ruin. We aekno~I.
edge tina, our institutions ase unlawfuIly as.ail.
ed BY ths North and thai oppressive aggres.
siOns sfr made upon our rights. yet we declare
thsi = secession can b. 10 possible remedy for
any evil which We have to endure but that !,
l. our imperative duty 10 seek redre.s and non.
isterferenrs with our domestic right. bv ali
lawful and honorable means in tho Gnion and
y the event Of failure To obtain perfect satis.
faction b. the removal Of our grievances. then
- sovereigs people JEALOUS of our rieh,s and
liberties. We shall feel oursslve. forced 10 The
last and oaiy alternative, 70 resese Aod protect
tbe~ By The force Of arms ia ihe Uaion.
IL e true the northern Legislatures have
pas-sd Aets and placed tk~m upoa tbrir statute
Books, nullifyiag and enharrassiag ths faithful
sEsopsioa u The Fugitive Slave Law. and tia.
nany are guilty Of dsooying and assisting The
slave property q soutbernsrs ~ escape. Hs
squaiiy tsus that thsy have sleetsd NJ. Lincoln.
. sectional man, ths Chisf Magistrats q Ne
Dnilsd stAtes. HIT ws remember that ks !.
Only = ss~s-aRsaAbis 70 ~ bar ~ eivil ja..
Tee alike vith as and surrounded BY Tire House.
~ Conzress. ~ vii b shora ~ his strrnrsh 10
40 syii svsa " ~ designed i thersfore We end
grouads or hopes ~ future safety. Asto NJ.
fiscoin veehesTfIily submit % his Adminis,r..
ton - long ~ ~ sbidss BY be Constitutional
obligations. even susiaiaing am appiaudinr
vhat = savoy and ro3i And b. th8-e antsv
onisiicsl State ~ seud appeal b. t.em 10 Re
nasas q justice sud oaaimou sease. - erpangs
fhoso obnaxious Laws thus evidence ihsif a.
sire % rrfaeFge asd t.efsls.ts a.. u -, -