The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-05

ULTMATUM INvOLvED.-The election of dele
gates to the State Convention which is soon to
meet in Virginia on the secession question
came of in all the numerous counties of the
State yesterday. We shall not be able for some
days yet to report the classification of the dele
gates elected; but, considering the ultimatum
involved, we entertain very little hope of the
retention of Virginia in the Union, whether the
immediate or the conditional secessiouists have
carried this election.
The election turns upon immediate. secession.
or upon secession in default of satisfactory
compromise from the Border State Convention
at Washington. Upon this issue, we think, the
result may be set down as q foregone conclu-
sion. The ultimatum to which the Virginia
conservatives have been driven is the rein
statement of the Missouri Compromise line, and
its extension to the Pacific Ocean, including the
surrender to the South and its institution of
possess, and all which we may hereafter acquire,
on the south side Of said line OF course this
proposition looks to the acquisition of Cuba,
Mexico and Central America, for the recovery.
on the part of the South, Of that balance of
power which it has lost in the general govern
ment.
The question then recurs, will this Bor-
der State Convention be able to patch
up compromise that will arrest the secession
movement in Virginia and the other border
slave States? The Virginia Commissioners will
require compromise which shall apply to Ter
ritories to be acquired. So it is also with Ken
lucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee.
Arkansas and Missouri. But we have no hope
of any satisfactory agreement in this Washing
ton Convention upon this proposition. The
border slave States may agree to it; bat the
border free States, so far as the republican
party may be concerned, will reject it; and so
we conjecture that the labors of this Conven-
ton, like the labors Of the House Committee of
Thirty-three and of the Senate Committee Of
Thirteen will end in smoke.
We are not aware that single prominent
member of the republican party has indicated
the slightest disposition, in view of any extre-
nifty, to relinquish to the South in advance for
the sake of the Union, any terrific
ry below Texas, or in the Gulf of Mexico,
which we may hereafter acquire. Mr.. Charles
Francis Adams, in his late conservative speech
in the House of Representatives, very emphati-
cally argued not only the absurdity, but the
criminality, of any Southern demand of this
nature. 1t is morally certain, then that no
such concession will be reached by this Border
State Convention; and we shall be agreeably
surprised If any such proposition shall receive
the vote Of even a solitary republican Commits
siOner.
We think 1t most probable thatthis Washing
ton Convention, like the House. Committee of
Thirty-three, will dissolve into two or three
detachments and two or three reports, and that
they will all be hung upto dry in Congress. The
Virginia Convention, thus reduced. to the
chances of Mr.. Stewards plan of waiting one,
Two or three years for new constitutional
convention, will be very apt to swing over into
the Southern confederacy, preferring the union
of the South, at all hazards, to division OF the
South, subject to the discretion of the republi-
can party, with republican administration in
possession of the government
We conclude, therefore, that the adjourn
ment of this Washington Border State Conven-
ton will be the signal, not for general reac-
ton in favor of the Union, but for the seces-
sion of the border slave States beginning with
the Old Dominion. The republican party APP
pears to be shaping its policy to the contingent
cy Of Southern confederacy, and to the only
remaining alternative of peace or war. Fail
ing to accomplish anything, then, for the
Union, let us still hope that this Washington
Convention may do much for the cause Of
peace.