The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-28
The Vote of Thursday last.


The Vote Of Thursday last.
Tho twenty third of May is worthy to rank
henceforth as new fourth Of July. In all t! E
history Of popular suffrage there has been no
example Of popular unanimity like that which
the people Of Virginia has just presented ill
their vote Oh the question Of secession. With
scarcely the exception Of single county, The
r-olled vote has been larger than on any pre-
yiou. occasion oven Of the most excited par
tissn canvasses and the voting has been ab
routely unanimous. We have yet to hear
from the Northwest, where the sentiment hss
doubtless been divided; but in every other
part of the State the unsnimity is absolute
There has nothing occurred in the Southern
States, not even in South Carolina herself,
that can compare with the unauiinity ana
niacr,y Of the people of Virginia in eDdors
ing tho act Of secession. The deuded North
was looking Oh, in the confident expectation
that Virginia had put a reluctant and con-
stIalued shoulder To the Southern movement
They are AMAZED t. discover that the zeal Vi
Virginia for secession outetrips the caicula-
tons Of her own most san2uine secessIoniit5-
surpasscs the fOndess hoper of her sister States
on the Gulf. Tho state Of thugs IN Mary
land, the unacoountsble laggarIuess of Ken
tucky, and the Hessian proceedings in 81.
Louis, had induced the opinion that popular
sentiment in Virginia was equally divided ana
hesitatiDg. But the 23d May dispels these
vain Illusions, scatters these Insulting hopes,
and lifts Virginia at once to the proud rank OF
the foremost in tbs Southern movement aud
tho mos. distinguished object Of Northern hs-
tired.
This vote is the more significant as being
given by the State Immediately threatened by
the enemy, and especially marked as the bat
Tie ground Of this great quarrel. The enemy
boosted bis ability to throw two hundred
thousand forces into DER territory; Virginia
meets this boast by the defiant sote Of Thur
day last. The sct Of the heroic JAcksoS at
Alexandria, Wss but az individual utterance
Of the language spoken By Virginia at the
polls. He would defend his rights if whole
ment pierce his body. So Virginia announced
her stern resolution to stand to her indepen-
den"e, in defiance o. MI tho regiments which
the powerful and exasperated North could
bring against her
VI 'epeat, that the vote Of Thursday puts
Virgin at the head, es she Is in the van, Of
the Southern movement. She is to receive the
whole brpnt Of the war, and she has voted bel
purpose to receive it heroioslly, even as JACK
SOC dared the hell hounds of ELLswoRrn.--
There is to De warm work, such de this cont.
nent never saw bsfore; and Virginia votes
that il may be ss warm as the wrath Of the
enemy, disappointed and eIasporated at hel
course, may choose 10 make it. The Southern
Government has shown the appreciation il
which they hold this vote by the prompt man
ner in which they have moved their head
quarters to Richmond. After the vote o
Thursdsy they eau feel NJ Aosne in Virgins
and their herosm impels them to accept upoi
her soil her own fate.
The effect Of this remarkable vote Of Viz
sinis will lie very great il Europe, supported
No II Is by the spirited proceedings Of n ri
Carolina and Tennessee, and the recent acces
zion Of Arkansas to the Confederacy. This
question Of recognizing seven States in se.tinl
up an independent government against twenty
four, i'd n very different one from that Of recog
mixing eleven States, led by so ancient a Com
monwealth as Virginia, acting by authority .
unanimous popular vote-and the secession
Of the eleven supported by the neutrality o
three others. The policy Of recognizing tn
popular choice Of rulers has been aeknow
lodged by Europe herself in the vote Of tn
French for NAPOLEON III, and Of tie italian
for VIcroR EMASrgL. 1t would be anomalou
indeed. il the same Liberties which are accorded
TO the Municipalities Of Europe are TO be denies
TO the free and sovereign States of America
That certainly must at least be dc faeto Gov
ernmep. when Is declared such by elevel
sovereign jtatea. That certaiuly must b.
something more than instruction whic
two hundred aud fifty thousand troops mus
b called ont to put down.