The national Republican., 1861-02-22
VIRGINIA PLACED IN A FALSE POSI-
TION


TION.
The position in which Virginia has been
placed by the expressed opinions of her Legis.
lature, and of majority of her representatives
in the Peace Congress, is Q cause Of great and
increasing humiliation to the citizens Of that
patriotic State.
So far as a record has been made up for her
by her men in authority, Virginia is here nsgo-
tisting for terms Of accord, but declaring at
the same time that whatever terms Of accord
may be agreed upon, she will take sides against
the Government, if any attempt is made to en-.
force the laws in the (so called) seeded States.
She has armed herself to protect rebellion, and
pledged herself to protect rebellion, and yet
comes here on pretended errand Of conciia.
ton. She is, in one breath, asking for terms for
herself, and, in another breath, declaring that
no terms will dissuade her from her purpose to
resist the Government, If the Government at
tempts practically to assert its authority.
To say nothing Of the humiliation to the coun.
try, of treating at all with Virginia, while she
thus throws herself across the path Of the ma
tional authority with arms in her hands, it seems
to be as idle as it is humiliating to attempt to
treat with her. If her EXTREMIST demands upon
the slavery question are complied with, her ex.
pressed determination to 6ght with and for the
rebellion on the Gulf, is not changed in the
least degree.
1t was this aspect of the case, which was
pressed upon the representatives of Virginia in
the Peace Congress, on Tuesday, by Senator
Morrill,, in discussion, Of which various reports
have been published in the newspapers.
It was to this point that he directed the in.
terrogatories which drew from Mr.. Seddon,
speaking for the representatives of Virginia, the
response, that the adoption. Of the measures pro.
posed in the Peace Congress would not restrain
Virginia from resisting the .torcible execution
Of the laps.
This is the position of Virginia, as unmasked
by the vigorous questioning Of Senator NJ, and
of which the confession was extorted from her
own representatives.
Built is not the position of the people of that
State, but only of the men who, elected to Office
upon other issues, misrepresent them upon the
new question of the day. The people of Vir-
ginia are no more responsible for the Legislation
at Richmond, or for the Commissioners to the
Peace Congress elected at Richmond, than they
are for the conduct of the Hunters and Mssons
in the Senate, and the Garnetts and Dejarnettes
in the House, who got into place as Democrats,
but who since theyNave .avowed themselves
disunionists, will be turned out Of place, just as
soon and as fast as the recurrence of elections
places them within the reach of the popular
will.
The case:.of Virginia, in this respect, is that
Of nearly all the Southern States. Their Gov
ernors, with two exceptions, are Democrats,
and their Legislatures are generally Of that
complexion. They were elected before the is
sue of disunion was made. Of all these Gov.
ernors, not one has written SO iuaammatory a
message as the Governor of Tennessee, al
though nobody now doubts the impregnable
loyalty of the citizens of that State. The dis.
unionists in Missouri are few in numbers, but
they have control of the Governor, and really
of the Legislature. Everywhere at the South,
the leaders Of the Democratic party were in the
disunion conspiracy, but they are in power, not
upon that issue, but by concealing their real
and ultimate purposes. We have only to wait
until they are put out Of power, as they will be
now that their true purposes are understood,
and we shall have the Governments Of the
Southern States in the hands of men faithful to
the Union and the Constitution.