New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-05-07
REBELLION PROCLAIMED IN vIR-
LIMA AND NORTH CAROLINA.

of the Federal Government, and called out the
Militia of their respective States to resist its au-
thority and kill those who may endeavor to de-
fend that authority. We print Gov. Letcher's
Proclamation entire, with telegraphic synopsis
(all we have) of Gov. Ellis's. Before comment.
ing thereon let US elucidate the position Of these
gentlemen severally.
John Letcher is q man of coarse, narrow, yet
rather shrewd MINI, residing in the Valley of
the Shenandoah, or midway between the lowland
Slave region and the comparatively Free West
Personally, he does not believe in Slavery and
is on record as one of those who have desired to
see it gradually expelled from Virginia But he
is, before aud above all other considerations,
Democratic politician, considering that the
"beng's end and aim" of this Republic, if net
Of Creation also, is to keep the Democratic
party in Office For Slavery per Sc, be has no
affection; for Slavery an ally and bulwark
of the Democracy, he cherishes fanahcal
devotion. He supported Douglas for President
last year, because he Of anybody was the regu.
lar Democratic candidate, and supporting him
seemed the highway TO future party favor and
thus to power, in the face of Mr. Douglass
explicit declaration at Norfolk that should
Mr. Lincoln be elected, he Douglas) would
Justify and sustain him in asserting his authority
as President and enforcing the laws throughout
the Union. Aud now this same John Letcber
issues a Proclamation, wherein he summons the
Militia Of Virginia to rise in arms against the
Government of tho United States, upon bis
assurance that
"The sovereignty Of the Commonwealth Of Virginia
having been denied her territorial rights assaulted, her
eoil threatened with invasion by the authorities at
Waslu gton and every artiice employed which could
n ,me the people Of the Northern States and misrepre-
cent our purposes and wishes it becomes the toemn
duty Of every citizen of this State TO prepare for the
impending conflict
The man knows better than all this-knows
that, while the Federal Government had in no
manner assaed nor menaced Virginia military
! force hastily gathered in that State, proie.edy
under his authority, attempted to clutch the
weakly defended United States Armory at Harper's
Ferry and thus compelled its commander to burn
what he could of the arms and munitions kept
there and retreat with all haste into Pennsylya-
MIA; while another similar force threatened the
| United States Nayy-Yard near Norfolk and CON-
PEELED the officer in charge to eyacuate that post
also hastily destroying what he could OF the Ten
Millions of dollars worth of vessels cannon, mu-
nitions, &C., lying in and about that Navy-Yard.
| Here was an enormous aggregate of the property
of the United States sacrificed through the
treacherous hostility of yrgnia-or rather, of
her authorities-when not gun had been point
ed, not a soldier marched against her. from any
quarter whatever. There was no thought OF assail-
| ing or menacng her on the part of the Federal
Government or of the North on the contrary,
every one on this side was most anxious that
she should remain in peace and loyalty, unharm-
ing and unframed to the end. Her own people
enlphatcally responded to this desire by her vote
of last February, electing a Unionist Convention
by large majority, and denying to that COnyen-
ton any power to put her out of the Union, uD-
less aud until the People, by an express vote,
should sanction such step. No such sanction
has been giyen-there is no pretense of any-yet
the Convention, in secret session, has passed a
Secession Ordinance, and, on the strength of this
incomplete and invalid act, and while it was still
kept secret, Gov. Letcher has commenced and
waged most unprovoked and devastating war
upon the Federal Government, which had never
thought of assailng or threatening Virginia. And
now he calls out the whole militia of his State
to prosecute the war thus treacherously pro-
claimed by him, under pretense of resisting in.
vasion aud usurpaton Was ever Treason more
atrOciOusy without excuse
Gov Ellis's case is even more fragrant. lie
is a Breckenridge Democrat and Secessionist
from the start. He managed to procure the call
Of a Convention from Legislature of fellow
partisans. But the People of North Carolina
were so devoted to the Union that they not only
elected large majority of UniOnsts to the Con-
yention, but they at the same time voted that
he Contention should nerer meet, thus precludnQ
any such mischief as has been perpetrated in
Virginia. No matter: Gov. Ellis, not Satisfied
with being traitor at heart, proclaims himself
a traitor in act. Though the people have so re.
Gently voted that they viii not be dragged out of
the Union he recalls his Secession Legislature
and urges them to raise force 10 fight the
Federal Government For WHAT He cannot
pretend that has State has seeded; he does not
even affect to fear that tho Federal Govern.
ment will invade her, though she has for
the last fortnight been eagerly forwarding
JEFF Days's troops by regiments from
South Carolina and Georgia expressly to
drive President Lincoln from Washington
What excuse has this traitor for bis vllainous