New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-07
yqK VIRGINIA KAnCTHoN.

While ne 90 not consider tie recent eectl0n
in Virginia as decisive against Secession, OF rs
in iicatirg the determination OF her people to
remain fathfll to the Union in all contingencies
we still regard il as an eminently hopeful and
encouraging sign Of the times. The political
character of the virginians has always been
higher than that of the population of South
Carolina, Georgia, and the Gulf states. The
distinguishing characteristics OF the people of the
latter region in public affairs, have been leyity,
frivclity, passion, and wild and reckless spirit
OF speculation, as has been clearly shown in the
past by their prOncness TO crude aud i'm
practicable theories Of government, to nullit-
cation, TO ilibustcrism, to the reopening OF
the African Slave trade aud the childish visions
of coaques. and of a splendid ard stable empire,
based oa ba aarous and immoral system OF society.
Their statesmen, or rather those who pass among
tLcm Cor statesmen, are chiefly of the elias:
which Napoleon was wont cOntcmp'uouSly to
dcsenaie as idealogists; that iS, dreameFs ana
scntnentali,ts, who have wrapped tlemselves up
IN narrow set Of notions to which they vninly
eudrayCr TO make circumstances Conform. 1he
dominant idea which fills the minds of these
extreme Southern leaders is that of The divinity
of Slavery, which they regard as the only solid
basis OF society, and cherish with an insane
fauaticisq that hes no parallel in the history of
the world, except, perhaps, in the most bigoted
period OF Spanish devotion to the InquisitiOn and
the Church of Rome.
The Yirgnians are a very different, and far
4 h. lati of
the States south OF them, they are remarkable
for steadiness GOODNESS, Judgment and good sense
in political affairs. No State, no community in
the world of equal population, has ever produced,
in the same period, so many really eminent pub
IL men-as witness, Washington, Jefferson, Mad
ison, Mason, Henry Marshall, and C!ay--the last
Of whom WAS i VTginan born though the greater
part Of his life was spent in Kentucky. Though
Slavery is firmly maintained in Virginia, her
pc )ple have never stutified themselves by exalt-
ing il into divine institution, or by establishing
il as the cornerstone of their society. On the
contrary the conviction is widely spread among
them that the institution is an evil, to be got rid
of at some time or other.
To the Union Virginia has never shown the
least dislOyalty, though no State has been more
Jealous of Federal encroachment on State rights.
Her people are too shrewd too sound OF Judg.
ment, and too well versed in political knowledge,
to overlook or disregard the immense advantages
which they derive from their association with
the populous and wealthy States Of the North.
From those States for some time past they have
been draining capital and supply OF skilllul
and energetic free labor at rate which, II CON
tinued few years longer 10 naturally aecel-
Ierating ratio, promises to raise Virginia to
that foremost rank in the Confederacy to which
her unriyaled advantages of situation SOIL climate,
and productions Justly cutitle her. Her coal fields
are the most extensive in the world, and her
coal of the best and purest quality. Her iron
deposits are incxhaustible, and many Of them are
in the immediate vicinity of extensive coal fields
She has, besides, copper, lead, and gypsum IN
abundance. In water-power she surpasses even
New. England There is hardly section of five
miles SQUARE between the Falls Of Kanawha and
the North Carolina line that has not waterfall
enough for working the most extensive machln-
cry. Nothing, however, can fully develop these
vast advantages but Northern capital and Norts
ern free labor. To q considerable extent these
arc already at work in the process OF regenera-
ton More than million acres Of land have
been purchased and settled by Northern cmigrants
within the last four years. Manufactures on
large scale have been established by them IN
Western Virginia, and in Eastern Nirpin'" -,
;,,rs,se imnetus hos boou si'Ou 10 Inc ISh ana
oy ster business and to the raising of vegetables vast
quantities Of which already find their way to the
markets Of this city from the vicinity of Norfolk.
To all these improvements the separation Of
Virginia from the Union would put sudden and
final stop. The capital and the labor Of the
North wculd no more trust themselves in the
midst of the commissions inseparabe from Secec.
sion and from the total surrender OF the State to
the barbarism aud insecurity OF Slavery than
they now do IN Mexico or Central America. The
raising of negroes for sale at the South would be
the only resource lett to Virginia, and thai
would soon fail under TIE operation OF the African
slave-trade Ii is absurd TO suppose that South
Carolina Georgia, and the Gulf States would con-
tinue to pay Virginia thousand dollars a.
piece for negroes, when they could be obtained
in any quantity from Africa for hundred dol
lars apiece. And with a frontier of 400 miles
on the Fres States Of Pennsylvania and Ohio, it
is equally absurd to suppose that slaves could
be prevented from escaping by thousands every
year, never to be reclaimed. That these and u
multitude of other weighty considerations have
already had their effect in Virginia is evident
from the vote at the late election. That they
will not in any event be wholly disregarded BY
her people is equally certain.