The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-25

NvSy
MONDAY MORNIN0.....MA MARCH rs. 1851
virsinia Estsppeds from Rejectins the
Seathera Censsttutien.
Whether we regard the actual condition Of
the two Governments North and South, or
tho principles ON which they are to be admin
istcred, Virginia Il, by all her an,ecedents,
estopped" from adhering to the North, "es-
topped" from holding aloof from the South.
II must strike tho world with amazement
that Virginia, which has been 80 long con-
tending for those very constructions of the
Federal Constitution which have been en-
grated upon IL at Montgomery, should hest
tate a moment in accepting an instrument
modelled and framed precisely in accordance
with all her own wise and patriotic teachings
in the past The Federal Constitution, inter.
preted according 10 the ideas and principles OF
the North, has always been her adherence
and abomination; and yet, strange to say, she
consents to remain part of a Government ad-
ministered by a man who declares while on
his way to the capital, that the relations OF
a sovereign State to the Union are merely the
relations of county to- the State. The high
est glory OF Virginia, after her sacrifices and
exertions for the liberties of the continent,
has been the admirable system of politics
which she has taught for the admins tra ton
OF the Federal Government from 1899.
down to the struggles Of 1s54-'56 and 60
Her opposition to the Federal Constitution,
on account Of its susceptibility 10 la titudinous
constructions, was manifested before its rati-
fcation by ,he States. On account of this
distrust, she was one of the last of the States
the ninth of the thirteen--to ratify that in
strument. Tradition says of the men she
elected TO the Convention called to pass upon
II, majority were pledged to vote aga ipst its
adoption. II Is certain that n majority of the
body did vote against the ratification At one
time and that not until clause was inserted
In the ordinance of ratification, protesting
that Virginia would resume the powers
granted when they should be perver ted TO her
injury and oppressos, was the small vote OBJ
tanned in it's favor, of SO to 10. Some of the
most iliustrious names in Virginia history are
recorded In the negative: such as PATRICK
HENRY, GEORGE MASON, MONROE, TYLER, and
others-men who, with all their desire for the
Union, distrusted the instrument which was
TO form its organic law. No sooner was the
Government organized, than the struggle at
once began between the Virginians, under
the lead of JEFFERSON, contending for
strict construction of the instrument,
and the Massachusetts and New York
politicians, under the lead of ADAMS
and HAMILTON, who endeavored to derive
from 1t unlimited powers. or else to ignore il
altogether. For a time, the battle seemed to
60 against the Firginians and when the elder
ADAMS was elected to the Presidency, he at
once began to exercise, with the aid of Con-
gress, the most alarming powers. 1t was
then that Virginia came forward, not merely
through her brilliant statesmen, but in her
sovereign person, to protest against the
stretches of Executive power which were
threatening the liberties of the people, and
to announce in her celebra ted Resolu tons and
Report Of 1913 and go, her fixed and unalter
able views of the powers gran ted in the Con-
stitution. Then and since, she has always
been able to cause these views TO be at least
respected by the North, rallying she did,
with few and occasional exceptions, the
combined South on her side. But she has
never been able to command for them any
considerable and permanent support from the
opposing section which, q section, has
ever sternly repudiated her just and salutary
doctrines.
Virginia has now lost the aid of her most
gallant and efficient allies of the South in this
consttutionaibattle These have separated
AOA tAe ana nave erected Il
government of their own upon q constitution
precisely and infinitely fashioned according to
the political philosophy taught by Virginia
The North, on the other hand, have obtained
unlimited control of the old Government and
Is free TO carry out its own principles of gov
eminent. 1t has made haste to signaliZe its
victory, and TO give instance of its Intentions
by enacting tariff law odously protective
odiously in conflict with the political teach
ings and principles of Virginia, odiously un-
constitutional in every aspect in which Vir-
ginia has been wont to view the instrument of
Federal compact. That section has grown
great in population, and SO hostile in purpose
as to have elected a President by its own ex-
elusive vote, pledged to doctrines opposed to
those which have ever been cherished by Vir-
ginia as the apple of her eye; and that Presi-
dent comes TO his capital, proclaiming on his
way, as IL in derision of Virginia and exulta-
tion over her political discontinue, that a SOW
ereign Stnte of this Confederacy is but as a
county in Commonwealth.
On the question Of estoppel,'' is there any
man so struck with judicial blindness as to
contend that Virginia is bound by her ante
cedents TO give up her doctrines, hold aloof
from her disciples and daughters of the South,
and become county in LINcoLSs en-
pire,