Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-02-18

Cool After for two months Cup to the day Of
the election) persistent virulent abuse and misrep
resentation of the gentlemen who compos. the
Overwhelming majority Of the convention now as
sembled az Richmond the Enquirer Of that city
undertakes to lay down the rules and principles
that should govern their action. Throughout the
canvass IL maintained that the Legislature, in
fusing itself virtually to whisk Virginia out Of
the Union, were grossly disappearing the
wishes Of their constituents. The election, how
ever, demonstrated by majority Of some $1,000,
that the Misrepresentation was wholly on the
EsqEueT's side. Such result would have proved
sufficient to put effectual damper on the labors
of almost any other journalists in the land. Not
so, In their case; for the EHqKirsr's editors are
still assuming to urge that the Convention sha
do that which they were elected especially net 10
do. That Is: TO occupy such position on the
question of the times as will defeat any possible
settlement by the Peace Convention and Congress.
Thus, the Enquirer maintains the duty of the
Virginia convention to be to accept no terms Of
compromise which South Carolina and her CO.
workers may reject
Now, that means, no terms whatever. South
Carolina has formally notified the world that she
will accept no terms and the indications from
Montgomery are that the Southern Congress are
under the control of parties who sympathse with
south Cardinals purpose Of rejecting any posi-
bic settlement that might lead to the return Of
the seeding States to their late stains under the
government Of the United States.
Fortunately for the true interest Of Virginia. the
Enquirer now possesses as little influence over
her Convention, as over her popular mind as
demonstrated in the result Of her late election
We regard IL as being quite safe to calculate that
he will he
verse Of anything the Enquirer may advise. They
were elected to labor to the end Of preserving Wiz
2inia's connection with the Government Of the
United States If that be possible; while the EN-
qHirsr'send and aim is, simply and palpably, to
get Virginia out Of the Union by hook or by
crook, II thar be possible.
Notwithstanding the declarations of many
newspapers TO the contrary, we are very sure that
the Virginia Convention will promptly and
frankly accept any terms of settlement that NAV
prove acceptable to the majority of the border
slaveholding States as represented in the Peace
Convention. lis overwhelming majority Of Union
lists are perfectly aware that no conceivable terms
will be acceded to by the parties who have
usurPed the government Of the seeded States,
and that large majority Of the people in each of
those States, except, perhaps, South Carolina,
twhere the majority of the people are never al
lowed to vote,) will cheerfully accept any settle
nent that will be sufficient to keep the hearts of
the population Of the border sIaveholding Stat, $
true to the Union, whenever all opportunity to
vote upon it occurs wiping out Of political exist
ence' at the same time, their present usurpinp
authorities. They duly appreciate the fact that
the seeded States are to come back only through
political or other revolution in their own midst.
against their late revolution and its consequences
so fari not through any settlement rendered with
the idea that the Cobbs, Keitts, Rbets, BebjanIns
81 al who have assumed to name their President.
to seize the forts, arms and money Of the United
States, and to punish with death, fine aud impri.-
onment any man within the limits Of their usurp ped
authority who may dare to utter a word in dero-
CATION OF that, and In advocacy Of the continue d
supremacy OF the Government Of the United
States, will acquiesce In IT,