Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-01-25
The virginia uoYemeni.

The New York Herald of Wednesday, in an article
commencing the movement of Virginia for Convention
Of State Commissioners a. Washington, says:
Tue effect Of the example of Virginia upon Kentucky
Missouri aud perhaps Tennessee will be decisive and
there il other State in the Union that has the in
hIence tor good much right to be heard in this
controversy In the Revolution she was the leading
Sate-her citizens drew up the Declaration of Indepen-
dsnce led the army ondependenee and constructed the
constitution When Massachusetts, and other Northern
States Threatened 10 revolt Virginia coded her rich aud
vast domain sacrifice TO the Uuion and the migrate
States OF the Northwest carved ont of this Territory
deny the sacred rights OF the mother State la the null
iicatcn controversy in 1882, when South Carolina was
revOutOnSr and rebeiOus the Southern States to-
day. Virginia healed the breach. Her statesmen resto-
red the equilibrium o. the Union in 1920, and in the
crisis OF 1880 10 was Virginia who so strongly aided in
saving the eOnedeTacy Still conservative, it is her
noble part in this, the greatest danger the country has
VET seen, 20 prevent bloody collision TO meet the other
States in Convention Washington the Attn Of Febru-
ary IN order that there and then they may calmly de-
hberate upon such proposed amendments the const'
tuition as may restore peace aud harmony once more.
Thee will thus be time given for elaboration before
the irreyocable step Of separation taken by the Dor
der slave States, ald time for the North to come for
ward with ucasurcs OF Cancellation and Justice, if it
means to 10 TIE representatives. OF the South
States having agreed upon the basis OF recOncia'
ton proposed by Virginia as their utmatum, if the
North will not accept it. then there end Of the con-
troversy and Virginia and all the border slave States
viii unite with the cotton States in Southern contede-
rcy far too strong TO be be brought by force of arms
But il is 10 be hoped that her wise cOunsels will prevail
days Of yore and that she will al least meet with
coop ration on the part Of the border free Statesll-
lnois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania New Jersey, and
New lork-which would practically settle the question.
lf these States give their adhesion to the offered
by Nrgna the part Of the South il is of little
sequence what New England and the extreme Northwest
may do in the premises.
We trust therefore, that the olive branch held out to
the North BY the Ola Dominion will be received in a
generous irsterna spirit by the border free States and
lat they viii send commissioners Washington to meet
those OF Virginia and OF the other slave States on the 4th
o. mex, mouth. Thus Satisfactory settlement may
be adopted either for the reconstruction OF the Union
hrn ioundaOu or for the peaceable separation OF
the ssvehOding from the Northern States instead OF
precpitang the whole country into civil war outstrp
ping all that preceded it in atrocy. Virginia has
grand role to play in the revolutionary drama whose de-
nouement Involves the fate Of this continent and will in
10 nee the destiny Of generations Of Europeans yet IN
bon.