Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1861-04-09
From the New fors Tribune

The time foE bargaining and clSlysrine. ! II
the loose good natuFe which sayE, ssWesIf
make i all right to morrow, 4 IS xone 81 win
this country. It Is now d moment when II
every man, TO every State, i voice Il 81 NE
bold prophet should speak Chooss ys stilis
day whom you Will serve, The question o5
freedom or Slavery for America Is ID Sc ~
| tied now, and TIE postpohsmenf 81 ne dsc;-
ksive duty only prolongs ! tortufinr a ,iisas-
troas suspense. Is Is Of Importance thar
the parties n this struggle should be DIS
tinctly defined We must not have an flncoFi-
mitted o. pretepded body lowering 81, Inc e,If
| skirts cf the battle. ready Is declare f6f Ill
victor0us side or. fpK that which offers the
larger bribe. Hence il IS that the present
position Of Virginia. Is the Ieadsf Of The Dor
der States, Is foolishly embarrassiEEto both
parties. !.
Virginia vsunts herself IS Z Union Ioelng
state. Her people say they are ready 10 pre-
serve the Union at all hazza11s Thefelbfe
they assemble il Convention 10 do Il and
what do they propose Their proposition il
perfectly simple. They offer certain anensi-
ments to the Constitution. saying: Accept
these and we will stay in the Union. Weil.s
what are thex7 Merely few sections rh:cII
change the character Of the Constituted
FROM democratic to an aristocratic instru-
ment-Afronl an instrument recognizing the
equality Of Human Rights to one which
makes caste the interchangeable foundation
principle OF the Kepublic-lffom an instrA
ment proclainins freedom IS the natural
right Of allmeni to one forbidding feedon to
millions Thisis the fnal conditions, "a tie
acceptance orfejection Of which depends the
loyalty or treason Of Virginia, ana rich other
Of the border States as choose 70 follow her
action.
The shortest time sufficient for he fosmsl
decision Of the question presented BY these
proposed amendments, will be year; and
this year may be heightened twelve month
more During this interval, THE great oues-
ton o. the day IS TO remain open. the present
unsatisfactory condition Of things must con II
tinne, and the conflict IS sure AZ the emf III
come, more violently than ever.
Why shall not Virginia act at once she
knows now as well she will ever know what
course sbe will take Il her ultimstum Is H.
iected. She knows, If she knows anything,
that the free States will never accept her
| proposition as long as the citizens Of these
States have the power throw i vote against
| it. She cannes be so duh as 70 believe that
the freemen Of the North will surrender ne
lground they have gained BY the steady and
persistent efforts Of SO many years that they
will 90 backward m the face 81 the worlds
opinion, making themselves the protectors Of
that system against which their ancestors have
stryen By tea chings, By exhortation. BY leg
islatiye ena ctment, by mutual sbcred agree
ments with the shareholders themselves.
The mere suggrstienI Of such an offer as this
from Virginia is an linsnlt to the people OF
these Upted States, and the most befogged
pro-slavery advocate cannot honestly say
there is even a remote possibility Of is ac-..
Iceptance.
This border State. then, may to-day stand
where she will surely stand soma months
hence when her brszen proposition shalt Esse
been rejected. II she intends to consult her
say so at once, and throw such influence as.
she possesses ffankiy and fully on the side of
loyalty and honor n she has really deternzs
ined 10 secede IN case her uitimatum IS re-
fjected, then let her go at once, for her tiicta-
ton will never be allowed were she ten Times
Virginia.