The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-28
A Powerful Appeni !. yirriris.

| voted patriots of the South in these times
| that subject all men to the highest test of pub
| lie virtue and good faith TO the land they live
| in. His appeal in tone and sentiment must
| inspire every mind with a kindred feeling,
while his arguments are nnanswerabie
rug BORDER STATES.
What does a new reckoning reveal as to the
position and prospects of the Border Slave
| States!
Now that a new Administration has come
into power, and the policy OF the future and
results of the past can be known, let US sur
yey the field and observe its salient points.
The Union already sundeIed, the position OF
the Border States is neso already, just as new
as il would become by uniting with the
Southern Confcderacy. The position reached
by drfT Is as full Of new relations rs though
carefully selected, and entered upon of set
PURPOSE 1t is further evident that, amid all
the changes wrought, no concessions have
been made by the North. Even the Convul-
sjons of dissolution have been unaccom panied
by a solitary relaxation OF any solitary pre-
tension TO usurped power on their part. 1t
is therefore, further evident, that even ex-
IRENE necessity can procure no recognition of
rights claimed in common by the States of the
South-seceded and up seceded-to the former
secured, indeed, by disruption, but still I'M
secured by the latter.
The position attained by drifting upon the
current of events, is W orse, indeed, than the
old. The strength of tue OLD Cons titutiou has
been tested ana found wanting. These to
spe;ik-unnatural added strength OF outside
pressure, i'll aid of consti Iional barriers, has
Jailed likewise. The moral Obligations OF the
Constitution, and the threa tened consequences
OF its breach, (the disruption of the Govern
n h.nn I'm LIS ftf.f h. Illn
North. She viii net give up her hold upon
ungranted jurisdiction, either tor conscience
sake, or for the sake OF consequences. Such
being the result OF the test as 10 constitution
al guarantees, what have the Border States to
iall back upon? Nothing but voting power
in which, also, their position has been greatly
weakened. Ii fifteen States could not protect
themselves thus, can seven or eight do so !?
This safeguard, already ln2deq uate, mas Deen
greatly reduced.
Their relations, at all events, are Retc. The
alternative is lett thern-which new position
shall we accept? Let the comparison be
drawn between the Cons titutions the insti-
tutions, and the people, between which the
choice lies.
The Northern cons true ton of the old Con
s.itution has prevailed. 1t has prevailed
over judicial decieion-over protest-oVer our
ballots-oyer everything Your view, and
that of the Courts, has been defeated; theirs
sustained.
The Constitution Of the Confederate States,
on the other hand, is The embodiment OF the
policy of the South from the foundation OF
The Government 1t is all that we claimed
The old Constitution to be, with the addition
OF provisions we did not insist upon under the
old Government; because, although to our
interest to make them. we felt bound by our
bargain not to insist on them. Disembarrassed
by their breach of the bonds, we present now
a new Cons titution, specially ada Led to onr
own necessities and our best Development
SO much for our relative Cons tituti lions.
IN Oh
tions ana yours are the same. Between yours
and those of the North exists ljn opinion at
least, and that opinion potent IN Legislative
power, J an rrepressible conflict. Our policy
and yours harmonize. Their policy and yours
conflict. They have always conilicted in other
respects, we'll as upon the slavery Ques-
ton. Are we not large enough and strong
enough for self protec tion-so that no exter-
nal motive requires union with the North
Internal policy can be but promoted by sep
araton. True, we should not have separated,
had the bargain been unbroken. But now the
Questio comes IL another form.
Our relations and their relations to you rs
peoples How do they stand We have ever
been friends. We have fought shoulder to
shoulder tor the same great principles. Com
mon institutions, common interests, COM
mon culture, have made us friends. Diverse
institutions, diverse interests, diverse Gull
ture, have made them, for the most part,
aliens in feeling-many OF them bitterly hos
tie-to you and to us. Together our repre-
points of strife against theirs. Together We
have heard ourselves and our institutions re-
yiled by them. If friendship, association,
mutual good feeling, the remembrances OF
Aud Lang Syne,' common hopes for the flu
ture, are 10 decide the quest il whose favor
must it be decided? Such are the results of
n comparison of Constitutions, policies and
peoples.
Both sides now want you But why. The
motives of which side present the best appeal
to your patriotism, your pride, your interests
your safety?
What is the iuture before you with the
North? No Internationally no future-un-
less you are content to become Northern men;
unless your nation is 10 be changed-your
feelings-your ms titutions-your habits-your
ways. Are you willing to accept the terms
But can you accept them, if you will7 Can
you effect these changes? What will become
of the Ethiopian Can he change his Skin
Is he TO be free? Is he to stayor goY And
where to go and on what terms How will
you settle the question? ltmust be settled.
But there are consequences, it may be said,
OF dissolution-consequ ences on the other
side. We are border States, and the bTunt of
trouble must fall upon us. True. We grant
ceeding with caution But You viii dare to
decide the question, and act AS brave men on
the decision. You have iliustrious examples
in your own history OF daring-and success
full daring. Count the costs both ways
Will it cost more TO yindicate your rights or to
surrender them ITO maintain your insttu-
tions, to abandon them ITO remain Sou tn
ern men, or TO become Northern men p
to take care of slaves, or eft free blacks .
To which course does patrio tism, honor,
consistency, point? To which does instinct
guide you mo bad judge, when the whole
case is known.
In the sober second thought OF the people of
the Border States, the n Orth, little az il may
think it, has a more formidable foe to face
tAAR- in their first thought. There was an in
seive, natural clinging to that which was
old and neutrality-suspicious. Of that
which was new and untried. TIE North made
this revolution, however. The North made
it, III spite of you and the n orth main tans
its unjust ground With the tenacity with
which il becomes YOU to maintain the truth
and your rights.
The sober second thought-the friends of
Cnion-who remained its friends after the
Constitution was gone-partly because they
did not distinctly recognize the fact that we
were III revolution any how, and tie Consti-
tuition Or the Union, one or the other, had to
go The Union men laid great stress on the
sober second thought of the people. They
were greatly deceived. Those who have real
grievances nredressed-unrepented by the
aggressor-instead of cooling OF, wax warmer
by retlee ton. The more they thought of it,
the more resolute Were they for resistance
Nay, the Union men themselves, upon con-
sideratIon, Joined their ranks. 1t has been
the history everywhere. The feeling has
grown with discussion-with reflection. "The
cooler and clearer the atmosphere, the more
distinctly we see object Is III there be objects
TO be seen
And so, brethren of the Border States you
must confront some form of reyoiu ton. Rev
olution is upon you, where you are, real,
as important, as momentous in its conse-
quences, as II you choose TO have voice in
in deciding and an arm in attaining your own
position. You are left in Il Government
which has been already evolutionized. The
position of the Republican party was reyolu-
tionary. It's triumph overthrow the cid CON
stitution and set up Il new one, III fact, if not
in form. With you, we endeavored to avert
its oyerthrow-with you, to set it up again
But we failed, and declined to enter under
the new Constitution. Too important were
the interests at stake TO be imperilled
The uitimatum is before you--to accept as
ISOLATION upon new and humiliating terms