Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-02-14
WHIG.
No. II
To TIE DELEGATES or THE VIRGINIA CoNYEN-
TION
VOLUME 65.

TION.
Seeing that the Constitution and the laws as iuterpre
,l and laid down by the majority secOu have ceased
- afford safety to Virginia protection to her rights
IN be Union and considering that she il in duty in
honor bound 10 provide guards TO her uiure safe
,vthe frst question is shall she seek these guards
:, the Union or or oi its IL rHE UNIoN NEANsl
Vlnr there she then can try the desperate work Of re
construction" out of it, Failing in this again, she
b,kle on her own rusy aud stand for her rights
Ike host.
4, becomes Virginia more than any other State, to
6sb. for the Coasttlion and the Union, inch by inch
defending them both ike an army besieged in Its strong
holds which abandons position after position only after
In has vainv essaycd 10 mgke stand az each step and
ben driven back. Ia the formation of the Constitution
ard the es,abs mrut of this OniOn, the sons of Nir
ges-meu who crosned her With honor aud glory,
f5e master spiuts She owes IL 10 them, to her trad
tons 20 be world nav. she owes it 20 the of CIV
and religious lbef y-to struggling freedom, uow-tO
10 posterty for al tmeand 10 herself not 10 consent TO
b,b up this Union until she has hrst tried ali IA aud
honorable means to preserve It. Take, gentlemen, a5
,ocal OF her duty now the lesson taught by the his
tnry OF that gallant old bark the iricite Constitution
Sb has given usre the hlg glory TO he nation, aud
nv Der prowess enriched the legends Of the navy with
h,tu6lr traditions Nov and then she hss been found
on Of order unequal the purposes for which she WAS
ds,icued Has Jhe huCulge been breck her Rp and re-
c,vstrgt't No gentlemen, the voice Of the navy con-
csrnug tds; mtr-pt Constitution has been VIA.
the voice OF Virginia should be concerning his her pO
Eical bulaark Every p'ank and timber in that noble
oil structure hiss been c)rsecracd BY he blood Of our
s,urades Her history Is glorious. Repair, but break
no, up-and each time by removing the faulty pieces,
reptag the decsyed and Strengthening the weak, the
gallant oil craft has gone forth lust as good as new -
t1r pride OF the country, and boast Of the navy.
Toe nation has seconded this sentiment; and in no
Sate wake echo with more Of the true meta in
i., rioc than that which started up from the mountains
and le plains of goOt old Virginia. Of brave old VIZ
c1it Of noble Virginia
Whtisit Vrgr.a would have What are the guar
ante, ard guards which in this phase OF Der federal
0,s her safety and her honor IN the Union require:
l.. her state them the politicians and those men
who have "aXes TO griuu upon this sutagcnsm IA the
North towards the South but 20 the people Of the North
AID tsv are bers She is right clesr in her higo
enile1ce that she has but 90 ak and have"
The Constitution contemplated this sectional d.
vision or fierce social auaCOuism which dlstracts
the country Consequently, the Constitution made no
provision for such condition and is a. fault Nei'tr
a. On. struct Of he ConsutuOu frisate design htr
Tor any sucl mscutOn steam, or the Dahgreeu gun
Thew ike this sectional division were rot in the mind Of
q builder when the keel was laid. Shall it therefore
be taken tor granted that she cauno; be adapted TO this
new arm and power and therefore she must be broken
up No She eau b, altered 20 suit this change OF Cr-
c1ms,auces and still challenge jack Tars honest hearted
LOYALTY aud admiration.
T-ere arc many trce sons Of Virginia, who say all
hops Of re-sdirstmeu in the Union goue-;he only
chance row is 10 b:elk it up and reconstruct
PRAY gentlemen, allow me 20 ask you a question Is
n possible for people 70 negotiate or settle chcul-
ty between them without proposition? Is 10; the real
dH ,u.y that atlc's the country, difficulty between
the people of the two ctio1s Do they want the Union
broken ups AsS thcm-and let them speak FOR them
selves and the nation. for they are sovereign. Would
Ir-nit be acting fairly or honoraby, or would she be
tlus O, the ilus'rious dead of the North, who have
Mingled their blood with she blood Of her own sons IN
establishing TIE Union-or would She be loyal TO the
memory Of Washington and Madison aud Jefferson aud
her glorious worthless Of other DAYS, II without giving
notice % the people OF the North without shOrdng
them an opportunity be heard she we're 10 proceed to
break up and tear down
Since the work Of secession commenced, no oppor'u-
ny Of being beard has been afforded 70 the Peopis OF
single Northern State How could they be heard but
through The persons OF their representatives "a Core
Con usseybl.dsas You are about 20 0e: Has such
Convention been called IN srN Northern state or nave
O che sreyed states asked Tor one: AOAons LOT
Convention of the people have been on de IN Congress
bu. the politicians Of the North have barrHdet oh tier
psop. aud the people OF the SOuh, speaking M tier
soverei ,utv have made demand upon the people OF
the North tor gaIrd, for their uture security IN
tbe Uu0u any readjuStment whatever OF he fedeISI
machinery for anything and why should the states
,o the North call Convention Of their people unless they
lad some proposition 70 submit aud whence should
proposition come but from the people OF Virgins, OF
sOue other Southern STATE in Convention assembled
Toe people aud not the politicians, but the people, and
the people, alone settle this question and they Will
settle it If tbe Convention will only place Virginia in
communication with the people Of th North not through
Congress- but directly through their Governors and Leg
is.iturrs
have eonversed upon this point, with politicians,
on. with a good many gentlemen coming irom among
the people OF the North As f by previous agreement
the Of their language has been; s had Eo 'dsi
tbs. W. do NOT ypsi tis Union brot,H Wp: bHi n''c
!tl ,s are iu tbiS "lltss ts cant settlement that
shlY b. permanent and o. this eh all the Hs0
Qtri, ard guarantees bdt Virginia Uapts she has b"i
% lst as kno,o rba, tsg are and they are hers.
In nv Judgment geu,i. Eiru, the uue question for
YOUR consideration u the Convention Is the aud
conditions upon which Virginia may, with honor and
safety. remain in the Uuiou. Weig1 them calrly, de-
ra,ately wisely; state them In the shape of ultima
tm-seud 20 the Governors Of the Northern States AID
10 the Le-iures OF such be in session, request
i- that tbi- the ultimstum Of Virginia may be submit
ted 10 she people 10 Convention assembled for rejection
or ADOPTION Give them souabls ume for conSiters-
ton and fix lay Ill which Virginia Siii wait Tor II
ausWer-aud ia the meantime 60 on With Nolr prepa q
tons for going Just though the rejection oi the u
matum wer. certain Thus she will be ready for the
worst The Northern mind will be impressed with the
fact hat Virginia Is 10 earnest and means 10 act up TO
her ulumltum
But this some nav say, will take Us beyond the 4h
OF March Certainly il will But What does Virginia
care for the "a Of March han for the 4ih OF july
Aud by the th Of July she ge answer Is there
anything TO occur on or before the 4h Of March that can
iugh,en or drive her from the coa.se OF ProPrey
kn0s u0;
In the next letter, propose TO eons'df ~hai should
be the terms Of this u!tinatum Of Virginia
Earu .rh raFu -