New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-08

<hc sympatbise with the lenders Of Rebellion ,sp
teek by eovet and indirect means TO aid the obisst
the oonepirators.
There is only one question DOW for each Americ,
citizen TO decide In tbis controversy; Do youdssire
stand by and live under the Constitution which -
contributed 70 long and greatly the happiness IA
prosperity Of the people. and to transmit lie blessus
70 our Postertyf Or, do ycn desire the Union broke
IL lie stead fhe leaders Of the south ara strviar -
.ne latter. The Government Of the Unied States l
exef.ing its whole force 70 maintain the integrity
I,ere can be no peutrsl ground. The Sc
eaaers have declared that they desifs no com
except The unrondiival airreDder 10 tbsm q
tne objects they have been aiming to accomprh AM
sne consent Oh the Government TO its own des,rcaiop
me very proposition Of compromise places false ssuS
oclo,e ,ns eoonIry u implies that the Federal Gov.
ernnent mas eommitted zone great wrong which oaobI
TO be remedled before peace can be restored, when H.
fact the leaders 10 the South have controlled ,be Lo;
iation Of the country for year, and the laxs nov III
existence were made or suggested BY themselves vber
The position Of this State is peculiar one a, .b,
moment. Last November st tie Presidential election
il gave upward o. sixteen Thousand najorfv foy RsJl
and Douglas, both Union candidates for the Pred.
dency. Their principal eompetitor was loudly pro-
claimed az also true 10 the Union and throughou ths
canvass any mputaton of favoring disun'on was in-
dgnantly denied by the advocates of all the candl.
dates. At the election for members of the Convent,oa
In February last there majority of ever sxty
thousand votes given to the Union candidatcs; and
the people by equal majority determined thai no
act of that Convention should change the relations Of
the State to the Federal Government unless rstis BY
the popular vote. Yet the Delegates TO that Confen-
tion passed the ordnane of secession, and attached
the State 70 the southern league, called tho Conser-
ate States and TO render the sep irretrievabe and
defeat the whole Object Of requiring ratification OF
tho people 10 render surh acts valid, they put them
into effect immediately and before the vote could be
talxc of rafif IL
whole military force Of State to the PIesideu Of
the Confederacy and surrendered TO him military pos.
session Of our territory.
When the chains hsd been thus sfsstened upoa u.s. we
were called to vote npon the ordinance of Secession.
The reign Of terror which compelled Uajon re,
10 vote they did in the Convention was brongt 10
bear on the people themselves. Vast numbers ,.ere
obliged by intimidation and fear Of threatened violence
TO vote Tor secession Many did not vote at all Macy,
no doubt, were Influenced By the consideration hal
the measures already adopted bad placed the Comron-
wealth heplessly within the grasp Of the President Of
the Southern Confedercy, and that she could no, e-
cape from his power by the rejection Of the ordinance
1t claimed that the ordinance Of Secession has been
ratified by majority of ninety-foar thousand votes.
Had the people Of Virginia. then go greatly changed
The best evidence that they had not Is found In the
fact that wherever the vote fully free, there was
a much larger majority against secession than was
given at the election 10 February 10 the Union cand-
datesfor the Convention. The means of intimidation
and violence which resorted to large por-
ton Of the State, to compel appearance Of unaLity
In favor of secession, show that the leaders Of this
movement felt that the hearts Of the people were not
with them. .
The proclamation of the President calling for sew.
enty-fye thousand volunteer troops is commonly re-
lied upon to justify the ordnance Of Secession. That
proclamation issued the 18th OF April, 1861. Is
must not however, be overlooked that the 9Th Of
March, 1861, the pretended Congress at Montgomery,
provided by law FOR calling into the field torce n
hundred Thousand volunteers; and that on the Eth
Of April the Secretary Of War of the Confederate
States publicly announced that war was commenced,
and that the Capitol at Washington would be captured
before the first of May The intention to capture the
capital Of the Union repeatedly proclaimed In
Influential papers az Richmond and other Southern
cities before the 18th Of April II was in fact long
cherished object Of the leaders in this great cn-
spirscy. Did they expect the President of the Nation
70 yield the capital, and retire IN Disgrace, withsas
adopting any measures of defensef Yet Virginia, We
are told seeded becacse the President, under such
circumstances called volunteers to the defense Of The
need not remark TO yen, Gentlemen, how fatal The
attempted d severance of the Union most prove 70 al
our material interests. Secession, and annexation 70
tions. We cannot get them 10 the Confederate States
across the Aeghanies. The Ohio river and the eoyn.
try beyond il would be closed 10 our trade. Wih|
Maryland in the Union, our outlet to the East would
be interrupted; while could no. carry our products
across the Pennsylvania line, BY the Monongahela OF
other route. In time Of war, we would encounter .
hostile force, and in time Of peace, custom house al
The interests Of the people of Virginia were entrusted
10 the Richmond Convention How have they fulfilled
that trust Why, if war was to come, was onr land
made the battle field Why was this Common wealth
interposed as barrier 70 protect the States of me
South who undertook 10 overthrow the Union IN utter
disregard 10 our remopstrances! In the pontion 10
which the Richmond Convention have placed Us, our
homes are exposed TO all the horrors Of civil war,
while the President Of the Montgomery Congress can
announce TO the people Of the Gulf States that they
need now have no apprehension they might go %
with their planting and business as usual The wa
would not come to their section; it's theatre would %
along the borders Of the Ohio river, and in Vir
gnia.'
Have we done wrong in rejecting the authority q
the men who have thus betrayed the interests eonh9eA
10 their charAef
Under these circum stances the people Of the Shts
who deeired 10 preserve Virginia in the Union. ~
their delegates appointed at primary meetings, rmr
bled at Wheeling the 18th OF May last TO conndef
the measures necessary to protect their eonstueon
rights and liberties, their lives and their property
Before frank comparison could be had differences q
opinion were to be expected, and such differences 40
cordingly then existed. That Convention, however,
after three days mature consideration determined 70
call upon the loyal people of the State after Tie vote
WAS taken on the Secession Ordinance, 10 elect dele
gates to Convention 10 be held on he lltb day Of
June, 1861 All who witnessed the assembling OF th
last Convention, viii bear witness 20 the solenniy q
the occasion. It's action was attended with singulf
unaninity; and has resulted in the reorganization
the State Government, . member Of the Union.
Their journal and ordinances will be submitted 70
you. Plain principles vndicate their acts. The Con.
stiuton Of the United States adopted by the peo.
pie Of the United States; and the powers thus derived
could be resumed only by the consent OF the peopb
who conferred them. That Constitution is the 80
preme law of the Land. The Constitution Of the Stss
recognizes 1t as such, and sll the laws Of the Ststs
virtually recognize the principle. The Goyeuor
= ALI As.ta ofIan afufIr and rE1ff
tary, when they entered upon the discharges Of men
duties took an oath 10 eupport the Constitution q the