The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-21
rHn gTArE CONVENTION.

,bat have nn particular desire for seat
in the Convention. The arduous duties ana re-
sponsible trusts necessarily resulting IRON e h
position NAV well challenge the solicitude on tue
abest and most experienced men OF our ehg
dn MI feel ~ liberty under existing circumstances,
to withhold the use Of my name frufn thore o. ny
under the distinct proviso, however, that cannot
cons mt To its at the risk OF dfscore,
by individual rivalries, among the conservative
The exigencies of the times demand the utmost
practieai Harmony among the conservative men Oh
this city five are to hope Tor SUCCESS we mus ds
be united conoiliatory aud firm. me .ltea s, un
itating revolutionsts. Any man who, for the
purposes OF mere personal asgfanaihehenit,
times as these at even the slightest hazard OF
united and successful effort to maintain me proper
ments eventually depend, is, in my opinion I'M
worthy of the confidence OF the people, IatfIotsih
should yield everythng bnt honor wg @bi
of the people, and the preservation Of me Union
This am fully prepared to DO, whether as PHI
As to my views on the pending issues of the day.
have no concealments TO make NY honest con u
yielded for all the honors aud preferment at the
disposal Of the people. My views on the subject
of the policy Of Virginia, at this time were fully
! expressed in Huntsville, Alabama IN a discussion
| with Breckenridge Elector last September
| give you the following extract:
From the Huntsville Bd.l fduocdte, Of Sept 20 l'5ol
"Mr. John Ii. Gilmer, in substance said, he fel' |!
called upon, here before this audience and IN the
| presence OF the friends OF the lion. VIM l.. IAN
| cey to repel the iinpuations ana lnsnUatlohs
against Virginia, contained IN the letter oi MI /
| Yancey, written in 1858, to Il. Rryor, Esd IN
| explanation of the famous Slaughter letter. tlr
| gnia is my mother, and / am proud OF her past
history, and the glories which cluster around her
revolutionary memories. Her people are SLOW 10 I
act but powerful in their action Just III their DIS
! ordinations, but resolutc IN their resolves
Patient, thoughtful, patriotic-they are as brave
as the bravest-and when real dangers threaten
the institutions of the South, come from what
quarter or in what form they may, Virginia wou d
uroudiy and nObly Illustrate the patriotic dclion
of her great leaders OF revolutionary memory
But She was Un,on-toeiao, law abiding STATE
| While her partisan leaders might fret, and chafe,
and appeal to the passions and prcludlces OF ntT
people there an innate love If justice, eivu
and social rights in the hearts Of the people OF
Virginia which rendered them, individually ana
coI1eotiyeIy, impervious to the sectional appeals
of the disunouist, as well as the maddened frenzy
of the Abolitionist steady in the line Of her
general policy in relation 20 our Federal system
gressive measures ofthe Black Republican, while
She held in serene contempt the clustering p"-
( licy Of the avowcd Secesslonlsts-
Her policyhsSl cated by the >tald virtues anu
maured priaGipss Of her EeSPsw S "a. aSed as
She tcas for fighting all the bdes q the South IN the
Union aad under The Constitution. Yes, Alabamians,
here proclaim to you for aud on behalf OF VIZ
GINA that she too Jrare TO retreat IN the face an
Gprroacting foe. She regards secession as r1!',-
deay remedy to be resorted to only by the tlnid,
the selfish, or those who desire preteXt Tor
dissolution of this glorious Union pugiaia
has a noble heritage IN this Union, far too val
liable to DO idly and wantonly thrown away
the Constitution, in defence OF her rights and your
rights in the Union Unframed by adverSity-un-
influenced by present or approaching dangers
e with cherished remembrance of her past glories
: she bids defiance to all enemies OF the Union
lance She will never like a spolt child, flee, by
u secession from the Union. But she will ass rt all
of her constitutional rights III tho Union and under
A the Constitution, so long there is a Union or
Il common Constitution in existence.
lutte and inaexi hi as it is brave6f Virginia,
have been panied and ohafed, when | hear, IN
out as to the fidelity of Virginia to the south Men
of Alabama, these are libels upon Virginia, and
o gifted, eloquent and brave sou, " l.: Yalecy
was as unjust as r asqs ngeae'9' ;o ana mafn n a.
- say here and before this audience. disclaim al
II personalities; but | will here shield my beloved
mother from those imputations, and feel proud as
d one of her humblest sons, of the opportunity.
Virginia untrue to the South Virginia. a Dor
second to Black Republican, fanatical set Of
n cal and governmental disorganizers Sirs, in the
t aa M mo ls viii here undertake to speak o
Virginia, and make known exposition: suppose
that Mr.. Lincoln is elected. Will Virginia secedt
on that account without some palpable iufrac-
ION of the Constitution p say Tor her-no no
% never, never. Virginia respects her compacts an(
re of her past history-t6o potent in her own sover
eignty-to quail and tremble aud give way at th'
knees, before even BLACK Republican President
Rut She is not 4 sublaissi0Iist state. She will as
e. sert and maintain her rightsas she will detenC
Mt spare not, though every cotton State may deser
a her and seek refuge by secession She will choose
IL her ground-tght, nob!Y hEht her own battles, U
e. Il am asked what will be her policy, shogls
nd South Carolina seoede=-in the event Of Mr.. Lin
D. coins election-and the FeGcfal G0vernmen
should attempt to eeerce her by force, and witt
- the soil of Virginia? | answer from my heart
df o.. long there ie iIgniaH tt abore the sod %
81 orey soldier qrGre- Northern 0rnp
her borders irdde rights. or stain soil nit
tts blood Of your feope-that is my answer here to
| .I,, Alaia,niIns y
Us that your son--briliant as he Is eloquent. an
on strong -wlled as he is eriatic-has sought to mis-
H. represent and misplace, in the great and terrlf
er struggle that may be so close at hand? FiygHia
mother Of States and aatesmea-would that my vote
couId now ring through your every valley, Is
- does through this hall, that this people migt
hear your response. Virginia, a truant to th
South', when the last sad conflict c0nes-as 500
il rav-Virgnia will lead where the brayest ma
,c be proud to FOLLOW, snd where many of those VIII
81 her riN hesitate to tolow her with her narti;
III cloak around her she, will sonnd forth, fro
srerv valley, the bUgle-biast of defiance, an
shed her best blood TO screen those who see
= to doubt her fidelity
believe now as then, that the period in o,
history as a nation has arrived when, face 10 tat
he tooe Of the North and South should full uadersa
ts' each other the sarey question; ond hot pro
m ficoi Which crisis may hereafter arise
, at he 6nojIy and satisfactorily settled and this
patch work nor promises, but by well ma ured "a,
at deliberately sanctioned amendments To the fede,
Constitution This. in my opinion, is absolate
necessary, or civil war is the inevitable altern
/. But by whom, and how. are the proposed al
necessary amendments TO the CONSTITUTION to
insisted on aud snstainedf Surely, not by Ma
a11 of thc Union They must necessarily be pr
his messed sustained and perfected By States IA the URIo
or Hence it is my opinion that there Is (under L
,Y1 existing relations between the States which Ina
. Of already seeded and those which may seeede b
twpen This and the 4th of March, and the FEEDER
led (;overnmentl the most imperious necessity, lrhch
,n1nds thot Virgina should remain in the Union rh
= she can, and ieN, under The nag q TIE on,on 60
Hdnd the peace oetaeeft inc et'eHe -'o'f" ara "@
I II ont of the Union, the vantage ground is los
I uuia hold he
tia. TdsraI avn could ever be raised against h
ON She now occupies the middle ground. She h
authoritatively, announced her position on
= question Of coercion: She has with caiin dlgni
ame | ing state Her honor and her flag stand firmly
lTY | terposed between the Federal Government aud
les seeding states. Then, peace or war must d
IL from the Federal Government. II coercion Is
- tempted, Virginia has pledged her honor 20 ar
The btou How then, can the coerciye policy
adopted and exercised tehde pirgnia in The Unit
Z, In America no government can exist by force.
FEDERAL Government is but the creature of
neople aud If the incoming Administration d
)tel, attempt the coereive policy, phgiaiG IL
Union the President and his Cabinet will
much more easily Slpbtteu imam thev tan ouplus
In. the smallest State
oned But if Virginia were out Of the Union, by fofI
enae SECESSION she could not, and ought not 10 eS
The same influence, In word when coercion
attempted, if Tiyginio interpeses the nag oil
IN. Union on the same battle field on which her 0
,OL- aag is unfurled, american hdnd rH be "a
arge Van will thus perceive that am advocate
allied secession on the one hand. or submission ON
other Peaecabis secession Is II mere pont
ent's oagarv PHYSICAL coercion Is than vags
IVA, The arm uplifed to strike down the flag OF ON
AR. the original thirteen States in The Union, and
fST, In defence of the constitutional rights Of the people, &c
Jan pased n ms5qee e r,;1s C gt
ACE MS in the Union, and can bat re-cohquer
'EN- liberties orde in the noble defence of our rig