Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-04-04

paci,ies for future development aud Improvement more
varied and complete elements for prosperous aud self
ucing national existence than any sepaate
of States Of our glorious Union If unhhppy, according
to the specuiions OF political theorists II should he
finally resolved into divers and rival conlederacss But
DO not now speak of the border slave aies gith refer
ence TO such contingency. speak Of them as they
nov era-as members OF the Union, and, necessarily
welding by their united aud harmonious action potent
influence upon the desDies of the Union ard upon The
policy of their sister States both OF the North and the
South.
Virginia stands At the head Of these border slave
States She il their leader and standard bearer and
they frankly and generously recognize her SUCH
often feloweitzcus take the map of my country TO
contemplate its magnificent proportions 10 study the
laons OF its various parts, and to ponder those
great hnd glorious des.inies which gracious Providence
seem ID to have and believe still hasn res rye for Us
never do so without being struck with blended awe
and admiration the proud and imposing attitude of
Virginia as she presents herself to the eye upon the
chart OF the coniederacy.
Look at her there in the centre of the Union, with
her broad base resting upon her solid ard aithfu sup
porers North Caroline and Tenuessee-lfting her grand
aud colossal form, like another Alias Tenerff. 10
her proud elevation, hauked on the hand by Mary
land tie other by Kentucky then shooting her
towering pinnao!etatol t5e Northern sky, iDsnuatng
herself between the great Common wealths of Penn
syvahla and Ohio, if TO minge with aud hold them
all together with frmer and closer cohesion In her
very geographical position and connections read her
mission and Ler duty
Let Vrgpii, in family council with her sister border
slave STATES agree upon such constitutional guarantees
proper and necessary for the security Of The South
aud et lhem then, with their united voices call upon
the other States, by the double ties of justice and
fraternity 10 signify their assent TO those guarantees at
the earliest possible Happily have, in the
resolutions oil the Peace Conference plan OF adjust
mcn which has already received the sanction Of many
Of the Northern States through their delegates in that
assembly; aud, with such notifications as may APPEAR
necessary upon candid and deliberate revision, they
could BE- promptly submitted for the direct action OF the
people of the several States There can be no TO
doubt t speedy and cordial acceptance by the people
Of the border free States with Rhode Island, and be-
reve, Connecticut and Nsw York; and others Of the
Northern States would soon follow tho example.
Wi'h regard to the seeded States however ndsposed
their leaders may BE- the present moment in the flush
Of their new tired honor 20 listen 10 any terms OF
reconciliation, little farther experience ard reflection,
acting upon the dormant attachments to the Union
which sill subsst large MASSES o: their population
could hardly fail 20 from those aoguics
cence in any plan Of lsment that has the sanction of
the border slave States so much more eary and deeply
interested than they in The questions connected with
the security Of slavery ia the Uui0a.
But however this may be, there necessary laws,
sprnging from, the inherent relations OF things with
must have their effect hCu plan of adjustment shall
have teen concuued in by both the border slave ard
the border free States then the slave States r the valley
OF the Mississippi inerest,d in the free ,igatioD ard
commerce OF that river will cordially unite with the
powerful free States above tha an such pressure upon
Louisiana as must brns her back into the Union. Iii
impossible that the States, living upon the upper
parts OF the Mississippi aud its tributaries can for any
ngh Of time soqgie.c in the possession OF s mouth
By power foreign to them
II is in vail thai the Son'hern Confed racy procln
the free navg .tiGn af the Mississippi general thesis
Lock az e I'll the sui jecl recently pIEsed by the
Congress at Montgomery and you III see that while
they declare the principle OF the freedom OF the river
they, AZ The same tim, prescribe multiplied regulation
with regard 10 the tace upon il destined to states be-
yOad the limits of the COuederacy, the neglect viola.
cn OF any OF hch Involves tie forfeiture Of vessel
aud carg other hslTy pen.lIies These are vexs-
toas AID auuoyalces which but be soreIy felt
and the time VII come aud come soon in case OF al
adjustment OF existing oonoYorsics satisfactory to the
border State, when Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas,
Nssoar! aud western Virginia, will earnestly unite with
Pennsy yVania Ohio Indiana, Illinois, aud Iowa in dpre.
eating and oppos ~ foreign ursdic ion at ;ne mouth
O! the Aissi spp
ths united presute coucurrpF with internal causes
WILL firmly ieye, induce Jnisana, distant day.
10 tea:l iuto the CGion, aud when sic returns, the
State OF .ssisspDi must and will follow. Here, thep
ae OF the seeded States is broken at It's con,Fe
Texas will be isolated the west Aabsna, Georgia
Fioia and South Carolina the cash and what ration.
al motive any of these STATS have 10 continue in
such condition of segregation, when in the meantime
every reasonable guarantee shall have been ob Iined for
the security Si ther rights in toe Uniony
SOk forward, then with 10 small degree Of conf.
dence 10 the ultimate IeturR OF the seeded States into
the Unica tbs consequence of the line of eeticn now
to be inAusGrated by the border slave Stltes Deeply
lorng the OF the seceed State-lookug upon
their conduct as must ever DO as compromising the
interests Of American greatness freedom and progress
more gravey !han anything which has occurred in
or hiOgyI shall yet hail their wi sincere JOY
| aud lively, renovated hopes for the future.
The great question for US nov, is what Virginia ia to
tng U.l,a TIM psnl. "A uf,ciro hc,a
wish for the preservation Of the Union, become The tail
of Southern Conederacy? Or shall she place herself
thu head of the serried Macedonian phaIanx CT her
sister border slave Sato aud with their concert and
operation, open Ihe way 10 the rodntegration ol the
Union vhsh, though deprived, for a tune, of some OF
t. pillars, is yet solid and mistaken in its foundations
Thi' ancep. commonwealth OF ours, fellow citiz3ue
has played great role in history. She has yet grfa:
roe to play II revert to her pls shs geo that
she has been the proud and ackroe edgs header in 81
those marked and characteristic movements which Eat
various periods OF our history b2ye looked TO the Union
Of America, for American liberty and greatness. In
l77i she was the frat 70 propose Congress of deputies
from 9i se colonies to deliberate upon the " united in
.eSests Of Aperica" In lT7G she the first to
hs decls ion 0A m ndepent by the United
Of the enabled States In l777, she the Asst
10 en those articles OF Confederation whjca pledged
ihe States TO "a firm and perpetual @se2htioa With each
other for their common defec,, tae Gecnry Of their b
! er.ies and their mpt.,ai and general welfare"
In 1888. wh7n tso5e articles foaned inadequas
for :Lei Object Il was she who proposed the Convention
at Annapolis, to streDg tien aid enlarge them and in
lSG she again l0d the way in the appointment Of dspu
ties 70 the Convention at PHILADELPHIA for the purpose
ef forming new Constitution more Adequate to the
eigencies OF the Union; aud Vas she in that Conveu
ton more than any ali aiAcrs, who, by The wisdom
and influence OF her s,h Orred the Consitaton nnder
which nov ave, and have hitherto hred, III nnparai
leed pos pary and happiness los more ihan quarter OF
a century A wachiu aud even jealous guardian, at all
tines of the rights OF ,he States she as never failed TO
rally TO the SpgoFt OF she Union whenever it has teen
threatened by dsaecton in qulrter whether at the
! Moth or the SOnth-ss we'll against New England in
1908 aud 1914 us against South Carolina in 1888 and
| 1850,
She cannot them without blo;ng out all her paat his
tory Join in the unnatural work OF sabsegting those
glorious institutions which she has hSd large aOd
bic part in bnliing us aud s.Tenshcnag Her heart.
| her mind her hesi eGoEl3 ~ tle c"Nucl and the field
have ever teen devoted to tho great Of imerc,u
Ioniueftal liberty and Union. NO Pc nt.up Uce' has
+ narrowed and canfned her powers. Hes Wahugien,
her Je;S.rsan her Madison, her Pend,eton AP Wy.he
her Marshall and long list OF her Nssrious sols have
spent the prime OF their de- ia iibqrng for the eve
opmnt OF high pl;,Hsl destiny, one and iRisisible,
aud their ast ayer have been hrea,hed or The perpe
| tuity VI the American pnoa.
You must not ouY ira@pse B the dnst the stars and
strfpes the consecra;ed symbol Of national power
ald ranowu-as some have already doue in the sacre-
gous madness Of the hou5ut Virginia must first str ke
from her calendar all ihc immortal names have uen.
toned with their compatot worthies shc auss rage 10
the ground the proudes monuments Of her glory; b :
fore she can ucon tie ereaIy and INTRO aden paths
to which she il hscaoEed. Let br not obey ;he inau-
picous suw@ols Let her perssvege in the paths which
cgy EitAers trod under Ne guidince Of patriots aud
siges ard heroes whoa they reverercedas they trusted
II craso This poriDns Tninp which