Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-04-08
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AN ULr1MApuM.

An UlATIMATUlt.
spPPose ONE Should be LaId Down,
what would be Its 1EMect tan Aps
aa!.,. ReA 10 me Common Sense OF the
From the New York world1
There has been much talk, in the Yffr-
gina convention, of general convention
OF the border slnve StHtes to prepare an
ultiuatum, l. as o. StIle qua non of their rel
mainItlg In the Union. Even 8 me So
called conservative members have favored
this manner of dealing with the North
The free States are about tired of this
equivocal sort of loyalty, and would not
take very Kindly TO any terms presented in
this exacting spirit. Even ifS there were
no important principle in the case, tile idea
oi an ultiInatum thrust upon them, 10 be
accepted under penalty, would stir every
element OF their manhood to repelit. Il.
is not in American nature to bend to die
tation. The Northern people are ready
enough to eugdge in COUNSEL, asts signifed
by their general approval of the proposiI
ton OF Kentucky for a national conven-
uon;, burthcy are not ready, as the late
elections show, to yield to dgmauds.
" IS a great mistake to impute the non
complying spirit Of the North to the value
1t sets upon its personal liberty bills, or
any extreme concern that slavery shall not
go into the territories. The northern peo-
pie know thats sprNctically s., hepersonal lib
erty bills have never been of the slightest
service to them, and they perfectly Under
stand that slavery, whatever be done or
left uhdone blythe Federal Government
eannot successfully root itself, one foot be !
yond its present limits-their assurance,
on this score, being evinced in the total
silence of tue late territorial bills ON the
snhject. The real difficulty lies back Of
all such proximate questions. Il resides
IN the "rule or ruin" the .tstnnd and de-
liver" spirit which, it is believed, has for
years prompted every attitude of the
South toward the North, and which is
now, with peculiar impe iousness, nut.
ting itself forth both in the outright
rebellion of the gulf States and in the quasi
hostile posture of the states that only threa-
ten rebellion. The great chuse why the att
tempts made ut Washington last winter to
settle difficulties so completely failed was
that it WIS evident, from the beginning that
the great body South would not meet the
questions with any real nationality of,feel-
ing, any whole-hcarted loyalty TO. the Com
stttution and the laws. The majority of
the Southern members of-the committee of
thirty three deliberately refused to Sustain
lllGSNl4AFu ny NlEa siAuhul8,
that peaceful ncquiescence in the election
ofa chief efmagistrate, accomplished in ac-
cordance with every legal al. al.dcopstitutiun- d
al requirement, is high and imperative
duty OF every good citizen of the United
States. 1t was almost like mockery TO at
tempt totreat With those who refused to
recognize very drst principle of consti-
tutionRl government. II the Constitution
In itself has no snprsmely binding force,
nothing could be gained by amending, tho
Constitution, or by any enactment on tile
part OF CongTessi Yhisll Is bpt ode nero
creature of thp Constitution, To Yield
wien thcrcis no equal .Hnd common duty
10 pc recognized, is just what makes the
dltterence between concession ,onl submis-
sioni7Rnd if it is now and hcncefortll to be
Practiced, we might Rs-well drop every
constitutional form, and enth1one dcspot-
ism at once.
An uLTlWATu1E forsoothI Our terms, or
death to the Unionl We hope that there
is yet good sense enough in the border
States to prevent this controversy from
taking any such shape. Let reason and
persuasion, kindness and forbearance, do
their utmost on both sides to effect n set
tlement; but, if they fail, there is no hope
beyond. To expect anything from dicta-
tlon or exaction, in any form, is silly pre-
sumption. If the border StStes are .im-
patient TO: relief rromitheir present euniv.
ocal position, aud want it determined lust
what the North will consent to do. let
them USE their influence with the revOIted
States to unite with them in call for A
national convention, after the method pre-
scribed by tho. Constitution. The North
will cheerfully concur in any such con-
stitutional procedure. 1t would be an
act which would bring honor to our
form of Government, and not shame.-
history can show no such august spec
tacle as that Of body thus elected
by a people to settle, nationally and
peacefully, the issues of their very nation
ali Gexistence-issues which haye hitherto
uniformly gone to the terrible arbitrament
of the sword. Even it!such a convention
should make it evident that continued
union was impossible, the duty which. in
that case, would devolve upon it, Of so
changing the organic framework as to
make the separation constitutional and
legitimate, would afford the grandest Of
all Illustrations of the ability Of constitu-
tionhI self government to 6eal with the
very pesttemergepcies which can pos
sibly beEhll man in his civil relations The
solemn commissioning of onf fathers by
the distracted colonies to found united
nadons5 obscure as those colpniess were,
challenged tue admiring regard OF the
world: and yetit is but natural that rea-
son should preside at national construction.
The solemn commissioning now by the
mighty States which Ihaye eprapg efFom
those feeble colonies 20 divide that Union,
itrtound necessary, would strike the world
with tenfold greater wonder, for the
world has never yet seen Rught but
passion leading national GesiruetiOn. To
rend great lrealm Sor commonwcalth
has always hitherto cost fearful eOnvul.
sions, bloody reyolutiou, disastrous auarl
chy. Ifthis rep9blic IS to be seyered,
let US at least do what we can To make
atonemept to our principle of government,
by showing the height Of constitutional
morality 10. which, i; has educated usi and