Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-01-25
no the People OF Augusta.

ability as | possess. l cannot pledge my
self to all the details ofmy action because,
in these troublous times. 20 man can tell
what a day may bring forth. You must
trust much to the discretion of your dele
gates as to the means of accomplishing your
wishes. / understood you to decide by your
vote in November last that you would stand
by the Union and the Constitution. | am
no less a lover Of the Union and the Con-
s~titution than | was then, and | am oppo-
sed to reversing your popular verdict. The
controlling purpose of my public action will
be to preserve the Union and maintain the
Constitution. | do not regard State scccs-
sion as a remedy for any of the evils that
surround us; on the contrary it is q surren-
der of all the rights in the territories ard
elsewhere for which We are c~ontending.
an utterly opposed to bringing the Canada
border down to Mason & Dixon's line.
| am equally opposed to being "hitched
or" to South Carolina and the Cotton States
and dragged" by them at their will and
pleasure and against your consent and in
terest out Of the Union. The Yancev pro-
gramme is being boldly played out-the
scheme, concocted thirty years ago, accord
ing to the confession of the secession lead
ers, to dissolve the Union and break up the
Government, is on the eve of execution
''The Southern heart has been fred, and the
Cotton States haze been precipjtated into
revolution" The effort S now to be made
to fire the heart Of Virginia and to precipis
tue her also out of the Union. | think Viz
GINA ought to resist such precipitation and,
at least for the present, to maintain her po-
sition calmly and firmly IN the Union for
two reasons: First, Because if she draws
the sword and resists the authorities of the
Union, the other border Slave State will do
the same, and war, with all it's untold hor-
rors aud miseries, is upon Us. There can be
no peace06}e separation Of these States by a
sectional line and on a t%ana;ical idea The
history Of the world proves that such an ex-
peotatlon IS as deluslve as a dream. Second
-Virginia in nay opinion can restore peace
to the country if She remains ii the Union {:
she viii lose the power to do 50 when she
goes out, It she continues in the Union
the States Of North Carolina, Tennessee,
Arkansas aud the other border Slave States
will remain with her. Standing by tie Con-
stitution, su5daing all angry e~xeitements
aul sect onal p'ej tdic,s withou yielding, bus
calmly and iirmly maintaining aud insisting
Oh her rights under the Constitution, Vir-
ginia's voice will be potential for peace. con-
citation and compromise. The secession Of
the Cotton States renders a settlement e
existing difficulties essential Whether
Virginia goes ou4 or stays in thas necessity
will not be losSepel or Increased Her pow
cr to accomplish sucI a settlement depends
on her working eettdjjy the Union for it's
preservation and the just rights of the
States, | would @ to work to bring about
this al ustmfnt ut oiaoe: Whea il can be ac-
complished no human foresight can now dis
Germ; and in view OF the vast interests in
volved | deem it unwise to name any day
as the Rublcon between Onion nd Gisu-
mon. peace and rar. | am not, as some
have already said, for waiting two or three
years FIR this settlements: | am willing to
give suca time as the Constitution requires
tor its own amendment. | have uo plan to
propose myself; Of those proposed [ prefer
the Crittenden resolutions. Ga s)me such
basis, if submitted by Virginia iaa spiri. OF
blended kindness and irmnoss, | believe a
settlement will be made.
If, however, all efforts at peaceahle ad-
ilstment should fail :, If the other States in
e neral Convention assembled should, AZ
ter such failure, refuse to consent to a peace
able separation and division OF public prop
erty and debts-if Virginia's honor, safety
aud reserved rights as a member Of the
Coufederacy should be invaded or manifest
ly imperiled, then, | trust, | should meet
the alternative as u Nirglnian. On spch al
alternative, however, dnrkened ly ihe hor--
rors of civil war, l instinctively close my
eyes and pray to God to avert it. IF you
i believe | would submit to what would de-
grade or disAonor you or myself do not vote
for me.
| ain utterly opposed toall force to bring
the seeding States back into the Cpjou.-
The Uuion cannot be preserved by force
Fearful viii be the responsibility Of tdo par
ty which, whilst efforts at paciie2tQp are
going on all over the laud, shaI! ned in
Violence a drop of American blood-shall
break the peace of a nation and forever blot
cut all nope Of reconciliation and Union
Ii for the purpose Of reducing tosubulission
a seeding State that blow be- struc1 by the
Federal Government a sectional w9r must
follow. If in has'y passion that blows DO
struck by South CaroliDa or one Of the sece-
ding States, Virginia will be ca, l~.oa to
decide whether she can fleet most ~ lung
lag at once into the strife, or by 5Gtea5,ng
her oand to restore peace. | trust x saCh
an alternative should come, | shailhass ne
wisdom and irmness to DO wha. dire bo0or
aud safety Of Virginia on the Gus isf4, aDd
the peace and happiness of tue who,o aat,on
on the other may require.
| trust, fellow-citlzens. you vii not fAil
to vote .'for referring" the act. 80 af no
Convention back to the people. Tie 2aio
law is yours. Surrender your erl, yer
it to no body of men however wis4.
HUGU W. ShILFEGX.
January %, 1861.
On the 23d, a battery On the beach 10
Sullivau's Island fired into a boa from Fvrt
Sumpter while approaching VIA uaL.i
oars. The summons of the sentry bad ooya
disregardsd. 1t is supposed thai is was y
d.tachmant from Fort S~umpter chose CO.
ject was to evade the s%entinels ana succeed
in spikiug the guns Of tie Island 1ueM=n
was badly wounded.
II. IT w.t. sg.- p