Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-03-08
For the T;ndicutu
HoME, March 5, 1861.

w e are no" anXious 10 curry the past, isn't
isfcd that we were right and that every man
who voted with us made himself a record Of
which he may be proud in all time to come
and uniting with our natural friends, cas-
our future sotth the State Rights Democra.
cy and the South. as against tie old Fed
eral party and the North For it seems to
US now very clear that the Only question for
Virginia to decide is, whether she will 90
will. the North, or link her fortunes with
the generous, the brave, the chiyalrous and
sunny South. For ourself. we confess to
Partially for the myrtle and the olive, aud
the basmy zephyrs that play over the green
savannahs and waving palmettos of our IA.
tive South; and when the shock of SECTIONS
comes. let the consequences be what they
may, We shall follow the impulses of our
heart. and join our destiny with tho people
of our fathers ard the brothers of our IA.
tional household" -.
This is true statement Of the Issue, aud
patriotic determination asserted in regard
to that issue. Northern procrsstnation, in.
justice and tyranny, and Southern timidity
and submis siveness, have left us only this
one question to decide: Whether We Of the
Border States-of Old Virgnia--will unite
our destiny with the Black Republican
North, or with the noble, true hearted,
chiyarous South. A Southern Confedera-
ton nov exists-a fixed fact in the political
events of the world A Black Republican
usurpation now presideB over aud disregards
the constitutional guarantees and privileges
embraced in the great Charter which gave
vitality and effect to the once powerful gov
eminent Of the United States Of North A.
.nerica With which shall the '.Old Do.
miniop, celebrated for her love of justice,
honor and patriotism, determine to cast her
/, lot? With her natural allies Of The South,
with whom justice is reality, aud honor
not merely high sounding nomusli.m--
or with the violent, fana.ical and agrarian
North. despisng justice. honor. patriotism
and truth, and crushing constitutional free
dom into the dust under the iron heel of
numerical absolutism.
/ My earnest hope is, that Virginia. in the
spirit of her ancient valor when she en-.
barked in the gloomy experiment of Revo.
/ luton rather than submit to British oppres-
sion, will seeede from all union With shs
| Northern States rather than submit to abo-
| litiou usurpafion. With the Southern Con.
federation is Constitutional freedom, homer,
prosperity; with the Northern fanatieism 10
the tyranny of numbers, degradation and
poverty. The Ordinance OF Secession
should at once be enacted. If the Convcn.
ton refuse this, then the citizens have at
least the right of expatriation.
| regret TO perceive that the names ofthoss
| Democrats who supported Stephen A. Doug
| las on the Cincinnati Platform have been
connected with the present political crisis Ia
the humila.ing attitude of submission. I
mot speak for others in reference TO this
charge, but may for myself. and | would
assume the responsibility of speaking for
your position, bad you not SO eloquently
spoken for yourself My record in conneo.
ton with the last Presidential canvass, 10
open to investigation The sentiments on-
tertained by ne were expressed freely to
the public in a written response TO inter-
rogatores propounded by Breckenridge sup
2orters. They were Southern in tho ex-
IRENE. and in perfect consistency with the
views ever expressed by me. A rccogni-
ton of slavery as a moral and political bless
ing-the equality of the States of the Union
as sovereign powers and as common propri-
etors of the eminent domain of the Federal
Goyerument-th right of St.te to secede
under circumstances of oppression. and the
prop iety of the exercise OF that right when
ever q President came into the Executive
seat who had the intention to overthrow the
government. and possessed the powsr to eff
fectuate it. But if this charge Of submits
sion was not fsl<ifed by my record it would
be sufficient to refer to the last Convention
al contest, in which my extreme Southern
proclivties and desire for prompt and ensr-
getic action on the part of Virginia, was
made the chief objection to my support
the prime cause of my defeat.
The charge must fall, think, when ap-
piled to the Douglas Democracy as class,
for, in proportion to numbers. do not be-
iieve there can be found more submission
lists in the Douglas than in the Breckenridge
ranks regret to be able to assert that
there are any submissionists in either. /
regret to be able to assert that they have
not united together and presented solid
/
State and the Constitutional liberty of its
citizens. [ regret to be able to assert that
Virginia does not stand square and fair and
firm on the platform of equality with her
Southern sisters, and that she does stand
mute and motionless whilst the chains Of
servilty are being welded which are to bind
her forever to the car of Northern fsnati-
cism-a more provincial dependency. But
enough of this.
l presume you have heard from Lincoln
by this time. have not have no hopes
from him. have but little from the Con-
venton. | fear that they are determined
to hold On at every hazard land to cry peace.
with the knife at our throats-to proclaim
| liberty with the manac es on our limbs.-
What has become of those gentleman elect
ed to the Convention asserting that they
would not take less than she Crit,enden
Compromise, or its equivalent. Do they
regard the Guthrie propositions, with ths
Franklin amendment, ASIAN equivalent D
Bah There is latent preference for
Northern Black Rcpublicanism, with the
high sounding words oils, 900, 900 of poo
pie, over the pure patriotism ofTthe South,
with its gallant anu honest people
WHAT is to be done next? What move
on the political chess board are we to wiz
ness next? Coercion? What then e? SUBJ
mission of the Border States or resistance :