Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-02-08
virginia Election.

Dy the ADOiiuOnlSte OF tue NOrtll, as tuey nave
already been here by the Know-nothings and
Democrats, TO induce the people to believe
that the /" Old Dominion" is disposed to look
with indifference upon the wrongs done her
Southern sisters. This is gross injustice not
only to that gallant State, but to the friends Of
the Union and the constitution, both North
and South. That many of those termed "se-
cessionists', have been defeated, is true. But
who has been elected, is now the important
question to be answered. Doubtless it will be
a difficult matter to classify the members.
Meanwhile we give the following explanations
from the Virginia Sentinel, concerning the po-
sitions Of the candidates generally;
$50 far as we have seen, the candidates nearly
all agree in three positions. list. That Virginia
must have additional guarantees of peace and
security, such as will constitute "a settlement
of the questions at issue between the North and
the South. I'd. That Crittenden' propositions
the least that will be assented TO as the sub
stantial basis Of this settlement. Sd. That fail
ing to obtain such settlement Virginia must
retire from the Union.
We say almost every candidate who has APP
peared before the people in every part of the
State announces the above as his position.
The number is very few that proclaim them
selves for the Union under all circumstances,
or that advocate war in the Union as the rene
DIV against federal wrongs. Save perhaps half
a dozen. every candidate is for secession if a
suitable settlement he not obtained, and every
candidate is against secession if suitable set
Element be obtained. Nearly all are therefore
.'seccssionists'' in contingency that seems GER
tain to occur.
sha lanf,r- tI,a M la
chiefly one of time They may be divided into
quick-step and slow-step secessionists; and Of
these there are various grades. Some consider
sl hope of honorable and safe settlement as
already gone. These are for secession without
a days delay. Others wish--sorne with faint
hope, others with none--to test the effort in the
convention invited by Virginia O. delegates
from the different States. That failing, they
go for secession before the 4th of March. Prac-
tically these two are one, because the test will
be made before our convention meets.
Others, again, wish to wait indefinitely and
without reference to the 4th Of March, until
they may consider every hope to be exhausted.
OF these last are some who probably never
would be convinced, and probably never in
tended to be, having taken position simply to
catch the popular gale and secure an election.
They may be added to the few who are for the
Union under all circumstances, and together
they constitute the Stokes men or submis-
sionists.
While the candidates may thus be described,
after election they will be called Secession
lists" or g Unionists,'' and with no definite line
of distinction between them. II A and b are
both candidates in a county, and A wishes i'm
mediate secession, and B wishes for secession
before the 4th of March---the election Of A will
be called a secession victory, and that Of
Union victory. If, however A had gone for
secession ''after all means had been exhausted"
and, without reference to time, then BIS cleo
ton would be called secession victory.
The above was written on the morning Of
the election. The Richmond Wing. styled a
Union" paper, and which has battled earn
estly for months against secession, contained
the following very significant editorial on
Monday morning:
We expect to see elected n vast preponder-
ance Of fair minded, rational, conservative
men; and yet men who, unless the North will
agree to a speedy, satisfactory and f'adl ADJUST
n,ent ofthe ISIS - in controversy, will boldly
unfurl the standard of resistance, and resolve
to stand or fall out of the Union.
We exhort the people and politicians Of the
North, in advance, not to be deceived Dy the
result of the election in Virginia to-day, should
that result be against the precipitators and in
favor of what are called here conservative can
didates, as we feel confident it will be. For
let us assure them, in all sincerity and candor
that Virginia remaining IN the Union or going
out, depends entirely upon the decision of the
peace Congress'-the convention Of State
commissioners-w assemblies in Washing
ton. Should this commissioners convention
fail TO agree upon terms of adjustment, then the
question will be irrevocably settled against the
Union so far as Virginia is concerned. And if
Virginia resolves to 90 out Of the Union, there
is not a saveholding State but will immedi-
ately follow her example, as we relgiously be-
lieve. In other words the failure Of the
peace Congress in Washington TO adjust the
pending controversy, or to put things in such
train rs will inepiaJly lead to an early, salts
factory and final adjustment, win certainly be
followed by the prompt withdrawal of the
whole of the slavebolding States. This is our
honest and deliberate opinion, and we admon-
ish the Northern people and politicians to
place full confidence in the accuracy of that
opinion, and act accordingly or the Union
will infallibly be numbered with the things that
were.