New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-28

in the building where the Convention sits, every
innammatory sentiment \ loudly applauded, in
violation Of all deccIrm. The large majority cf
the people of Virginia take, however, practical,
common sense view OF the matter. T@y ask,
How arc we, how are the Border States, TO be
affected by secession What viii be the result,
so far rs We are concernedi In the first place,
negro property will disappear; and it is about
lois property that the whole difficulty has sprung
up. And how would the Africans and the Cot
ton States themselves be affected by this Inc
negroes will surely disappear, for no one wouid
make so insecure an Investment OF his money;
and thus the tide of Slavery will be, by the nat
ural course of events rolled back upon the re-
mOter South, until, as wave succeeding wave,
each hurryng the foremost to the strand, IL VIII
surge upoo some or all the islands Of the Card
beon Sea Next. we do not raise cotton, and II
is not probable that the Cotton Coniederao'
would, in their treaties with foreign Po"e's'
stipulate, as sine qua non, that tooaceo' w,
0reat staple, should be admitted upon an equa'
footing with the liking" Again, we are no'' a'
vet, in condition to supply the denianu io'
manufactured articles, even to our own peoples
and even il we were, prate about patriotism as
they NAV. until we are able to compete with the
North in manufacturing economy and in elegance
Of fabrication, men and women viii bay the
cbeapest, from the motive OF looking out Tor
No. l." and wear the handsomest and beet, at
the promptipgs of personal vanity-motives as
old as the world, and as lasting Us time.
But even though the stakeholder were not
heavy loser by the deterioration in the value of
slave property how long would it be, allowing
that we separate pcaccably from the North, be-
fore we should be involved in civil war Not
one moon. The first negro that RON away would
be declared passenger BY the underground rail-
road. This would lead TO strife between the
master and some suspected party. The hrst
Yankee vessel that entered our rivers would be
seized in retaliation. Individual difficulties would
be magnifed into national aggression. Then
would come o thousand things TO stir up hOs
blood; then slaughter, rapine, house-burning,
and midnight assaults would desolate the borders.
And when this occurred, who, in the Southern
Border States, would do the fighting? The brave
sons of the soil. And who would pay the e&-
pcnsel The men who did the fighting. Who,
them would run all the risks and get no particle
of profit by this Secession movement The men
who, in the event of such calamites, would have
to fight all and pay all. The politicians OF The
Cotton States know all this; but WHEN had am
bition any touch of pity, love, or Temorse
Such are the sentiments of very large major
ity-of almost all the working people of Virginia.
They ask what all this turmoil and confusion in
the South are about They respond to their
own interogatory, and their sullen reply ia
" the negro" They then say " this matter does
concern us us. This Government has been good
enough for us. We have never felt oppressed
under it. We own no slaves, and wish there
were none in the country, and shall We continue
to endure the miseries of poverty; see our wives
and children asking in vain for the neeessaries
Of life; and finally leave our homes to fight for
the rich mans negro, while he sits beside his
cheerful fire, and while inhnling the aroma Of
his rich Havana laziy and lisllessly reads in the
| mornings journal list Of the killed and
| wounded 2" These are expressions winch l often
| hear, deny them who may. These men would
| fight, beyond doubt, but not until the Safe is
actually assailed.