New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-18
A TRAITOR on TREASON.

Virginia, in February, 1861, elected
"Union" Convention by an immense popular
majority. That Convention was sitting at
Richmond in April when Fort Sumter was
bombarded and taken by the Rebels AT once
on immense pressure was brought to bear
upon the Union delegates by The cOnspirators,
slave traders, and gamblers cOngregated in
Richmond, and small majority bullied into
voting an Ordinance of Secession. All was hit
tingly done in darkness and under injunctions
of secrecy. Before the fact of such Secession
was allowed to transpire, the State Govern
ment, stopping the Mails, Telegraph and oil
communication with Washington and the Free
States, called out portion of her Militia and
made rush upon the Navy-YaId at Norfolk,
which. through cowardly imbccility if not
black hearted treachery ON the part of those
whose duty it was to defend it to the last,
was promptly taken, with its two thousand
cannon unspiked, and its millions of dollars
worth of ships Of war, munitions, provisions,
&C., uudestroyed. No victory has been hall
SO productive OF advantage to the Rebel cause
as this pusillanimous surrender-for which no
body has been punished, nor oven court'mar'
tailed Simultaneously, Rebel rush was
made upon the National Armory at llar-
per's Ferry, which, being defended by
barely thirty men, was precipitately aban-
! doned. Having thus formed practical
league with the open traitors and in then
behalf made aggressive war on the Union, the
Virginia managers resolved to make chow
of submitting the act Of Secession to vote OF
TIE people, we'll knowing that the unlonist'
would be deferred by fear II pot BY actual
force from voting Senator Mason MAY lo)
wrote letter wherein be gave notice that
those who voted against Secession must pre-
pare to leave the State and, throughout ali
I but Western Virginia, whoever dared to vote
for the Union took thereby his life in his
hands. Of course, Secession swept the deck
by an overwhelming majority. But the letter
aforesaid of Senator Mason saw fit further to
say that
The Ordinance Of Secession withdrew the State Of Viz
ginin Union, with all the consequence
from the SCI araion. 1t snnued the Conuiion ana tL
laws Sf TIE United States within the limits Of this stat arc
sb.olved the citizens OF Virginia from all obligations OF ODE
dieUce to them
Hsnce it follows IL this ordinance be rejected By the
ueope the state Of Virginia will Ienan In the Union ann
people Of tie state will remain hound oy the Cou
ton of States aid obedience to the
Of the United states VIII oe iay aud g'VHHi
enforced against them. $500,
1t follows of coussc that ~ the carried on by W.
Government OF the United sypst te sceeds '4t'
Virginia must inne hssl/ chang, sides snd uhti W. "
diets OF thst government srn her o'n' osa"i A@ D He
s.sfers.
From this thtrs can he escaps AZ remoer OF 10
Union ch h.T rec o roney unf De a. '"ee
the commend 81 The Gor0nmsnt Of the Union'
Such beiDg the case the citizens OF De'a
ware, >lsrylaud Kentucky and Missouri nov
fghU in tue armies of jeff. Davis, are tral
tori beyond question, Senator Mason benz
). v.,er Judge. Their States having voted respec
lively against Secession, they "remaln boun
by the Constitution of the United States, an
are "righga'ly" subject to It's authority. The
are bound, says Senator Mason, to fight 70
the Upioa not agains. it. But who ever hear
of a degotee Of State Rights ""o WIZ
goes with bis State" let her 60 where sh
will--who ever gave any heed to the voice G
his State unless she told him to do just wha
4 he would have done any how