The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-17
APRIL Il. 1851.

Forty-nine years ago to-day the
Sovereign State of Virginia seeded
from the Union. IN city thronged
with visitors and wild with ex-
citement at the promise of war.
the Convention of the State had
worked patiently and earnestly from
the middle of February. AS the weeks
had gone by the hopes of a peaceful
settlement had disappeared, one by
one, and little by little the assurances
which had stayed the action of the
State had failed. Finally. with Fort
Sumter In ruins. and with Federal
feet growing its challenge off the
bar at Charleston, Lincoln startled the
nation and called for $4,000 volunteers
10 put down rebellion"
This was the gage of battle, and
Virginia accepted 1t. In a. day her
troops were marching from Stanton
to Harper1's Ferry to seize the Federal
arsenal: in another. the men of Nor
folk and Nansemond were gathering
around Gosport: on the third. the State
seeded. At half-after three O'Clock. in
the sombre old hall of the House of
Delegates, the members of the Conven-'
tion sat, pale and serious while the Sec
retary OF the Convention called the long
roll which would decide whether or
not Virginia threw in her lot with the
Southern states. While he was reading
some brave men trembled. and others
sobbed aloud. Then, amid the stiffness.
Eubanks sonorous voice announced
that Virginia, by her sovereign choice,
had become one of the United states. A
sigh of relief went up from the AS
sembly as the full glory of the April
sun, long hidden by clouds, burst into
The room and lit up officers and mem
bers and desks and walls.
Before the closed doors of the Con-
ventiou hall the crowd stood, anxious
and waiting-sure that Virginia would
not endure the insult Of Lincoln's
proclamation, but uneasy and restless.
No word came from the Con-
vention, and night fell over the
troubled city. While the gas burned
in the Convention Hall and weary
men worked out plans by which the
State might save her honor and her
citizens, the crowd waited; but no
member ventured forth to announce
the result. Not until the Convention
had assembled the next morning and
had discussed other plans of defence
was the decision known. About II
O'clock Napoleon B. French. one of the
members, rushed from the hall, has
tened into Franklin street and an
nounced to the Peoples Convention"
assembled in the old Metropolitan Hall,
that Virginia is OUT In moment,
lit seemed, the news had spread through
the city and from every quarter a
mighty cheer sCant up. Battleblood
mad been ar'5ussd:' the State would
give ten thousand lives to uphold her
decision.
What Virginia did forty-nine years
ago she did regretfully, unwillingly
She loved the Union and had given
much for the Union. From her terri
tory she had given the Union the great
Northwest, and from her soil she had
formed the State of Kentucky. Six
of her sons had she given as Pres
idents, and yirginians had led every
army that marched to victory in the
happier days of the Republic. In the
councils Of. the nation her voice had
always been heard, and in the shaping
Of the state her will had been potent
Every tie, every tradition, every in.
spring memory of the past connected
Virginia with the Union.
Thus devoted to the Union Of all The
States, Virginia had frowned upon the
secession of South Carolina and hac
given no aid TO the formation Of thc
new Confederate Government. While
seven States sent delegates to Mont
gomery. Virginia sent commissioners
North and South and called a Genera
Convention of the States, in the hon,
that war might be averted. wher
Lincoln's inaugural declared his pur,
pose of UNFOLDING the laws In the so
ceded states and threatened the fore
of arms against all who refused al
legiance to the Constitution. yirgini
still hesitated. When the Pawne
sailed under sealed orders for tn
South and a fleet left Brooklyn to be
siege Charleston or to relieve the gaI
rison at Sumter Virginia still deaye
and sent commissioners 10 washingto
to ask the President for his final dc
cision. These men brought back new
that Lincoln refused any promise {
relief, but the State still refused
act. Not until Federal proclamatio
hade Virginia send $500 of her so,
against the South did the State ac
self-defence and kinship with u
South made her action inevitable; h
fortitude and her patience made h
action glorious.
Forty-ntne years have passed, a
all the chief actors In the drama
secession have died. The scars OF W
arc almost healed and the horrors
war are weli-nigh forgotten Yet t
great cause for which Virginia foug
and the principles for which yirgir