Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-29
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

4Xv xAA ~ XxAAN
The position Of Virginia in tho pre-
secession movement was a subject OF
the keenest interest to
Virg1nia's all who hoped for a
c.r+;m.,+ pacific settlement OF the
on'' troubles between the
sections. It was felt that this state. in
which large sentiment for the
manumfssion Of slaves prevailed. would
have a material influence upon the more
radical advocates Of disunion. In The
Star Of January p. 1861. Is a dispatch
from Richmond under date OF the 10th
saturday., describing an action which
it was thought might lead to an adj
justment:
I'm the state senate today the report
from. the committee on federal relations
contemplating a national convention
was resumed. The second resolution
was amended by appointing John Tyler.
William c. Rives, John w. Broken
brough. George w. Summers and James
A. Seddons commissioners to Washing
ton On the 4th Of February, to meet
commissioners to be appointed by other
states. The fifth resolution was
amended, modifying Mr.. Crittenden's
proposition to give additional protec-
tion ana security to slave property. The
sixth resolution was amended by an
pointing Mr.. Tyler commissioner to
wait on the President, and Judge John
Robertson commissioner to South
carolina and other seeding states. and
to request them to abstain from hos
ti1tles during the tendency of the pro-
c &c They were then passed. ayes
~ nays 3. Mr.. Bruce offered the fol-
lowing: Resolved. That If all EFFORTS to
reconcile the unhappy differences be-
tween the two sections of the country
snail prove abortive. then every con-
SHERATON OF honor and interest de-
mands that Virginia shall unite her
destinies with her sister slave holding
states. Adopted unanimously"
several senator's, representing the
states In the course Of separation from
:. the Union. having left the
Oece0lng the upper House Of Con-
Sena+ore gress. that body found It.
SeA1"'oAS' self in an Unprecedented
situation. reflected in the following re-
port of the proceedings of the Senate
January %. 1861. printed in The Star
Of that date:
nv WIZ 1AcSlueHC SalQ tnaL nc
minute OF the withdrawal Of certain
senators from the Senate appeared on
the Journal, for the reason that no paper
an relation to the question had been
SUBMITTED to the Senate. He asked the
instructions of the Senate in regard to
the matter. Mr.. Fitch thought it could
occasion no practical difficulty. The
chairman of the committee could report
the absence Of these senators and have
nc fnr No,
Douglas thought that the senator's were
no longer members Of the Senate
Whatever might be the right of a state
to secede, the right of senators to
thought that these gentlemen were still
members of the Senate. Mr.. Benjamin
said that the journal of the Senate
should be faithful transcript Of its
proceedings Certain proceedings in
open session yesterday were not record.
ed on the journal He moved. there
fore. to correct the journal in that par
ticular. Mr.. Seward thought that the
records of these proceedings were more
honored in the breach than in the OBJ.
servance. He hoped that their seats
would be left vacant. that they might
resume them in their own good time
Mr.. Fessenden thought the senators had
resigned. Mr.. Hunter did not believe
the senators had resigned. They had
withdrawn. because they believed they
had no longer right to sit there. Mr.
Douglas moved to amend Mr.. Benjamin s
motion. Mr.. Seward moved to lay on
the table. The debate was continued
by Messrs. Mason. Hunter, Douglas and
Benjamin. Mr.. Stewards motion was
agreed to-"
Despite the unanimous adoption by thu
Virginia senate of a resolution declaring
for secession In case the
Virginia efforts to adjust the sec
1r:c4 tional difficulties failed. q
AoAAAeSeo' feeling prevailed that the
Old Dominion would remain in the Unior
in case of a breach with the more south
erly states. To Offset sentiment agains
secession a manifesto was circulated, t.
which reference was made In an edi
torial in The Star of January %, 1861:
How desperate the cause of disunior
per Sc is rapidly becoming in Virgins
may be gathered from the tenor of the
manifesto to the people of that state
signed by ten of her members of Con.
gress. appearing in the Washington pa.
pers this morning. 1t is neither more MOI
less than an effort to induce Virginia te
put herself under South Carolinas guar.
dianship, on the ground that all hope OF
securing her rights from the north except
by placing herself under government
different from that under which the NORTH
exists has fled. The paper in question is
SO plainly and palpably nothing but q
mere electioneering appeal in a cause sc
bad as not to be sustainable Qn the judg
ment of the signers) by open and in.
genuous argument, that the game Of ex-
posing it's drift is hardly worth the candle
However, we may mention that on it's ap
pearance in Richmond a distinguished
member of the Virginia legislature. mis-.
trusting the judgment in the premises OF
the ten advocates of the immediate with
drawal of Virginia from the Union
promptly communicated with Messrs
John j. Crittenden, Stephen A. Douglas
John M. Millson, Alexander r. Botelel
and J. NJ. Harris on the subject. These
distinguished public men. whose opportu.
mites of knowing what the prospect for a
harmonious settlement of the trouble are
are at least as good, If not much better
than those of the ten signers. i'm response
to the inquiry above referred to have
united i'm letter giving assurance that
at no period since Congress assembled has
the prospect of satisfactory settlement
in the Union been as bright as at this
time"
War signs were to be observed else
where than in South Carolina. In The
Star of January %, 1851
Warllke is printed a dispatch from