Year: 1861

The following article from the Richmond
Wing, one of the ablest and moss conservative
papers in the State, should commend itself to
every lover OF the Union;


We would fain hope that neither the North
ern Legislatures nor the Northern people are,
In any wise, deceived in regard to the real feel
Jog existing at tho South, And yet all their
recent acts and utterances seem to indicate an
utter failure on their part to comprehend the
condition OF public sentiment in this sectinn of
the Union.


But let us again proclaim to them, as we have
often done herelore, that there is no essential
difference of opinion among the Southern peo-
pie, as to the grievances they have suffered at
the haLds of the North The only real differ
encc that does exist, or has existed among them
on this subject, is as to the means OF redress.
There are, to be sure, goodly number of rank
per sc Disunonists; but the number of that class
is exceedingly small, especially outside of
few OF the Gulf States, compared with our
whole population. The great body of the
Southern people are stanch and devoted friends
of thel Union, upon the terms and in the spirit
Of the Constitution-but they are Union meu in
70 other sense and upon no other condition, nor
have they ever been. We belong to this class
ourselves. We have always fondly hoped that
the Union, as founded and handed down to US
by the wise and patriotic Fathers of the Repub-
lie, would be perpetual. IL ia still the fervent
and anxious wish of our heart that such should
be the case. And such is the feeling and idea,
as we have said, of the great body of the South
ern people.


But, though they are unuumbered thousan ds
ofsuch Union men in the South, there are no
subnaissiOnists, We believe indeed that If Vir-
mi bad a,,Ae al
be found hundred persons within all her Dor.
ders, who could reasonably be classed ss sub
missiOnists. There is a stern and universal de-
termination, among all the citizens ofthe State,
to insist now either upon an equitable and final
SET Element of the slavery controversy, or upon
prompt and eternal separation between the
North and South. While preferring the former,
We are yet willing to meet the consequences Of
the latter, If forced upon US. We lock upon
civil war as a terrible calamity, but upon dis
homer and degradation A. calamity arhousand
fold worse.


Let not the Northern States and people,
then, be deceived. Let them realize at once
that the South presents two alternatives-eith-
er a prompt and satisfactory adjustment of the
pending difficulties, or separlion forever. The
fifteen slave States once out of the Union, there
can be no reconstruction Of the Union, at least
no such reconstruction "a would make the Un-
ion what it now is This prevalent idea of
reconstruction ia mere sbsurdity, and no man,
North or South, should permit it to delude him
for moment.


We trust, in conclusion, that in this great
contest, Virginia, the proud old mother Of
States and statesman, will bear herself with dig
nifty, moderation, frmness and courage. We
hope she will nObly vindioate her ancient fame,
and that neither the threats nor the number OF
her enemy will cause heN TO swerve hairs
breadth from the path of duty and honor, May
she always be right; but, right or wrong, we,
for one, shall be with her through all her diff
culties and danger. In word, her people
shall be our people, and her God shall be our
God, and when her sons die, there will we be
buried also.