Year: 1861

From the Ae,c York World


There has been much talk in the Virginia
Conventions of general convention OF the
border slave States to prepare an ultimatun,
as a sine q,i non Of their remaining IN the
Union Even some so-callcd conservative
members have favored this manner of deal
ing with the 10 ill., The free States are
about tired of this eqnivocal sort Of loyalty
and would not take very kindly to any terms
presented in this cxactlng spirit. Even it
there were no important principles IN the
case, the idea Of an ultimatum thrust upon
them, to be accepted under penalty would
stir every element Of their manhood to repcl
it. 1t is not in American nature to bend to
dictation The Northern people are ready
enough to engage in counsel, as is signitied by
their general approval Of the proposition of
Kentucky for a national convention but
they arc not ready as the late election shows,
to yield to demands.


It Is a great mistake to impute the non
complying spirit Of the North to the value it
sets upon its personal liberty bills, Or any cx-
tremc concern that slavery shall not 50 into
the territories. The Northern people know
that practically, the personal liberty bill,
have never been Of the slightest service to
them. and they perfectly understand that sla-
very. whatever be done or lett undonc by the
Federal Government, cannot successfully root
itself one foot beyond its present iimits-thcr
assurance on this score. being eyinced in the
total silence Of the late territorial bills on the
subject The real difficulty lies back OF Ill
such proximatc questions 1t resides in the
''rule or ruin the stand and deliver spirit
which, it is believed, has for years prompted
every attitude the South toward the North
and which is now. with peculiar impcrious-
ness putting itself forth both in the outright
rebellion Of the gulf States and in the quasi
hostile posture Of the States that only threat
en- rebellion The great cause why the at
tempts made at Washington last winter to
settle difficulties SO completely failed was that
it was evident, from the beginning. that the
great body South would not meet the qlles-
tion> with any real nationality of feeling any
whole hearted loyalty to the Constitution
and the laws The majority Of the Southern
members Of the committee Of thirty-thrce de-
liberatcly refused to sustain the resolution
presented by Mr. Adams, that peaceful ac-
qllicsccnce IN the election of chief magis-
trate. accomplished in accordance with every
legal and constitutional requirement.. is "A high
and Imperative duty Of every good citizen Of
the United States 1t was almost like mock
cry to attempt to treat with those who re-
fused to recognize the very first principle Of
constitutional government. If the Constitu-
tioI III itself has no supremcy binding force
nothing could be gained by amending the
Constitution, or by any enactment on the
part Of Congress, which is but the mere
creature of the Constitution. To yield when
there is no equal and common duty to he re-
rognizcd, is just what makes the difference
between concession and submission and if
it is now and hcnceforth to be practiced, we
snight as we'll drop every constitutional form.
and enthrone dcspotism at once.


An ufin,ntan, forsooth Our terms, or
death to the Union We hope that there is
yet good sense enough in the border States
to prevent this controversy from taking any
such shape. Let reason and persuasion.
kindness and forbcarance, do their utmost on
10th sides to effect settlement but, ifthey
fail, there is no hope leyond. To expect
anything from dictation or exaction. in any
from, is silly presumption. If the border
States are inpatient for relief from their
equlvocal position, and want it determined
just what the North will consent to do, let
them use their influence with the reyolted
States to unite with them in call for ma
tiona1 convention, after the method prescrib-
ed by the CONSTITUTION. The North win
checrfully concur in any such constitutional
procedure. It would be an act which would
bring honor to our form of Government, and
not shame. History can show no such
august spectacle as that Of a body thus elected
bya people. to settle, nationally and peacefully,