Year: 1861

Western Virginia has seeded from the old
Dominion" repudiating in toto the action Of the
Governor. and appealing to the authorities ct
Washington for the means of sustaining them in
their new position 1t has seeded in what We
believe the vindication of right, but in doing SO
affords no less striking an illustration Of a new
| principle carried out The movement shows
clearly that the complete disintegration Of these
United States may be effected by admitting the
right of one or more States to secede, and in
stead Of having two or more respectable and
Independent governments in the course Of a few
years, there would be anarchy and confusion be-
yond conception. As carried out by the people
Of Western Virginia, we cannot but be graft
fed, since they not only give important help to
the movements of the Government, but set forth
their reasons in a manner so calm, and with q
| clearness and logic so convincing, that none
can apply to them for moment the stand
ard of judgment by which Davis and his confed-
crates have been judged.


They speak Of the secession ordinance as
passed contrary to the expectation of large
majority Of the people; that it was done with
out being ratified by the people at the polls
that the Governor has usurped functions be-
longing to them, and has called out volunteers
to fight against the common Government, con-
trary to the wishes and interests of the same
majority. They enumerated the instances of
wrong done, the insults offered the flag, the
attack upon Harper's Ferry, the obstruction of
fba ,c Al NJ Nor
folk and the Custom House at Richmond. all
done in violation of law. They then speak of
the great natural division running through the
State, and resolve to sever connection now
odious, and organize for themselves new or
der of things, in sympathy with the free and
progressive North.


Chivalry Transferred.


The South has heretofore with great injustice
claimed possession Of all that fine feeling desig
mated by the term Chivalry. The injustice is
now manifest, and the North has shown a claim
to its possession, and that ina high degree, which
cannot for a moment be disputed. Does chival-
ry mean magnanimity and forbcarance !-then
the North has displayed it so as to sin against





on amidst showers of stones which cut and killed
some of them, only typifed the conduct of the
North ever since the rattesnake reared its poi
sonous fangs. Does it mean honesty every
lawful debt contracted by Northern men in the
South will be paid, and the property sent here
will be defended and restored, and the South
knows this, for she is eager for our currency,
and is daily sending her treasures to find the
security here, which she .ot secure for them
there. Does it mean tender care of detenceless
women and children ?-then it is acknowledged
we have it, for every packet and train comes
laden with these heart treasures, hurried from
Southern homes to find sympathy and comfort
in the North. They will find tive shall not
disappoint the expectations even OF our enemies
in this respective are not in the habit of inn
prisonng women, or starting them in plumber
cd and defenceless condition to their homes
again, because they do not think we do. Does
it mean bravery in the hour of peri-daring in
the face of death We shall prove ourselves
possessed of this. Here we shall disappoint the
South. They regard us as money loving grovel-
ling slaves; they will find that we have muscle,
endurance, spirit, and worse than all for them,
a determination not to leave the field but as
yicters, and as victors who have annihilated
every foe The North will claim henceforth the
chivalry the South has professed but to degrade.


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