Year: 1860




The proposition Of Gov. LErCHER to the Legislature
of Virginia in regard to general convention Of


the States for the purpose of determining the most ad
ysle plan Of settlement r the important questions
!ors the = + Soes t6c ,nost S,t ;.
ernlofr,ent d Southern purpose in the guse of an
effort TO D7a ieSis wen calculated 70 mar
sfied plans which have been proposed for


South tosecure guaranty Of her rights and privi-
legos under the constitution; upon failure therein,
to effect release of herself from the obligation of
common party to that instrument Of government which
Is interpreted by section to levy upon the in.
stitutons Of the other


As to the effects Of this convention in harmonizirg
the.wo sections Of the UrioE upon the question Of
slavery we regard the amaganlation os oil and water
as much moro possible The stubborn hostility OF the
North to the spread and perpctuaton Of this institu-
ton has so manifested itself in the shape and direction
OF her general policy and demeanor, that we
strained to believe the disease as now beyond the
healing influences Of external remedies But if
those more practccd than ourselves in the Of po


tical disorders. think there is chance Of restoration
to an active vigorous health Of the body poltc-such
ns marked the "purer days of the republic"-we are
free to confess that the end if attained would amply
justify the means.


Should the Northern States participate in this con-
venon in accordance with the idea entertained by its
movers and the South should demand anything like
surrender Of their views and policy touching the
slavery question: it will either result in the restoration
of peace and harmony under the constitution or drive
still farther apart the already disoned sections Thus
it will open up direct ISSUE the result of which must
be Of infinite advantage to the South in either case
If the North shall abandon the aggressive warfare it
has been wagng upon institutions for the past half
century then will the South have achieved all that she
has been battling for Or, fling therein the assem-
bly will be equivalent to bona ids Southern conven
ton charged with the duty Of declaring our people
absoved from all further obligation under the federal
compact


The signs Of the times evidently indicate that the
convention will Of necessity be forced to exercise the
functions of the latter rather than those Of its first
commission. To effect settlement Of this question
without unoosng the bands Of confederation involves
the yielding up Of as it were, the hereditary faith of
people, who have matured in the settled conviction
that slavery is incompatible with true philanthropy
and christianity. Hence whenever the experiment is
made is than possible that these ianatcadeas
will preponderate over all conservative sentiments Chat
may be brought to bear and to hsten conviction
still more firmly upon the people of the South, that
their interests and rights only safe in their own
keeping


The South if true to her propc. policy, need not fail
ON this OCCASION to demonstrate commendabEe love
for the Union and at the time exhibit the utmost
sensiby upon such questions policy as threaten to
endanger her Individual interests, the protection Of
which should form the paramount object of her action
If tho North as most probable shall refuse to sur
render her views upon the question Of slavery, then
the South will have given the most conclusive evidence
to the world that none Of the possible evils Of dssou
tion of the Union can with justice, be traced to any
thing like precpitate movement on. her part She
will then have placed beyond imputaticn her devotion
% the Union and throw the responsibility Of its dsrup-
ion upon i:s real authors


We regard this scheme the best yet devised, not
secure unanimy Of action at the South, hut to
demonstrate that the sentiment Of disnon is mol the
fcsnlt of Southern disaecon to the Federal Govern
ment, but of Northern infdety and treaclcry to the
most essential articles of confederation. The Sonth
has nothing to yield but all to demand The most il


liberal sentiment to disunon dare not assume that the
South should acquiesce in the terrible doctrines an=
inundated by the flnatcal teachers of the North The
first great law of sepreservation thunders its con
dempaton of such doctrines and invests the people Of
the South with the most comprehensive right to reg
uate their institutions in and Of themselves in such
way as may best promote their internal welfare, lear-
ing it with our enomes of the North to determine the
continuance Of the Union in accordance with this prin-
ePie