The New York
Tribune expresses the opinion that
Virginia must hurry up her adhesion to the
Black Republican Administration, blow hot or blow cold, do one thing or another, and whatever she does, be quick about it. It tells her plainly:
‘
"The time for bargaining and chaffering, and the loose good nature which says, 'We'll make it right to-morrow,' is gone by with this country.--it is now a moment when to every man, to every State, a voice as of the bold prophet should speak — Choose ye this day whom ye will serve !The question of freedom or slavery for
America is to be settled now, and the postponement of the decisive day only prolongs a torturing and disastrous suspense.
It is of importance that the parties in this struggle should be distinctly defined; we must not have an uncommitted or pretended neutral body hovering on the outskirts of the battle, ready to declare for the victorious side, or for that which offers the larger bribe.
Hence it is that the present position of
Virginia, as the leader of the
Border States, is foolishly embarrassing to both parties."
’
The
Tribune proceeds to inform the
Convention that the amendments proposed as the condition of her remaining in the Northern Union, cannot be decided under a year, and perhaps under two years, which will protract altogether too long the present unsatisfactory state of things, and that when they are decided they will be decided against her by an overwhelming majority.
It says:
‘
"Why shall not
Virginia act at once?
She knows now as she will ever know what course she will take if her ultimatum is rejected.
She knows if she knows anything, that the
Free States will never accept her proposition as long as the citizens of these States have the power to throw a vote against it. She cannot be so dull as to believe that the freemen of the
North will surrender the ground they have gained by the steady and persistent efforts of so many years; that they will go backward in the face of the world's opinion, making themselves the protectors of that system against which their ancestors have striven by teachings, by exhortation.
by legislative enactment, by mutual, sacred agreements with the slaveholders themselves.
The mere suggestion of such an offer as this from
Virginia is an insult to the people of these
United States, and the most befogged Pro-Slavery advocate cannot honestly say there is even a remote possibility of its acceptance.
‘"This border State.
then, may to-day stand where she will surely stand some months hence, when her brazen proposition shall have been rejected.
If she intends to consult her own interests, and remain in the
Union, let her say so at once, and throw such-influence as she possesses frankly and fully on the side of loyalty and honor.
If she has really determined to secede in case her ultimatum is rejected, then let her go at once, for her dictation will never be allowed were she ten times
Virginia."’
’
