"Union Meeting" in Berkeley.
--A meeting of ‘"Union-loving"’ citizens was held in
Martinsburg,
Berkeley county, Va., last week, and after the adoption of a long preamble and resolutions, nominated
C. M. Shaffer and
B. M. Kitchen for the General Assembly, and
John Janney for the Northern Congress.
Alluding to the meeting, that conservative journal, the Alexandria Gazette, says:
‘
We have not a word to say against the worth, respectability and intelligence of those who composed the meeting.
Their language is earnest and determined — but it is respectful, and, as citizens of a free Commonwealth, called by law to decide upon the subject which they discuss, they are entitled to hold and express their opinions, in their county meeting, freely and fearlessly.
It is probable, too, that some not agreeing with them in their conclusions as to the best course now to be adopted, may unite with them, in dissenting from some of the movements in this State.
But when they ask if this can be a holy war, we answer, in so far as it is waged against the
South, it is an unjust and unconstitutional war; when they ‘"protest"’ against the excesses in
Virginia, they should still more violently protest against the conduct of
Lincoln's Administration — and when they oppose separation from a broken-up government, they should show how longer continuance under such a government is compatible with the preservation of our rights, or a regard to our best interests.--Indeed, the course of events seems to have merged all other questions into the one of resisting further aggression from the
North.
’
