Staunton Spectator: March 26, 1861 — Newspapers

Page Description:

Column 1 ads. Columns 2 and 3 poetry and fiction. Column 5 Virginia State Convention records and Virginia Legislative records. Column 6 Sen. Crittendon's farewell speech. Bottom right illegible.

Proposed Constitutional Amendments

(column 4)

Summary:

Article outlines constitutional amendments proposed by the State Convention that would defuse the current secession crisis. These include an extension of the Missouri Compromise and items ensuring that a majority of senators from slaveholding states will be required to acquire territory not currently in the Union. Proposed amendments would also prevent those of African heritage from voting or holding elective office.

Letter from Gov. Houston

(column 4)

Summary:

A transcript of a letter outlining Gov. Houston's commitment to maintaining the Union.

Origin of Article:

Austin Intelligencer

Secession Intolerance

(column 7)

Summary:

Denounces the impatience and intolerance of the immediate secessionists.

Origin of Article:

Petersburg Intelligencer

Page 2

Page Description:

Column 2 Virginia Legislative records and Virginia Convention records. Columns 3, 4, 5, and 6 Baltimore Convention of the M. E. Church records. Column 7 ads.

Speaking on Monday

(column 1)

Summary:

Reports an animated discussion at the Court-house between the Union congressional candidate, John Harris, and the secession candidate, James Skinner. Also at the meeting, Robert Doyle refused a call to run for Congress for fear of splitting the Union vote.

Names in Announcement:

John Harris; James Skinner; Esq. Robert Doyle

Judge Breckenbrough's Speech

(column 1)

Summary:

Analyzes a speech given by Judge Breckenbrough on the front porch of the Virginia hotel and criticizes it, not only for its secessionist content, but also because it was "flat, stale, and unprofitable to an almost intolerable degree." The Spectator reports that even the secessionists on hand found it uninspiring.

Names in Announcement:

Judge Breckenbrough

Louisiana

(column 1)

Summary:

Reports that the Louisiana Convention by a three-fourths majority refused to submit the permanent Constitution to the people for ratification.

(column 2)

Summary:

Spectator defends itself against charges of Black Republicanism made by the Vindicator. The Spectator charges the Vindicator with switching positions since the Presidential election, when the Vindicator endorsed Douglas. The Vindicator also changed its position on the question of a popular vote on the subject of secession.

Full Text of Article

"States-Rights-Democracy" now means secession.--Spectator.

This is not quite so near the truth as that submission means Black Republicanism.--Vindicator.

The "Vindicator," having changed the position it occupied during the Presidential election in favor of the Union to that of secession and against the Union, has adopted the language of the secessionists, and charges the friends of the Union with being submissionists, and as it says that "submission means Black Republicanism," it, in this way, by arriving at "direction by indirection," charges all the friends of the Union, including all good Union-loving Democrats, with being Black Republicans. On the 4th of February, the editor of that very consistent journal, by his vote against reference, "recorded himself as fearing to trust the people in the management of their own business," though "they are honest and capable and patriotic and their interests were immediately concerned," and on the 22nd of March charges them with being Black Republicans. This is verily "adding insult to injury." Was the editor of that paper a Black Republican when he was supporting Douglas with so much zeal after his response to the Norfolk questions, in which he declared that the election of Lincoln would furnish no cause for secession, and that, if elected President, he would enforce the laws against the enemies of the Union, after the manner of Jackson?

Page 3

Col. Baldwin's Speech

(column 1)

Summary:

Discusses Col. Baldwin's speech to the Convention, in which he defended slavery as a moral and good thing but challenged any man at the convention to specify any other point of contention with the Federal government apart from the slavery question. He furthermore challenged the Convention to point to one current Federal Law that interfered with slavery in Virginia. The secessionist could only assert that they fear future encroachments.

Names in Announcement:

Col. Baldwin

Married

(column 3)

Summary:

Albert Bush married Catherine Cullen on March 13.

Names in Announcement:

Albert Bush; Catherine Cullen; Rev. Martin Garber

Died

(column 3)

Summary:

William H. Brooks died on February 27 while attending the Theological Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina.

Names in Announcement:

William Brooks

Died

(column 3)

Summary:

Henry Bell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Bell, died of diphtheria on March 9 at age 7.

Names in Announcement:

Henry Bell; Samuel Bell

Page 4

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