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Staunton Spectator: January 15, 1861 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Governor's Message
(Column 1)

Summary: In his address of January 7, the Governor outlined his position on the current secession crisis. He affirmed his belief that the South has legitimate grievances with the North in regard to the slave issue. However, he supports a settlement negotiated on the basis of a convention of the states rather than secession and opposes a state convention at this time.

Convention and Secession
(Column 1)

Summary: Reports that the Virginia legislature has called for the election of a convention to respond to the secession crisis in South Carolina and to debate the possible secession of Virginia. The Spectator calls for the citizens to vote for representatives who support the Union because "men tainted with the principles of secession would not represent the sentiment of our people."

Full Text of Article:

For some time after the propriety of holding a State Convention had begun to be mooted, we were unable to bring our mind to a positive conclusion in reference to it, but as soon as the evidence became very strong that it was the purpose of the warmest advocates of the call of a Convention to use if for the purpose of secession, we felt it to be our patriotic duty to oppose it, and to raise our voice in warning that the people might be apprised of the danger to be apprehended.

We felt perfectly convinced from the beginning that a Convention would be called, but that did not prevent us from forming and expressing the opinion that it would be unwise.--We feel that we would be unworthy the position of Editor of a public journal if we did not possess the firmness to oppose whatever measures we might believe to be impolitic, however popular they might be. Majorities have no terror for us, and our opinions in reference to any question are controlled by what we may deem its true merits, and are totally unaffected by its popular or unpopularity. We know that it is easy to float with the tide of popular opinion, but we think it is more manly and patriotic to row against the stream when the current is running in the wrong direction-to be wafted up by the stream till launched into the gulf of error, requires to skill and implies no merit, but to stem the current of the stream till you reach the pure and crystal fount of truth requires toil and sacrifice, and implies the highest degree of merit. We have looked upon the call of a Convention as a "foregone conclusion," for we fear that it will prove to be this good "Old Commonwealth" what Achilles' wrath was to Greece-- "the direful spring of woes unnumbered." We fear it will be a "spring" from which waters more bitter than those of Marah will flow--the poisonous source of a stream made saline with the tears and crimsoned with the blood of our people, and which, in its destructive and desolating flood, will wither the hopes and destroy the prosperity of our now blessed and happy country. The mystic Convention veil, tinselled with the glittering and delusive brilliants of popular rights, is made to conceal the features of the monstrous "Mokanna" of secession whose diabolical office it will be to victimize the "mother of States and of Statesmen"--before she will be aware of the character of the "veiled prophet" to which she, "devoutly blind," will yield her faith and obedience, she will find that she has been lured into an error and been betrayed to irreparable ruin. We know that the good people of this county have too much sound sense to be imposed upon by the shallow devices of the secessionists, and too much sterling patriotism to sanction their unhallowed purposes. They have voted against a resolution recommending the call of a Convention, in public meeting, and they will vote against it at the polls, if the opportunity be allowed them to do so.

Look to It, Fellow Citizens
(Column 1)

Summary: Reports that the election of the Alabama state convention produced a large number of delegates with secessionist sympathies, despite the fact that only two-fifths of the people of Alabama support secession.

West Augusta Guard Fair and Entertainment
(Column 2)

Summary: Call for ladies to volunteer to organize a fair to raise money for "The Guard."
(Names in announcement: Capt. Baylor)

The Authority Given
(Column 3)

Summary: The Spectator defends its assertion that the people of Augusta are opposed to a State Convention by citing a meeting of November 26, 1860, when a resolution recommending a State Convention was rejected by a large majority.

Our Nation
(Column 4)

Summary: Letter urging Southerners to unite to save the Union, but only if it is possible to achieve Southern demands within the Union.

Married
(Column 7)

Summary: Married on December 25.
(Names in announcement: Rev. B.H. Smith, Nathaniel Shepherd, Caroline Huff)

Married
(Column 7)

Summary: Married on December 25.
(Names in announcement: Rev. B.H. Smith, Jas. M.C. Hall, Maria L. Baker)

Married
(Column 7)

Summary: Married on December 20.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Martin Garber, Jacob F. Flory, Elizabeth E. Grove)

Married
(Column 7)

Summary: Married on January 3. Miss Beard is from Columbia, South Carolina.
(Names in announcement: Rev. W.A. Gamewell, Joseph S. Coiner, Sallie F. Beard)

Married
(Column 7)

Summary: Married on January 1 in Johnson County, Iowa. The bride and groom are both formerly of Augusta County.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Bowersox, Caswell B. Shuey, Clarinda Brown)

Died
(Column 7)

Summary: Mary Wonderlick died on December 26 at age 53.
(Names in announcement: Mrs. Mary Wonderlick, Joseph Wonderlick)