Secession Sentiment in Virginia, 1861

From "From Virginia," The Charleston Mercury, January 1, 1861.

Madison C. H., Va., December 25, 1860

Dear Sir: The Secession feeling is gaining ground in Virginia with immense rapidity. At the November Term of the Country Court of Orange county, I addressed a large crowd, and took decided grounds for the immediate secession by separate State action. The conflict of opinion among the people was strong. The parties for and against immediate secession were very nearly equally divided and the meeting was boisterous. One of the most intelligent gentlemen in the county--a decided Secessionist--after the adjournment of the meeting, told me he was highly gratified at the indications of public sentiment on that occasion; for he did not believe a speaker advocating immediate secession by separate State action, would have been listened to by that people ten days before that. Another large meeting was held at the same place on yesterday, just one month subsequent, and addressed by the Hon. JEREMIAH MORTON, in a very fervid and effective speech, and a series of decided resolutions, in favor of the protection of Southern rights and of immediate secession by separate State action, were passed with great enthusiasm, and but two dissenting voices. This county, and the adjoining county of Green, are almost unanimous in favor of secession, and we are gaining in every direction with astonishing success. I do not entertain a reasonable doubt but that Virginia will be decidedly for secession by the time her Convention shall meet. While some of the journalists and public speakers of Virginia may unjustly assail South Carolina, because of her prompt and noble action, Virginia will accord to her chivalric sister the right, as a sovereign State, to take such course as to her may seem best, to preserve her liberties, and will pour out as water the best blood of her noblest sons, in defence of this right of South Carolina. And we feel assured that South Carolina, true to her historic record, will yield to Virginia, an equal sovereign, the same right to espouse her own line of conduct in maintaining her rights, and when the hour of conflict comes, the two States will stand shoulder to shoulder in the front rank of the battle, an impenetrable barrier to the blood-hounds of Northern fanaticism. Then these words of taunt from a few stragglers, will be hushed in the din of the conflict and the shouts of a glorious victory. No, my dear sir, South Carolina in the just pride of her noble position, as the leader of the Cotton States, does not look with contempt upon Virginia in her gallant struggle for the leaderships of the border States. She rejoices to see the fires of liberty burning with fresh brightness on our mountain-tops, and to hear the voice of our gallant sons arousing their compeers to a victorious charge upon our enemies.

Seven weeks ago we began this fight for secession with strong faith, but with scarcely a gleam of light; but the day is breaking--the bright ray of the sun of Southern liberty is now shedding his golden rays upon us, and I now tell you that ABRAHAM LINCOLN will never be inaugurated as President of Virginia. I am a stranger to you; we may never meet, or if we meet, it may be when Virginia and South Carolina may place us side by side to maintain their honor and preserve their liberty on the battlefield; if so, may we prove worthy of them both, and shrink not, if need be, to render ourselves as willing sacrifices upon the altar of our country. Adieu.

Yours, truly

A.R.B.