Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-02-14
10 the Voters Of Augusta County.


tions connected with that vote.
In his message TO the General a ssembly, Gov.
Smith recommended the passage Of anti Wmot
ProviSo resolutions. Early in the session John Il.
Floyd, then delegate from Washington County,
and now Governor, moved for the appointment Of
committee on the subject, and after his election
10 the office OF Governor reported what are called
"ths Floyd" resolutions.
a short time afterwards, Mr.. Scott, Of Fauquier
offered series OF rls buttons, in many respects, diff
ferent from those OF Nj Floyd. Subsequently, it was
proposed by Mr. Conway, OF Spottsylvana. that
there should be free conferences a,nongS the mem
bers of the Gen raj Assembly in private meeting,
10 devise some compromise resolutions. Being I'M
willing 10 v,to for either Mr.. Floyd's or Mr. SCOTS
resolutions as they were, il compelled TO vote at all
on resolutions Of this SORT n which we have been
opposed, we attended the compromise mce,ing-
rs soon as 1t was organized, Mr. Conway, zen
teynIu OF the Calhoun School. arose and proplst
as the compromise resolutions in substance, those
which bear his nama-merc verbal alterations h3v
ing been made in them afterwards by 4 Joint com
In'iiec of the two Houses. Thus were the terms
oi compromises dictnici BY the leader or the major
NY. Neither IN tina; meeting. nor in The House Of
Delegates, would the lnojlriy consent 10 abale one
lOt or iiti'e o! the eXirome ground assumed by them
ne conway resolutions rs passed. are follows ::
Whereas the institution Of slavery was fully
discussedi in the convention which formed The con
stitu!on oil the United States, and the rights Of
shareholders recognized and protected nv the pro-
visions OF that instrument; and without the COM
promises then sJcmuly entered into the union of
the states never could have been formed: And
whereas the general assembly of Nirginia, re
garding what is known rs the ..\Vilmot Provis,"
MS parahle disregard Of the compromises of tho
constitution. did, on the 9Th day OF March 1917,
adopt series of resolutions distinctly ndicsf; nr
the course which the state OF Virginia would pur-
sue IN the event of its passage by the congress of
. n lot IL.
acquired from Mexico: And whereas the pres
ent general Assembly have seen with deep con
Germ, disposition manifested by the house of rep
resenatives o.! the United States to violate the
principles embodied In said resolutions and t.
make still further argressiOns unon the ruhis or
the southern states: Under these circumstances
this general assembly deem the occasion fit to re-
Affirm sad resolutions, and most earnestly to call
me attention OF all who attached TO the Union
OF The states, TO the serious and inevitable conse
quences which mus, follow such action upon the
part OF the general government;
l. lie 1t therefore resolved by the General Az
sem5y Of Virginia, That after the fullest re exam
ina'lon and reconsideration OF the resolutions adopt
ed on the 9th vi March 1917, by this BODY, we do
consider said resolutions as founded in truth cons1-
nant with the Constitution, and conducive ,o its
preservation and therefore, feel it 10 be our in
dispensabe duty to adhere to and realirm them, as
follows: ''' "'
|. BE it Resolved unanimously. by the Gener-
al Assembly ofFirginia, That the Government, of
'he United States has control, directly or indi-
fectly, mediatey or Immediately, over the insitu-
ton OF slavery 81 as to impair the rights of the slave
holder and that In taking any such control it tran
scendS the limits Gifts legitimate functions, by des
t!oyiAg me internal organization OF the sovereign
ties who created it.
-. Resolved, unanimously, That all territory
winch may be acquired by the arms of the United
S'ales, or yielded by treaty with any iore power
belongs to the several States of this Union. rs their
JOINT and com.non property, in which each and all
nave equal rights and that the enactment, bv the
Federal Government. OF any law which shoIlJ al
rect, or by is effects prevent the citizens Of ANY,
otate ifo-l enlgraiing, with their property. OF
Whatever description into such lerriiorv Would
make discrimination unwarranted by, and in viola
ton o! the com promises Of the Constitution and the
rights OF The States from which such citizens cmi
grated, and ~ derogni!on OF that perfect equality
that belongs 10 the several States as members Of
ms Onion, and would tend directly 10 subvert the
Union ITSELF
IS. Hes1iye3, That if, in disregard alike Of the
s?fil ana principles ut the act OF Congress on the
admission OF The State of Missouri into the Union.
generally known as the Missouri Compromise. and
OF every consideration Of Justice of Unconstitutional
right, and Of aiernG feeling the fearful issue st,l
ne forced upon the country, which must result from
the adoption and attempted cnfurcemeY, ofthe Wi
mot proyIso, as an act OF the General Governments.
the people OF irglnla can have no difficulty in chogs
ing between iie oniy alternative that VIII then re-
main, OF a.JscL submission 10 aggression and ont
rage on the one hand, OF determined resistance ON
me o'hGt' q, all hazards and 10 the last extremity
-: Resolved. unanimously, That the General
Assembly holds II 10 be The duty of every man. in
every SECTION Of dis coaoderacy, Cf the Unon is
daT 10 man, 10 oppose the passage of any law FIR
whatever pAfP'se, by which territory to be acquired
may be suhec 10 such restriction