Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1850-02-12
THE ATTITUDE OF VIRGINIA.

From the Richmond Enquirer DIV eaneeoayb Eeosp'
We are proud to annoarce 10 the people oi
Virginia. thai fiie House Of Delegates yesterday
by a remarkable unanitnity, sanctioned the reso-
lu,ions on the subject of the Southern Conyen'
ton which hadbeen reported from the Joint Com.
mittee. Some discussion took place upon an
amendment OF Mr. Pendieicn t6fhe I'd resOlutIon
in which Messrs. Pendleion. Conway, Ferguson
Dorman, and warman sustained the affirmative,
and Messrs. Harvie and Shepard, the negative.
The amendment w~as-agreed &c, ayes 90. noes 81
1t struck ont the words .sthe slave trade in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, ''and substituted The words in
brackets in the I'd resolution
Tn resolutions. as they finely passed the
House. with the votes on each, will be found be-
low. While not exactly in every respect such
as some gentlemen preferred Them. taken as a
whole, they speak a strong and loud voice OF
warning 10 the fanatics OF the North. The signs
indicate that The tide of tanalicism Is beginning
To recede before Southern ffmness and calm and
sober determination. Let Virginia continue to
maintain her elevated pOsition-her example will
be followed by her sister States of the South, and
the North must conceae our constitutional rights
and equality. and the Union be saved. But the
danger is not yet over, and the South must retain
her attitude Of manly dsfence.
The resolutions, we4presume, viii TO dsy pass
the Senate with equal nnanimiy. They are as
follows:
Whereas, the recent action of the General AS
semtly upon The Wiimot Proviso and kinlred
subjects, and in relation TO fugitive slaves, has
met with co other response IRAN the nOn-slavc-
folding States than violent denunciatIon and a
systematic perseverance. in the wrongs of which
! ,E,a -N,-.HlatURA . AVI S,hornaa - = --a..-
that the inevitable result of such a conrse of ac-
tion on the part OF a portion OF the States must be
to excite bitterness, jealousy, and distTust among
the rest, to kindie the ansriest passions, To cX'in
gu;sh that spirit of concession and destroy that
mutual forbearance and ~lra'ernal affection wlIicI,
founded and have sustained our cOnird. T Icy, and
finally to dissolve the Uuion itself: Aud where
as, We are anxious, If possible, 10 az, RI the eyi's
which threaten us. and believe that The most eff
fectnal means OF doing this are to b. found in the
cordial union of the whole S0nih tor tho main
tainance of the Constitution, and the II s rvaEi,n
of the Union If it can be preserved. aud IUr their
own preservation, if it cannot:
l.. Be It therefore, ResoLred, by LLe General is
Sentblr1 If Virginia, That upon the questions thus
perscveringly and reckiessiy Enrr.d upon the
country, Virginia hastaken her position, and that
position will be maintained. Her loyalty 10 tie
stamped upon every page of her history. Ma
State lIas done as much 10 form tl,e Union; none
| is prepared 10 do more 10 peTpctuatc il in the spi
| rt in which it was formed, and in which aIore
it can be preserved. Bot, loyal IS ~he is and al
ways has been, it were a fatal error To suppose
that Virginia will ever consent That that Union.
To which she has looked as a source of happiness
and honor. shall be converted into AN instrument
Of degradation ard oppression
=. ReSolred, That in the event "f the passage
o! the Wllmot Proviso, or of any law aboIishing
| slavery in the District of Columbia, Eor in amy
-a,.o. TntnsEnriHw Nriff, Fba .f-IF -
ders therein, or abnlisiIing slavery or the slave
trade between tic Stares,l Virginia ~Tli he pre-
pared to unite viii, h~ersi$Icr slave Folding States.
in Convention or otherwise, in the adoption o.
any measures That may be necessary To provide
for their mutual defence, or to secure their com
In"r safety. ~5
B. Resnitei, That in the opinion al this General
| Assembly. a SuntiIeTtF Ennvehti"n ia wh:rh ihe
States as States, are represented, should consist
OF delegates%seiectehshy the Penp'e OF the several
| States III Conventio4 assembled, who shonIj car
~ with them all The aafir'rity dsrivtd from sncTI
an appointment, and be prepared To act Tor tho-e
whom they represent.
q. ReSGIfed. htereEDre, That, uron the happen
ing Oteither OF tie contingencies contemplated 10
the second resolutions, The tuveTnsT be authorized
and requested ~(inztead of converting the LegiSla-
turc) TO issue his proclamation t,r the election
OF delegates 10 a State Convention, to take into
consideration the mode and measures of redress.
with power TO appoint delegates TO a Southern
Convention, and 10 adopt such measures as the
crisis may demand. The said delegates To be
chosen by each city, county ar election district,
according iu IFS representation in the tlonSe nj
Delegates. and to receive tlic same payand mile
age as members OF the General Assembly.
5. Resoired, That regarding the Convention
proposed TO be held at Nashville on the lst Mon
day in June next, as intended to- enable the pco
| Pile of The South TO take counsel together rs ia
the hest and most e~ffcctnal means OF Tesistin. tie
aggrPssions of the North, of enforcing a eUmPii
ance on their part with their constitutional obi
cations, and thereby Of preserving tie UUion OF
these States. now in imminent peril by reason of
the course pursued BY the on-slaveholding States
and their representatives IN Congress, IN their
c~easeless agitation (and that, too, inthe most nu-
friendly spirit) of questions involving The peace.
the institutions and the very existence of the
Southern States; and approving tie objects OF
said Convention, as above set forth, the General
Assembly doth recommend to the good people OF
this Commonwealth to send delegates thereto;
and that, to This end. they hold primary meetings
in each city, county and election district in the
State, and appoint delegates Ia a Convention to
be he'd in each Congressional District in the
month of May next, and that the District C0nven
tIoBs, SO constituted, do each select two persons.
Zone from each ofthe two political parties uf the
country who shal be delegates To the said Na<h-
vile Convention.
6 Resolred, That Tie Governor Of this Com
monweaIth be requested 10 sPndEa copy.Os these
resolutions TO each of the slave Inpiding States Ot
sentativesi in Congress
cALIFoRN1A LETTERS.
The Steamship Ohio. with the California mail.
arrived at New York ON Saturday last. BY This
arrival there have been but two htters as yet re-
ceiyed from the members Of our company, and