Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-01-23

he had voted. But as to the proprlety of sending
delegates to the Southern Convention at the Stale
expense, he was not prepared to 60 FOR It, lie hat
no instructions frum the people on The subject, anc
was not prepared to take The responsibility OF pas
sing the last resolution being opposed to 1t IN prIn
cipe. ~,
time for action had come. Remonslrance had be-
come in vain, and he believed that the sentiment o.
the people was fxedy in favor of this Southern
Convention. After the eff;rts which had been made
to obtain unanlmity, he had no hope Of getting it
from the House and he was, therefore, in favor Of
taking the vote now on the last proposition, and a
gainst the motion TO print.
MIR. Per!ow said he was not prepared TO say
whether Southern Convention should now be
sanctioned, though he was prepared to stand by the
South He was for further time.
Mr.. Pannill, though he was for giving time, was
in favor Of the resolutions reported.
Mr.. Segar said that, to accommodate gentlemen,
he was disposed to modify his views. lie desired
to have unanimity if possible.
MIR. Harvie then asked if until Thursday next
was time enough fol members TO examine the sub
ject-a general acquiescence in this day seemed to
prevail.
The motion to print was then agreed TO.
The question then being on Mr.. Harvie's motion
to make these resolutions the order of the day for
Thursday next.
| Mr.. Sheffey moved to amend the resolutions, by
striking out ''next Thursday" and inserting ''next
Thursday week."
Mr. Shelley said that on his responsibility as
gentlemen, end as representative on that floor,
until he saw the suggestion thrown out few days
ago. in the Richmond Enquirer, that the General
Assembly should appoint four delegates and the
people should be authorized TO elect one delegate
from each Congressional district 10 attend the Nash
vile Convention in June next, and that the expen
ses of these delegates should be paid, he never had
heard such proposition mooted. The subject of
| holding such a Convention had not been agitaled
among the people; no public meeting has been held;
no memorial had come up to that House. The pro-
position was grave one-the moot solemn, he be-
iieved, ever considered in that Hall; it was nothing
less than to delegate to nineteen representatives the
the power TO speak for Virginia in sectional Con-
vention, assembled at the instance ofthe peoples
Convention of Mississippi, to consult as to the best
means of resisting the insults and aggression OF the
North. Such was the purpose OF this Convention,
as sci forth in the resolution ofthe Mississippi Con-
ventun, read by the gentleman from Franklin. lis
avowed purpose to save the Unon-its awful re-
suit, he feared, would be its dissolution. Mr. Spea-
The Congressional delegates could not be elected
till April-lhe Convention could not meet till
June The people had not spoken /; he desired 10
hear what they had to say on the subject: Were
they prepared to tnrn aside from the remedies pro-
vded for in The Constitution aid To seek redress for
injuries not yet inflicted-for wrongs not yet done?
In lS49, we resolved, that before we would Soon
slider the mode and measures Of redress" we would
wait till the Wilmot provisO had become law, or
TILL slavery had been abolished in the District OF
Columbia Now, we were called upon to delegate
the sovereign power Of Virginia TO nineteen persons
unfettered by instructions, and ungnided by any
expressed wish for the preservation OF the Union
who, in CONNECTION with other delegates from the
South, were TO 'tconsider the mode and measure OF
redress" of common insults and common wrongs in
the City Of Nashville He asked for time 10 con-
suit the 10000 citizens whom he in part represent
ed, whether they were ready for such move 3
the resolutions Of lS49 were passed, no action had
boon had in Congress on this subject. The VIII.
mot proviso had not been passed-ihe subject OF
slavery had not been touched ;--nohng hadsound-
ed harshy upon my ear. but few partisan resolu
tons, concocted in Northern Legislatures, and con-
tanning at most but threats of injury, which might
never be carried into effect and yet we were call
ed on without hesitation or reflection, TO plunge In
to stream, darkened by prejudice, swollen by pas
sim, and huuying us impeluousy onward we know
not whher-perhaps against the very bulwarks OF
the Union itself.
Mr.. Speaker the gentleman from Logan has in
timated that at one time The committee purposed to
report resolution affirming mere .tact, that, In
The opinion of this General Assembly, Virginia
would adhere 10 the position assumed in the reso-
lutions of lS47 and 49, Why that resolution was
changed so as to re affirm the principles and doc
trnes of the resolutions of '49, it is needless 10 in
qure Had such resolution as that alluded to by
the gentleman from Logan, been presented to us,
it might have met with an unanimous vote IN lis
favor Because though he had voted against the
resolutions of lS49, he was yet willing To declare
that should the contingency contemplated by those
resolutions arise, Virginia must resist on be DIS
graced He had been opposed to presenting such
an awful alternative to his people; but IT presented
resistance 10 the deatl would be the watch word;
and the hardy men whom he represented, however
much originally opposed to passing such resolutions,
would be found standing shoulder 10 shoulder, with
the constituents of other gentlemen on that floor
borne onward by common sympahes aud common
prejudces, and the result must, he feared be dis
solution of the Union. How much better then TO
say in calm and solemn tones 10 the North, that her
course, if persevered in, tends inevitably to this
fearful result Let us warn her Of the consequence
of her acs-let us arm ourselves in the panoply Of
right, and if The glorious Union, cemenled by the
blood of our fathers and founded the rock of our
affections, must topple into ruins, let it fall under
the blows of Northern fanacism. Let not South
ern remorse mingle with the desolation which will
result from that fall. lie trusted the House would
grant members time 10 consider-to consider well
what they proposed to do-tme TO commune with
the people, and TO know what they wished TO be
done. The resolutions of lS47 were passed with
out consulting the people, these resolutions furnish
ed the strong argument in favor of le49, and now
the resolutions of lS49 are made the pretext for the
Southern ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, if represented in it,
will in all honor be bound by the resolutions of the
Nashville Convention, whatever they may be- Are
we prepared to surrender ourselves TO such scheme
to such project, without at least few days re-
Election
Mr. Claiborne, said that his constituents, every
man, woman and child, were prepared for action on
this Southern question and also for this Southern
Convention. He went for The action now and no
longer procrastinaton. Gentlemen on this floor said
| Al. N