Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-01-15

which have received the appreciation and sanction
the people of the State, deem il unnecessary do more,
in reference 10 this branch o the subject than 10
mend the present General Assembly the re-anation of
those resolutions as containing the settled fixed and unaer
able determination of the people of this commonwealth
the grave and highly important topics treated of in the
Governors Message
Since the adjournment of the last General Assembly,
OF sister States have proposed general and united
action touching the existing and threatened aggrcssons on
the rights of the States and people Of the South by the States
and people Of the North. These aggrcssons have been
borne for past and if submitted only provoke
the final consumation ri others yet more ntorrahc The
States and people of the South have from time 10 time,
monsrae against The disregard if not the absolute abroga
tion of that provision of the Constitution which requires the
peaceful and lawful surrender OF slaves abscundng from
their owners from Stale into another. In Of The
States, laws enacted imposing heavy punSimcns
their citizens who aid in the execution Of this provision
of the Constitutional ha Constitution which is the SUI
pcmc law OF the Republic and TO whose bchcss all COED
men should yield prompt and efficient obedience With
one of the clauses thus made imperative there other
surcs OF wrong proposed for adoption The abolition Of slave
ry in the District Of Columbia and its Introduction hyan
of Congress from the territories urged with combined
force and power which may secure the success OF each Should
the friends of the Union and we of the South remain passive
spectators of the coming stor until all shall be oyerwhcm
ed by its crushing violence! Among there is division
on this interesting enquiry none, in fact nonca love-
nay adore the Unionwith one voice we all say II must he
pescrvedhc good and wise the old and the young Of
u parties and all conditions in life send up The cry preserve
the Union, for its blessings conncss-pcscvc H. how
ever III the spirit and in The form in which fathers
and then it will be perpetual Pcrver il into engine
OF wrong and inlsiicc-isc lis mighty powers work
the dark ends ianacislct the unhny work be brought
10 our homes and rcscs and become the means oi lighting
up scryle and then cast il from worthless and
deestabc Such wcnppehend is the fearful workns o some
disorganzers in the Northern States. How their
mcts be arrested! We do doubt the justice OF
brethren in the aggregate Of the yeoding States We
would 10 appeal 10 them by any other considerations
than those o patriotism and Of high sense of justice So far
the there have ever been heedi TO such appeals But
10 make solemn serious imposing and ctlecE the lic has
come when this should BE- the appeal Of the people the
whole and united people Of the South That appeal should
of thc
PEELED by such considerations would, in our Judgment he
measure highly conservative in its character The delegates
coming Immediately from the people, and selected for their
sagacy. prudence, and wisdom, and feeling the high
sponsihlly of the trust bestowed them, We believe,
the warning voice OF such body o men would he po-
enta for good lwoud he listened 10 by the people and
all the si and good and wise o! every part of the
tion II would in the eloquent and impressive language of
Governor Floyd prevent submission Ia this usurpa'"n o
authority this violation of rights this wanon dcgrada
ton We say, with him, let insist that the question be
settled now and forever.
few years Of acquic>cencc will bring about the nc
cessiIy al absolute submission to wrong which OPP
preston contempt might heap country Vigilance
and action in the form suggested dispe the threat
eung cloud that darkens the present hour Should this br
accomplished how bright and fair hopes for the f
tuc. Great this republic is now, her vast and mighty
march hereafter human Imagination compass I'M
PEELED by these views and dceing the the part
Of Virginia have been exhausted by the reports OF COM
nitlees made 10 former Legislatures VT recommend the
reaa,ion o the resolutions first referred H. and also the
adoption of resolution declaring il eApeicnt 10 appoint
Delegates To the Southern Convention.
The preamble and resolutions then rcad-and
follows:
Whereas the action Of the General Assembly in l347 and
lsi9 upon the 'Wmo' Proviso and kindred subjects
ned BY the calm approval OF the people oi Virginia and
sustained by the action Of other Southern States
hns received no other response from the people 81 the North
crn States than violent dcnuncation and systematic pGr
suancc in the wrongs Of which We conpan;
Resorsd therefore, by the General ASSEMBLY That We
feel under renewed obligations 10 e-adopt the resolutions
adopted by the Legislature of Virginia, III lSi7 and
ncd in 9 and wc hereby roadopt the said resolutions
as the of this General Assembly and declare that Nir
gna fully determined 10 adhere to her position then
sumed.
Resortd f''rter That this General Assembly heartily
approve the proposed convention of Southern States be-
held Nashville the first Monday in June and that
ii will proceed on day of - IL the election by Joint
ballot Of four delegates to said convention and that the eo
po OF Virginia be requested 10 elect a the next spring ccc
tons, delegate from each Congressional District, which
delegates SHALL jointly with those elected by the General
Assembly, represent this State in said Convention.
Rssord That the reasonable expenses Of the said dele
gates be paid out of the public Treasury.
Resord, That the Committee ask leave to sit again for
the purpose OF preparing address to the people OF Nr
gina upon the subject OF the foregoing resolutions
Mr. FERGUSON moved that the Report be printed
Mr.. MAYO hoped that the House would act at and
together on this we had this morning done with
the Message of the Governor
Mr. PANNIL showed why the resolutions should be prin
i Mr. SEGAR thought with Mr. MAYO that he should
promptly and at once. The House in tune and
: would, he hoped, unedly they had just done.
Mr.. FERGUSON said he had been informed by members
tina, they had made up their minds and desired time 10
deliberate Mr.. F. thought we should gain friends by Civ
ing them time
less he prepared now would be induced by any debe
ration 10 vote for the report.
Mr. CONWAY thoug III, important that the report
should be acted promptly, and to-day Now the
ccptcd lime, and prompt action would exert moral in
fuence in preserving the Union Mr. G. could not bring
himself 10 believe that any members would take the espon
sbty and divide the councils Of Virginia by opposing the
resolutions The suhcc, had been fully discussed and the
House was prepared 10 act AT Mr.. G. warmly and
strongly sustained the Southern Convention as calculated 10
: secure the Union.
i Mr. STOyALL hoped the resolutions would be printed
While he prepared every ihag sustain rights
of the South, and to reatm the resolutions OF Si7 and
lSi9 he not prepared and his people prepared,
as yet to sanction Southern Convention Mr.. 5. thought
we should wait until the North struck the blow He
prepared sanction this convention, which might
= decree a dissolution of the Union
II Mr. HASVlE was utterly astonshcd to hear single
member here who prepared 10 stand by the resolutions
of lSi7 and Si9 refuse 10 sustain the proposition for
ecuon 10 he printing oi me resolutions so as TO allow
members time - examine the subject
Mr. TONNES would not act rashly on this subject The
resolutions were not by the House and
per that members should calmly deliberate this question
Al the proper time hc would be ready stand by the South
Mr. CLAIBORNE read the resolutions calling the Nash
willie Convention show the conservative character of that
body He cited the instances of Virginia sending commits
sioncrs kentucky and Mr. Leigh South Carolina, and
paying their expenses showing To the gentleman from
Halifax that the proposed Convention involved violation
the Constitution Mr. C. warmly defended theproposion,
and ready for gentlemen To take the responsibility of
usng stand Southern ground Nnc-tcn,hs of his
.titucns not Shareholders yet they ready
/ ton this Southern Convention
Mr.. FERGUSON desired unanimous action, if possible,
and he appealed 10 the majority of the House respect The
rights Of the minority. BY giving time, he hoped that we
might secure the of the gentleman from Halifax
whose hostile indications he expressed himself perfectly
priced For himself he prepared 10 ac; at and
was we'll known that he would 60 to the inrhcst
Mr. IiRVIE had the best believe that nothing
could be done by delay effect nanimity He knew that all
had been made and that unanimty could be obtain
cd unless Virginia is nndc rccedc from the attitude she had
taken Mr.. II. believed that nothing but this movement 10
array the South III solid plalanx would the
Union We had tried the action individual States without
avail Ii only the Union Of the South that would
vince opponents that in earnest and that would
bc done by sending delegates Nashville and paying their
expenses. Unless gentlemen inform that they would
probably be ready To vote for the Southern Convention lie
hoped that the majority Of the House would
Mr. WORTHINGrON did ask for time to form
his opinion-tha was made up-and he ready To
stand 10 his responsibility He ready to stand up
to the vote he had given eleven months since,
agast the Conway Resolutions and oppose the pre-
scnt measure. He would say that gentlemen the other
side had made every effort for conci!ntion and harmony
But while he was ready he thought time should be
given other gentlemen deliberate this important
htal.