Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-04-24
REMARKS OF JAMES LYONS ESQ

could
at the first meeting his ideas the important subject
under discussion
He said that at the last meeting, he did OF consider
the question fairly before the meeting and he would
now take occasion to express his views more fully
There was no cause for angry feeling, but there was
cause for painful emotions in the division among our
selves on such question With his friend Mr.. Mac
farland he panied differ because of his high re-
spect for his sound judgment and patriotic motives
especially to differ with him this question, which
overrdes all party and other considerations and in
comparison with which, party masters and slaves party
mastltfs and party ours, sink to nohingness. He put
above every other consideration the honor and salvation
of the South and ultimately the purity of her women -
He was panied to differ with his friend Mr. Macfarand
but he would differ with his honored father if he
stood beside him and expressed the same opinions and
he would boldly avow his own sentiments He should
deplore the day when the question of Southern rights
should become party question. And if that day should
ever come and the Wings be not with the South there
would be no Wing party in the South, and he would
rejoice in it, He appealed to his friend Mr. Mactarand,
never again to the term Hartford Convention in
| this connection. He might it properly-but fools
and knaves would catch the sound, and, by repeating it,
| would involve us In dlscord and blood Southern men
would not bear the imptutaton, and would commence
| the defence OF their rights at home
Gentlemen say this Convention is not necessary can
do no good, must do wrong WiLL do wrong-these
the inconsistent phases in which the objections put
Not needed! ltsthe people that calls for it; else it
will not be held. The amount of the matter is, that
these gentlemen call on the people to beware OF them
selves, for the Convention do nothing unless the
people sanction it He could not fathom the gentle
mans logic His friend had stated the proposition, but
had given no reasons to supporit: He (Mr - would
cite the history OF events. Gallant young Cabell OF
Florida and others from Georgia, Virginia, &c. made
appeals to the Wing party this winter to give guar
| feed and the property and lives of Southern men
perled and they would votetora Massachusetts Speak
er, with all his patronage; but their proper appeal had
been disregarded For five months Congress had been
engaged in devising meansto pass the Wlmot Proviso
Daniel Webster says is a "wanon INSULT to put the
Proyso on the South; yet Southern say there
lxxrn in fhn Prnx t1r L. hora hln
position of this "wanton insult" The territory was
conquered by the blood and treasure OF the
rious States; yet the North that they will put the
mark of degradation the South, and that no South
ern man shall pollute its common soil with his pre-
sence! He, (Mr. L. was ready to bear what brothers
can bear, and he desired to the South, in the Nash
vile Convention, in the most solemn form, impore
Northern brethren to stay their hands OF aggression and
| to warn them of the consequences.
Every body else bn by Shareholders can meet
together and consult their wrongs If the Legsla-
ture nerferes with the vested rights of his friends Bank
does he not call together his directors protect their
interests and lay the grievances before the Legsature
So with wool growers, golfers, and manufacturers
But the poor degraded Shareholders the North calls
US, and asked to make ourselves, are to be
charged with "dsunion" should they think it proper to
go into Conventions to protect their interests But say
gentlemen, wait till ggressve law is passed. and then
we will be terrific, we will break up the Union! Was
| ever more glazing inconsistency shown! Gentlemen are
vention to the Union! They willing to break
up the Union if the Wimot Provso pass and yet are
afraid to go into a Convention to save the Uni
on! He was for saving the Union by informing the
North that will stand by rights and our honor
What wrong can grow out OF the Nashville Convention!
Can that body do anything without the sanction of the
people! Will you not have to act upon it, before any
step can be taken? Suppose man is on his way, torch
in hand, to burn down the gentlemans Bank! Will
the gentleman phiosophcaly say "wait until the act
done, and then the offender can be punished for ason
Or will he wait and not prevent him ter fear that the
offender may be exasperated by interference and go
and burn down the building! So if be found in
the act OF committing murder, he will not prevent it,
but suffer him to commit the crime and then punish
him by hanging Gentlemen propose to act in the
same way with the Wilmot Proviso.
Were these the arguments to convince Southern men?
III possible that dissolution of the Uuion should
be the result OF the Convention was not the possibility
better than the certainty would be five waited until the
act OF aggression was committed. But gentlemen said:
Don't give the North this warnng-don't advise them
OF the consequences, if to them beyond doubt
that there would be none.
The Constitution guarantees to the South the right to
come together and petition Congress for redress oil
grievances There is no treason in that. Judge Mar.
SHALL in Aaron Burrs case, said treason is an orert act
Suppose the Wilmo Proviso pass and Old lack signs it
where will we be then! We then resist a,o Old lack
under his duty, will point his unerng guns on us
and we shall be either convicted traitors successful
patriots.
Butte moved to adjourn. Mr. Lyons asked why these
motions made when their side were speaking |
Mr.. LYONS continued. He wished to avoid that is
sue to prevent the passage OF the aggressive law and
save the Union Again. it is said to be- dangerous for
the South to assembe-and yet few days since Pc
tton was offered by Seward to arm slaves There
is no treason in that they say but gentlemen North
and South say, that it is treason in Southern as
semble together to consider their wrongs If this be
true, we have, said Mr. L., the despotic govern
ment on earth-worse than Russia Austrias system
towards Hungary Shareholders cursed, be-
cause our Northern brethren poison the air breathe
the water we drink, and peril the lives Of wives and
children. They tamper with the slaves by circulating
pamphlets, putting marks OF degradation us, and
proposing to arm our saves-yet the South is not to
be kept out OF our rights by Congress? Mr. Webster
they say, has made speech. Why did he make tina
speechi Ii was to save the Unon-What will the NORTH
danger to the Union! IT the South meet together te
tell the North in frank and friendly language that we
are willing to settle the difficulty on fair grounds, will
not the n orth say to MIR. Webster that he right
and the Tnne9 'f e gTned am b saved inc
how thew repudate the almost nnanimons acton Of th