Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1850-12-27
MESSAGE
OF THE GoyERNoR OF VIRGINIA
ExEcurrvE DsPARrMESr,
Tsecemher l6. 1850.

December Is, 1850.
TSthe General Assembly Of Yirgiaia: !
GESrrEnES:-I herewith transmi, 10 you q Pre-
amble aud Resolution passed BY the Convention y
Indiana assembled to revise the Constltatlon =.
that State, and the Report aud Resolutions - -
like Convention o99he State 81 Maryia.na. ".
spirit in whch~they concerted mus. q
ed as a favorable omen, and may eNeie w ri
that the feelings of bitterness anu 49, -, sss
which petyade The Conlederacy, may y "
hatmlessIv aNay There are, indeed POI x
manifestations ar deep discomfort a. me 0os -
aud these have been heightened ana nl, una, The
the course recently pursued IN u. =. s,atute.
Legislature III thai State has virtually ~ $50 IL
anHnled The law of Congress for the feeApSss s,S.
fpEifte slaves which alone. induced w -.
AR S,stas i, aronjesce in the late tiomPlo.a,shs
nAaSn,es Vermont has thus inn'eseu . ups.ll
whole South. at once an injury anu sub,
To neither can We with henss 81 ss''
nit. .,;.,a and fnaioa
,iaen, ~ he question Of slavery oetweea .se
slsveholdinp and non slaveholding Al i,
Is continued the Union - ~ n
syEfabIy he destroyed; the elemen. OF
removed no canse Of tepd remains - ~ ha->.
the permaueuceot onrsS . t,,s ana
rahle means should be left untred 10 Iesso ,s
800 tranquility For ths.we Should Ga
go, sarv measure Of coneiliation ana iotoesI.s
aTee we caufscarcely pay TOO much Ior sne ~, ~
Iora,iou Of that Faternal harmony whlcn y ny
blood Of OUT federate organization, ana wu.s
sisns can Tor any length OF time preserve tn a,
GTnio, In discharge OF the duty which the Souin
oJ,es 10 herselH aud her citizens, she must ma'n-
,E q, all hazards and at any cost, her honor, nes
s1nal;,vI her independence, and Der essehslaI
r;ghts In proef OF her devotion TO The Union,
! she mus, be prepared 70 sacrifice all else sosneh
| sense OF patriotism z,
settement Of the issue which has so long distract
II the country tbefrecent action OF Indiana
saems 10 Indicate that the time is propitlous lot
iE amicabIe deeen For The restoration OF
! complete and eIfecids harmony wonid Suggest
ameasure, in which the patriots OF all sectlons,
i and all who reverence and are wiling 10 aulue
4 by the Constitution may cooperate
/ II would recommend the adoption By the Legs.
i lature. of resolutions >inviting all the States OF
The Union to unite in sending delegates to repret
sent the whole people in general convention
which ought 10 assemble at an early period-not
! later than May-at Baltimore, some diner cons
venient central point, for hespurpose oil bringing
I'd an end all sectional controversies, relative 10
slavery. To SECURE hat end, the principles
which should govern the action Of ConRen-
tibn, ought 10 be announced III the resolutions BY
which il is called. All should be inyitedto unite
id this movement, who are in. favor OF the per-
pftuaton of the Uaion, and who to attain this re-
salt are in favor o. the Fugitive Slave bill, hon
cSllY anu CN1u1dtif WIZ uppoetu I'll
its repeal or essential modification, and who are
adverse to ny'furlher agitation OF The slavery
question, either in Congress or in The States
With this The South will be- eonlent less than
this canonIy eveniuate in the dissolution Of the
+ Union. The action OF such Convention, il sue
cesstu and fully sustained by the non slavehoh.
+ ing States, would Satisfy and quiet the South
if unsuccessiuI-it would prove that The. friends Of
order and the Union are impotent 10 contEol the
fanatcal passions which are urging on speedy
dissolution. 1t is measure which addresses
itself 10 no particular party, and refers 10 no par
tleuar organ zatiof but asks The cordial support
4 Of every lrue patriot in all sections OF widely
4 extended Republic, and which alone seems ade.
qiate 10 redress or avert the terrible evils Under
which the country now iabors, or OF which it is
1apprehehSive
ITO render this measure effeciual and 10 relieve
tho deliberations of the Convention from the
ttaminels by Which il might otherwise be embar-
raksed, ! would further recommend that such
4 resolutions be accompanied with the sincere and
earnest appeal Of the State Of Virginia, speaking
H thf1uQh her IeniSl4ilIn hAr aistA- Statas af
4 The South, entreatng them TO postpone any ex-
trfme action in relation to present difficulties, un.
| tllthe result ofthe deliberations OF such a Con.
Al vehtion could be known. The reslricti We mea-
4 sures which the Legislature may adopt, might he
+ made dependent for their continuation upon the
I ultimate action of this Convention.
by the adoption OF this course, it appears to me
4 The Union might be preserved and perpeiuated in
\ fraternal harmony or The South enabled to PREF
H sent united and unbroken front to the assaults
4 bftanatical adversaries. The first must be the
sahguine hope Of all lovers OF freedom aud their
4 country; the last must be the sole refuge Of
IlSobthern independence only when all brighter
hopes provedby this effort to be futile and vain
Y The motto of1he South must be, as it has been,
\ Union, il we can independence, if we must
N fhave the honor TO be- most respectfully,
\ Your obedent servant 8
H. JOHN b FLOYD.