Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-10

was Ill Abandonment of that ground, and tlal reie
after we should hear no more upon that subject iio.i
his lips. Whit, says he Not in Esprit of denlc'a'lo
Oh no. No one would have suspected that but III sp
rit oil calm dlspassonate reasoning, in spirit VI .o
argument he told this morning that pTnpos'tiol
contain, within ITSELF the elements of political ue5ra
datlon and that we ware seeking to impose by our ~
ton here, constitution upon the people that win .le
grade freemen who are brethren That Is MI iii'
argument That is cool reasoning! There no denuli
citation in it, ut all We are aristocrats saVeho
ders seeking to tread upon the nee Ks of our "este
brethren That is the argument, that is the reason
COOL dspasoionate reason nothing denunclatoy III that
No, my friend from kanuwha, who comes here III 50
peaceful spirit, will never indulge III Remuneration
will never commit sin lie complains Of loudly III
others.
The gentleman seemed to assume the character OF a
Juptsr graSpng thunderbolts and about to lrt Them
upon our devoted heads king of Olympus, pres
sing with tones Of thunder and shafts OF lightning
that seemed to threaten destruction to all oppo+ns
forces do not know that was exactly terrified by
all this because reflected that we were armed with
peaceful weapons that would protect us against these
thunderbolts of "Jupter," that there was power III
that could conduct that lightning harmless t" the
earth. and dispense it there. consoled myself WIN
this reflection amid all the danger That Threatened.
looked to that peaceful means provided by the science o.
government modern gOvernenent, to foil aud dsain
of all its danger Yes looked TO the great public 10 inc
unterrifed people of this Commonwealth for an eHef'
ght,lings to the earth and dispense them harmless
there. looked to the great sovereign power o' tiil'
Commonwealth to quel this rising storm, ana holWlth
standing threats Of secession from this body II VIC oP
this constitution with this amendment Incorporated III IL
fear not that power 1t is power above tMlt OF ln's
BODY it power that is 10 take this mat ter ID us own
hands and determine whether our work shall meet lis
appreciation not Imean so long as can fihu asSo'
ciatcs enough in this body to constitute quorum
to 70 on with this work, to perfect TINS ~orh'
and send the result of our labors TO The people
for their deliberate consideration, that they may eill!
er approve or disapprove Of it. No, however eSci,
ted NV manner may he in debate | tell my friend
from kanawa that his effort this morning ns iiiei'
short of its object to provoke in me spirit Of hosl'y
to excite i'll my bosom any feeling hostile TO a'r
equitable and just settlement of this question: ann' II
his bosom i; not stcele against appeal if it contains one
shark of that benign spirit of peace would appeal To
tint spark aud fam it with my breath nto laIle. IL
he is not bent upon war; if he is not 50 detesmined L"
push this controversy 10 such extremity 10 turn
his back upon every proposition OF fairness appear 10
him now aud shall continue to appeal t" him III u SPIT
rit Of brohery love- to meet this Question III spirit Oh
peace and brotherly love-
am ready 10 form alliance offensive anu defensive
to aid in forming all alliance between llde-water
and llcghany. Let him meet me IN that splrit
Let him come with the olive branch and not The s"ord
and will meet him. But when he comes surrounded
with all his terrors, with precipces, and volcanoes
and thunder and lightnng-when he comes Win tiice
in his hand | must tell him that will meet him
sword to sword, man to mat-wl wage inns war, as
said before, and let the God of battles decide Tic ls-
sue Ifthis is the spirit in which the gentleman comes,
I tell him,
"Fear not,-doubt not, which thou viii,
Netry this quarrel hilt to hilt.
see in this no Remuneration, but the proud spirit OF
defiance against any attempt to intimdate my action
any attempt to bear m" down by opposition Ii pro-
position be the sword upon the one hand the PROPOSE
*
upon the other and when lie presents the sword to u.s.
il is too late to complain that we offer to cross it.
The gentleman objects on parliamentary ground, up
on the principle of parliamentary stratagcm TO assu-
ming the position himself Of rendering the olive branch
Why not tender the olive branch; Does proposition
A stand in the way Why the readiest way to
get rid Of the proposition the readicst mode Of
clearing that obstruction out Of your way is TO
come up in tho glhse of a brother with peaceful
intent and generous heart in spirit Of amy and ten
der something that will be a compromise, that will
consider So and so that if cannot conccdc it we
NAV tender you in return something also that will PC
compromise Now there is no gentleman on this floor
deep as my convictions Of tie soundncss and pro-
priety Of apportoning the representation in this gov
ernment with some reference to the taxes that to
be paid there is member in this body, willing
than am to abandon extreme pretensions-to yield
and abate something Of what1 deem right, in defer
to the opinions Others have no viii too strong
to unbend when unbending will is moi opposed.
Blu: have will so pable rs 10 yield TO threats, or
bend to the force Of opposition have admired the
course hitherto Of our western brethren. Yes up
on my conscience l say il, l have admired their
course upon this subcct-thc zeal, the energy, the
ability, the devotion they have manifested from the
first organization of this body to the present time, to
that which they deem the right principle and true in
teress Of their constituents, | have admired and
an so far as | am personally concerned to emulate
their example in this respect and if cannot exert the
the same ability in the cause ofmy onstitucnts will
at least exert the same fidelity And when in the faith,
full discharge Of my duty their course crosses mine,
how is it that gentlemen who vindcac their high sense
of those virtues in manner so remarkable can find
it compatible with their sense of Justice to con.
denim in me the course they themselves pursue.
have duty to perform we'll as my friends
from the west. | have interests 10 represent
here. have pledges to redeem and 10 the best of
my humble ability, | TO perform that duty and
carry out those pledges Duty and pledges mark
out with pencil Of light the path that am pursue,
but duty and pledges nevertheless do not forbid me
mcetngmy friends from the west upon some halfway
ground upon some terms equal just and fair which this
Convention may adopt.
Mr.. Chiffon. rise simply to submit very few
remarks to the consideration Of this committee, and
then to offer motion that the committee rise hink
it must be manifest to every that the committee is
not at the present time owing to the occurrences of the
morning. in proper frame Of mind TO come to vote
upon any these exciting questions now before it, will
not enlarge upon this position at ALL the mere statement
of it, will or ought IN my judgment, 10 commend 1t TO
the favorable consideration of every gentleman on this
floor.
differ somewhat from my colleague who has Just
taken his seat He has said that he will stand upon the
edge of pccipice and without working athom its pro-
foundcst Depths That he honest in that position no
man who knows him can deny. But take a different
view of my duty. believe that prccpicc is before
me-and cannot stand upon its frowning edge without
growing dizzy, and every feeling of my ratre and
ery sense Of duty that operates upon ms mind, impe
me to shrink from it. have adopted as my rule Of
action heretofore and also for the future the remarks
of Mr. Webster in his famous speech upon the Footc
resolutions when he said, Ic had not accustomed him
self to hang the precpicc Of sunion TO ascertain
if with his short sight, he could athom the abyss be-
low"
have not accustomed myself TO hang over the pre-
cipce of the disruption of this state to see, if with my
short sight could fathom that abyss, and understand
and perceive all that lay in that profundy. II is Tor
this reason-it is that may come to the decision OF
of this question dispassionately-tl we may have
time to resort 10 any eXpedient that will relieve Us
from the position in which think stand. that shall
ask this committee now 10 rise and if one else dees
after the committee has risen, shall move an ad-
ournment until Tomorrow in order that VIC may
have time to reflect and consider. III making THIS
motion that the Committee rse do not desire to CLAIM
the floor tomorrow, for the purpose of making speech
upon this subject. | submit the motion that The
committee rise
The motion was agreed TO-
Mr. MILLER. | move that the Convention now ad-