Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-02-01

true in her INTERESTS; HGi ] only rrg!c! s'ihl IL ihe 49,
passed the other branch ut this Assembly. nope
shall not be understood rs ccnsurin: or impw.HinS
iiIat honorable body for The action which me- AhNe
AIKEN i'll this matter. voted for your bill, M:
Speaker, not because | thought it was just such Il Dit
rs the crisis demanded, but ] voted tor II bccau>c i
could get no better. ! voted for it because ] believed
il WIS the best rrbuke aud the very best messenger
we could send from this hall Ia our ~neighborS at the
State of Pennsylvania. l must confess that NrSItt'
ted long before | voted for your bill, because II stops
short of the proper mark. II does not contain IAN
gunge such as ought to be embodied i'll a document
of that description, emanating from the sovereign
State of Virginia, when her constitutional rights
in property und the liberty OF her citizens
are invaded, aye, to the extent Of nrresting n citizen
as n criminal when he ventured beyond the limits al
his own State in pursuit of his slave. wa. anxious
that u stronger bill should be brought i'll, and voted
for this merely because | could get no better. II Il
hill had been intrmluced which would create n ncccs.
sity even To draw the sword in defence of our coI!sii-
tuiional rights in property, and the rights OF the rlti-
zens of Virginia, ny vote would have been recorded
for that bill. | only regret to see that any division
should exist among Nirgimians upon n subject OF this
character. From what cause this division proceeds
nm not prepared to say. Ehis House has pissed Il
bill having for its object the protection Of II citizen al
this commonwealth from an unjust prosccntiur.-
1t is sent to the other branch OF the General
Assembly, and there II Is so Inutllhted US I'd Dc
of no inpUrtancc whatever. Lin fact, the honor,
the dignity aud the constitutional rights OF our Stale
seem to be forgotten.
cannot consent 10 give my vote to let that bill
slumber one hour on your table. Ii we intend at any
time in the future to advocate aud maintain our rights,
now Is the time. Ii we arc prepared to rccede before
the fire and the famatici>m OF Pennsylvania; recc'lr III
this House to-day in Gods name. before the world and
say We are not able to defend ourselves, or support
our constitutional rights.
| shall vote, Mr.. Speaker, against laying the bill on
the table; and l shall east my vote for any bill that a
committee Of conference of both Departments may
bring in, and in short for any bill that goes %faritcst
| -. IL .I,,- .. tIn ,unrll a,I sk ln,,,- al min tlhn 4
Virginia intends 10 do, and what she will do.
Mr.. BoSpuRAST oi Buckingham, said-l believe,
Mr.. Speaker, there are 10 gentlemen on this floor eA-
crpt fIrginians, who are prepared Ia net 81 best suiis
the occasion and the Necessity. would ask i! II is
III order 10 move that Il committee OF conference be
appointed.
would not be III order, until the House first acts upon
the Senate amendment. II the decision be adverse To
the Senatc's amendment, the bill and amendment 20
back 10 the Senate. II they do not rcccdc from
their action, the House will be notified oftlIe fact, ard
then will be tho proper time TO appoint Il Committee
OF Conference.
Mr. iMEupEN. At tho time that ! had offered nv
substitute 10 the bill, ! was under the impression that
the pending motion was Ia lay the bill upon the table.
| intended that my substitute should - on the table
with il. | Withdraw my substitute for the present.
Mr.. GARRETT. When ! renewed the motion nj the
gentleman from Hampshire (aIr. llrErr) 10 lay the
bill upon the table, | did so upon conference with
some OF tho friends OF the bill. | did not approve Of
laying il OF the table and permitting il 10 sluiHbcr
there. | was in favor If merely laying it on the table
10 await the action OF the jury "f Pennsylvania i'll
reference 10 Parsons. In making the notion which ]
have offered, | did not Consul, my own feelings, but
the feelings OF the friends of the bill with whom cpl!-
ferrcd. But, sir, since hearing the debate around me,
and the manifestations nf strong feeling which have
been nude, | retrace the step which ! have taken,
and 10 longer rcncw the motion Ia l"y on the table.
But in order 10 yet the sentiments OF the House upon
the bill or substitute from the Senate, move that
| ~. ii n,vr. Tn tl. Snt.l onl.,l,n.InI- uFt 90,
say 10 them, that We, the House of Delegates, fresh
from the people, better understand their feelings upon
this subject, aud that we do not belong TO the ante
dhuviun class of iugies who are imbucd with The
iIeas which were current Two year. ago. We repre-
sent the feelings and sentiments OF the people. in de.
mandIng strong and efficient measures for the pro.
lection Of our rights.
| move that We disagree with the Senate in their
amendments.
Mr.. RrrHERFooRD Of Goochland, snid-I cordially
support the motion just made by my friend from Is
sex. Since entering the Hall this morain., ! have
read the bill which was passed yesterday by the So.
nate, as II substitute Tor the bill which lai passed
this House on the day preceding. Compare the !wU
bills. The Senate till affords pc"umiary relief. The
House hill protects II right. Doll equally assume,
in their preamble and enacting clauses, thar Il RICH;
has been violated, which il is our duty 10 defend md
project. The Senate bill says: Ii Is true, James Par.
sons, that your rights have been outraged. bur If you
forfeit this rGcnsniznncc, il is only money that YOU
will be- unlawfuliy and unconstitutionally required 10
pay. Stay nj home, and your State will pay il for
you. though her treasury is not overlooking, and the
taxes of her people not light. This is all, except,
that the sovereign State of Virginia is afterwards Ia
appear ~ an humble sutton for redress, before the
same tribunals which have tranlpicd upon her riSlits.
But the bill which passed this House on Thursday,
places the Commonwealth i'll no such humilia.ing M
titudc. II asserts her sovereignty, and upliolGs her
dignity. Ii is, as truly described by its title, "a bill
tn project James Parsons, Jr., and other citizens Of
this Commonwealth. in the prosecution aud main:e-
nance ri their constitutional rights" Virginia as
snnrs the place al Parsons, but net -uhrnuSsivrly tr
endure. his wrongs. She projects him and yourself,
Nr, Sneaker, n.i nil of It's. not by n money tribute,
but, if need be-, with the burklcr and the sword. As
a sovereign State. she appenis 10 Il sovereign State IL
repair her wrongs. and not To the subnrdiilate agents,
whose arrressinus are the subject Of her complaint.
The property of one of our citizens has been
wrc,;ed BY mob violence from his hands, on the soil Of
n neighboring State. For prosecuting n sacred right,
secured TO him by the oTnsanlc law OF the land, he
hus been summoned by the Judicial authorities of
tina, Sta.c-autinritirS bound by the Constitution 10
redress her wrun:s-to stand his trial before them
uunn n charge OF felony. For buldIy asserting Il
RIGHT dea- Ia us nil. he is III danger OF incarceration,
as a convicted fclon, in the pcuitcntiary Of Penn
.ylvnnia. The Senate bill concedng all this, assert
ing it in the preamble, makes no provision for his
safety. But the House bill, in this event, requires
tint Tie constitutional writ OF haJsas coIy'rs, shall be
appealed to in his behalf, and il il :nii 10 secure his
liberty, then, tha, the General Assembly "t Virginia,
shall bc convened to consider the mode aud measure
Of redress.
This seems To me 10 Ne u lulT slHttlNcHi Vi tIe uIl-
ference between these bills. 1t ia enough for me. 1t
j. n time for action, not for words. Words and alb
s,ractiuns we have had in abundance ut previous Scs-
sious. Now, for the first time, is action prnpnscd.-
Tell me not that il is hhsiy legislation. when s!ial
IN. blow ever he struck, if not at the time when the
insult ia given Tell me mol of the Necessity, in n
case like this, for SOW and cautious dchbcra,ion.-
There are some wrongs Of q nature Ia convert deli
Iteration and delay int" ruin aud diSgrnce-sniiIc
questions which the heart decides more wisely than
ia, Inland The Oulck and heaven born iDStllCt Di
wounded honor, is ever lis own best guard ant pro-
trc,ur. For States, no less than individuals, III peace,
there is policy i'll spirit, III ~boldncss, III the instant re-
sentiment, always, OF wrong and aggression. Inc pco-
nj. nce tired of much talking and little acting by their
Delegates. They have said ;" by limiting our sessions
TO little purpose III every measure excites protrHcted
debate aud encounters rever-endiiiS uelays. Al
ready during the present session, III discussing the
r,II,,c Lll and one short rail road bill, we have con-
.pmcd more than double the time that our tnreiatncrs
of I'D required to establish, in defiance oi the world,
the first independent government Ill TINS country.
to frame md adopt unanimously the nnnlcst n2iei o.
n republican constitution ever devised by the wisdom
of man, When Governor Dunmnrc Dissolved the
House Of |urycsses in ~, how many hours were
needed by these great mei-great IN their deeds, but
sparing in their words-not TO resolve but 70 begin
revolution
Mr.. Speaker, | have spoken my sentiments wIthou.
.mr.dIiatiou-nlm involuntary. hastily. unsuar'i-
,,.IIy. But am not afraid, sir, 10 trust to my feelings
aud impulses, ns II citizen of Virginia, IN any qurs-
ton which involves the rights and honor of The Com
monwealtlI.
Mr.. BEAyxoS OF Lewis. Mr.. Speaker, do not
rise for the purpose Of prolonging this discussion. |
rise merely Tor the purpose of milking HI inquiry, ana
it is this: II the gentleman from Essex, tNr. GAR
xrTrl Withdraw his motion, will it be III order tn
NOV. that n committed of conference bs appointed !
No, 10, from several members.
Mr.. BKASSoS-It is not in the province of gen.
,lcmeu TO reply. l address myself 10 the Chair.
SPrAKrR.-TlIe Chair believes he was in error
when he sniI that this was not The proper time I" to 81.
This conclusion he arrived at from tn" practice which
generally prevailed heretofore. 1t is i'll order to AJAX
for n committee oi cunicrcur" at the stage indicated
bv the gentleman whu made The enquiry.
Al Sr...rr- nf E:chmnnI ritr sn;l Il irrs.