Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-03-09

al assemblage, but are the assailed saviors,
not the destroyers, of rights and obligations
which are the foundations on which a COM
mon country rests.
And we must remember that we will nev.
er be stronger relatively than we are now.
The Southern States are in minority, and
one Of their chief grievances is the tyran-
nous edict of the Republican party, now in
the ascendant III the dominant section, that
they shall increase their stature no more
And If We tamely suffer wrongs and dangers
like these, so calmly stated by the Joint com
mittee, aggravated by time and repetition,
what will we not submit to? When will we
say noto is the time for tie resistance To
submit now, will be evidence to those who
already contemn US, that we neuer sciN re-
sent or resist. This they Will End indeed to
be untrue, but tempted by this to increase
and aggravate aggression, they will force US
to resistance BY bloody civil war, which
will be irrepresgible and implacable, and in
which nothing will or can be saved but by
fire and blood
Following this statement of the joint COM
mittee, the General Assembly have passed
the resolutions recommended by the commit
tee, and which follow as logical sequences
from the statement, as the absolute necessi-
ty for convention and conference follows le-
ultimately from them both.
The first resolution organizes and eguips
| the militia of the State for action and eff
Client service. Why? for what ?-for cause
What cause?
| The second resolution provides for tour
commercial Independence
This looks like, and is in itself PROPOSE
ton for the establishment of seperate COM
mercial relations. These relations are the
| most important and essential which can be
dissolved. How can they be dissolved with
out violating the Constitution of the United
| States
The third resolution invites the "co-oper-
cation Of our sister States of the South in
| carrying out the foregoing policy" How
can cooperation, thus invited, be so well ef-
fected as by convention and conference?
The fourth resolution provides for the
more prompt and effectual punishment of all
foreign emissaries and others found conspir-
| ing against our peace, or melting insurrec-
ton This, too, calls for concert of action,
not only to prevent aud punish Northern,
but European emissaries, who can be reach
ed only by Federal authority, without the
limits of slaveholding States. How can we
act through the Federal Executise e, or treaty
making power, on foreign States. or on 9TH
er and aggressive States at home. without
concerted action What can be done at
home, even within our own limits, without
cooperation uniformity of laws and police
and punishment
| These are all questions unavoidahly sug-
gested by the action of the Joint committee,
which are very difficult of solution, and i'm
peratively call for joint councils.
The fifth resolution approves the action of
your pre- iecessors in Office, and justly giving
the highest evidence that there was an alarm
ing crisis which menaced the fate and for
tunes of the South, calling for the employ
ment of extraordinary force, which was ex-
erted, to protect life, property, laws, sover-
eighty and honor.
But this joint report of the Legislative COM
mittee does not furnish the only reason which
has served to deepen my conviction of the
absolute necessity for joint councils and con-
ference of the Southern States. You, sir.
as the honored Chief Magistrate of this Com
monwealth, have called upon the Governor
Of Iowa. high official, sworn to support
the Constitution of the United States-for
the extradition of Que of the survivors Of the
foray of murder, rapine and treason, as
fugitive from justico-not from labor-and
you have most ably and faithfully exposed
the actual official perjury by which good
faith to this Commonwealth, prescribed by
the compact of organic law, and pledged by
the obligation of a solemn oath. has been
violated by the Chief Magistrate of a sover-
eign State He was not called on to observe
mere 'cohsity" That exists only by Gus
tom among civilized States, and its non-ob-
servance, without treaty or positive law to
raise it to tho dignity of binding obligation,
can furnish no cause of offence or of wa. But
he was called on by an obligation far beyond
the courteous option Of comfy or even the
requirements of the contract Of treaty-by
an obligation dictated by the very highest
positive law-the constitutional Jaw which.
| he was sworn to execute, to render up an
escaped felon for the most capital crimes,
m'ala IN Sc, and yet he fanaticaly failed to
regard his oath, and deliberately violated
the interstate covenants of which his oath
was the legally prescribed pledge and safe
guard This betrays more than does the
sympathy described by the joint committee.
the extreme sectional and destructive tenn
per of portion of the official North. And
this inquiries with emphasis shall be
done? And that inquiry cries aloud for
multitude of council, and concert of con-
| ference.
Here pause for the response to the ques-
ton: Shall we have that Conference and
Council or not? If after what have said,
am asked: Conference for what? my
| answer is in word: For protection to our
selves, for self-preservation. for defence of
the Constitution OF the United States, for
the preservation of the Union, and the equal
rights of all the States. and of their people.
in the Confederacy. This is no question
of party. 1t is one Of patriotism I am del
egated here BY party opponents-by .hose
who confer on me no honors of the partzan
but who have done me the higher honor of
coniding to me the trusts Of the patriot IF
others design disunion by commencing con.