Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-06-26
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AdaEess SIllE' OTthe Conventionno,yi ia ses-
Virginia. ~ SP-S "a
The Delegates now assembled IN Con-
Tention at Wheeling, deem il proper to
address their fe!low-citizens throughout
the Commonwealth, in explanation and
SndtcHtion of tile course they have utiani-
mously felt it incumbent on item to pursue.
1t Is only necessary to alIude briefly TO
the circumstances which called this Con-
lNeniion into existence, to justify, in tue
fullest manner, any resumption Of author
ny "y the people in whose name they act.
Inc General Assembly, which met in extt4,
sessionat Richmond, in January last, with
OUT the excuse OF impending danger or 9TH
er grave necessity, and without constitu-
lonai authority, convened Convention,
ITO adopt such measures as they may deem
expcdient for tile welfare of The Common.
wealth.; thus tame!y relinouishing the
very power rCposed in themselves 6y the
Constitution, and, as the sequel proved,
WIN corrupt purpose. Elections were
ne!u Tor delegates TO the proposed Conven-
tion, and It being then clearly understood
tn"t an active aud inhucntial party favored
Tue secession of the Commonwealth from
Tue United States, the issue presented
everywhere was clearly s.Secessiun = or s.N;u
Secession" We need not remind vou tb,,t
by very large majority of The voters of
the Commonwealth, secession yFsis rejected
and rspudiAted, by the election OF dele
gates pToiessedly opposed to that iniqnity.
nor that a'still larger majority required,
that any act of that Convention, Altering
the fundamental law or affecting the rela-
tons ofthe State, should be submitted to
Tue people, and without the appreciation
OF majority, expressed at the polls, should
have no force or effect,
Tue proceedings of that Convention M
to the seventeenth of April last, were evi-
dently intended by those in the secret to
persuade the members favorable TO the
perpetuitY of the Union, and the people at
largs, that it was intended to propose
terms OH which it could be maintained.-
On the day nalncd the mask was thrown
asiue and the Secession Ordinance was
passed This was done in secret sessi N,
ana no Immediate promulgnlion of tue
tarts was made to tue people; nor, uulil
since this Convention assemGltd, was tho
injunction OF secrecy So TAR removed that
the vote on the passage of the ordimuce
was made public. Il now appears that
more Than one third of the whole COuvrn-
ton voted against it, and that niue mem
bers were absent. Upto this day the de-
Ia'cs which preceded the vote are CONCEAL
ed from the 9eoplc, who are thus deuied a
knowledge Of the causes which, in the
opinion Of the majority, rendered seces-
sion necessary and justified SO gross IL dis
regard of their lately expressed will
Under the legislative net calling the
Convention, from which alone that body
derived its authority, and under the vote Of
tue people provided for by that art, the se-
rpSGinn Il
nltltied at the polls by ii majority of the
voters of the Commonwealth. Tue Lead
ers of the secession movement, whose con
duct has proved them 10 be consptrators
against the State of Virginia and the peace
and welfare OF licr people, did not wait
until the time liked for this ratification, Is
begin their overt acts of treason agIinst
tue Government and people of the Uuited
States, as well US the State aud peonle tor
whom they prUfGssed to net Indeed, two
days before The adoption OF the ordinance,
with the connivAnSe, or, as is alleged, in
defiance of n feeble Executive, they levied
war against both by sending their emmis-
snries TO cApture the Hhrper's Ferry Arm
ory, nndtO Obstruct the entrance of the
harbOt ON which is situated the Gosport
Navy Yard. This bold assumption of au-
ihOrity was followed by numerous acts of
A4SAat'hA NES'AuoN tHC OullGu N9llkeS Nv Tue
levy of troops to aid in the capture of tic
Nationol Capital and the subversion of the
National authority, aud, to crown the i'm
fanny Ofthe conspiratorS, with whom the
Executive had now cDaleSced, by an at-
tempt, without even the pretence of nuthOr-
lty or NcquicsctnCe Of.th people, to trnus-|
fer their allegiance from the United States
ton league Of rebellious States, in Orlus
Nghlnst the former. rr
III this state of things, the dny arrived.
when the people were to'Tota, for 0rngainyt
the Secession Ordinance. Threats of per-
sOnal injury aud other intimidatiuns, such
as had been uttered upon the floor of the
usurping Convention against the remaiu-
ing trteuds Of the Union there, were used 4
by the adherents of the conspirators in
every county of the State Judges cLirged
the Grand Juries that opposition to dis
union would be punished as treason against
tue Commonwealth; and tue armed parti-
zans OF the collsPirators IN various places,
Plundered and exiisd peaceabie
citizens, for no other crime than their ad-
herenre to the Union their fathers had
and under which they had
been Gorn and lived in prosperity aud
peace. We are not HppTiSed by any official
of the result of the vote
taken nndersaeh circumstA aees; but, ~ hat 4
eTer.the result may be, We denoanee Il as
1nthir and unjust, and as atfoFding no svi. !
5ence Of tlie viii of the people on the'sl6-
leet actually presented FOR their suGfagc
and much less of their consent to the self
constituted oligarcby Of the Sdnth.
nthe point of view in which this re-.
suit, and the transactions which inevitably
led 10 it, should be examined. by the
people of Virginin, it is nnimpOrtant
whether secession was of itself deSira-
BILE OF not desirable; because the end
cannot justify the means, if the lattle are
Illegal and unhuly. In the present case
lbe great principle which uuderlies all free |
government: tue principle that the will of
The people is the supreme law, or as ex-
pressed in the Declaration ofIndepenIence, OF
hat governments derive their Just powers |
Tromithe consent'OF the governed" and in
our own-B Bill of Rights tIlnt ..nll -nn,v.r u !