Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-30
rinia is endowed with absolute Sovereignty.

Such q thing as absolute sovereignty is not
known upon earth. Sovereign and indepen.
dent are both relative terms, and not absolute
terms; and the gentleman undertakes to say
that it was asserted here to-day, not only that
the State is a separate and independent sove.
reign, but that such sovereignty is absolute.
I have not heard that opinion expressed, sir.
The assertion made here to-day is that she is
sovereign in the sense Of international law,
in the relative sense, in the sense of her con-
n~ections and dependencies, which necessarily
belong, to some extent, to every independent
and sovereign power. No one has asserted
that she is to-day absolutely separate, sovereign
and independent; but every gentleman, who
has advocated the adoption OF this amendment,
has avowcd that she is undoubtedly, in there.
lative sense, sovereign and independent. And
one of the gentlemen has put it in this form.
He says:
'Docs any one say that II State now sove.
reign may no. by compact or agreement unite
or fuse herself with another power. delegate
her sovereignty and become subordinate ~
Mr.. MAcFARLASD.-I intended TINT as an cx-
act reply to the arguments Of several gentle.
men that Virginia ceded powers to the Gene
raj Government. Hence the arguments, that il
Sl!C GeucU IleT Huh IL Liz SldNC ~, VII CiO Z,
deprived of her sovereignty.
Mr.. WIsE.-I beg pardon. lie has put the
case expressly and has illustrated his meaning.
If a power consents To unite with another
power, and merge her sovereignty, may she
not do it9 I tell the gentleman we have got 4
case in cur own history that will illustrate the
meaning on both sides. But yesterday, Texas
was 4 separate, independent and sovereign
power. say to The gentleman that Texas is
no less 4 sovereign now, united with the Uni
ted States, than she was when she was a sepu.
rate, sovereign and independent Government.
She is n0w IL united sovereign, independent
power. need scarcely repeat to the Conycn-
ton the argument that Virginia, whenever she
shall declare herself in such imminent danger
Il: will admit Of no delay, has immediately.
ard hy her separate act, the power Of war, and
she has the power of making agreements and
treaties with other States, even with foreign
powers, according to the express words of the
Constitution. in the reserved powers and ex-
pressed Limitation Of powers TO the Federal
Government, put in by her act of sovereignty
when she came into the Union. But the gen.
tleman asks me whether she can levy imposts
Or not. ! reply to him, as | did to the gentle
man from Fauquicr; she may declare war when
she is not in imminent danger. lluwf Through
the Federal Government. That is her power,
precisely as though Texas alone should unite
with Virginia, and all the other States should
unite with both in 4 mere offensive and dcGen.
sire treaty, to unite in war against q common
enerny. Sir. hey do this, now, whenever they
declare war. How? BY their own treaty.
making power. BY the treaty which each,
BY Convention. made
Mr.. MAcEAELASD-Wii my friend be so
good "a 10 answer me this Observation-Disclosures;
# it should so happen that Virginia should
"Reminiscences, against all her power to pre-
winch she could be regarded as sovereign!
Mr.. WIsE-Ycs, sir; yes, sir. Why? Her
abiding and solemn compact and agreement in
the Union under the Constitution must over
ride a mare temporary and particular disagree.
ment with her partners in that compact. And
il is no less true of the German States than the
American States. ! beg the gcntlcman's at
DOES ha not know there are certain
conlrde"acies in Europe? is he not aware of a
tain German confederacy as well as this
North American confederacyT Will he not
agree that Prussia is n sovereign and indepen-
dent power, separate and yet united, too? Sir,
is bound to the German confederacy;
and may she not be forced against her consent
into war? Yet who will deny that Prussia is
i sovereign and an independent power?-
Will the gentleman answer that VIII
nc show me the difference between the
case here and the case there? These are very
great difficulties. Sir, | can inform the gen.
that | have had puzzles put to me BY
ministers upon this very question,
perhaps, might be difficult to solve. ]
remember meeting the Russian Minister, Lo.
lie always called himself Lorn-mon-
nosoif to prevent it sounding like blow.ny-
Dosc.on. l[uughter.] lie always contcnded
me. that, according to the European code
ofintcrnationallaw The United States The whole
United States, had net the attribute of the
lin lin aaaiI 10 1t'tsthp&SN., ite.sga'. ..kk9" "ag cin
declare war. Why? Because" said he,
according to al the elementary writers, the
war power is a sovereign power, and must be
by the unit pp"er, 10 be sovereign ;
md therefore it has always been placed in the
Executive department. Where have your re-
Americans placed it? Instead Of n
united, executive war power, you have made
It Il legislative lower, in organizing a municipal
under the Federal Constitution.
mean the government at Washington. 1t
cannot pretend to soyereignty--it is a mere
municipality. And you have put your war
in the legislative department What
One House Of Congress can check an
other House Of Congress, and after both Houses
nave agreed, the President may veto a law
passed bv both Houses. And there is another
check upon your sovereign power. Ii the ex.
and legislative departments have united
declaring war, one OF your legislative Houses
may withhold the appropriation OF money, and
thus deny to war the very sinews OF war. II
a very questionable sovereign power"
tried to convince him that these very checks
and balances OF our government were necessary
to restrain the arrogance Of war powers, that
might crush our republican libertylf placed in
he hands of the Executive. lie Gould not
comprehend it. But it seems my friend cannot
the difference between q separate,
independent sovereign and O united, inaepen-
dent sovereign; that is the only difference.
Now, sir, | call attention to the remarks OF
friend from Norfolk, (Mr. HoLLADAY.) Per
TIC 10 say to him that | do him the creult
Of saying that he has put this matter upon It's
bold, great, grave ground. lie admits THAT
It is 10 Tie sovereignty anu lNs H"ieFe'uSnSS
the States that the doctrine of secession
Admitting that, he admits the truth.
Tint is the question which lies at the ground
work of our deliberations. Now, mark you,
FOR | intend to hold my friend TO his PROPOSE.
lion, the doctrine OF the right Of secession
attaches, us he tells us-and concur with
lim-to the doctrine of the Independence and
sovereignty Of the States. Secession Is very
odious, | mean immediate secession, he thinks;
and | do not mean to rcproach him at all;
merely state the fact as a premise from which
to draw q conclusion. ! would not, as a citizen
Of Virginia, drag her out Of the Union without
an effort to restore the Union. To this extent
I concur with him. Perhaps | would not wait
as long as he is willing to wait.
The hour Of two having arrived, the Com
took n recess until four o'clock.