Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-02-26

| Through what channels &C are 10 ootdiii li''
formation We arc still in the dark. 1t may DE
possible we may have to adjourn before getting
this important information. Under the cir
cuustauces Of the case, inaSmuch as tEe Ike
cutve, who is charged With the responsibility
of looking after I'LL the interests OF TINS great
Commonwealth, has not thought proper 10
make any communication, think It Is, a.
least, an indirect imputation upon tli' Is 'Hc
proper and responsible organ OF the common
wealth, to pass a resolution Of this character
1t is but justice nnd right to suppose tiia' tliI
Government Of the United States nave acle"
upon proper sense Of its responsibility 10 Tue
country; and doubt not if proper colnnu'''-
cation was made there. it would BE- SATISFACTORY
to US. ~,
Mr.. A NJ Observation-Disclosures the rcsoiu'
ton Of the gentleman from llttsYiTahia !n''
TKgDwAr) in no way contemplate" any "et,on
Of mine yet because this debate has 'H"e,. '"i'
range, irc that it is due TO THIS onhy rs NY
MIA gentlemen, due to myself and due TO inc
gentleman who moved the inquiry, that the Con-
yerlion should refuse 70 lay the resolution Oh
rho ,ablr About the other forts in the Com
monwrullh. know nothing and cafe nothiIS.
4 The force sent TO unrpcrS Ferry was sem d.
nv suggestions and that takes from The rsuefai
| IN
have in no way DEFINED it due to myself even
n considp- that resolution in view OF any VIM
dica,ion of myself, but because when these
soldiers went there Two or three weeks age
there were lnisapprchcnsiuls aroused all over
thn stat, did not rise here To vindlcate my
..,r Inn, ~ mt the facts before the country,
md make n s,a,cncn! which | brlicye to be
due both 10 the government and 10 myself II
| IL. 7 ipI
ren,inu 70 refuse to lay the resolution OH line
table
Mr.. C,RLlLE.- shall vote. Mr.. President,
AGAINST the resolution in its present form. |
desire to explain the reasons very briefly that
have operated upon ME to take that course.
+ If | could reconcile it to my Sense oil duty ana
obliec nv friend from Jefferson (Air. BAhDorE)
who seems To desire the passage Of the rcSoiu'
ton, would certainly vote or it; but 'irgi.
mia, Mr.. President, is still part and parcel Of
The Federal Government, and that she iins the
power through her representatives in that gov
eminent to call for such information as is con-
tenpla,ed by that resolution, every member "l
this body knows. IN
Now, sir # my friend from Plttsylvanih VIII
amend his resolution. so as to request our rep
resentativrs in Congress assembled, to nitro.
the branches OF tina, body, calling upon the Ex-
rcu,iyc for this information, will vote for IL.
f But so long rs We ERE part and parcel oil the
Union: 50 long as the Federal Government IS
our government | choose H. observe The Con-
: stitutlonai limits Of the legal modes Tor Hscer'
tanning aud making any inquiry whIch we de-
sire 10 make as Ia the action of that govern
nlcnt.
Farther, We have the express declaration OF
the Chief Executive officer Of that government,
Virgiuias officer, elevated TO power by Virgil
MIA vote in his annual message submitted To
, Congress, denying The pn"er 10 the Federal
, Government 10 coerce State. II there has
been anything cuaDating from that officer or
: from any department Of that government,
which CUES to shom that that Executive officer
, who, bv tbs Cunslitrii9ni is COMMANDMENT.
Chief of your army and navy. has changed his
| views since the transmission Of that message 10
. CONGRESS, have not seen it. cannot therefore,
BY nv vote place my own government in po-
stion to have all lis officers constantly cnga get
in answering inquiries, not alone from the con-
, slilutiona departments Of That government,
who are authorized 10 make and demand them,
but INQUIRIES that may he submitted to ii for
, every ACT that, in tho discharge 81 It's duty it
may See proper To perform. emanaIng from
. every assembly that may meet in "ny way and
every State Of this Union
Fur these reasons and others. with which
[ snail not row trouble the Convention,
shall vote against the resolution, and now-
in order that my vote may BE rrcordeI-ask
that the yeas and nays may be awarded 10 me
upon the uiotiun Tor Indefinite posiioncment
which now submit
LIr. H!RvlE-l shall, sir. vote for the rcso.
luton offered by the gentleman from plttsyl-
vania, CHR. TREDwAY) with great pleasure
not that have the slightest dis.!n,t in my
friend from Jefferson county (Mr. BARBUck)-
not that have ever dreamed that he h.~s dune
anything improper CT imprlltic-but because
want to know whether this Federal Govern
ment is strengthening the Notifications IN the
State Of Virginia. whether it Is bringing Tor
ceS to bear upon the State which may bccOinG
necessary 10 BIZ Used in the contingency that
Virginia may adopt TIC position, which 1t Is
very possible, if il Ec lot probable, Sue will DC
compelled TO adopt. ! want 20 know what the
FedrIa al Government IS dong bearing upon the
possible contingency that Virginia may go out
of the Union. | want to save, It possible. thc
irritation that necessarily results from the ap.
prchens;on or belief that these forces arc
brought to bearupon Virginia, und that the Ger.
in time Of profound peace when there is no
danger Of foreign war want TO save the irrita-
ton On the part Of TIC people Of Virginia which
must inevitably result if we come 10 the ecu,
cluson that tue Government is acting with the
view to bear upon the State OF Virginia now or
hereafter do not wish; to consider the ques-
ton that has brought us here under the con.
straint that may he brought to bear upon this
| No. yi,, If tnC
in and around the State Of Tirgin;a--and
now call upon the Convention here, call upon
one and all to give to the people Of Virginia the
opportunity OF Knowing whether We are TO con-
slider the questions upon which we are 10 de.
! librrate under co:istrl.El Or nat. do not ask
it of them, but rs good and loyal citizen Of
this Commonwealth lrmaId TO know whether
the common sgelrt 81 the State Of Virginia, aud
the olLer States is concentrating forces here
with view Of cuuntcIacting the action that
, this Convention may take. | want to know
| whether we are to consider this question sur
rounded by armed men, with The clank OF arms
| soundn. in our ears, or whether We are to
consider it quietly. peacefully and deliberately.
/ desire. therefore, that the resolution shall be
adopted, in order that We may have close,
. clear and thorough inrcStIS atun Of this sub.
! iect and report upon it lay the Committee.
Mr. WIcKnAM-l desire the passage o! the
| resolution, and shall vote against its indefinite
posponement. For the past two months the
State Of Virginia has been kept in a state Of
agitation and irritation by false ruinnrS spread
| broadcast over the land. believe that this is
one Of them. | have good reason 10 believe
that there are, At this moment, fewer soldiers
of the United States within Tue limits Of the
State Of Virginia, than there were upon the
9th of Nevetnbc last: desire that fact to 60
officially before the people Of the Common.
wealth desire that the public mind should
be quiet upon this subject desire all the
information possible 10 20 hefnre this people
that will quiet and allay the agitation which
has been artticaIly produced in this Common,
wealth Therefore with tina. Object, shall
vote against The Indefinite postnone'nent Of the