Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-21

when her dearest interests wero inperilled
greater extent than any O? The States whi
have seeded, with ca,mncss and self possess
she deSistcu from extreme measures, and s.
embarked under the benedict;on OF Heaven
Il mission OF peace for the settlement OF the
unparalleled difficulties.
Now, sir, say that Virginia must not no
look back While 10 not concur with n
friends who are for precipI.ato notion, wa
time want deliberatiou. desire to wa,t
the developments that may occur and to COVE,
my action by them yet arm willing 10 lorg
the past see this great Union broken u
see and acknowledge the fact that seven
the States of this Union have gone, and tn.
they have established government de taot
which ought, in my opinion, to DC ackno7
iedged and respected. lock, too, to the ra
that these seven States which have gone 20
sess institutions which give to Them an
TO US identity Of interests, which must be pr
served, which are endangered and must al Il
hazards be- protected-in fact that VT must no
meet the CRISIS and net upon the circumstance
which surround US. Sir, when wo had tn
| old Constitution of this Union, tho seven :,
ceded States with us and the msjo,i!v of Cor
gress with US, although we had a Black r,
publican President, We might, as | reularke
before, have resortcd to lesut and cons,jtu
tiona modes of protection, and We would hav
been sale n. any rate for a longer period c
time. Bat our condition is altered by III
altered condition of this Union We have no
thts SO seven States now to vote ard to strugyi
along with us in Congress We have las
them in the Senate, we have los. them in ,h
House; and here we stand now, Virginia, ON
of the eight border slave States, in Govern
men, with nineteen free States. And wil
endeavor, so far as can, 10 adapt r:ysclr t.
the great principle. which Was stated hv n,5
friend from Cupepcr, tMr. BARBorm)
would invoke every member of this Conven
ton to let 60 the struggle Gs 30 the past; tc
look only to the present, to the circumstance.
which surround us and tt US meet as states
men, the issues which are presented, With ,he
aid Of every Development that has been made
in regard to our condition now.
That, sir, which would satisfy me es G. Tir
gilman, with the seven Southern States we lave
lost united with us, will NOT satisfy me now,
when We have but eight States TO contend. So
Tar as our interests are concerned, against
nineteen States. But aul not ready now, to
pass an ordinance of secession. am not We!
convinced, more than was On the day Of eIec.
tion, or on the 4lh Of March, that We ought
70 pass on ordinance Of secession now. | am
not yet satisfied. notwithstanding the very
eloquent argumen! Of my friend to persuade
me that now is the time to 20 precipta,ely out
of the Union; tha! we can gain nothing; that
there is no prospect Of accomplishing anything
by waiting still longer. May we not heal dl.
visions in our own State and procure tie CO.
operation Of the border slave States?
The gentleman tells US here that Virginia by
waiting now, will be playing the part Of Dog.
berry's watch. There are gentlemen here, who
think she has been playing that part . long
time | wonder if when those persona! liber.
tr bills were passed, which were inIractions
OF the compact bctHcon the North and the
South, which we're nuliitcations Of the law oi
Congress, great, principal grievance, Virginia
WAS not then playing the part OF DogLcrry +
watch, because she agreed TO wait. wonder,
il after all these wrongs had taken place, after
.Iahn Browns rail had taken place, after
Eirginia's soil had been invaded, why the
gentleman did not tell us then that il she
delayed to 60 out Of the Union, she was play
ing the part of Dogoerry's watch. And, now,
Virginia haTns failed 10 take precpi.ate &c.
ton, E ne prophecies OF se'i:lemcn as to the
itss1Ifs or that failure having tren fsisi!ied by
the e"ent, good having resulted from II, IN
gst that ~ wise statesmen, We should look to
each new Development and await the course ol
events Why need we 90 now, pTecpitately,
out of this Union. Did not the gentleman
from Culpeper most truly depict to you tnat
this General Government is nov as harmless as
IN old woman; that she has neither credit nor
that she cannot get the sinews CT ~a,:
Did be not represent her. aud represent her
most truly, as being in a condition in which
she could do no harm 10 anybodC; that we
have nothing 10 fear from her ? Why, then, !
ask, shall We precipitste ourselves out Of the
Union now! iagree with the gentlelrar.
believe that the General Government is iupo.
tent 10 accomplish anything in the way OF
warfare. She has not the material in the nd
department Of the Government to
manage a crisis like this. She has not the
men or the money 10 make war upon anybody.
| beliere the result will be that she will have
70 submit to such terms as the Sou.; mag put
upon her. Why, then, should we hurry OIL.
new?
The gentleman tells us-anti wasa little sur.
pr.sed at an argument Of thst kind from gen
tle,nsn 10 whom the public accords the claims
OF n statesulan-t that the Southern Cnnfe'lsracv
had established successful Government; tina:
We were under Government which had
proved unsuccessful, denora,zcd and crippled;
aud that we should therefore now take n'ir po
sition WITH that lccessfrl Government eS'ao'
lisheG by the Confederate States. Whv, s!r,
has that experiment proved yet successful =
What man will stand up ~ y statesman before
the world, and say that these States recently
confederated-not all Of which, believe, have
vet adopted their constitution, the first oi
which took her position Only in December
last, and the last of which tool: her position
within - few weeks-I say what man could gay
that that experiment, when yon consider the
lcc,ins events Of the passing moment, car
nase his action as statesman upon II, anu
consider it n successful Government? was
hardly prepared to expect RI opini"@ ::iede "i
so urrcipit:.ntly by me sci,tiem ~ from Ou''
nancr- or that he should atl"ise so ltumedatc
action.
Mr, HALL, Of Wetzel--l desire tq NIX tla
centlemsn s. hat amount It has b"en cstllnateV
Tirvinia corr tributes lowards tho Northern
government will state thutmy understand
..
annually, or &hout $500, 900 per month, AM.
that she is low contributing at that rate. :
,,,;sn. rst' is ore s's0' why desire ''''s''''* :
Mr.. TREDwAY-I should srkc TO kno~ from.
what source the gentleman :gets MS intorm'
ton that Virginia contributes S3ec,ood 4
month for tho support Of this government!
Mr.. HALL, of Wetzel-My opinion ~ based
upon tho amouat ol import duty, the pro
r,t4 share which Virginia contributes '"
wards lla import daty in her c"',sunP,i"t..
and which understand amounts TO So 0VV,o Jul
annually, or to about $500 ,o2O per month.
Mr.. TKEDwAr.-Ycs, sir. | supposed that
that was the source Of the gentleman n'c'
nation tell him that he is acting unwiseIy
~ not accommodating himself to the present
circumstances, instead of looking to the past
That NAV be the computation Of what Virginia
has paid under the former tariff; ont no ons
will say that under the present .arItf, IN coh
Il. N.ln