Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-03-29
SPEECH OF HON. G. w. SUMMERS,

New sir having, am very conscious, in an unsatis-
factory Manner examined The various sections Of which
this report is composed let me Inquire what has been
obtained! Take that report Of your Commsso as
il is and i, be denied that very great advance has
been made in securing the guarantees that dered
in regard TO rights under the Constitution? The ter
roral question has been settled and adjusted by the
first section. The territories divided between North
and South and equality Of right secured and perpetual
| ed do not intend 10 add 10 the remarks submitted
yesterday upon that section further than to supply
mere omission which, at the tme did no. occur to my
mind ard it is this to remind the Convention that the
territory of Arizona by act of Congress has been at
acbed and made part and parcel Of the Territory Of
New Mexico. So that when We speak OF New Mexico,
or theNew Mexican aw-when examine this first Sec
on which declares and fixes the condition Of persons
held service the south side of the line Of SO so
must remember in that connection, that all the terri
tory that south of that line is comprehend
ed and united under one territorial government and en-
braced in the code, as far regards slavery.
will not recapituate the advantages possessed and
the guarantees presented by this adjustment They are
present to the memory and comprehension Of all The
denial of powers to the general government contained
in the third section, of the highest import and con
sequence to the States. The equality Of power, in the
acquisition of territory the concession Of perfect equal
y of power TO the unequal and weaker section, is IN
my opinion Of itself worth Infinitely than all the
effort which has been made and should be secured by
the most digent endeavor, and with any reasonable do
lay in time which may be necessary to procure il.
Then there the provisions directed to the recls-
nation of fugives slaves, and compensation for these
unreclamed and, finally, the irrepeabiny of those
guarantees aud of certain provisions in the constitution
Of vital importance to the Southern States.
These measures, taken together meet fully every
of apprehension which has heretofore disturbed
u.s. and close every Of trouble and annoyance
which can be reached by constitutional amendments. -
do hesitate to say that they lies in advance
of any line prescribed by any party in Virginia six
Ia arm Sir ril apyp.
~ difficulty by which We have beeu surrounded They
guarantees upon which the countrymay repo5e and
with entire security.
But it is said that this adjustment has proved abortve
that this effort settlement, initiated by Virginia has
proved faure-becsuse OF the non-subnisson by Con-
gress of those measures for adoption by the States.
Mr.. President, word Oh that point | am Of opinion
that the people OF Virginia will not hold justified in
taking any action that is to determine her mmed4te po-
son by failure the part Of the late Corg'es to
PROFOUND these OF the Peace Conference the
action of the several States.
Sir what are the circumstances attending those ea-
sures, and the failure of Congress to submit them.
The resolutions of the General Assembly of Virginia,
which locked TO this proceeding pissed tie 9h
of January last Those resolutions required that the
Commissioners appointed by herself, and those invited
from the other States should in the city OF
Washington on the 4th day Of the following February
Between the l9h Of January and the 4h of February
the propositions of Virginia sufficiently thrown
out to be acted upon in time for all the States to meet
US on the day appointed the 4h Of February The period
| was short, and the notice insufficient.
Ca the All Of February, the day appointed, Commits
sontrs from eleven States appeared and the Conference
organized. In the course OF some days thereafter
twenty.one States found assembed-ms king hod ,
of one hundred and thirty membership their rep
| resentatives.
Before this body, propoulGed various imporisnt
aud material amendments OF your fundamental law to be
discussed considered and decided and then TO be CON-
muncaed Congress with request that they shout be
submitted TO the States. Alter labor of some three
weeks, this adjustment which have already reviewed
was sgreed upon. It's adoption occurred on Wed esday
the 27h of February aud believe on the evening Of
the same day Il reached the halls of Congress Now Mr.
President let il be borne in m I'd that there were blt
three working days left of the congressional session
Thursday, Frid'y and Saturday. Congress was to ad
iourn on Monday the 4.h of March, when il Ipired Re-
member, in connection with this that not merely Was
there this absence OF me but on the other hand there
ullnCss Of business there always il at the clos
ing of Congress, rendering IL almost impossible take up
any new proposition. | need nd the members
of this body how business in delberaye assembly ac
cumulaes during the session aud settles down in heavy
mass at the close. Let il be borne in mind also tha,
| this proposition thus agreed upon at go late period
before Congress not only at the close of tue session
when every member was more less engaged with his
own particular measures devisDg them either for the
benefit OF the country, or MS pesonal benefit and
popularity and struggling 10 give them precedence; but
let il be remembered further that il came in at time
when administration was about retiring from power
aud new administration, under peculiar crcum-
stances, about going into power-,hat new a1mni-
s,ration with party dscordant, some extent and
hayng seminal of its ultimate dissolution already
gping to manifest themselves Let me call to mind ii.
So that these propositions Eropcunded TO Cong
ress not fresh from the people-eeced two years ago
sad morcno: familiar Rh the public want and the po-
puar sentiment 10y l. changed and modified as the
public sentiment must be by the unpgeced nted and
startling events which have occurred since their election
Blu. notwithstanding all these circumstances SO adverse to
fair consideration Of the sub ect motion take NJ
the proposed amendments in the House of prcsenla
tives which could only be reached by motion to sus
| pend the rules requiring of two-thirds saw
motion to take mp and consider received arg msjony
in It's favor, which, though not two thirds vote sufficient
suspend the rule Indicated under the circumstances
willingness on the part OF the House Of Representatives
| II take up and consider the proposition
need 70 the fac Of this measure in The See
ate but will say tina, it wont do TO 90 home and u
the people of Virginia that these of the Peace
Conference not submitted because cf oppos
ton from hostile party At the North These Measures
received the opposition and encountered the hoa,y OF
Southern as well as Northern Senators mean no. the
slightest disrespct to any gentleman bearng reprcscu
tlve character from this State. for whom | feel sen-
ments OF personal kindness. do not intend to desg-
nate gentlemen by party epithc bat will say, without
meaning of to any that these measures met their
fate aud rec lived their gtie.s in the Senate under the
combined hostility and assault of gentlemen of extreme
| opinions from both sections of the country
Now SIR under these circumstances, is il to be sup
posed by any in this assembly that the people of
Virginia are he content with such an fort! Are the
people Of Virginia 10 be made saw that all cons,itu
tiOnal remedies and all honorable eIpedens have been
rcsor.ed 20 ard hasted, and that there Is no relief
that they viii wait 10 mnre-ihat the Dag bas come and
tdc die is cast No, Mr. President, whatever may be the
option Of gentlemen here, believe me, sir the con-
suent body not prepared to utter that sentiment
and pronounce that Judgment
Sir undertake to say, that there nevor has been
period 30 propitous for procurement of all the Just
rights of Virginia and her sister Southern States the
present. say that far irom being discouraged by
ythng that has occurred in the Peace Conference or
opinion that at any past period has there been so
favorable opportunity aud soinviting field for effort
10 settle these questions and with prospect encour
aging of tie best results, as the present period.
Sir when any period the institution of slavery
so fully and thoroughly understood IL has been
exaGneg in all its relations social moral and political
The political argn menta, TIC ecosomica views and the
social and )ra aspects OF ths institution rave all been
explored, and undertake to say that the institution Of
African slavery has at this moment North and South
more enlightened supp rt and larger number of friends
than at any past period. We have them in the North
and daily increasing in numerical strength. There has
been waking up in the Northern mind on this subject
They have not only looked no connected with the
pres rvetsn the Onion, pt az thing in the abstract
and how many THOUSANDS Of them now bell ye lha. this
institution is only not sinful but that it is expsdent
They longer look upon slavery 10 the South adverse
to their interests In my opinion the two systems
OF free aud slave labor not only without aDy nects
sary cor1ic-are not Only entirely free of all repress.
bic ansgonism-but they mutually necessary to ea,
other end reciprocay beneficial state as a fact de-
cared to myself personally By members of tho Peace