Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-03-16

people of the several States OF this Union Ior uss
causes to withdraw from their association under the
Federal Government with the people of the other
States and to erect governments for their bsseI
security and they will never consent that the edera
power which is in part their power, shall be exertea
for the purpose of subjugating the people oil such
States to the federal authority.
9. The exercise of this right by the States oil
soutb. Carolina, Georgia Florida, Mis- sissippi Ala
bama, Louisiana and Texas, without the assent Of
the other States has given rise to new conditions,
and presented questions touching those conoitions
intimately affecting the rights and safety oil the oth-
er States. Among these are the navigation 81 the
Mississippi river the maintenance of the forts IN
tended to protect the commerce of the Gulf OF Mex
co and the power to restrain smuggling along the
interior borders of the seeded States; but the led
eral authorities under the Constitution as 1t rs, dis
| claim power to recognize the withdrawal oil any
State from the Union, and consequently to deal with
these questions holding that it is reserved only 10
the States as parties to the government compact 10
| take lawful action touching them.
| TO- Without expressing opinion as to the ques-
ton of power but in Difference to the opinion OF the
| federal authorities, the people of Virginia hereby
declare their desire to confer upon the Government
of the United States the powers necessary to enable
its proper authorities to deal peaceaby with these
questions and if it shall become necessary, TO re-
cognize the separate independence Of the seeding
States, and to make such treaties with them, and to
pass such laws as the separation may make proper
| H. This Convention, composed OF delegates elect
ed by the people in districts for the purpose OF con-
siderng the existing difficulties in our federal rela
TONS represents the desire and earnest request OF
the people of Virginia, to meet as directly posi-
BILE the people of her sister States, and to them ap-
| peal for satisfactory adjustment Virginia, there
FORE requests the people of the several States, either
| by popular vote, or in Convention similar to her
own, to respond, at their earliest convenience to
the positions assumed in the foregoing resolutions
| tlop &c to fhn
of the United States herenntO appended And in
the event that this Commonwealth fails to obtain
satisfactory responses to her requests from the ron
slaveholding States, she will feel compelled to re-
sumo the powers granted by her under the Constr
tuition of the United States and to throw herself up
on her reserved rights.
IL The people of Virginia will await any reason
able time to obtain answers from the other States
to these propositions, aware of the embarrasSments
that may produce delay, but they will expect, as an
indispensable condition, that pacific policy shall
be adopted towards the seeded States and that no
attempt be made to subject them to the federal au-
thorty nor to reinforce the forts in possession
Of the military forces of the United States recap
ture FORTS arSenals other property of the United
States within their limits to exact the payment
of impoSts upon their commerce.; nor any measure
resorted justly calculated to provoke hostile COL
liSion
- Tn the opinion of this Convention, the people
Government tending to produCea collision OF forces,
pending negotiations for the adjustment of exist
ing difficulties aggressive and offensive to the
honor of this Commonwealth and they would
regard any such action the part OF the Sc
ceded or confederated States hurtfu and untrend
w. and as leaving them free to determine their iu-
ture policy.
II. The peculiar relations Of the States Of Della
ware, Mary land, Virginia, North-Carolina, Tennes-
see Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas TO the other
States make it proper, in the judgment of this Con-
vention, that the former States should consult to-
geher and concert such measures for their final &C
ton the honor the interests and safety OF the peo-
Die thereof may demand, and for that purpose the
proper authorities of those States requested to
appoint commissioners to meet commissioners to he
appointed by this Convention on behalf of the peo-
pie of this State at Frankfort in the State Of Ken
lucky, on the last Monday in May next.
REPORT BY GOV. WISE
Mr.. Wise-With the assent of the gentleman from
Louisa, (fr. Ambler) l rise to privileged ques-
ton, that of making report from the Committee
on Federal Relations, rather minority report
! | ask leave to present my dissenting report, and
which now beg leave to read.
The undersigned begs leave to assign the reasons
fer his dissent from the Report of the Committee on
Federal Relations and presents the following as
substitute for the plan of measures recommended
thereby to be adopted by the Convention:
Resolutions Of 4ur. ScOtt, as amended, in the
Committee on Federal Relations Friday, March
| g. 1861:
This Convention, called by the people Of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, TO deliberate upon the
present exgencies of their federal relations and up
the redress Of their wrongs and grievances in the
Confederacy of the United States deems it necessa-
ry and proper with view to preserve peace, to de-
fend the Federal Constitution, and to restore and
perpetuate the Federal Union of all the States, on
basis of just and equal rights, to declare:
That for long series of years the property of the
citizens Of the slavehoding States and particularly
that of her citizens has been aSSailed and en-
dangered that the Constitution of the United States
has been broken; that the rights and comities Of
States and their equality in the Union have been
denied to the people of the slavehoding States that
the federal laws have been nuled in respect to the
protection of their property in slaves that the sepa
rate and independent right of seltgovernment by the
border slavehoding States has been seriously impair
ed and, in part, practically annulled; that their
domestic tranquility and social safety have been en-
dangered and ruthessy disturbed actual invasion
that associated and systematic efforts have been
stanty and perSistenty made to enforce upon their
people rules of conscience and of morals by power
without their borders, to control the family govern
mens of their homes and their relations as masters
to their domestic slaves; that their character as
people has been malgned and miSrepresented to the
world in order to bring an influence to bear upon
their rights and relations and their wills, rendering
them odious and no less offensive and injurious to
their sense ofserespect and to their interests than
the force of arms that the sanctity of the federal
Judiciary has been threatened and set at naught in
order to destroy the only peaceful guard and guar
antee of their rights of property and federal equal
ty; and that sectional hate which engendered these
evils is continually magnifyng them by every form
and effort ofncendiarism, until they no longer
endurable; until the people actuated by it have OBJ
tanned the rens Of federal authority and control in
all the departments of government and until several
of the soveregntes, parties to the federal compact
have been compelled to resume the powers granted
by them under the Federal Constitution, and to
form separate and independent confederacy there
by dissolving the Union of the United States OF
America.