The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-01


The House was Informed that the Senate
mad passed House bills afor the better govern
ment of the town Of Danville,. with amend
ments, and House bin incorpora ting the Home
Savings Bank OF the city of Richmond also,
bills absoleing the State from all damages Tor
loss OF coupon bonds deposited as security for
bank circulation and Senate bills Tor me IN
corporation OF the Kanawha salt company .
authorizing the formation ola battaiion OF TWO
companies in the towns OF s>cottsrilie and
Towards willie. In Albemarie county, and have
agreed 10 amendments proposed by the House
to a blu Incorporating the American Agency.
The yariogs Senate bills mentioned were
passed and ame ailments agreed to.
Senate bill releasing John w. Mnrrell from
the payment of a judgment rendered against
him in the Circuit Court OF Lynehburg, was
taken mp and passed--ayes %, noes s.
The House agreed 10 Senate amendments to
House bill establishing the county of Bland
out OF parts of Giles, Wythe and Tazewell.
message was received frcm the Senate
through Mr.. LYNCH, who informed the House
the Senate had passed an act Tor the relief of
l.. N. Enbank, CommiSs ioner OF the Revenue
for the city of Lynchburg.
a message was received from the Senate
through Mr., CARTER, who informed the House
that the Senate had passed n bill, entitled can
act to allow the claims OF The Marlborough
Border Guard, of Loudoun county"
The House We're informed, through Mr..
fHoMrsoN, that the Senate had passed bill,
entitled San act for the relief of Thomas w.
Scott. of pinwiddie county.
A resolution to rescind n resolut ion. fixing n
time OF adjournment OF the General Assent bly,,
and designating another day, communicated
from the Senate, was taken up. Mr.. McKES-
zIE moved the indefinite postponement of the
tion-and the question being on cgree-
ing thereto, was put and decided in the aflirma-
iive-ayes 63; noes So.
A Joint resolution in regard to the move
ment OF troops and arms within the limits of
this Commonwealth, by the General Govern
ment, with the amendments proposed thereto
by the Senate, were taken up. Mr.. COLLIER
submitted an amendment to the Senates
amendment, ard the question being on agree
ing thereto. Mr.. CowAS moved the indefinite
postponement of the whole subject, and the
question being on agreeing thereto Mr.. CowAE
demanded the previous question, and the
question being, Shall the main q ues ton be
now put? was pat and decided in the mega
lye-ayes 90; noes 6i.
The question being open for debate,
Mr.. SEaAR said that hitherto he had been
silent as TO the great questions of Federal
import which had been discussed off and on
during the session, but the extraordinary and
re evolutionary resOiu lions which had been
sent from tile Senate forbade his longer ST.
ierce. Inc resolutions directed 4 seizure, by
military force, Of the property of the United
States, and he could not sustain them. He
would sooner die in his seat than cast his vote
tof them. He maintained. first, there
no necessity for the intense excitement which
had sprung from this matter and of course
70 necessity for the adoption of the resoIu.
lions: secondly, that we had nc moral or legal
right TO pass them; thirdly, that the seizure
would be an act of war and finally, that the
great excitement and alarm psryadng the
country, and the revolutionary action of the
secession party and the seeding States, had
no just warrant in the facts of the case The
excitement about the transfer to Fort Mon
roe of the guns from l}ellona Arsenal was
wholly uncalled for. 1t scarcely rose to the
dignity OF a tempest i'll n teapot. What We're
The facts In 1887, the Government, through
conf act cd Dr. 4 ahhr
Tor Sundry cannon, to be delivered in Rich
mond. The very date of the contract exoner-
ated the existing Government from all hos tile
purpose in reference to the guns. The guns
having been made, the con tractor wanted his
money, and applied for payment, and to his
application IL was replied, that on the compli-
ance with his contract by the delivery of the
guls in Richmond, the money would be maid
and the head of the Ordinance Department ac-
cor iingly advised Dr. Archer to deliver the
guns TO ColQuitt Co.. in Richmond to be
ny them re-shipped to Fort Monroe, the chief
Virginia depot Tor the reception and keeping
OF National arms and munitions of war SO |
the Irst movement of the guns had it's origin !
IN an act of indebtedness of the Government |
toa citlZen OF irginia, in need Of aud demand |
ing ntS money, In such q movement, no hos |
hie intention could be detected. 1t was but |
the doing of al ordinary act in the ordinary |
routine OF the business of department of the |
war o1ilce and it was done without any reyu.
lar military order OF the head OF the War De |
paftment, which at once negatives the idea of |
any inconsistency between the statement of |
he officer OF the Ordnance Department, and |
that OF the Secretary of War. Thus far the |
facts gave no ground for the supposition that |
the Government designed 10 employ the guns
against irginia, or for any dangerous or i'm
proper use And IT is conclusive against any
hnlf1endiy or warlike intent on the part
81 the Government, that the Ordnance De- |
partment, immediately on being appraised that
the fenoVai 0tiRe guns had provoked excite
heht, notliisGt0f. Archer not to move them
/ II
or Tor the passage of these harsh and Illegal |
resolutions Besides, General Scott HAD said
that there was no need for the guns a t Old
Holnt, there being large number of super
huneraTy cannon already there. The simple
truth was that the guns We're to be sent to
fort Monroe because it was the only conve-
iient depot in Virginia to which they could
De sent. 1t was not only the most natural |
and proper place to send them TO. but the only
one IN the State within convenient reach -
L ne panic which had arisen from these simple
circumstances were unworthy the chiyairy of
iFginEl. 1t could have no other effect than
o scare timid women and children and did not
become groWn-up and bearded men. If Virgil
iia, under l'roFocation so slight, and circum-
'tances so little and significant, adopted those
,esolFes, she would provoke the ridicuIe and
Contempt OF the brave and fearless all over
he world. And was not all this fuss about
,h-se guns one, in a series of measures
iesished TO precipitate Virginia into Sc
ession Secondly, the General Assembly
ias no right 10 pass these resolutions The |
ans are the property of the Government
nat All admit. Fort Monroe, the point to |
' y ilet 'het were 10 nave been transported,
belongs also 10 the Government. Virgins |
y solemn act of Assembly, and by formal
Ieed duly recorded i'll the clerks Office of his ,
ouhty, coded and transferred all her rights ,
ttie, ana jurisdiction in and TO the lands n :
,id Point Comfort, for purposes of fortified =
ION ana National defence. Then, if the guns q
we're the property Of the United States and ,
1,a roina Comfort were :so the property of
ne United States, what right had Virginia tn | n
ay her hand upon these gums or nre,.sn. -
helr removal 20 the lands OF the limited y
'tates man said Mr.. s., Illegally takes nv g
orse ,aho the law pronounces the act larceny- q
pialher language, stealing. Now what fif n
erence, he begged to know is there either in | n
hofals or In law, between the act OF an indi T
iuuai Illegally taking and carrying away v
no.ne1 persons property, and that of a I
't5te uolig The very same thing? Do we | '
nake the thing better by paving for thu onns a
iief they shall have been seized? Not at all | n
ne wrong Is IN the seizure and appropria- /
ION. II d man steals my COW, does he escape v
ie moran intamy or the legal penalty of the t
CT! Mr.. =. said he should regard the mas | I
tse OF Inc resolutions as 4 foul stigma upon
ne GOOD name OF the STATE. II would dim her n
'cuteheon forever. God forbid that she should {
SO dishonorabie and dishoncring an act - Il
e Jar 81 did not mean to say that there /
ere no circumstances under which Virginia j
iSht properly take possession of the cannon | [
she We're at war with the Federal Govern a
ent, or if by revolution she had dissolved 8
i connection with that Government, the h
'inciples of self-defeuce and of well settled I
ternationl law, would Justify the act n
ut not at war with the Federal Gov | /
nment our connection with it is yet undis-
lived; Virginia is still in the Union, and being r
It member of the Contederacy she was :
,und by all the duties and responsibilities of h
lat membership. Observing those duties =
Id responsibilities, she could not seize ard | "
opropriate to herself property that was held h
T National purposes, for the common de- | +
nee, that, in other words, belonged to tha :
mon or the common Government. Thirdly ! /
re argued,) the seizure OF the guns bv the ! n
late would be an act OF war against the Fed | =
al Government Tho taki "