The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-26
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION.
r EN- L II d AY


The President announced the following Sc.
lect committee, under Mr.. Tredways resolu-
iion adopted on Saturday to make ino uiries
A. 10 whp ther any movement of arms or men
has been made hy the General Government
indicating a purpose TO coerce Virginia: Messrs
Tredway, Pcndieton, Boulim, Wilson and
Mallory.
AMENDMENTS To ruE CONSTRUCTION
Mr. HAYsoSD offered the following rcsoIu.
ton, which. on his motion, was laid on the
table and ordered 10 be printed
Rrso'rsi, That the Constitution of this State
shauij be amended, and that this Convention will
AfHend the Constitution wherein il is necessary
srd proper that 1t should be amended, aud viii
submit the same amended To the voters of the
sale for iheiradoption or rejection
Mr.. HAIL, of Wetzei. offered the following
which, on motion Of Mr. CHAMBLIss, was laid
Oh the table
Re,olred, That a committee of tweptv-one he an
pointed by the Chair. TO he styled the Com mitc ce
tu the State Constitution. and that thew report ,o
the Convention what amendments, If any, are
eessaTy at present TO DC made to the present State
Constitution.
PETITION.
Mr. CHAMBtIss, OF Greens willie, presented a
petition from Robert II. Collier, Esq, of Pc
iersburg, making sugges tions with regard to
the present condition of the country, which
was read
Mr.. NELSON, Of Clark, moved that it be laid
upon the table, but withdrew 1t temporarily
Al the request of Mr.. CHANBIIss who had
previously asked for the reference of the pc
ttion TO the Committee on Federal Relations.
Mr. CHAGsLIss adVoc tied the right of petit
ton, and said the sugges tions of any citizen
Were entitled TO the consideration which they
deserved.
Mr. N"'s0x was in f"vor of tho right Of
peu uon ba oppo ed to re ference on the ground
,ntA II "oatu "prn tiit do Jr Tor an enuioes
number of petitions, which would consume
too much time. He renewed his motion 10
lay upon the table, and Mr.. CHAaBLIss called
for the yeas and nays.
The call being sustained, the Clerk proceed
rd 10 call the roll, and the vote resulted-yeTas
Is, nays 9S. So the motion to lay upon tire
table decided in the negative, and the pc
iition referred 10 the Committee on Fede-
raj Rela ations
COMPENSATION OF OFFICERS
Mr.. Johnson, of Richmond, from the Com
mlltee on Compensation of Officers sof the
Convention, made report. The report allows
the President, i'll addition to his mileage, IS
per day the Clerk, including compen sation
OF assistants, 500 per week; Sergeant at
Arms, $50 per week each Doorkeeper. $2S per
week each Page, Sli per week Superinten-
dent of the Hall, MT. John D. Smith, So per
day, including compensation of servants, &c.
The report was adopted.
THE NATIONAL DIFFIcULTIEs
Mr.. MOORE. of Rockbridge, offered the fol-
lowing resolutions:
LIST. Re.ousd, That the conduct of the so-caIIed
Zee states, in resisting the execution OF the Fugi
live slave LAWN refusing 10 give up criminals
heeins from justice-aud in seeking to deprive
the Southern States of any portion Of the common
territory Of the Dati"n-and of their citizens, in
circulating incendiary pamphlets among us-in
furnishing arms to bands If assassins TO invade
our borders, aud murder our people-with other
hagraut wrongs, is such a. TO require prompt re-
paration OF the Injuries Inflicted and justify Vir-
SIn1a IN demanding, as she does demand, full nd
annie security that those wrongs shall not be
peated.
II. That Virginia can never consent TO become |
member Of any CuntedeIacy, by the Constitution
II which the opening of the African slave trade
sd. That Virginia will not become member of
any 'unfederaey, the Government Of which, OK !
der cirruy stuu =. la.
supper! ed by direct taxa lion.
+th That this Convention doth approve of the
amendments to the Constitution Of the Unitod
states, proposed by the Crittendeu resolutions ;
and declare its readiness to accept the same as "a
satisfactory adjustment of existing controv versies
between the Northern and Southern States
5ih That IN the event of the amendments re-
lerred to, or other equivalent amendments TO the
Constitution of the United States not being adopt
ed, virginia will be ready to enter into compact
with such States a. will agree to said am enc ments;
hf whiGh me present Hoverninent OF The United
States shall be declared to be dissolved as to the
States So agreeing, and that they will thenceforth
constitute a new, Confederacy under The Consti-
tuition so amended, from which all the states not
&c agreeing shall be excluded
MIR. MOORE proceeded 20 advocate his reso-
lutIons. lie spoke OF the grievances solely
inflicted on the Border 5 I'll tes and drew dis
tine ction between them and those inflicted on
the seeding States. He thought our griev-
ances Were a matter of entire indifference to
the seeding States, and that they were only
brought forward now 10 induce Virginia to go
into the southern ConfedeTacy. After read
to illustrate this position lie went on to say
that they cared nothing about the slaves we
had lost. They Were also for free trade; while
the interests OF Virginia demanded that the
revenue i'll any Government 10 be formed
should be raised from imports. South Car
olina had endeayored to dissolve the Union
long before our grievances commenced for
our loss of slaves had been chiefly during
The last fifteen years. He contended that
he election of Lincoln not the cause
OF the disruption only the occasion-and
he read from South Carolina pamphlet
TO show that the cause had existed ever since
the formation of the Confederacy. He be-
heved they contributed as much as any
other State to the election of Lincoln-that |
they went to the Democratic Conven ton with |
purpose to break up the party and dissolve
the Union. There was no policy in common |
between the border States and the seeding |
States. 1tis the interest of Virginia 10 keep |
slave property high, whilst it is their in terest |
70 depreciate it and in this connection he al |
luded TO the probable re-opening of the Afri |
can slave trade. 1t was their policy to sup |
port the Government by direct taxation and |
10 show what would have to be thus support |
ed mentioned standing army of 20, 900 men, !
which 1t was believed would be necessary, |
making the cost OF Government 500, 900 900 per |
year, OF which, according to his calculation,
iTslnia's portion would he 1T, 1000 900 or ST.
W0,o00; because indications We're against the
secession OF Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri,
kentucky, Delaware, and Maryland. Vir
sinIa would be saddled with burden
III addition to the completion of works in
which her vital interest was involved,
greater than she could bear. With refer
rhce TO the threats of abolshng the inter-
State slave trade. he said he did not choose
70 De intlmldated by such threats as Mat
ne also scorned the impu Ia tion tha& Virginia
%ouid skulk under the prote9aion OF the
Noftl, and dlsdained a eonuec tIon with Il
people who could make it. There Were other
q" "~fes,s to be considered besides King Cot
ION. What would cotton be worth unless
there were demand for it. King Spindle
anu hing Hog. he conceived, were as potent
aS hihg Cotton. The Cotton States cannot
t h.t without manufactures, nor can they live
"ithout something TO eat. With regard TO
secession, he took the view that it was reyo-
iotonaTy remedy, and denied thai Virginia
uad n reserved 10 herself the right TO secede.-
iie urged Virginia 10 act, without waiting for
the resi- ult of the Peace Conference. With re-
caro- 10 the nth resolution, he said it was pro-
p'nie New England would not agree to it,
@ "Hu ne "as not anxious that she should. He
would welcome Georgia and Alabama back,
DN' preferred that South Carolina should stay
out ~ una she had learned 20 treat us with re-
pTVt mr.. Moore proceeded to define his po
.t .ttoa at some length, expressing his desire
Iiat irghia should be prepared for any emer-
sehcy' lie would go with her wherever she
"eht' unless she went where she would be
~ssfaced His interest was with Virginia,
, aha forever. In closing, lie brought for |
"aio publication 10 show that England, so
, ... rom wanting TO abolish slavery, was ex-
Union /
Mf' 'tooDg, Of Bedford, desired to enter his
rto.est against the views submitted by the
kfpphtienan from Rockbridge, which had given
i,a n,' as a member Of the Virginia Con yention,
10 ,aiaa npressibie pain. lie (Mr. Moore) seemed
~ ~ inexperienced the object of this Conyen- |
@ s'oh lie had aimed his big gun entirely ,
aKaihst the gallant States of the South, and | I
haa .ai gwen not word OF rebuke To those who