The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-15

Convention would fall short of that mark
He believed they would stand fully and firmly |
on all that was demanded by the rights the |
interests, and honor Of the State. And hence
he would go forward with this bill, which is
meant to guard and protect them, in the con-
fdence that the action OF the Convention
would be in accordance with the policy al
ready adopted by the Legislature. He al
lowed no weight to the argument address,
ed to us by the Chairman of the Finance
Committee, founded on the condition Of the
Treasury. If the measure is wrong, or un-
called for, reject it if proper and necessary,
pass it, and if more means are wanted, let
him bring in a bill to raise them. Nine men
out OF ten in Virginia want the arms to be
supplied which this bilffs to furnish They
will cheerfully bear the necessary taxation.
He begged the House to beware how they
took a step that must lead to a false and most
dangerous delusion. The defeat of the bill
would be looked on n change of policy. 1t
could bear no other Interpretation and he
thought the time had never been when Vir-
glnla was more called on than now to stand
firm and unmoved on the ground she had
with such unanimity assumed, and had
long maintained. He hoped the bill would
have now, at first, the well-nigh unan-
Imous sanction of the House.
Mr.. kEMrER opposed all propositions to in
definitely postpone, lay on the table, or other
wise delay action on the bill. Some weeks
| ago this House had unanimously passed the
! bill. What light had since dawned upon his
dis tinguished friend, CMr. Haymond,) and
| others, more miraculous than the light that
| had converted Saul from a slayer to a saint?
Was the Legislature now, in the very agonies
of this crisis, to persist in the policy of vaci
lation and delay-to deliberately back down
| from the purpose of resistance proclaimed to
| the world one month ago, and,
Like the King Of France, with forty thousand
| March up the hill land then march dow n agan?''
| When the State almost destitute of
| powder, nitre, sulphur, had no cap-machine,
| neither munitions nor machinery for their
| manufac ture; when your very Metropolis is
| found to be, in military sense nearer to New
| York than to the heart of your own State,
| des ttute as you are of all coast defences in
view of the fact that this bill would supply
these wants, would fortify your coast, and
| forever close the gates of the Common wealth
against invasion, are we to be told to pos stpOne
| action in the hope that a Black Republican dy-
| nasty would mercifully spare us? He spoke of
| the appalling responsibility which would rest
| upon the advocates of delay, if war came upon
| us; argued that the only means OF averting
| the horrors of civil war was thorough prepar
| alton TO meet it; that if the preparation pro-
| posed in the bill should be instrumental in
preventing the ce elamities of war, then
| the appropriation asked for would prove
economical, remuneratiye and beneficent :;
| but if war was inevitable, then the ap-
preparation was, OF all things, the most indls-
| pensable for the preservation of the lives of
| the people, and the honor of the State. Gen
| tlemen had argued as if the advocate of this
| bill We're afraid of Abraham Lincoln. He, for
| one, aVowed he was afraid of the infamy of
| rule, and preferred death under upon
the battle field. He was afraid to expose the
| bosom of Virginia tnGrmcd to the bayonets
| of Republican myrmidons.
| He repudia ted the idea advoca ted by some,
| that it should be left to the discretion of the
| Governor or the Convention to suspend the
| appropriation, and at some length further
| argued in favor OF vigorous action by the Lee
| gislature and denounced the policy of delay.
Mr.. BARBOUR said he hoped it would be the
pleasure of the House to pass the bill with
the amendments made by the Senate. The
best way to avoid war was to be fully pre-
| pared to meet it. The fact that q Convent tion
in this State was initiated, had caused a con
sternation in the Black Republican influences
| i'll the North. After the result of the Eir.
| ginia elections were made known and miscon
ceiyed at the North, all purpose of concilia
| ton to the South was abandoned. If gentle
| men desire to destroy the last lingering hope
| of any restoration of this Union, let then
| pursue the policy recommended by those
opposed to this bill. We are to be lulled by
propositins of peace. Upon what basis dC
| these predictions rest? Does the North move
| in the direction necessary to restore the Union
Mr.. Barbour had yet to see the first indsca
| ton of any purpose 10 move in that direc ton
Could Virginia originate any new moyemen
, | in that direction If this House could be re
| garied as a fair exponent OF the purpose of tn
, people of Virginia. any new movement origi
: mated in Virginia would discredit the Com
+ mOnwealth. The preamble and first resolu
ton originating the Peace Conference at Wash
t ington was adopted in this House with fou
, dissenting votes. This House, by that vote
! ! declared that the General Assembly, "repre
. senting the wishes OF the people OF the Com
. mon nwealth, We're determined to make fina
5 effort to res tore the Union and the Cons stitu
| ton in the spirit in which they We're es
I | tablished by the fathers of the Republic :;
/ | and therefore resolved to conyoke the Peac
| Conference. This final effort OF Virginia wa
f | a wretched failure After the failure of thi
| final effort, ,{and he is a bold man who will sa
| it has not been a failure,) is it consistent wit
| IA honor and the dignity OF this Common
| wealth to institute some new devices, and thu
| to belle her own record he meant to reflec
on no gentleman. Each must settle the ques
T | ton in the forum of his own judgment an
a his own conscience. He could only declare TO
s himself, after the part which he had borne i
: | the passage of those resolu tions, he considere
" | IL utterly inconsistent with his views OF per
), sonal propriety and public duty to put Vii
II | gnit in the position of making any new ad
:. | vances for peace, after the failure OF what ne
e Represen tatives had declared to the wori
: | was her fndt effort. As he saw no indicatio
# from the North of any movement for restora
a ton, he was bound to regard the permaner
Il dissolu ton Of this Union inevitable, an
n | would act accordingly. lie lmplored the Hous
q not to delay the bill.
: Mr.. KEEN, of Pittsylvania said he believe
1t was upon his motion this bill was taken u
. upon its final passage before this House.
y should vote for the bill, and against ever
/ motion that looked to its defeat, but not *
y the reasons assigned by the gentlemen frol
l., Culpeper or Monroe. As to the question
n East and West which gentlemen had though
r | proper to introduce, he had only to say, /
% | entered his protest against it. When he can
% ! to this body, he came here representati'
. of his people, (and he thought truly0 as vi
ID ginian knowing their rights, and a people WI
20 dare maintain them. He came here TO mai
no pledges to East, West, North, or Sout
,s but TO occupy the position of virginia.
m | Though from a border county on the Soutl
is Side.) He believed that whenever tne III,
Io | shore Virginia would be one and lndiTlSibl
ID As to the idea that it was nece ssary TO the pa
,S | sage of this bill because of the action OF Il
Peace Conference solutions, he dissent ted.
~ The gentleman had forgotten another sectit
q | of this bill, which provides that the actlon
a. | the Peace Conference should be submitted
=. the Convention. That body was laborlons
10 | engaged as to the ac tion of said Conference.
,s Upon that action, l have only to say, II
a. people will abide He had frequently carri
a, revOlvers &c, but never with any idea OF /
he timidating any man born on american sol
hut that he meant to say that ne VINO II
ot reason to suspect that his rights Will be
1e yaded, is fool if he does not prepare nimst
o to defend them. / am for defence. Let VIII
Nm | will come, veal or woe, the stout nearts al
If strong arms OF Nirginians VIII defend thel
4 selves.
q, of Messrs BAssELL, CAPERroS, and Other
40 spoke eloquently in favor OF an lmmedla
vote on the bill. Sundry Western membe
ba including Mr.. BoRBMAN, INDUCED in the SAL
~ style of remark as Messrs. CRANE ana IOWA
aI The House agreed to allow Mr.. kEAPER
90 ! withdraw his motion Tor an indefinite po
90 ponement MIR. CARPENTER called the preyio
,n question on laying on the table. The Hou
%. refused by large majority to lay on the tap
he The question recurring on agreeing 10
ne | Senate amendment is, the ayes and noes We
of demanded, and resulted in the adoption OF
W senate amendments by a vote OF about
,, to II.
=, The SPEAKER laid before the House co
VA VA munication from the Committee on the Pc
We tertiary, relative to the condition OF that
~ stituti0n, and the store thereto attached.
-, =, | the Renorter comprehended the figures re