The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-02-14
Michigan Legislature..---The Virginia
Proposition for a COnventiOn..-Caucus
of the Republican Members.
LANSING. Jan. 80, 1861

| LANSING, Jan. oU, lOOI.
On Saturday last the Governor sent
into the Senate the following preamble
and resolution of the General Assembly
of Virginia, adopted on the 10th inst:
Whereas, 1t is the delibarate opinion
of the General Assembly of Virginia
that unless the unhappy controversy
which now divides the States of this
Confederacy shall be satisfactorily ad-
justed, permanent dissolution of the
Union is inevitable and the General
Assembly, representing the people of
the Commonwealth, is desirous of en-
ploying every reasonable means to
avert so dire calamity, and deter
mined to make final effort to restore
the Union and the Constitution, in the
spirit in which they were established
by the fathers of the Republic; there
fore, f
ResolUed, That, on behalf of the
Commonwealth of Virginia. an invita-
tation is extended to all such States,
whether slaveholding or non-slavehold-
ing, as are willing to unite with Vir-
i ginia in an earnest effort to adjust the
present unhappy controversies, in the
spirit in which the Constitution was
originally formed, and consistently
with its principles, SO as to afford the
people Of the slaveholding States ade.
quate guarantees for the security of
their rights, to appoint Commissioners
to meet, on the 4th of February next,
in the city of Washington, similar
Commissioners appointed by Virginia,
consider, and, practicable, agree upon
some suitable adjustment.
Resolued, That ex-President, John
Tyler, William G. Rives, Judge John
w. Brockenbrough, George w. Sum.
mers and James Seddon are hereby
appointed Commissioners, whose duty
it shall be to repair to the City of Wash.
ington on the day designated in the
foregoing resolution, and to meet such
Commissioners as may be appointed
by any of the said States in accordance
with the foregoing resolution.
RESOLVED, That if said Commission.
ers, after full and free conference, hall
agree upon any plan of adjustment re
quiring amendments of the Fedora
Constitution, for the further security OF
the rights of the slaveholding States
they be requested TO communicate the
proposed amendments to Congress fol-
the purpose of heaving the same sub
mitted by that body, according to the
forms of the Constitution, to the severa
States for ratification.
DoooJ,aI rrho+ &c ell Co,,r,:o,:o,,
: ers cannot agree on such adjustment
or if agreeing, Congress shall refuse tt
submit fOrratifcation such amendments
as may be proposed, then the Commits
sioners OF this State shall Immediately
communicate the result to the Execu
tive of this Commonwealth, to be by
him laid before the convention of the
people of Virginia and the Genera
Assembly: Provided, That the sale
Commissioners be subject at all time,
to the control of the General Assem-
, bly,, or if in session, to that of tn,
State convention.
ResOlUed, That in the opinion of tn,
General Assembly of Virginia, th'
propositions embraced in the resolu
t tions presented to the Senate of th'
United States by the Hon. John ]
Crittenden, so modified as that first ar
ticle proposed as an amendment to tn
Constitution of the United States nov
, held or hereafter acquired south of lat
= itude thirty-six degrees and thirty min
utes, and provide that slavery of tn,
, African race shall be effectually protec
ted as property therein during the con
tinuance of the territorial governmen
e and the fourth article shall secure t
the owners of slaves the right of tran
, sit with their slaves, between an
through the non-slaveholding State
and territories, constitute the basis G
i such an adjustment of the unhapp
: controversy which now divides th
States of this Confederacy, as woul
be accepted by the people of this Con
monwealth.
e ResolUed, That ex-President job
# Tyler is hereby appointed by the col
o. current vote of each branch of tn
General Assembly, a commissioner I
the President of the United State
u and Judge John Robertson is hereb
d appointed, by like vote, commission
t. er to the State of South Carolina, an
e the other States that have seeded, {
shall secede, with instructions respec
fully to request the President of tt
United States and the authorities {
It such States to agree to abstain, pen'
$, ing the proceedings contemplated b
4 the action of this General Assembl
: from any and all acts calculated 20 pr
e duce collision of arms between tt
E. States and the Government of the Un
II ted States.
These resolutions were referred to
specified committee of three-Messr
Carpenter, DeLand and Monroe, WI
"a reported as follows:
- The special committee to whom w
,e referred the resolutions Of the Gener
:, Assembly of the State of Virgini
- passed on the 10th day of January ins
:, have had the same under considerable
;s and beg leave to repert:
! That after thorough deliberation
=, the brief time allowed your commit
~ ~ would admit, they have failed to d
- cover any good and sufficient reas
.e - for any of the intestine strife that sect