Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-30

period, offer my report as 4 SUBSTITUTE o. "'
whole. 49, o~ontle.
mon from Amelia has indicated what VIII o'
bic course as to the amendment. anu having
oven notice Of his purpose TO olier IT., l ASK
the same indulgence; and | wish to say ina,
,wbeneyer the gentleman from Amelia sl'Ai.
offer his report as q substitute Tor the fepco.t
now before the Committee, | shall move, II IL
bc in order, to substitute my proposi'io!'s 'oI
,be report of the gentleman from Amelia.
aid not understand the Chair as deciding tha'
onv nroposilion which was offered as = sunSt''
tute for the whole Of the report OF the oou,
mittee of Twenty-onc was not suhJect 10 alie''o'
ment onerd.
ment in part, so as to perfect 1t oelore '"'
final vote upon 1t IS taken. rb,;,
Ar GoccIy-Du ] understand the Chalr
10 deciding that if an amendment is offered ny
tho gentleman from Amelia. that amendment
is not subject to amendment! III,
The CnA,R1As.-It is subject TO parusl
amendment; bu: a motion would mol oe III
nrJrr TO strike out the whole oft, and insert
another. The gentleman from BEDFORD can
toxic the same course that the gentleman from
Amelia has taken. r.u
Mr. GoGcls.-I merely wished to indicate
.hat i was nv purpose to bring my PROPOSE
lions in competition with the report oi the gem
tleman from Amelia. =,
The C~uA1raAS.--The Clerk will proceed to
road the first resolution in the report OF the
Comrniltce on Federal Relations.
The Clerk read the first resolution as tolso"S:
81, BE !. resolred and declared by the people
of the State Of Virginia IN Contention esseT'
Es1 That the States which composed the
United STATES Of America, when the Fcucral
PROSTITUTION was formed, were independent
soycreicnties, and in adopting that instrument
tho neSple OF each Stale agreed 10 associate
with the people Of the other States, upon a
footing OF exact equality. 1t Is the duty,
therefore. OF the common Government to re-
snect the rights Of he States and the equality
Of the people thereof, and within the just limits
of the Constitution, 10 protect with e'luai care,
the great interests that spring from the ihsI''
tutions Of each"
Mr.. MoyTAGrEI move TO amend That reso'
, luton. As it now stands it reads, "tnat Tue
, States which composed the United States oil
America. when lie Federal Constitution was
: formed, were independent soverelGnticS, &c;
/ | move to amend by inserting alter tho ~oru
"wcren the words "and still are so that It
will read s.wcrc and still arc independent soTe'
. %reignties."
Mr, CONRAD. Of Frederick trust that tbs
$ amendment will not be adopted. While It IS
r probable that there might DE no difference OF
e opinion between the gentleman and myself, ye'
:. | think, il he locks carefully 10 the phraSerlo'
gy Of this resolution, he will find that 1t really
/ does not present the question winch II!
wished TO raise before this Convention.
I lie will see ;l.at it does not speak Of
the people Of the States SO as to ra'st
g any question whether the people Of Virginia
q arc or are not 4 snvcreign and independent
people. It speaks of the State in its corporate
capacity. We'll now, Sir, | think the gentleman
# as 4 constitutional lawyer. would be prepared
n to admit that the State of Virginia, in its poll
teal capacity MS a State, is not properly speak
4 inc indcnendent, because the people ot thu
i State Of Virginia have made it, by the adop
ton OF the Federal Constitution pro tanto dc
pendent on and subordinate to the Fedora
Government. UnqucstiDrablY the Fedora
Constitution says that the Constitution arc
laws enacted under that Constitution SHALL b.
paramount to any laws enacted by the State C
Virginia. We cannot, therefore, with any sor
of propricty hold that the State in its pol'tlca
CAPACITY remains after this adoption OF tina
. Constitution, independent: Of the Federal Con
s%titution. 1t wonid b. al affirmation IN fac
D. that the State Government il independent G
the Federal Government.
Now, while the people Of Virginia as | ad
nit, have the right at any moment to declare
e by overthrow Of the Federal authority, tina
IN they resume their independence in regard
n, that government. yet l cannot admit that ate
e, the adoption Of the Federal Constitution an
H. while the people of Virginia do no: choose
r., sever their connection with the Federal Coy
crntnent, the State Government "hicfi the
Is, have created and to #hicI they have given
'r, mart Of their sovereign power, if the scnl!eIna
; chooses to call it SO, is entirely independent {
Z, the other government which they have ais
Oh created, 10 wit, the Federal Government; an
although this would, perhaps, be a very Hi
J" terial alteration, yet so far rs il is OF any pra'
ticul consequence, [ cannot imagine That III
8 Convention will adopt il. certainly cannt
a eonsest to it. tecaassii Ia Us i a" la&ycr I a,
;. unable to uni rin; and | think that upon relir,
: ton my friend himself will be unable TO 4
firm.
IL Mr.. MONTAGUE desire 10 say just OF
word in support Of my amendment. knee
very well befJre | Offered it, What was tn
= view of the distinguished gentlcman vino la
just taken his seat. | knew very well that b
- believed this Federal government at Washing
~ ton was a consolidated central government
= and that the States we're merely corporation
:! dependent upon it.
D. Mr.. CONRAD, of Frederick-The gcntlen!a
: does not state my position correctly. neSc
u did say | believed or claimed that The State
were mere corporations ou the Federal govern
mcnt.
!. Mr.. MoSrAGrE-I ain glad the gentlena
" has made that explanation. The gentleman
then does not believe that the government a
. Washington is L consolidated central govern
!" ment. Then it must be n government whicI
is the mere creature Of The States. And If
:. is a mere creature Of the States and not Il con
solidatel government. | ask how you can ar
rive ut the conclusion that the States are no
y sovereign and independent? But the gentle
man says the Constitution of the UEitet
" States declares that all the laws, treaties, &c.
made in PURSUANCE thereof, shall be the Su
> preme law Of the land, and that the States b,
asserting to that, have ignored their sorereignt,
SO far as these questions are concerned. BuI
, he says that the State Of Virginia can, il Sli,
thinks proper, break her connection with tn
J. Federal government, dissolve her relation to !
= and withdraw from the concern. l ask tn
gentleman and | ask the Convention, how NIr
> ginia car sever her connection with the gen
eral government, if she is not sovereign ant
e independent? how can it be done? ask th'
II question and call upon every member Of thi:
Convention to answer, whether the admission
> upon the part Of tie gentleman from Fred
' ~rrici, that the State d Virginia Can do tl,a;
is not an admission that she IS II sovereign anr
independent State?
Mr.. Chairman, I had an object in view il
6 offering this amendment, but l have no dispo
Sitinn To discuss my motives about anything
, suspect thai n majority Of the members Vi
this Convention entertain the opinion that Viz
ginia is rot n sovereign State now. Her people
i, have always entertained the opposite opinion,
and | want the people Of Virginia to sec