Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-03-29
sPEEoH OF ,J,UDcE sUMsIERsi,

Sermons, 80 cents onch. lioyIIgsS
SPEECH OF JUDGE SUMMERS.
/ The Conclusion OF his Recent Great
seceBsions and In Favor OF the Peace
/ Conference CompromIEes.-S0me Ex-
/ tracts worth ReadtnE. .
Bu', Mr.. President, not only are our most
| material interests TO be- thus effected by
this remedy of secession, but In other
aspects the consequences are not less
worthy Reconsideration.
I Eurupe IS divided into. numerous sepn-
rate nationalities, bounding each other-
\ iFrNwning fortrcsses, ibastions, embrnsures
and all the preparations and mnnimcnts Of
war aud standing armies constitute n ne
| cessity of the European system. Now, in
the uuited' Stntes we have heretofore had
! ne occasiou for apprehension from internal
4 disasters and outbreaks. Our gcOgraph-
| ical position at the same time, has given
safety from invasion from abroad. But,
\ sir, when yOn shall divide this country by
thesslave line--a line of 1000 miles be-
tween the slave and the free States-you
! at once perceive that you arc Immediately
remttted to the European status. The same
causes which bring about standing armies
\ and preparations for defence and war the re
| will bring them aboute here. We have
| every reason to believe thai, in FIVE years
time after a permanent dismem berment of
I! this Union there will be stnndint army
| of at least 100000 men on each side of the
line. 1t will be the only mode of safety
Tor either. 1t would only be the fear of
each other that would keep,the peace. 1t
is only that which keeps the peace in Europe
now it would be only that which would
/ Keep the peace here. AS one section en-
lSrged its army and navy, the other wouhl
ind 1t necessary to make corresponding
1 incrcase-Precisely rs you find England
4 and Franco watching each other, and in
creasing their military aud naval forces
\ Pari pdssu. 1e ae3s "a .fes19ii
+ will not goiuto au examination Of tho
1 expenditures necessary to support and
| uair r-1tn the new government, with its ar
my navy. That. these would be vastly
augmented none can doubt. The increase
of expense would be brought upon our
people, with diminished means and cnpac-
ityY on their part, to meet and discharge
might;adycrt to our constant liability.
! after separation, to border raids aud inSa-
stonsi the worst population on either side
of the line having it in their power TO
trtXg the two sections into strife ut any
time. of} .5of5c
regard secession, then. SO far from be-
| ing remedy for the evils of which We
complain, as an aggrayOtion of them all,
K nndsas Introducing and fastening upon us
new mischiefs, of the ostinjurious, ifnot
| fatal character
Mr. President we talk about passing an
ordinapcetof secession here, nm ortiinauce
/ for the immediate and separate secession
of Virginia, in the condition of the public
mind Of thepeople of this Stntel Where
would be the wisdom, the prudence of
such n measure, il there was n maioritiin in
/ this Convention favorable tU it?
With the known thought and sentiments
of the people oE Nirginia, cannot believe
that this Convention would, if it could.
4 pass an ordinance OF secession, and send
| it out TO be voted down by larger ma
jority than that which registered itself
in favor OF n reference of the action of
/ this Convention to vote of the pen-
pie. for ratification or rejection The
people of Virginia do not intend to acce IT
and ratify an ordinance of secession until
every effort has been exhausted to avoid IL;
luhul Virginia has performed her d0ty and
her whole duty to herself and to the peo-
pie of this country. If we pass this ordi-
nance of secession before the consnmmn.
ltion and exhaustion of all those efforts
and the performance of this whole duty,
we shall send it forth only to be over
whelmed by the waves Unpopular disnppro-
batiOn and Indignation; to be buried so
deep in the ocean that nOtieven bubble
will arise TO the surface to point the place
I where IL went down.
l. Coon with your patriotic eudenvors-
make these Efforts honestly, hopefully,
fully, and to the last, and when nll has
been exhausted; and when tue people of
Virginia, as an enlightened and consider.
ate people as they are, shall be satisfied in
their heart of hearts, that there is no alter
native, that We cannot and ougi: not re-
muin longer with tho States to which we
are now connected, then, Mt. President,
and then only, the Commonwealth as a
Commonwealth ought TO speak and act
united from centre to circnmfereuce-uH
ted from the Roanoke to the Potomac, from
the sea shore to the Ohio. 80 5si5
But / am here TO demand and protect
the rights of my people. came here to
speak as freeman ITO ieltberatesas such ;
aye. aud TO deliberate and speak boldly,
nninhuenced by all and every extreme of
tpressure whether from within or Eiihout.
When gentlemen talk of passing an or
sdtnance of secession, what do theY mean
Have gentlemen averted to our position !?
Have gentlemen, I say, ayeEted to our po-
sitlons and our snrroundings3 You ask
TO take YirgiuiR nnt of the Union by :, n
ordinance OF Immediate and separate Sc
cesston. l am here, sir, as one of her
sons, to protest against that COURSE
Where is Virginia, and what are her du-
Itics3 Genllemen OF the Convention, bear
with me for a moment while refer to the
subject Where ate you7 Here lies
SIsrylapdiih yopt lap-=lying son Jour, lap
for safety and protection. Maryland,
within whose limits Is situated the capital
Of this on-MatE land has not even
called q AcouyeLtipn or = legislature
which has yet made no move towards a