Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-19
The Virginia State Convention
TWENTY SEVENTH DAY.

The Convention met pursuant to adjourn
rlent, and was called to order by the FRESH
dent. :, - ,ho
Prayer by the Rev. Mr' MITCHELL u '1'
Presbyterian Church.
FEDERAL RELATIONS
Mr. GeGGS-I ask the indulgence OF the
Convention this morning to enable lie 10 pre-.
cent TO the Convention. that it MAY be referred
70 the Committee of the Whole, q proposition
by way of amendment to the report which has
been made By the Committee of Twenty.one.
with view 10 bring about some tangible and
nraA,ical points to be reached in this important
subject which has employed our deliberations
for Such length Of time. shall not this
morning attempt any discussion Of the propo.
stioh which propose to submit, but my o.
icct aimply is, t, enable me 70 place it before
tile Convention in such form that it may be
presented, when printed, to the Committee OF
the Whole, where l will endesvor to have It
placed by way Of amendment to the PROPOSE
lions Which. are now under consideration.
will read, for the information Of tho Con-
ventiun, what propose:
AN ORDINANCE Or THE STATE OF VIRGINIA..
Whereas, the State of Virginia has made every
honorable effort to restore the friendly relations
which should exist between the General Gov
eminent and the several States Of the Union
upon terms perfectly just TO all, but decming it
unnecessary to refer 10 the causes OF complaint
which have existed for series Of years, still
more aggravated as those causes now are by
| the declared purposes Of q mere sectional ma.
| iority-and as al the efforts so made have prov
ed neutrality-suspicious. reciting the differences
of opinion which exist in regard to the powers
Of the SUITE Government or those the Govern
ment Of tue United States IN derived from the
reserved rights Of the one, the constitutional au-
thorty Of the other, or the inherent rights Of
! the people constituting Government which
seeks to protect tue persons and property OF
those who compose and who have ordained and
established it, against the abuses Of such Gov
crnment itself or which arise from its conneX-
| ion with the Government Of other States, or
that Of an association Of Statcs-the people OF
| Virginia, in Convention assembled, dIem it
| proper now to declare that tho time has arrived
when it becomes them to assume as they do,
their position as tho people vi Il sovereign indie
pendent State.
l. BE it, therefore, ordained By the people OF
Virginia, and they do hereby declare, That the
said State is no longer one Of the Union Of States
known u the United States Of America and
! that the people Of the said State owe TO allie.
glance or duty to any Government whntso
ever.
Q. Be- it further ordained, and it is hereby
declared, That the people Of the said State DO
! resume all the rights Of property, or the use
thereof, which have been granted by the said
Site TO the Government Of the United States,
o. which have in nnywise accrued TO the same
| BY reason of the connection Of tho said State
| with the said Government by the assent of
| the said State, given with view to the protcc.
ton o. her own people, aud the people OF all
| the other States, composing Q Union formed
! under IN agreement that II should establish
justice-insure domestic ranqnilily-prOvide
for the cpm1non d-fence-promots the general
welfare, and secure the blessings Of liberty to
themselves and their posterity agreement
having been violated and the objects Of the
Union perverted SO as to defeat the purposes OF
justicc-to destroy the very foundations OF
domestic tranquility-to lessen the means Of
common dcfence-so as to disregard the Objects
of the general welfare Of sne entire section Of
the Onion, and thereby to entail, IN that Sec
ton, injury and oppression upon the people
thereof, and upon their posterity forever.
8. And without determining, al this time,
whether the State Of Virginia will unite her
self with any other State or association Of
States, in any common government, this Con.
vcntion doth respectfully and earnestly request
that the States Of North Carolina Tennessee,
kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Arkansas and
Delaware will, as soon az possible, appoint
commissioners to meet commissioners to, be
appointed by this Convention. in the city Of
Lexington, in the State Of Kentucky, on the
last " ednesday in May next to confer togeth-
err and to propose plan OF constructing
Government to be formed by the said States,
| Virginia inclusive, and the Confederate States
Of America. Such plan OF Government, how
ever, to have no binding authority till the same
shall be adopted and ratified by this Conren-
| ton And for the better accomplishment Of
the objects intended, the Haid Confederate
States Of America are also respectfully request
ed to send three commissioners to the Confer
| cnce herein proposed, who shall be invited, at
such time as may DO agreeable to them, to ad.
dress the same. That each of the States here
in before named, shall be entitled to as many
| votes as it had Representatives and Senators IN
| the last Congress, in the Conference herein
proposed. That the Commissioners to be ap-
pointcd by this Convention shall make report
to the Governor of this Commonwealth, as
speedily as possible, OF the result Of their dc.
| the same hy proclamation. That on the 18th
| ,lav after tie date Of such proclamation, Gun
| less the saue be Sunday, then on the next
div, this Convention shall re assemble in the
CITY Of Richmond, at such place as the Gov
ernor shall designate in said proclamation, nnd
shall then and there consider the report Of the
said commissioners, and all other matters
which at this time are, or may then be, proper
| AL; h., E,rn
relations Of the State Of Virginia 10 any other
Government or Suite.
4. And it is hereby ordained and declare byd
the people Of Virginia, That they do recognize
and acknowledge the independence and nation.
atty Of the said Confederate States Of Amer.
ica and tina. they will extend To the said
States any aid which they, the said people OF
| Virginia can command, or which Inay he re-
cessary to enable the said States to maintain
their independence, or against any coereire
measures which may be adopted by the au-
,horitics of the United States.
o. Be it further declared, That the people Of
! Virginia have ever cherished an ardent attach
m,nt for the Union and the Constitution Of
The United States while it was the bond OF
peace and fraternity; and that it can now only
be restored upon the original basis by All
amendment Of the Constitution through the
primary agency Of the non slavcholding States
themselves proposing suitable and sure guar
aotees, and by full and unconditional, plain
and positive recognition of the rights OF pro.
pcrtv in slaves, as held under the laws ofany Of
The States; 50 AN also to obtain satisfactory as,
sursnces and guarantees. for the future, as TO
4 slavery in the District Of Columbia; as to the
bowers Of the Federal Government over Afrl-
cen slavery, and the employment Of slave Ia.
bar in the forts, arsenas. dock yards, and all
places ceded By the States for Federal uses !:
as to protection against excessive direct taxes on
slaves as to the rendition oftusitive slaves;as to
tho transit with slaves through any ofthe States
by land or water, and of the right Of transpoT'
,asnn on the high seas of slaves from one
State to another State OF Territory; as TO the
protection Of slave property in the comD,o''