Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-04-10
Important Proceedings In the state
Convention.


RICHMOND, VA, April O. 1861.
Tue Vtrginia State Convention reassem-
bled isfOrenoon.
Secession resolutions from the people
presented.
Mr. HoLLIDAY said that the signers TO
the latter constituted n small minority of
the people OF the county.
Ar.'JoHNsoS presented apetition for Sc
eession, signed by l,5oO people of Rich
m0nd. He said that tue signprs constitu.
ted only about third of the voters of the
city, thouglit had been weeks in prepara
tion.
TlIc ninth resolution was taken up in
Committee Of the Whole, aud the ameud-
mcnts offered yesterday defeated.
Mr.. BOuLDiN moved TO strike ont the
whole resolution and insert The following
substitute:
9. The States ofsonth Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana
and Texas, having withdrawn from their
association with the other States of the
Union under the Federal Government, and
unitcd il separate Cou,ederacy, the.
state OF Nirgiaia is of opinion, and hereby
declares, that tho separate independence
OF The seeded Stutes ought to he acknowl-
edged without further delay, and that such
treaties should be made with them, and
such laws passed, as tue separation mas
make proper.
The committee refused to strike.out by
yeas 6s, nays II.
Other amendments were rejected, and
the ninth resolution adopted by SO to 81.
The following is the resolution as adopt
o The withdrawal from the FederSt,
Goyertunent Of the States OF South Cdf6-s
lima, Georgia, Florida. Mississippi, Aii-a
oama, Louisiana and Texas, without the
assent of the other States, has given rise
TO new conditions, and presented questions
touching those conditions Intimately af-
leetiug the rights aud safety of the other
States. Among these are the free navign-
tion of the Mississippi river, the maiuien-H
ance of the forts intended to project the
commerce of the Gulf of Mexico, aud the
power to restrain smuggling along the i'm
terror borders of the seeded States; hut
the Federal authorities, under the Consti-4
tuition us it is, disclaim power 10 recognize
the withdrawal of any State from the
Union, md consequently to deal with these
questions, holding that it is reserved only
10 the States as parties to the Govern
ment compact to take lawful action touch
ing them.
On motion, tie Committee referred back
to the sth resolution, which was read by
the secretary, as follows:
8. The people of Yirginia recognize the
American principle, that government is
founded in the Cousent of the governed,
and they concede the right Df the people of
the several States of this Union, for lust
causes, to withdraw from their nssociaiion
under the Federal Government with tho
people of the other States, and to erect
new governments Enr their better security.
and they willTcver consent that the Fed
eral power, which is in part their power,
shall be exertcd for the purpose of subiuS>
gatlng the people of such StlIes to the
Federal authority.
Mr. CARLILE moved to amend by strik-
ring out ll after the word 1nnd,r in the 3i
{ liue, and iuser: in lieu thereof the follow
ing:
Tin the language fvirginia's Illus.
trious statesman, james Madison, whom
tue people of Virginia have been taught TO
I Yenerate and revere rs the wisest, safest
and trucst exponnder of the Constitution
which lie so largely contributed to con-
struCt; that that instrument 'makes the
Government TO operate directly on the peo-
! plei places at its command tho needGul
I physical means of executing its powers,
and finally prorlaims It's supremacy, and
( that of the laws made in pursuance of it,
over the Constitution and laws of the
States, and subject to the revolutionary
I rights of the people in extreme cases; that
political system whichdGes not provide for
Peaeenble and authoritative Termination of
| existing controversies would not be more
than tie shadow of a government, the OBJ
Ject aud end of real government being the
substitution of Law and order for uucer-
tainty, confusion and violence, that in the
event Of failure of every Constitutional
resort, and an Accommodation Of usurna-
tiopt and abuses, rendering passive obeili-
fneq and dnon-resistnnce greater evil than
iresistAnee and revolution, there can re-
main but one resort-the last of allan
appeal from the cancelled compact to the
original rights of the law OF self-preser-
vatton. This is the ultima ratio of all
Governments, whether consolidated. cuu-
tederateds ora compound of both 1t can
not be doubted that single member of the
Union, IN the extremity supposed. but in
that only, would have the righs. as an ultra
and constitutional right, to make the ap-
pcal"
n Ihs 3. COMMITTEES refused to strike ont by
ayes %, nays ll4.
oI motion Of Mr. Suuucrs, the words
I ''they eoneede,r in tue tLird line, were
stricken ont.
The resolution was then adopted, when
the committee rose.
Mr.. PREsroN, offered a aresoiutfonauthnr-
iaing the appointment Of delegates to wait
on the President, present him these resolu-
lions, aud ask him to communieats TO the
/ Convention the policy the government in.
tends to pursue.
The resolution WAS modified on the suo-
gestinn Of Mr.. Baldwin and accepted 6y
Mt. Preston as ll0ws.