Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-04-09
Virginia Convention.

WEDNESDAY, April, 3rd-Mr. Stuart, of Dod-
bridge, continued the debate this morning in ia
vor of an 0d ualorena tax upon negroes; after
which the Convention went into Committee OF
the Whole, and Mr.. Scott, of Fauquier, took the
floor, and held it until the recess, in an argument
in favor of the Border Conference, which, in the
event of failure to receive favorable responses
from the Northern States, would he conceived,
bring about peaceable solution of the pending
difficulties and an eventual reconstruction of the
Union. In the afternoon Mr.. Richardson, OF
Hanover, spoke in favor of immediate secession.
THURSDAY, April 4th-The fourth resolution
Of the majority report, as amended, was adopted
to-day in Committee of the Whole.
Mr.. Flournoy moved to amend the fifth by
striking out the words sand to aid in suppressing
domestic Instructions" thus making the decla-
ration simply "that the legitimate use of the
forts, &c. is to protect the country against for
eign force" Agreed to by ayes IS, nays 81.
Two other amendments were rejected.
Mr.. Carlisle moved to amend by striking out
the whole resolution. Negatived by yeas IA,
nays 115. The resolution was then adopted
The sixth resolution was then taken up, and
Mr.. Harvie moved to strike out the whole reso-
luton and insert the following:
Resolved, That an ordnance of secession, resu
ming the powers delegated to Virginia, and pro-
viding for submitting the same to the qualified
voters of the Commonwealth for adoption or
rejection at the polls at the spring election in
May, be adopted by this Convention.
Mr.. Goggin moved to amend by inserting his
own ordinance, but withdrew it,
Several motions that the Committee rise were
voted down.
Mr.. Harvie's secession substitute was then vo.
ted down-the vote on its rejection being yeGs
forty 1Sve, nays eighty mine.
FRIDAY, April 5th-The Convention continued
the consideration of the report of the Committee
on Federal Relations, the sixth resolution being
up. Governor Wise made various motions to
amend, all of which were rejected. He then
proposed substitute, which was also rejected,
ayes 81, nays %. The resolution was then a.
dopted. The seventh resolution was amended
and passed. The eighth, which affirms the right
of secession "or just cause" and protests against
| coercion, was passed over for the present. The
ninth was amended so as to speak of the seces.
sion of the Confederate States as withdrawal
from the Federal Government" instead of as the
"exercise" of fright" 1t is still under consid-
Grafton.
SATURDAY, April 6th-The Convention had az
exciting session to-day. Mr.. johnson presented
a petition signed by fifteen hundred of the people
of Richmond. He said that the signers cOnsti-
tuted only one third OF the voters of the city,
though the petition had been in circulation sew
eral weeks. The ninth resolution being under
consideration, Mr.. Bouldin moved substitute
declaring that the separate independence of the
seeded States ought to be acknowledged with
out further delay. The Convention, ayes 68,
nays II, rejected the amendment. The eighth
resolution, containing qualified recognition OF
the right of secession and a declaration against
the exercise OF the Federal power forithe subju-
cation of the people of seeded State, was
slightly amended and adopted. A motion by Mr..
Carlisle to substitute President Madison's Ian
guage, justifying secession only after the failure
of every Constitutional resort, was rejected
ayes o. nays al. A resolutson, offered by Mr..
Preston, of Montgomery, declaring the uncer-
tainty which prevails in the public mind as to
the policy of the Government toward the seeded
States, to be injurious to the interests of the
country, and unfavorable to the adjustment of
the pending difficulties, and appointing Com
mittee to wait upon the President and respect
| fully ask him to communicate to the Convention
the course he intends to pursue, was adopted,
but the vote subsequently, reconsdered.
| Mr.. Jackson, of Wood county, made vehe-
ment speech against the resolution, declaring
that his constituents would never consent to
join South Carolina. Lieutenant Governor
Montague sharply replied, and the Convention
| adjourned il excltementfh the hope OF q better
spirit prevailing on hond&y.