Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-20
STATE CONTENTION

too much, when we propose to these States to
~ mo Conference With us. telling them, how
in advance, that We have laid down an
ultinatum which we expect them to approve,
and also, gay to them that they not only must
acr. TO our terms, but also, let Virginia die.
tste what States ar, 10 unite in forming the
new Government-who are to be represented
in the Congress, not only SIS delegates, but as
Commissioners
This Course Of policy is by no means no
specliu! ~ these States. This Conference will
prove 70 re y mere farce, il we pursue such 3
plan Of action. When OUT Commissioners 90
to Frankfort, | desire that they shall have
some power, some discretion, md not to place
Virginia in the attitude Of debating everything
that is 10 re done. Ii she desires a Confer
encs OF the Border States, she should at least
caatec as to the action we should take ~neh
we determine to seceGe, when and on "hat
terms We will make u new Union. Events Will
clearly Indicate what course should &c pur-
sued, in less than s!X months !. 0yseii, am
in favor of uniting With the CcnieoeraIeo
States: bu; there is no occasion nov 10 deter
1nliIs that question. LIE: W. all uhaAe IN
our discrimination tc secede, 1t our terms are
not ACCEPTED, leaving our future action to De
directed hy such lights a. we may have when
called on 10 net.
What | propose is. that We should ask
these border States to hold Conventions slml-
lar to ours and to meet on the day we are 70
re assemble, to act in concert With US we
NAV then be able 10 meet together to form q
new Government, or to attach ourselves 10 tne
S,u.bern Confedcracy, as we may deem best.
II should be the policy Of all, as | am sure It Is,
to unite al parties. and make our rePort as salts
-1-o.ll~ 7 az ,S OF THO Cfp 20
OF our proceedings, do nothing to DIVIDE our
counsels, that We are not necessarily requireo
to act on Ct this time.
II vol, indicate one course OF policy aere,
you divide this Convention about half and
half How much better will il be to wait Tor
future developments TO indicate our future
course. About one half Of this Convention
would BE- fr uniting, il forced to secede, with
the Southern States, and the other moie.y for
20 constructing in tho manner indicated By the
resolution Of the gentleman from FauQuier,
(Mr. Sco7r.) Let us, then, leave to future
events our course Of policy in this respect
Mr. FLoCRNoE-i cali for the yeas and nays
upon that amendment
The call vas sustained, and the roll being
called. ccsulted-yeas ~. nays So, as follows:
Yssa-Mo,,rs Amber. J. Barbour, B!skey. Boi,,enu.
sors,. Boulai,. Branch, Bruce, cseeli. Cecil. chsno;ss'
e ar.pan Il +. t Gfrsory. Jt. ooss'a.J ): doodle 7 +: Goods
F. L. Male, Cyrus Hal hs.vie. Hoieombr, aIDton, i'beu'
Ms'rco, Sebit,s, Richardson. sssweil, s~Iaaehter. Staples,
s,rans=. - se'!in, Tuosuton; TseAa"ay' T. d TaFner'
N.rs -Meis-s. Jona Ianury, (Presiaent,) Armstrong,
Al on, o .idsiu, A 81. Barbour, Baylor, se7iin, b'o",
sasS BOD, Brent s,oTn, sardels. Barley' sy ror.
.sh. x i Conrad. Couch. C'iteher. Cusits. De,.s. Dssklns,
D. usn, palany, Early, f.en'h, fugste, !lesp!e, GrayelJ,
BARD, dug Is, Hui. Jackson. 81 Johnson, /: 6: yOha.es,
Kipy, Lewis, McComs,, scGre~, hscsarldnd,J }. j: Nal.
lory. Mur,hsu, Marys M.sln Ms,is1A Mss.t', Moore,
faSh. Rvs, II E. Scott, Sharp, sihinston, sosthau, spur
' Sn,;t : !: siess .n 81 WIFE, sIsE,, 1 MIlso a. Mss! "'us' ""'s'
So he amendment Of Mr.. SLAgG9TEs was
rejected.
Mr.. CARTER Of Loudoun, paired of With
Mr.. SHEFFEY, Of Smyth.
Mr. t'LorRSor, Of Halifax.--I propose to
amend The amendment of the gentleman from
Fauquier, tMr. ScoTT.) BY inserting in the third
line, after the word CONSTITUTION" the words,
',preseated by this Convention"
fais amendment, Mr.. Chairman, If adopted,
will make the resolution consistent throughout
and consis;ea: nos only with the 18th Sec
ticn. bat with the amendment proposed by the
GENT, man from Charlotte, (Mr. BortD,S,) al
the end If IA. amendment Of the gentleman
f.ou Fauauier, and which wss adopted b. this
Committee
NJ. FLorn1oY then read the anendmen. re-
fered TO-. Il will be found reported elsewhere.
The llih section looks to the presentation,
upon the adj iurnment Of this Convention, Of
the proposed amendments to the constitution,
tina: shall be adopted by this body, immediate
" 10 lie Northern States, that they may at
once inarsnra;s such measures as shall be
necessary - enable them 10 respond to the call
OF Virginia by the time that this Convention
shall t. as 'e'nb!e.
The 18th section, however, looks to the
assembling Of e border Conference ut Frank
fort in the latter part Of May, and connected
With the amendment OF the gentleman from
doao: which body i, to present the amend
mrn;s 10 the constitution proposed TO the vote
OF the Sorih-,his Convention or that Con
7,n.ion a. Frankfort and We ought not sir,
i'm ,yinc, when we shall have gone through
with h. work 10 hand, TO leave those Tho
are IL act upon our propositions, in any doubt
as 10 he lime az which that action is 10 be
commenced ard unless these words are IN.
serted lhe Northern States may very well
doubt whether they are OF once to ipauguate
steps 10 take the vote Of their people upon the
amendments 70 the constitution proposed By
this Convention, or whether they are to wait
until the Contention at Frankfort shall Assem-
bic ard debate. and amend or alter or adopt the
propositions which this Convention shall adopt
Now, sir, il the North is to respond to US
upon the re-assembling Of this Convention
which it has been indicated will take place in
Oc,e5er-i. ia necessary that the North should
have oil the time that can be allowed them, By
speedy action of this body, and by presenting
these resolutions directly to the North upon
the adjournment Of this Convention, that they
may accomplish the work that We desire them
to accomplish By the time that we re'assemble.
But il it is left open to doubt, OF if the con.
s~lructioa Is placed upon it here that 1t Is The
Conversion at Frankfort that is to present the
6na, propositions. then the propositions cannot
be presented until the latter part OF July. AL.
lowing that the Convention that shall assemble
OF Frankfort has only one-half the propensity
for discussion that has been evinced in this
body. it will be July before the Convention at
Frankfort shall agree upon the propositions to
be presented to the North; end as the North
will not commence its work until July, and rs
the people OF The nineteen States must be call
ed together to cast the vote of their States
upon these propositions, the work will not be
accomplished before the LIST Of October.
1t, therefore, seems to me, that the amend
ment which | propose IS an important one. 1t
gives hnul!ty to our acton. 1t enables this
Convention 70 address itself directly to the
North, upon It's adjournment and the North
at once 70 it's work Of voting upon
these amendments, and by the time we shall
rs,assenble, We shall kno9 whether they will
respond favoreoly or not hope it will bs the
pleasure Of the Committee to adopt the amend
ment, and let it be consistent with the 18th
resolution. so that both the 18th resolution and
the amendment Of the gentleman from Fau-
quier, (Mr. ScorT.) shall be so construed, by
the PLAIN terms used in each, that there can be
no doubt upon The mind Of any man, that Vir.
GINA IS presenting her final determination, and
does not wei. the conference Of the border