Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-11


fact, sir, when bargain is broken even between
independent soveTeigntieS, sotne liability at
taches growing out Of the broken bargain
desire to know in what quarter the liability il
found If it is not 10 the government must i
not necessarily be TO the other parties lc tS,
compact And il il be only to the parties I;
the compact, does it not follow necessarily tha
those parties only eau deal with the question
understand the amendment Of the gentleman
from Princess Anne 20 concsde that the ques
tons growing out of State secession arc 10 b.
doslt with By tho other States US parties to tn
government compact, and that his amend,nen
announces the proposition that the government
as an agent, must forbear to deal with the ques
tons growing out Of ituntit the States wht
are the other parties to the compact tuko &C
ton. That, Sir, is the principle Of tho >resolu
tions reported by the committee. That is III,
very doctrine intended to he ap,ounced by tn,
9th and 10th resolutions.
Mr.. WISS. Tin his seaD-They do not toncf
it-ei;her Of them.
Mr. ScorT-Now, sir, entertaining exactly
the opinion which understand the yentleIual
from Princess Anne to entertain, that it is re
served for the other States, MS parties to thi.
bargain or con.pact to take sclion upon thi:
question, would ask him in what manner ht
proposes this action to be taken? A NatiOna
Convention lie seems 10 have mortal horror
Of; Yet, nc says, these other States are 10 take
acl,On.
Mir. WISE, (iii his Scat) No, do not
Mr.. SCoTT--I undo stand the amendment O
the gentleman to say that The government
shall forbear until the other parties take nc
tlon concerning it The amendment: there
fore, couternplates action upon the part OF the
other States And what, desire TO know, is II
what manner the gentleman expects that &C
tion to be taken
They may take ii through general con7cEI
ton, Or they NAV take it in anoihcr waiT. a.
may seem mast proper and desirable. But
say tc the gentleman from Charlotte, that
think ne altogether misunderstood the argu
Iaer. OF the gentleman from Frederick, (Mr.
CONRAD when he supposed that from anrt!ilng
that :tll from hi.n he had tie right 10 conclude
thar these withdrawing States "ere still to bt
regarded aS members Of the Coniede'acy.
understand ali of Us ccnce1e that these States
nave withdrawn and are without The obtGa
tions Of the Government compact; arG II re
mains for the other States 10 take SUCH action
tnuctiag their Withdrawal rs to them seems
proper. And we mcaa To deny the power upcr
the part OF tue Federal Government, 10 d=a!
with these questions at all. Now, how the
! States s:e 10 lake action is Question tor them
/ alone 10 Getcrm ne What a:tiUn they are Il
| take is question for them 10 decide, aud
cannot See the point Of difference between ths
j amendment proposed oy the gentleman irou
| Princess Anne, and the proposition OF tbs
! Committee in their report mean any SUI
stantiat difference in principle. The purpos.
Of the amendment, if | comprehend it, seems
/ to be the same as tie purpose of the rcsou
ton, that is 10 announce IN respect to these new
aud novel Questions, that the government shat
not take action, but thar al! action REMAINS t.
be taken 5Y ,he other yar::es 20 the compact
aud tba: ii they desire the government to a.
AZ their agent, ihe" tuust communicate new
power.
Here he hammer fell.
Mr. WISE The gentleman says have
wonderful faculty for finding cut eats in tht
neal" Lei !ne SLY ,ha: # have such :: iac
ulty, it is BECAUSE be has very remark: PIE OF.
Of covering Up SO nany cits in the meal.
MAYER save n Gentleman 80 thoroughly SecretlSt
in n.s props;,si!es as lind the gentleman Il
be. tave watched him constantly. have
TO watch him constantly, und he las trained
me to a pretty good understanding OF his pur
! poses
Now, sir, the gentleman says that the :epoT
! itself, in the 9.h ana lV!h sections asserts th,
same principle as the amendment Ii does nt
! such thing. What do the Committee on Fed
ersl Relations assert? That the Federal CIV
| ernneat is to iorbpar! This Committee assert!
no such thing anywhere. The language Is
! that ''th. Fcaerui authorities under the Con
/ s.tuton a. it Is, d!Sc tn the power &c
recognize the Withdrawal of any State,
! &C. The report says no Sucn thing as
that the Federal authorities are to tUrbear
touching these questions; but they merely
avow the fact that the Federal authorities dis
claim the power to recognize the Withdrawal!
State do not concur with the Federal gu
thorties, and I want that we shall impose
u most authoritative demand upon therl
until the States shal! act. And there, the gen
| ,leman takes turn upon me that is nc! ia!!
one He says that my umehdInent is INTENDED
j to make the States act do not care whelhcl
they sct or not. Ny resolution proposes nc
such thing as tina. they shall or shall not act
I say .heY ;rav Or niay no. act. All want &c
say here is that until they do act-Or whether
they act or uot-'he Federal Government shal
be instructed to forbear to exercise the power.
of the sece,irI States until the other parties tt
line Federal Compact shall act. So that there
is no difficulty there The resolutions do no
declare that the States shall act, but to satisfy
the gentleu,an on that p,int if this amendment
shall be adopted, when ws come to the lOtt
section I snail propose an amendment to shO"
now they should act. -.
she! then propose that the people OF fir
4 u q bD:r them
selves, to the recognition Of the separate inde
pendence Of the seeded S;ates-tnat theS
Shall be treated with as independent powers
and that the proper laws shall be passed e
give effect to such recognition"
Well, sir, suppose the other States 90 no
act-supDose that they are long time IN act
ine-stil! wish this Convention, speaking iol
the sovereign people Of Virginia, 10 say lhat W.
REQUIRE that the Federal authorities shsii ho
merely discIain the power 10 treat WIN tnos'
States rs independent powers, but shall 'oroes'
to attempt to execute Laws over them ~hic'
they dsclaim The resolution reported oy
this Committee leaves then free to execute 'he
laws against the seeded States, snd thereby u
bring upon rs civil war.
Now, | contended, in my FIRST ten minutes
that the Federal Government has power, ulrea
dy, to make coppgc!S with them, to n'ahe
treaty with them, to recognize tnem-"y 'hs
convertible forms by which we admitted Loui
siuna deny lhe doctrine that they have moi
the power to keep the peace. They he:c tht
power to treat with them. The President o
the United States might have submitted an
agreement TO The Senate, and, if confirmed by
the Senate, it would have b=en, hy the iour;l
provision Of the Constitution IN regard TO trea'
ties, the supreme law of the land. believe
that 20 6isclaim tie power 10 treat and get u
leave with thein the power of executing the
laws in the meantime, until the power to t'ca'
shall be Conferred, is to expose The very heart
of the ua,ioa to civil war. Tho argument :"
the gentleman from Charlotte, tAlr. BouLDlS.,
IN, ;.vt LrSit answered yet
But conceal it US the gentleman, (Mr K. !.
a - =, .,ora directly or indirectly aS