The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-28
Evening Session.

The Committee met at 1 o'clock and was
called TO order by Mr. PRICE, of Greenbrier
Mr.. WISE resumed the floor and proceeded
to comment on the. position occupied bv the
gentleman from Portsmouth 'Mr. Holladuy)
in the morning, after which he made an arril- :
ment ON secession, which, he said, those who
advocated the report of the majority might
vet be called on 10 support He contended
that the report denied the possession of
sovereignty, while it maintained the right to
withdraw from the Confederacy. He asked
what would shield them, when they came to
this, but the independent sovereignty of the
State? The Commonwealth, he argued, re-
served all her sovereignty, in reserving the
right of resuming her powers. He wanted to
be placed ON safer ground than revolutionary
ground. The ground he desired To occupy
was the ground of State-rig ghts and State
sovereignty. The shield of law must be
thrown around the people, 10 protect and
guard them, and with this assurance they
may safely raise the flag OF revolution When
all was done, consistent with the law, Sta te
and Federal, if no one else would raise that
flag, he would : and if that be treason, make
the most of it
Mr MAcFARLAxD said that he had no refer.
ence TO ulterior objects, but elementary and
primary objects. he asked whether an intel
ligent people could be justified in violating the
terms OF their own agreement? Did any one
deny that irglnia had delegated to the Gene
raj Government a variety of powers which
concerned her in ternal interests? q? Could any
one maintain that, after this delegation, Viz
GiUia ndu reserved utf pO OWerS IN defining the
term " sovereign, A" he contended that no one
could be sovereign who depended tor subsst-
ence upon a superior power. SO long as Va.
remains in the Union, She is liable all the
laws of Congress. Would any one say that
while Va. acknowledges the jurisdiction of the
Federal Government, he would muster a
force to resist the execution of its laws? The
direc tion of Mr.. Macfarlands argument was,
that while Virginia remained in and claimed
the benefits OF the Union, she must acknow-
ledge its supremacy. No power on earth was
sssoyereign," from whose award there was an
appeal He thought il we acknow lodged the
amendment proposed, we should not only
commit an error in theory, but be guilty of a
mai ai-appiication of terms. He hoped that
the gentleman from Princess Anne, ii he
should hereafter notice his argument, would
confine himself TO a reply 10 the question,
Can a State be absolutely sovereign who has
delegated her material powers 10 another
Government
Mr. WISE had never heard such catalogue
OF questions so often reiterated Beau Brum-
nell before George the Third, with all his i'm
pudence never did exceed the bold bravery
of the old Federalism which spouts out from
the gentleman from Richmond. The noun
tain which he had raised did not reach the
magnitude OF a MOLE hill Mr.. Wise pro-
ceeded TO define the term sovereignty" and
cited the examples of the Papal States, and
Turkey in Europe, who were sovereign, though
8 subject TO the dominion OF controlling pow
err Iedenied that the thirteen original States
OF this Union, in deiegating their powers TO
the Federal Government, also resigned their
SO oyereignty. 1t was not gift. but grant in
trnst which deprived the gran tor OF nothing.
Mr.. WISE continued TO discuss the subject in
q general way, for some time, urging his views
with much force.
MIR. MOORE, OF Rockbridge, asked the Chair
IL the rule excluding gentlemen from speak