The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-02
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION
FORTIETH DAY

PRAYER hv the Rev. Mr.. PETIaRrg. OF the
DISCIPLES Church.
NJ sorrH.LL, of Aleemarle, rose 10 a privi.
laSe8 question. lie said he received few
dSvs ago 4 copy OF the proceedings OF meet
inc held AT Scoftsville, in Aibemarie county
and considered this the place fer replying 10
nv al4usion 10 himself in one of the resoln-
,ious He conceded The perfect right OF any
poriion Of the people, whether few or many
n assemble for dehberalon on affairs OF pub
lie concern. and, II need be- TO crlncise the
ronduct OF those 70 whom they had en- ntrusted
the discharge Of public duties. hut he also
held ihs, il would be proper tor them to pos
Sess themselves Of full information previous
10 passing judgment The resolutions were
rtSd hv Mr.. SoU rHAII. They cenSure him Tor
his course IN the Convention, aud instruct
him - vote for an Ordinance of Secession, III
accordance with the tendency of his cam patgn
speech ST ScOttSNllle.
Mr. SorrHALL corrected The impression
which had beeA sought to be created as to his
eonrse III the canvass, that he woEid go for
secession unless fhe tiiiticoitis We're adj
before the 4th of March. His position WAS
ghat unless there were prospect of an ad
Iasimeni before the adjournment OF the Con
yeuuon. no alternative would be left To ' ir
gluIa but to resume the powers which she
delegated 70 the General Government, and TO
show that injustice was done him in these
resolutions. he read from publications which
he addressed II the people of Albemarle pre-
yious 10 the assembling of this Convention,
taking the ground which he here Indicated
Upon this evidence he claimed that the
chsrseS against him were unjustiiiable. lie
pad compliment to the intelligence of the
people of Scottsyille whose confidence he had
enjoyed during the period OF his political lie :;
but In the late election he fell far short OF
majority AT that precinct, showing that they
were fully aware OF the position he had oc
CupIed in the canvass. With regard 10 his
course in the Convention, he claimed that
there had not been 4 solitary vote taken which
went IA commit any gen tleman as TO his ulte-
nor purpose \ et these good people had has
lily condemned him, with no shadow of eyi-
dence 10 sustain them. In reference to the
right OF instruction, he had never entertained
bat one opinion; and that was, that AS be-
tween the representative and his constituents,
upon every question of eIpediency, he was
the direct represen tative of his immediate
constituents, and 10 them he was responsible
for his action, though 10 some extent he might
BE- the represen tatiVe of the State large
He believed that since the election of delegates
10 this BODY, those with whom he had differed
had increased IN number, though to what ex-
tent he was nnabie TO say. Whenever it
Cculd ba shown 10 him which side had the
majority, il would be his duty to reflect their
wishes but SO long as there was a doubt, he
should adhere TO the position he had occupied
from the firsi.
COMMITTEE or THE WHOLE
The Convention, according 10 order, went
into Committee OF the Whole. Mr.. SoUTHALL
in the chair, for the purpose OF considering
the report OF The Committee on Federal Rela-
lions.
mr. BARBOUR, Of Culpeper, took the floor,
and resumed his remarks.
He commenced with an ailusion 10 the hank
Tupt condition OF the Government at Wash
irgtou, and produced circular addressed 10
the censns takers of thiS State, setting forth
that the Government WAS unable 10 pay for
the service rendered by these officers but
would 10 50 as soon as possible, and advising
them not to dispose OF their claims AT a sacri-
nce- A Government so deficient in the
''snews OF war was entitled to but little
consideration from Virginia. He then intro
duced evidence on The other hand to show
that the Southern Republic was possessed of
all the essential elements of a high and ma
rional character,-in point OF wealth and re-
sources, greatly in advance OF the North
Was Virginia assembly 10 sit here and
not recognize fact which was about TO
be ackuo Wledged by all the Powers on earth
The nationality of the Southern Confederacv
as & Government he fGct0, as shown by pub-
NCaron in the London NetcS, was 10 be recog-
nzed by England and it would be by all
other Governments, unless Virginia should
unfortunately institute the exception Yet
here ii was proposed to adjourn over for six
months, with view 10 continue the Union
win bankrupt Government, shutting our
eyes meanwhile 10 the great events going on
In the world around US. The Washington
Government had not yet proc taimed its re-
cognitlOn Of the Con1ederaIed Government
yet all It's acts We're based<upon such q recoy-
milton. Lit was fact that there was a sep
aTate independent Government at Mon tgorn-
cry, was 1t not wrong TO refuse TO look 10 that
iaci and TO persist in these nupotent efforts
Washington True craftsmanship he con-
eelNed, was governed by circums tances and
so every member ought 10 be governed with
out reference TO any card that he might
have published before the election. The man
who to-day insists that the course of Virginia
should be controlled by circums stauces as they
existed on the lst day of January, closes his
eyes 10 the events that have been transpirns
aTOuRd US.
Mr.. BARBOUR would go into no Free Soil
Government, separated from the seeded
States. ii they are brought back, it will have
TO De done by regular treaty and annexation. |
They would never, he contended give up their
Government, wholly devoted as it was to |
th-iT interests, on mere sentiment of attach |
lneAt 10 old Virginia. The majority report /
recognizes the tact that there are two Gov
eTumentS, and desires TO confer upon The |
Federal Government the power to deal peace
aoy with The question, and TO make treaties |
WIN the seeded States; thus recognizing
theIr independence, but still asking for a Ma
tiyh0t C0HreRtlon, TO treat with them A
National Convention TO negotiate with the Sc
otded States, for the protection of your inter-
estA, while yon are the side of the North
ern States, coyenanting with them for the
protection OF those interests, This was a
ankee trick in which he desired no part
on were to sit, with folded arms aioof from
the seeded States, while the n o-th was TO ne.
gollata a treaty with them for your protection
II We had 10 go through this probation as the
committee OF Twenty One and Mr.. VIM H.
seward say we nave 10, extending through
4 W
opinion that we should wait in the house of
our friends, instead of IN the house Of our en-.
eAies. The fact Was recognized that the
mon was dissolved, and he asked why there
should be any fear in choosing between the
t"oT Was there any danger 10 be apprehend-
td N the Government at NJ ntgomery lie
thought there was great danger in the Gov
eTAinentat Washington. The former afford |
~ complete protection and relief; and to sus- |
TAN this position, DIR. Barbour produced
abundant statistics of Southern trade, de-
A-1Ae tratIng the certainty of the revenue 10 | ,
aeclue IroIn The great staples produced in the ,
desirable condition OF the Northern Govern ! ,
iArut, cut OH from all the material advanta- | ,
yes OF commerce and manufactures He as r
'AMed thdt II the whole South would at once
tske position 10 make the Northern people ,
lee! their dependence, they would submit to !
any terms; but he opposed an experiment GO :
Ag through any length OF time, and then let Z
ing 1ankeedon come IN on their own terms, 7
win Virginia swinging on as an appendage. !
In proceeding 10 urge the policy CT uniting {
"lth the seeded States, Mr. Barbour sati- '
ihed with some keenness the course Of those '
satesmen ia the Convention who profes i
. KNOW what Virginia ought 10 do in the '
inergency, but dstrusted the Intelligence of |
ne people in this respect. He was equally =
aoStic IN MS references To the proposed ad- e
oarnment and 10 the Border Conference C
ne tendency Of some of the Border States z
wards aboiitionism was freely commented d
pom, and applied as argument against G.
@ ieir nthess TO advise old Virginia what to do 5:
'Ith her hall million slaves. He hoped the /,
,oa inlttee would open their eyes to the as
M 'una1ns iacl that In the proposed confer m
aco, tns.hId and North Carolina would own "
as nan oi All the slaves there represented Ii
nd that Virginia, owning one. third of The n
hoir humoer, would be entitled TO but one 81
ote among the eight States in consultation n,
his argument, he conceived, dispeIIed the n,
am OF an identity of interest III in xUas | ~
- IN ntention of gentlemen 10 destroy the in h,
ltntion OF slavery in Virginia, they would M
ain.'. Pf"1te.'y r. - P''ey Iatu uoWn IN the tii