The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-25

Ill
Mr. BALDWIN supposed he would: and he
spprehended that such pupil was Just the
kind he would be fitted TO teach TLaughter
Mr.. BALpwrs continued to argue upon the
propositions, which, he believed, covered the
entire scope in which the Constitution re-
quired amendment As every point of ob,ec.
ton urged To the Peace Conference PROPOSE
tions had been removed, in n spirit of defer
ence 10 those who had criticised them. he
thought they ought now to command the sup
port of The distinguished gentleman from
Charles City, and others who thought with
him. He tMr. b. would not consent to a ANAL
settlement of the question by Border Con
ference, or any other conference: but would
reserve Ii for the ratification or rejection Of
the people He thought when every thing had
been settled TO the satisfaction Of the Border
States-when our Sou uthern sisters saw that
the question was settled in n manner satisfac.
tory TO Virginia, they would return and
look the issue sternly in the face; and when
they thought of the stars and stripes under
which they had marched i'll career of pros
perity they would hardly refuse 10 come back.
But should they refuse, it would stiii be the
duty of Virginia to look after her own rights,
and take care OF her own interests. He then
argued that SO far as the agricultural interests
of Virginia were concerned, she would be in
finiteiy better Off TO remain as she was, than
20 secede from the Union. The Cotton States
raised neither breadstnnfs nor live stock to
any extent, but they must have them, aud
would purchase of Virginia. In laying their
tariff, they had left these articles duty free.
do without them. There would be a free ac-
cess TO their market, and he could no
reason for seeding in order TO get TO it. If
Virginia were to secede, there would more
over be a line of custom houses between her
and the North, and protective tariff would
cut us off from all articles of material neces-
sity that we wanted to buy. He knew but
little about manufactures, III regard to which
interest all1sion had been made. He did not,
however, wish to introduce the Yankee sys-
TEN into Firginia-those immense corpora
tions of which we heard so much. He pre-
ferred the peaceful purs uits which at present
charact teriZed the Inhabitants He protested
against breaking up this great theatre on
which the experiment OF free trade was in
process of splendid development.
In conclusion, Mr.. BALDWIN apoloyizpd foY
having so long detained the Committee in lis
tening to exposition of his views When
he looked along the line of his duty and saw
the number of steps that Were necessary to
accomplish the object of his hope, his mind
often quaiied and he trembled with appre-
hension. He believed, however, that it was
his duty to walk in the path which he had
marked ont If he performed well the patri-
otic duty which he had under taken, he could
safely leave the rest in the hands of the great
Disposer of events. He would, therefore, turn
neither 10 the right nor TO the left, but would
march straight on, in the line of duty and of
right, and leave the result to God.
Mr BRUCE, of Halifax, next addressed the
Committee. He said if he had been told three
months ago that he would be in this pres
have listened with incredulity. For twenty
five years he had been buried among his own
peaceful and quiet pursuits, but some, who
thought they saw in him the elements which
might be used in this crisis had disnterred
him, and sent him here. His people were
lovers of peace, and he promised them that he
would do all he could for the adjustment of
our national difficulties without sacrificing
the honor of Virginia. He had waited, and
now he saw no ground for any such hope
Years ago, in the General Assembly of Vir-
ginia, he stood with forty others, including
the gen ntleman from Montgomery fMr. Pres
toni and the gentleman from Henry, (Mr
Gravely,) in doing all he could for the pro-
lection of South Carolina. He knew they
would still be found on the side of State
Rights. Others had cried out cruelty her !
but he WAS glad that some of those most dis
tinguished on that side We're now covered
with sackcloth and penitential ashes. In this
connection he alluded to the gentleman from
Orange, (Mr. Morton.) Then proceeding to
to speak of the gentleman from Princess
Anne,
Mr.. WISE begged to assure him that he never
cried out cruelty South Carolina but had
there been an attack upon her he would have
fought side by side with him in her defence.
Mr.. BRUCE went on to pay his respects TO
Messrs. MOORE, of Rockbridge, and BALDWIN,
of Augusta, of whom he had little hope, and
made humorous illusions which excited the
merriment of the members we'll as the
spectators. The argument of the gentleman
from Albemarle DIR. HoLCoMBE) as to the i'm
cism, he considered irresistible. The subject
of slavery he said was not question of dol :
lars and cents--d q question OF raising and low
ering the tariff. Referring to the first in tro
dnction of the institution here, he traced its
growth to the point when it had become so
| intertWined with our social habits, that to
break il up would be ruinous. He then ad-
| yerted to the uncOnsttu tional acts of the
| Northern States, and showed that hatred of
| slavery was so firmly engrafted upon the
| Nor thern mind, that to eradicate it would be
| impossible. He was of opinion it would go on,
| until it finally came to a war with the sword
| He was willing to make one more effort, and
| that would be TO put forth an ultimatum in
the name OF the people of Virginia, providing
| for the resumption of her sovereign powers in
| the event of its failure.
He proposed to enter into the delicate task
| of calculating the value of the Union. He
asked what had this Confederacy done for us
He did not mean to say that good things had
| not been done, but he wanted TO know what
| they were. 1t had been said that it secured
| us protection abroad; that one had only TO
say q am an American citizen" to thro W
| around himself 4 shield in any foreign land
| He knew that when citizen OF the South
| went abroad and said this, it secured him pro-
| lection; it secured him from Incarceration
| but he was met by the sneering remark But
| YOU are a Shareholder This had been the
| effect OF the teaching of Northern prints, and
such was not the kind of protection he wanted
We were told too, that our commerce was
prOtec ted by the stars and stripes Alas, we
| the North. Those great staples, tobacco, cot
| ton and rice needed no protec ton. The South
enjoyed monopoly in that trade. We were
told, however, that our sugar wanted protec-
ton and in this connection he argued that
this production would be better Off withou
protec tion. The wool trade was also consid-
cred, the speaker assuming that in this, as
well as in other respects, there was no pro-
| lection except in so far the North was
Obliged to protect it in order to protect its own
I interests. The advantages OF protection to
the South as well as the dangers of a border
war, in the event OF secession, he tnousAt mao
been greatly oyerrated
At this point Mr.. MoKToy, of Orange, moved
that the Committee rise
Mr.. Bruce felt some delicacy in regard to
this proposal His constituent would never
forgive him for occupying two days In an eX-
position of his views.
Mr.. MORTON insis ted upon his motion, as it
was apparent that the gentleman was ply
sicalIy unable to proceed.
The Committee then rose, and the Chair
man reported progress.
TESTIMONIAL FROM THE LADIES.
Mr. PRICE, of Greenbrier, said that some la
dies In the city proposed to bestow Il compli-
ment upon member of the Convention, and
he hoped that all would remain after the ad
journment and witness the ceremony. He
then submitted motion for adjournment, but
withdrew ii at the request Of Mr.. DoRMAS.
RErALIroRY MEASURE.
Mr.. DoKMAs. of Rockbridse, offered the fol
lowing resolution
Resolved, That this Convention recommend to the
General Assembly the passage Of a law imposing 4
license tax the sale by retail, within Virgil
MIA, Of the products or manufactures of such
Northern States as continue TO retain offensive
acts of the character known as Personal Liberty
Bills amongst their statutes ; guarding. however,
In such law, against any infringement OF the pro-
visions of the Federal Constitution.
Rssolred, That the President OF the Convention
canse copies Of the foregoing resolution forthwith
TO be sent to the Houses Of the General Assembly
Mr.. BRows, Of Preston, regarded this as a