The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-03
VIRGINIA..


A'd,css g ts Hn. Arthur r. Ipli,ss One Of he r,aa
aasith1s f'e"' Alabama, bjore ne rir7iaia Legisa-
tuss, Dc.
Ron Arthur T. Hopkins, one Of the Commissioners
from Alabama addressed both Houses OF the Virginia IL
gsatnre 10 day, In the hall oil the House Of peleg,.e
The galleries and lobby hronged with ysers, and
the address, which lasted little over an hour was ls
tened 10 with the utmost attention.
Mr.. HOPKINS began by saying that under any crcam
stances he should citizen of the SOUTH feel great
soicudc that Vii gnia should unite N tue great seces.
sion movement, destined he thought, to restore the
hon which has been diminished BY submitting long
the aegressons committed by the free tile
holding States Our against vioatins Q!
rights his been paper only, il the shape II
resolutions threatening resistance 70 any repetition Of
outrage. The resolutions have becn redeemed, when
ccntemned and dsregardod not by acts bit resolves
containing threats again Of resistance For this course
We have been derlded by enemies. Bat my solicit
tude for this union with the oldest OF the states and
most powerful Of the savehoidrg, greatly increased
by the a, that this is my native state. was horn
and brought up 10 IL, my ancestors VI my name
for several generations before Virginia has
native in Alabama, tho state which have the
honor represent here than live in any other OF her
conederates havc been charged wtyhc duty Of making
known the to this Assembly which determined
Alabama pursue the she has and withdraw trom
the miscalled Unon she has state Convention in
ssion I, consists Of one hundred Delegates large
majority Of whom are in fayoy OF secession. She hts
resumed that portion Of her sovereignty which she
granted ~ the federal government She is in a
dtiop to form another Union with the states which have
seeded or may 10 - hereafter ami dcsir such
nection In ing separately she has been governed by
what she thong the leading authority on Ibis snhoct
which she found in the precedent SGT by each Of the
gnal thirteen states. (Appause.) They proclaimed
IN the Declaration OF independence principle not ad.
mitted by any government of any nation which then
exiscd-the right OF self government and the right,
consequently 10 change the government Whenever tho
u, opc concluded the governm,nt did accomplish the
b, cts which established. Each of the thir-
colonies proclaimed by that declaration To be
sovereign state. The King OF Great Britain by tho
treaty Of peace, Acknowledged them be sovereign
These the Of the sovereignty III each
state. 10 sustain that declaration they iough through
long years Of hardship, and conquered the admission
made by solemn treaty from the mother country that
they sovereign states The FIRST Union formed
by the articles Of coniederatqn TO which tho thirteen
sovereign states the psties Thai instrument
tanned declaration that the Union formed by il should
be perpetual and that The articles should bc invioby
Observed by every state Any alteration OF the articles
prohibited unless such alteration should be- agreed
To- in Congress Of the confederation and afterwards
rmed by the Legislature Of every state IN defiance OF
the strong language OF the articles used by the parties
irtha the Union shoud be perpetual and no alteration
afterwards made r IL, except IN Congress and after
wares ratified by tho Legislature Of every State-the
whole compact afterwards abandoned aul set aside
by the separate seocsson Of eleven States ag@nst the
viii of North Carolina aud abode Island This was done
IN the exercise of tho right Of self government and upon
tie grounds thar soue of tho States had MT DISCHARGED
their obligations, and the government ailNl TO nc ON
rsh the objects for which it had boon instituted Each
state seeded from the confederation by separate
That act the ratification by oach state separately or
the pTese constitution made by Convention of each
state separately The Convention consisted ~ delegates
elected by the people Of cash state The ratification
made by the several States al different Ii ncs as the
dnances Of ssipn adopted. Narth Carolina AMI
Rhode Island d DOT ratfy the constitution FOR nearly
two after tho l 81 ratification made by state.
In these proceedings there II ample authority for the
separate secession Of State from the perverted Union
with free states. The right Of secession from the
first compact between the states was recognized and
crcsed b. each of the ri States, for North Carolina
and Rhode Island ultimately ratified tue constitution
which preferred thc articles did regardless OF ta
agreement that the Union should be pepeis 1hcre IL
such spulaiion IN the constitution lch State rati
fed the constitution with thai constitution before their
confederation and they maintained Tint tho exercise
OF the right Of sell government toS hod the right
to sccede separately flom The sd6tlon OF the general
government founded upon tho constitntoh-he second
compact among the states Hence most Of tie States did
not deem !, = expressly to ss,eEys The light Of
New y@k All PsSac Iqand-csc expressly saft
ssr h ,bor + G : a,asaton ss1e each h
6Sisas %%GS sTSr% ali aR tho 'lay saasss Ss %
state can Nc bog9a TO .hsscn,rs Eoy.,nmsn and the
ssss g. I; j. + 4 A., s;s Ssy
srsfs G4 and " Spon W IS 81 state lS iSs iSo
snSS ihGsaG 'sSGcS t SecSa
v th know ledge OF this faT me was adi!ye1 by coz.
gress into the Union ihe right for agsriorcd 10
Ct the parties and tho nature Of the compact Tho
ties sovereign States tue same sovereign states whh
were parties the ait.os OF the c0oedcratiop 6nd y
which seeded pcaceaby from them. U"ier The old coh
federation Congress the fedcratve agency OF the
states under the constitution wha. we call the general
government . their fcderative agehcy This agenV,
known the general government, u no party u /
the constitution, which existed before the coffys
Of the operations OF the goveEnment.'
The eoyernmef, Is The creature Of the constitution
and the agent of the states-the only parties 10
tbc Constitution and entSied u no more power for dvest
inc Tho State 81 their severe gn power than Congress hla
tho fodcrave agency under the rces of cnnefera
ton ", know that each one Of lrcc majority Of the
states seeded from the concdcray r lew other
a complaint shan rs neiiciency for the protection Of
their honor their rights and their sysi"m q civilization.
No such aggrcssons existed tncn render nee Asary
now thc secession q The shychodin9 stated Npplause
And Il may b. sail thai streng furnished
.or the eiuaon OF The ceionie from The mother
try as the South has now had ~ yeafg.
only the rnitcs q treaty have the rg't T. determine
Tic mod and ~ azrc q redress of ary violation Of
H. Hence as the edcraiiye agency callel the general
government, not padc party e. thc constitution,
intended ~ become 50 ~ the frnnors C the cpnstitu
tion thoy refused, by rejccng motion made to give it,
to grant the power t1 The general government 70 make
war uIon Stale .vcrcc hcr UF ary cause. Both sr.
Madison and Genel Hamilton made speeches in opposl
tion t. the motion. The ouy mode of adjusting dcul
ties arising from itoi y " compact py souie ol
the stat, thc injury C others must be sattcd, u AZ
an by convention of she states making sach amend
mons wCud h satisfactory 70 The agsrcvcl states,
should convention 20 ~ 10 agreed before these
states have scccdad. After secession aud tho formation
os second conlodTaton the constitution q tbo nttor
provides lor the ldmsen II additional States future,
our old confeacraea might u mubers of tho
upon Tho terms prescribed IN us constitution. Tie prin
cpaI causes cr aggrcssons the ma,cral breaches
a treaty wb our 90 statos, hove not been commit
ted bv tho foGcr0vo garey. which party Il tho
pact but by ma ry ~ tlo FREQ stntcs the parties
the constitution As the convention deiicd
lower ID the fcdcratyc agency 70 coorce a
State or make war on ore for any cause,
ard no state pretend to any claim
10 power to make war state fofgirn for
s-t4f al fart
case N which the States-he parties " tho compact
intended that secession should be pcacoabe the consu
giving power a coercion 70 tho agency and tho
rartes having prctcKt 10 claim any, The secession
was from the articles &C confederation.
Mr. Hopkins read some pa gcs from lctcr addressed
by the Hon L. IT, Walker 10 item. W. ~ Forroy, Jackson
vluc, Ala in December Last, sraianing these yews and
further elaborated these view in arguments of auch
force Ills speech enthusas cally received, aud
gave decided satisfaction ~ an who listened 70 III those
especially who favor immediate secession.