Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-02-13
SPEECH OF SENATOR cox,
on THE WASHINGTON CONVENTION, THURS
DAY JANUARY 81, 1861.

Mr. Cox moved the following substitute
for the report as amended viz
ReSOLced By tie General Assembly o.
the State of OHIO, That while We cordi
ally reciprOcate every desire on the part o.
Virginia to cure the present troubles o.
the country, it is yet our opinion that il
any amendments to the National Constitn
ton are desirable (Which we do not admit
such amendments can be best considered
and inaugurated by the National Congress
to whom that Office is assigned by thu
Constitution, and that the transfer of sucl
a duty to a Convention Of a portion o
the States, hastily called. is undesirable
and revolutionary in its tendency.
In support of his motion he said =
Mr.. President, since the reception of the
two reports made by the committee OF
Federal relations yesterday morning, ]
have been seriously rejecting upon prop
osition to unite In a convention to be held
at Washington next week, and l am forced
to say that my convictions are against it
l was, however, willing to waive my OBJ
jections to the convention if its meeting
could be definitely delayed till the new
administration should be peacefully inau-
gurated, and was therefore prepared to
vote for the minority report of the commit
tee as it stood twenty four-hours ago
The present report proposes to send CON-
missioners to meet in convention next Mon
day, who shall then proceed to business
unless the convention can be pursuaded to
adjourn to later day.
My judgment of the danger and mischief
likely to follow so early a meeting is such
that cannot support the present plan, and
it throws me back with new strength of
conviction upon my original opinion that
the convention itself is an impolitic thing
and one more full of peril than of promise
IL the existing troubles of the country.
There are but two modes of reaching
and investigating these troubles. One is
the legal and constitutional mode; the
other is an illegal and revolutionary mode.
The one is the mode which the friends of
the Union should adopt; the other is that
which is adopted by the rebelliOus seces-
sionists of the South. They call hastily
gathered conventions of excited people,
give them no time for cool reflection, and
under the outside pressure of maddened
mobs pass resolutions and ordinances des-
igned to overturn the fundamental law of
the land and break up the National Gov
ernment. They spurn delay, throw off all
checks, and even admit that they fear to
wait least the "sober second thought of
the people should condemn their treason.
The constitutional mode of redressing
grievances is in marked contrast to this
Hasty and inconsiderate action it abhors.
If changes in the Constitution itself are
demanded, especial care is taken that delib-
Grafton shall mark all the proceedings from
to end, and that the country
shall not even be troubled with the con-
sideration of the proposed changes unless
two thirds of the members of Congress
vote for submitting them to the people
Calm, unhuried action in Congress, and the
of three fourths of the States,
are the wise conditions of all C anges in
the fundamental law. The manifest de-
sign of lis trainers was to establish such
checks upon amendments of the Constitu-
lion, that they might not be made in mo-
nents of fright, of irritation. or of excite
nent, but should be well considered and !
,oOly canvassed and acted upon both by
Congress and the people K
At time, Sir, when an attempt to rev.
,lutionize the country. VIC ought to stand t
more determinedly than ever upon the q
orms of the Constitution and the laws as t
hey are, and to resist scrupulously every 2
to adopt tie modes of proceed {
Ire of the revolutionists. L have tried to S
GO it in another light, but l am forced to t