Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-22

These people may say they have forced a Do.
eminent upon US which we had no VOC. j.
creating; and then the question will Be 49,"
will be the greatest tyrant.
! sag that my opposition is no. to the O.,
| s~tilution of the Confederate States. There
some things would like to alter; but 7 gcr,;
be satisfied to take it altogether, and koos
! the people would not reject it. | am Satisfied
that it would receive the unanimous suppor,,,
| the voters Of Virginia. with the execution =,
perhaps, some Of the North. W cslern count,
mn satisfied it would strengthen our po;i,in,
if adopted. Ny sole objection is to its aGn,.
! ton without submitting it to the people.
Mr.. BaASca called the precious qr-s:io,
The call was sustained, and the main ous,
ton being ordered, which "as the aneniioe,,
| offered by Mr.. BOYD, rcsulied-veas u, M.
81: as follows:
ter, c. b. Conrad, Gusts, Grarely. Hull, Lewis. M..,-;*;
Mcore, Pu1h, Rive', ssunoer,, sr; and Sh,rp-I5.
:Ars-Mes,ts. Amber, Acton. Alfred 81. s.thour, j,=.;
din. Branch. Bruce, C.b-ll. C~sper.on. Cecil, Ch.tas't.."
Chapman, Chambers, Cofman, Cnnn. Rob-r. ?. crs-,t
James II. Cox, CTltcher, ue.aIn', Dorman, Fi,hss, ra,t..'
fugatr. Garnet, Gillespie, Gregory, j.. Gogyin, J. CcS.:
Jr., Addison Hall, Cyrus Ball. l. ) Hall. H.ry... H.,
| moud, llOlcomhr, llolladay, Hughes. lsbel, N.rn,tnT.
Johnson. Peter c. Johnston; ki'oy, Kindred, L=.... "
lUh ILCsNSrl, fkn'sAoi S'"f~~ ~ j .We.I
Mallory, Mayre, ST., Miller, Aoae.;. Montncas, Ns,.'
Morton. S-blett, Nelson. oirIck. Parks, pr.se-, pI.'''
snGrhalI, speed, staples, Alex. ii. If St.w4r. <!S:...;ci'
~suthrr!n. Tsy!o", Robert II. Turner. Tye-. ",!.t., Wt.,
Geld, William, wooas, and "ysor-sl-
So the amendment was lost.
The question then REQUIRED upon he az,
lion Of the ordinance.
Mr. MONTAGUE Il beg Leave to Offer the ~.
lowing as an amendment 70 Come in by Va; nj
u preamble. 1t is a copy Ct tho old ariel. NJ
Confederation Of this State.
We, tie Delegates OF tine people Of V.r:iai,
now met in Convention, DO in the name, and in
behalf Of the people Of Virginia, and r.ak-
known, tina; the powers granted under lie
Constitution, being from the people Of the Ser.
eral States Of the tonfederacy, mar be rcsuu.
ed by the people OF each whenever the Same
sl,al! l.. perverted to their injury or o2prrs.
sion, and that every power not granted thereby.
re.naiu:; with them, ard at their viii, ,ha,
therefore no right q any denomination csn be
cancelled, abridged, restrained Or modified
hv the Congress of the United States, b. tlr
Senate or House Of Representatives, acting IN
any capacity, by the President, or any depart.
,nent, or officer Of the Confederate States, e..
cert in ;!los: instances in which power is Z Yen
" Ill t-uifSkllullOh W. tbbS9s pun puNtS, hll,
that among other essential rights, the !!Ggrty
of Conscience, and Of the press cainot be caa.
ceilcd, Abridged, restrained or modified by any
authority OF the Confederate States, wherefore
Mr.. MoxTAGuE.-I think il is proper ,as; We
should retain these old landmarks Of State
Rights and transmit them to our pnsteliiy, ps!.
t~icularlr alter the REMARKS We heard 10 "a?
from the gentleman from Prince George Dr.
RlvEs,j a gentleman who opposed viii. ~
his might the secession Of Virginia. IL
dcri.d at all times that she had L rish: g
~,c:c,ic, aari when the old articles Of Coti:ie
ration were quoted upon him he denied their
appiicubili;y 10 the rgnmer in aid of "h;c.
they were presented. 10 day he says If yoI
iail 10 cmbody in the ordinance these old art.
clcs Of Confederation, you will have FURNISHED
20 poSterity no grounds upon which they cJu!-
base the right Of secession, which we have lGs!
ain therefore anxious that these olj ar:i.
clts Of Confederation should BE- embodied ID
this ordinance, and go down 10 our pnsteri.y.
so that il they should dsem it Necessary t.
take such u step rs We Lave thought proper
to take. their right 70 coSo Nollt h: clear snd
uncquivoca.
llT.- NTAltNEII.- JUN SLsSSct ~ wv ~
~tIerlau, that his purpose would be MITCH better
subscrved by making this follow rather taaa
precrdc the ordinance.
Mr. BARBOUR THAT difficulty does not DC.
cur, because it did not occn- IN r~atifying the
Constitution. The preamble has been copied
from The Virgin. ratification Of the old Con.
~stitu:ion with the exception that we use the
words "Confcderate States" instead OF United
States" and ! am always in favor Of p:ese,y.
ing the OLD forms.
Mr.. BorLDIS.-It bss been suggested, and
think it worthy Of consideration, that the add,
ton prepared BY the gentleman from Culpeper,
(Mr. BAKYorn,) and read by the gentleman
from MiddlescX, may no! be applicable unce
the present circumstances. And as it ia o
matter of Importance that an instrument, Of
this character should be exactly right, | think
this subject should be submitted to a commit.
lee 10 prepare Z proper ordinanc; Of r~at.ica.
ton.
! can zee no reason why We should norc
with haste as 10 adopt the present form before
Us. therefore move that be referred 20 the
committee which reported the ordinance, with
instructions TO prepare q suitable form
Mr.. lIoLconBE.-I think that is entirely
lnnccessary, for it will probably not take hse
10 make the form Of ordinance under
discussion satisfactory to the Convention. !
an still Of the original opinion, that as;ie
from the natural disposition to preserve old
it is in the present instance, wholly ur.
may add that that preamble a.
stood in the act Of ratification Of the Federal
Constitution has just as often been referred 10
to prove i. WAS a National Government as tLalit
was n Federal Government. This opinion WAS
by Webster IN his discussion With
Calhoun. Whom the fact is established beyond
doubt hat the States adopting the Constitu.
lion in their capacity Of 'sovcrcigS and Jade.
States" aud the Constitution !:scii
reserves the rights which have not been sur.
rendered, the right Of secession follows asa
consequence.
The question was then taken on the motion
% recomnit which was not agreed to.
Mr.. BouLpIS offered at amendment to the
preamble, which was accepted, inserting the
words 1.-The people of each State" in lieu Of the
words ''ihe people Of the Several States"
Mr.. STUART offered the following addition to
he Same
"Eut this Constitution is ratified and adopt.
ID by Virginia, with the distinc. understanding.
IN her part, that she expressly reserves to her
elf the right, through q Convention repre-
her people in their sovereign character,
o repeal and annul this ordinance, and to &c.
.ume all the powers hereby granted to the
Government, whichever they shs!
II her. Judgment, have beef perverted 10 her
or oppression
Mr. MooHE,-.As is yell known, I have been
TO the doctrine Of secession, because
did not believe tina, any such right bal
lecn reserved to the people OF the several
but, in the language Of the old CoD'ti'
iitlon, 1t was reserved to the people Of the
United States generally. was never willn:
0 consent, and so stated, to enter ia,p q per
;ianent connection with the Confederate Sts,es,
kept upon such terms as would enable Us 10
'rolect ourselves, should there be a ~c,nrict"
interest between US. Now. however, that We
lave tho right 10 relieve ourselves. when VI
Justly oppressed, I heartily corclr 10 the ora.'
lance H. 1t has been amended.