Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-20

ton whatever on the Congress as to amend
ments TO the Constitution. That was my ob
lection to it. He comedies then that the mean
ing OF his amendment is TO extend genera
catholic invitation to all the Northern States
to meet us in conference, through their ccln
misSionerA propose 20 limit the invitation
Permit ne to say that the gentleman has mis-
conceived the object of my amendment ana
the remarks which have submitted, if ts
s1ppoScs that there has been any indication by
me. as to bat form Of Constitution should b,
adopted by that Congress My remarks were
addressed to the character Of the persons with
whom We are to meet We have not come,
yet, to the amendments 10 the Constitution
They have not been adopted. We are speak
ing about these amendments in advance There
have been some reported by the Committee on
Federal Relations, but they have passed the
ordeal neither of this Colstnittee nor Of the
Convention; and We know not yet what
amendments are to be adopted. But do say,
that II the amendments reported aIe TO he
adopted they will fall short Of what the distin-
gushed gentleman from, Fauquicr says are our
jnSt demands. | am ior gong into cunsulta-
ton wth no Northern State that refuses to ex.
taad 70 US those amendments which the gen.
tleman himself admits TO fall short Of our just
demands. My proposition gees 10 detine, in
advance. with whom it is that We are TO con-
fer. Are we, after our propositions have been
contenptuously rejected, TO ask s'lppllantly
those States TO send Commissioners, TO come
into Government with us, and 10 control us?
for there are nineteen aeainS, us and tn eEnajor-
ity IS daily increasing. When they say deb.
erately that they will no, CIV. lis what the
gentleman from Fauquer says is short of our
rights, then prcc,aim in advance that want
no further communion with ;hsm, Tow or here
after Least of al would be willing 10 trust
nysclf in Congress or consultation with
majority of those who would hsve jus; refused
these moderate demands
X IS but to meet this case. to show that
when this Convention has adopted certain
amendments to The Constitution and submitted
Them to the Northern States, no Nnrthern
State that deliberately Itjects them shall be
invited by Virginia TO meet her to settle or
agree on terms which they have rejected. That
is the object of my amendment With these
remarks submit il to the Committee.
The yeas and nays were demanded and or.
dered.
The question was taken, and it was decided
in the stbrnati7e-yeaS 20, nays 60-as fol.
lows:
'sau eors, soulda, Boyd, Branch Bruce, cabe, csper
ton. chamb;s' Chapman, Conn, n. Y. Conr4d Dormsr,
oossin. j. Goode. Jr T. ). to"de, Hale, hsll, L. :.
Hail, Hammond, Ifarue. oconbs. iiunsou, l.be. Ke7t,
La~s9n Leske, MaefArland. X. Mallory, B. Mallory,
Nelson Qrrck Pai Ks. fendlr,on Push, Richardson Sea
se Sheey Slaughter, souihs Speed Staples, Strange,
sS'her'Ip TayGs Th0rp,en Iredxay T. H. 1urner
NAYs-Messrs JaDney. (p:esldent.) Aston. Baldwin, A.
~ Barbour, Baylor, Berio, sg-ss Bsnt, Brown, Eur
coScs Gys, b9, pIn
nulany, EARLY. French Fu14tr Gravry, GRAY, Addison
Han, b. Hall. H.ymona Hose; uesdaS. Hubbard llur,
jackson. Mamaduse johnson. PC Johnston Lewis, hr-
conas, McGrew, Masn, Masters Moore Osbrrn, Patrick,
Porter. Price, RTrs, K T. Sr";t. Sharr Sneon. SPUR
lock. J. Stuart, Summers, Tasr White. Wcshsn Wiley.
So the amendment to tie amendment was
agreed 10.
Mr.. BorLpIS-I now move to amend the
amendment by inserting after the word ''States"
the words (which coucur in the amendments
to tie Federal Constitution, proposed by this
Convention" SO that it will read:
"A Congress Of the said States composed of
delegates To be appointed by the respective
conventions thereof for the purpose Of recon-
including an amended constitution of govern:
men, upon which tho Union uf the States and
the Conse,lerateG States with such IF the non
Sla7ehCldng States as MAY concur therein can
be safely effected; TO which Congress the Con-
federated States aud the non n,Slavehodine
States which concur in the amendments to the
Federal Constitution proposed by this Con-
vention ought to be invited 10 send comTns,
sioners."
The question was taken, and the amendment
Il, n ..fII IA
Mr.. CARLlLE-I more to amend the amend
rnent by striking out the words time appoint
Cd for the re-assembling of this body" and in
ssriil,s in lieu thereof the words "4th day o
March, 1865 so that il will read:
And in lne event that favorable responses
on the par, OF the non.sla:eholdlEg States be
not made 10 the proposed amendments to tne
constitution, hr the 4.h daT OF March, 1860,
&C.
This amendment the committee will bear IN
mind, is not an amendment TO the report MADE
bT the committee Of twenty one, and therefore
does not conaict With the promise nsdc yes
terday.
offer il, Mr. Chairman, for the purpose o.
saving that il ever | was anxious to brlng N :
rpind to tie conclusion to act with others.
aul anxious on this proposed amendment -
But sir, the more reflection give to it, the
more satisfied ulr I that it is one Of the mosi
eifec,ual and certain modes Of withdrawing tht
State of Virginia from the present Union iha
could possibly be devised by lnar. would leaI
infinitely less an ordinance Of secession, 10 go
before the people Of this State, than Tea! tl't
adoption Of this amendnent
If an ordinance Of secession were ratified hy
the people, there would be a possibility OF III
ture re construction from etfJrts to be made by
the border States but this not only carries
Virginia out, but also carries out eVerJ siaVc
holding State in the Union. 1t IL US sure to
uroduce that result as the border slave state
conference meets; and berc make the pre-
diction that it may go on the record. "hil'
Shall be left perhaps without the three as6o
cates who voted with me for the Peace Con
f.reuce measures, shall 70 solitary ard alone
70 place INV eote on the record IN opposilioi
to this certain. this inevitable, destruction O.
the Union, never to be reconstructed.
Whv, sir, look at it's phraseology. Inc sec
ton OF the report TO which this rs proposed u
be added, provides for Conference OF these
border Slave States, TO consult tosetheF a''e
concert measures. Those measures, presume
are 70 be extreme demands, high above ta'
ouarantees which this Convention Will require
because the gentleman from Fauquier has jus
told "a, that the exigencies of the country de
mand much greater guarantees than this bed!
vii nsk. Then, sir, such demands are to u
,nais, as, in the opinion Of the u'oyer OF thu
uro.osi,ion tie exigencieS Of the country re
nuirc, and are to be proposed within Wna
time? By the time this body are to re assemble
in October mex. They are To be submi;te'
| 10 the non.slayehoding States. This Conven
ton has been in session two months and ha
| nos even approached the consideration of ,hes
demands which we are TO make And yet
The nineteen non saveholdirs States are es
pccted to concur in these demands by the tim
Of Of the re-asscmbling Of this body. Can you
do you, suppose any action can be had BY tn
! non. .sIavehoidins States responsive to your u
| II, adnntinn the nEQdllG Ir(