Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-05-21
COMMUNICATIONS.
WESTERN VIRGINIA CONVENTION

and especially with the supplementary one
which attaches the State to the Confederate
Government, met at Wheeling on Monday,
three days. There were four hundred del
egates The following resolutions were sdop-
ted with but two dissenting voices:
Resolved, That, in our deliberate iudg-
ment, the ordinance passed by the Conyen-
ton OF Virginia on the 18th day of April,
1861, commonly known as the ordinance of
secession, by which said Convention under
took, in the name of the State of Virginia,
to re peal the ratification of the Constitution.
of the United States of America by this State,
and to resume all the rights and powers gran
ted under said Constitution, is unconstitu-
tional, null and void
Resolved, That the schedule attached to
said ordinance suspending and prohibiting
the election for members of Congress from
this State to the House Of Representatives, of
the Congress of the United States, required
by law to be held on tho fourth Thursday of
this month, is manifest usu1pation OF pow
er, to which we as Virginia treemen ought
not, cannot, and will not submit.
| Resolved That the convention of the Oath
| of April, 1861, between the Commissioners
| of the Confederate States and this State,
and the ordinance of the 25th of April, 1861,
approving and ratifying said convention, in
agreement by which the whole military pow
er and military operations, offensive aud de-
fensive, of the Commonwealth were placed
under the chief control and direction of the
President OF the Confederate States, upon
the same principles and footing as if the
| Commonwealth were now d member OF said
Coniederacy, and all the actlngs and dongs
of the Executive officers Of our State under
and III pursuance of said agreement ordi-
nance, are plain and palpable violations Of
the Constitution of our State, and are utter
| ly subyersive of the rights and liberties of
the good people thereof
Resolved, That it be earnestly recommen-
ded to our fellow citizens of this State, at the
approaching election, to vindicate their rights
as Virginia freemen, by voting against said
ordinance of secession, and all other mea-
sures Of like character, so far as they may
be made known 10 them.
Resolved That it be also urged upon them
to vote for members of Congress of the Uni
ted States in their several districts, in the
exercise of the rights secured to US by the
Constitution of the United States and OF
Virginia.
Resolved, That it be also recomm ended to
the citizens Of the several counties to vote at
SAID election Tor such persons as may enter
tain the opinions in the foregoing resolutions,
as members Of the House of Delegates of our
State
Resolved, That it is the imperative duty
Of Gur citizens to maintain the Constitution
and the laws thereof, and oil officers there
under, acting in the lawful discharge of their
respective duties.
Resolved, That in the language Of George
Washington. in his letter of the 18th of Sep
tember, 1887, to the President of Congress,
sin all our deliberations Oh this subject we
keep steadily INCUR view that which appears
to US the greatest interest of every true Amer
lean, the consolidation of our Union, in which
is involved our property, felicity, safety, and
perhaps our national existence" Therefore we
will maintain and defend the Constitution Of
the United States and the laws madein pursu-
ance therept, and all officers acting there
under, in the lawful discharge Of their res
pect!ve duties.
Resolved, That in view of the geograp phi
cal, social, commercial, and Industrial inter.
ess Of Northwestern Virginia, this Com
mittee are constrained i'll giving expression
to the opinion Of their constituents to declare
that the Virginia Convention, in assuming
to change the relations Of the State of Vir-
GINA to the Federal Government, have not
mi acted nnwIsely and nconsttusionally,
but have adopted policy utterly ruinous to
all the material interests OF our section, sew
cring all our social ties, and drying up all
the channels of our trade and prosperity,
Resolved, That in the event of the Ordi-
nance OF Secession being ratified by vote,
we recommend to the people of the counties
here represented, aud ali others disposed to
cooperate with us, to appoint on the 4!h
day Of June, 1861, delegates to a General
Convention to meet on the 1lth of that
month, 1861, at such place as may be desig-
mated by the Committee hereinafter provid-
ed, to devise such measures and take such
action as the safety and welfare Of the peo-
pie they represent may demand, each coun.
ty to appoint number of Representatives to
said Convention equal to double the number
to which it will be entitled in the next House
of Delegates and the Senators and Dele
gates to be elected on the Odd instant, OF the
counties referred to, the next General AS
srmbly of Virginia, and who concur III the
views Of this Convention, be entitled to seats
10 the said Convention as members thereof.
Resolved, That, inasmuch as it is q ccnce-
ded political axiom that government is tuun-
ded on the c unsent Of the governed, and is
instituted for their good, and it cannot be
denied that the course pursued by the ruling
power in the State is utterly subversvs and
destructive Of our interests, We believe we
may rightfuliy and successfully appeal to
the proper authorities Of Virginia to permit
US peacefully and lawfully TO separate from
the residue OF the State, and form ourselves
into government to give effect to the
wishes, views, and interests of our constit-
uents.
Resolved, That the public authorities be
assured 1hat the people of tho Northwest
will exert their utmost power to preserve
the peace, which they feel satisfied they can
do, until an opportunity is afforded to see if
our present difficulties cannot receive a
peaceful solution; and we express the earnest
hope that no troops of the Confederate
States he introduced among US, as we be-
lieve it would be eminently calculated to
produce civil war.
Resolved, That 10 accordance with the
last resolution, Central Committee Of five
be appointed to attend to all matters connec.
ted with the objects of this Convention, and
| that they have power to assemble this Con-
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