Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-03-28
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION.

!
hours in support of the report Of the MAORI
ty of the committee on Federal Relatioas.-
! lie discussed its more material and impor-
tant provisions with degree of ability and
power of analysis that elected expressions of
unqualified praise even from those opposed
to his views. In concluding his speech, MIR.
| p said: IF it became necessary to divide, III
ter IL full and fair consultation With the Dor
| der slave States, then we could go out peace
fully and quietly. Although the propositions
presented might not be SO full as he could
desirc-it anything better came up, he wonlt
lie ready to accept it--he still thought they
were the best we could do lie came from
the West, and in the name Of his loyal peo.
| pie was prepared to make demand for full
security Of their rights. lie did not conceive
it to lie his duty to consult the wishes ct the
NORTH, in making demands, but the wishes Of
the people Of Virginia. He closed with an
appeal to all to stand by the Commonwealth,
and 80 yiniicAte every right that belongs 10
her. His ancestors had fought and died in
her defence, and with the help of God this
siIouid he his destiny IT, said he, fall
elsewhere, ask to be brought back to con
s,cratcd earth Of my mother lirg!ria-Eo be
buried in my own meadow. Then it may he
said Of Ballard Preston, ''alter LIES !ltiul
fever he sleeps we'll" He would 20 to the
North or Ia the South, or 10 the Judgment
rent of Cod, in vindicaton of the rights Of
Virginia. IApplause.
Mr.. Wise, nj Princess Anne, next address
ed the Convention. lie discussed the pTopo-
sitions, which he contcndcd uoc only pro"i-
lcd for dual, but tri pie guarantees oi power.
Mr.. Preston conceded this, but said the
gentleman had shown the tlstness OF his ar
gumcnt by pointing out the guarantees de-
minded by amendments 10 the Constitution.
NJ. Preston reiterated the argument which
| lie had made
Mr. Wise proposed 10 show that there were
other guarantees Of power, which the com
nittnc had not made, but which were per-
lactiy practicable Was the privilege Of
catching Il runaway negro, nothing? Was
the privilege Of going 10 the Territory 0!
Kansas, with your property, nothing? They
proposed to pay for fugitive slaves, but 'nn-
ney was no compensation for the surrender OF
:. prnci pie. The Northern people were in
league with the fanatics OF Exeter Hall, in
cndcaynring To destroy our institutions. -
Was there no remedy for thai?
sir. Preston said that tile difference be-
tween the gentleman from Princess Anne and
himself was that lie (Mr. W had no hope,
while h. had hope rcn both scctions and
would never gi:& up anti! time and blood
shall set II seal upon the efforts in behalf Of
the Union.
Mr Ne!aon, oC Clarke then tool, the floor
and argued that secession, instead q rene
lying tiin evils complained Of, wn"ll only
4%@rava:c them While he did nos believe
that the election al any man to the t'.csl-
dcncy we Il cause for the disruption oI iii"
| nlun. il Nr. Lincoln should persist III car
rYir5 rut the anaiic.i Ideas III ahnl!t1n-
iS, ~ much is he loved the Mon, he
wUuid say, away with It. ih" time, he
Thought, :laG come for Il full and final Sci
ti"lialt Of existing difficulties, and the re-.
port o. the majority he lo"ked upon - AIDE
quatc for the purpose. II the North rciI,-
SEQ this dcra"ti, then he was Tor Wtimu ~.
Tia ,rlum. Then and then only, would ~.
be Tor throwing ourselves upOa our reserved
rights OF soverei gritty. 1t might be that
the Gull States would come bacr: 10 u%,
but if they did not, he wished them all
joy and prosperity. lie could not cnnsert
To see Virginia dragged out for any cause
existing at present. lie expressed, in warm
- -
then went on 70 discuss the matcriat inter
es;s ol the Scuth AZ involved in the pcndin.
| lssu".
1T ;ac afternoon session, MIR. Nelson re-
al;nc,l aaI concluded his remarks arguing
.-ins! scccasiaiI i;r existing causes.
Sir Wilson, of Harrison, next addressed
the Convention. lie said, the oniY hope
now remaining was IL make one more
nt; i.,ut .In
He was opposed; 10 any movement t.
'lrivr us ~ the S9utA Or To the North
until Virginia bad made this effort AMI
a"d thiS could only be done by :. conrnitq-
ton wil al the States. In The event that
tt" S~r:to't States would not return 10 us
and ;hc N"rtEern States refuse 20 acredc L.
our ha'nnn!S, lei nil the slave STATES unite
The Chairman SAID, the Secretary woni,!
proceed 10 7al the report of the Committee
az Federal Relations by Sc1tinnS
The Secretary thea read tic Introduction
10 The report, ns follows:
1.-THE i"nn.les on Federal Relations
have, mccnr;ing ~ order, hai under consist.
Grafton the several Propositions referred t"
them, am'i beg leave IA rcpnrt, for cnn$ilera
ti"m "n:l adoption by tie Convention, The
Io!lnwins preamble Hnd reS"iulionS"
Mr. l!aii, ul u rt2ci, moved Ia strike out
all after iii" introduction, ANA to i":;rrt the
Constitution oi til" Comiiaderate States.
The reading was called for.
Mr. Clemens tonyea that ;hr reading he
dispensed with.
Mr. Wise insisted upon hearing it read.
iir Elsmem& i:"pei il would ~ loTt:, that
it Was 'or the PURPOSE ct delay.
NJ. Wise <ait: The assertion, was uutonnd-
ed. Sen>atinm.
The Secretary pr"t."el"d 10 read the
Cons litnlron ii th: Confederate States, ulfet
ri hg Cir. Hall ~ a aub>ii:ute Tor the Com
lu:ie::'s report.
>Ir. Fisher Of Northampton, said ne
iiu1ugitt The Constitution Of The Confederate
States quite an improvement upon the Con-
=tituEiun Of ti:c United States: but it ijrcsen-
ted in chs position an incongTuiiy. His
nhlrct was not to get guarantees $uch as
would satisfy Niryl MA alone, or Kentucky
alonu, ur North Carolina alone; but he would
have guarantees that would also receive the
appreciation ri the Cotton States, and bring
them into MON with rs. We could not
afford 10 have II Eonlcderacy at the South
and Il Crnla:lrracy ut the North
Mr.. Turner, Of jackson, desired 10 offer
! ,kstit ,cLiuh ;.l