Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-01

lIOuatC Oil III HSptiStiSliyo lh l llllO CO0EGN
to hear every gentleman here. daughter
And I, and u majority of the Committee. aere
upon this point | shall be criticised, Der
haps, for venturing to make the remarks
have, but feeling that the line of policy
have indicated is tho true one, l shall act up tc
what have hero stated. I will not follow tn,
ways of tacticiuns nor parliamentarisns. anC
as soon as | get through with this Convention
| shall try and forget what l may have learned
in that regard; for my political ambition vii;
have been perfectly satiuted. (Lauehter)
will not detain the Convention longer, but re-
sumo my seat, returning my thanks to the
Committee for the kind and patient attention
with which they have listened to me
Mr.. BLAHEY, Of MaGison.-Mr. Chairman
the distinguished gentleman from PETERSBURG
(Mr. BHAScu,) has furnished a very striking
illustration Of how much easier it is to preach
than to practice. lie tells us when we take q
text we ought to stick to that text, and not run
off into an cxhortation. | think it is perfectly
manifest that when he took his text he went
off into an exhortation, and, to use his own
phrase, travelled over Virginia and tho rest OIL
mankind. (Laushtcr.)
Mr.. BRANcM-And have no doubt you'll
follow me.
Mr.. BLAKEY-Well, think Mr.. Chairman,
the gentleman has shown himself TO be a bad
preacher and | will prove him to be a false pro,
phet. The gentleman is exceedingly DESTROYS
to cut CT discussion. and he exhorts other
gentlemen to be brief. Sir, | think that the
gentleman ought to allow to others the same
privileges that he himself has exercised. !
think that Ee has occupied quite as much OF
,ha tip,a of fhi. Horraption n, raynr,1 ,tl,aS
gentlemen who have participated to q large
extern. in the debates, and q great deal moro
than many others who have been engaged in
tho leaders Of this Conventional don't aspire
to be one OF the leaders Of this Convention
and therefore | don't expect to be selected by
him as one Of those he would have to carry on
the debate. | suppose it was only through
modesty he announced hat he himself was mol
q leader, because he thinks the leaders on each
side ought TO do all the speaking; and RS he
has done a good deal OF talking on the other
side, on the side of the majority, and now
talks on behalf Of the minority. According Ia
the rule he has laid down he must think him.
self 3 double leader-uOt rs u leader of one
party or Of the other, but as a leader of both
parties. (Laughter.)
But, sir, according to the advice Of the gen.
t!emen, for his advice is better than his exam.
yle, will come to the text and endcavor to
stick to it; and in doing so I will give the
gentleman the modification Of finding hinsei
u false prophet
The Committee upon Federal Relations, in
their report, have deemed it necessary to sci
forth certain general principles. Now. sir,
maintain that when they undertake to set forth
general principles. or when they state Il genera,
principle, they should state it correctly and
fully. I doubt moi that the chairman OF tina,
committee is under the impressivn that be has
stated it correctly and fully. There are others,
however, who differ from him in opinion. ]
do not think the gentleman ought to complain
Of those who differ FROM him, and who have to
vote upon the propositions which he has sub,
mitted to this body, because they endeavor 10
correct them SO as to agree with their views.
he has brought THESE principles before US. His
action requires that We shall vote upon them
and when | vote upon q principle, | desire to
have that principle stated correctly, as | under
stand it. And | don't think that we Of our
side ought to be charged with desiring to throw
any distractions in the WY Of thisc committee,
because we desire to perfect this statement Of
principles according to our opinions.
7 think, Sir, it is perfectly manifest that il
the statement which this committee has mace
is necessary to the conclusions which they
draw, tho amendment of the gentleman from
Gloucester, iMr. SEAwELL,) is equally necessa.
rv-aye, more necesSary-to justify these con,
illusions. The committee say that the States
which composed the Uni.ed States Of America,
when the Federal Constitution was formed,
usre Independent so7treigntieS )" and upon
that premise they draw the conclusions THAT
it is the duty of the Federal Government to
the rights Of the States and the equal.
i,y Of the people thereof, and within the just
limits Of the Constitution TO protect with equal
csve the great interests that spring from the
:ns,i:utious Of each" Because they eere in
dependent sovereign States at the time Of the
formation Of the Constitution, therefore they
are no.r entitled to equal rights, &c.
Nov, sir, I don't think that is q necessary
consequence ut ali. If they were independent
aud sovereign States at the time they formed
the Constitution Of the United States, they
u,ay have agreed that certain provisions shosld
be engrafted in that Constitution which would
deprive them of equality. Their conclusions
do not BY Sny means follow as necessary
consequences. II sovereignty, at the time Of
the formation Of the Constitution, gave equali-
ty, is it not much clearer that sovereignty al
this time will ~en,itle Virginia to it7 1t seems
to the very clear, SIR. | totally dissent from
the sentiments advanced by the gentleman
from Rockbridse, (Mr. DoKNAs,) and by the
member from Norfolk city, (Mr. Blow 10 the
effect that this Committee ought to vote for
the report OF the majority as it is, even though
it should be proposed to amend it By enunci-
.ting a sound and true principle. Think, sir,
that We ought 10 maintain the truth, even
though it may be in coGdict with the report oil
the Committee.
But sir, what is sovereignty Where does
the sovereign power lief know there is u
great cor.f!c, Of opinion in the world upon this
subject; but | had understood, had been in
duced 70 believe that the American doctrine
is shat sovereignty rests with the people
and when We speak Of the seat Of sovereign
power, wo refer to the people; We speak OF The
pspuls as tue fountain Of it, a. the retainers Of
It. As ] understand, lis sovereign power Is
primitive, original power, ard when 1t ceases
to be primitive power ard becomes delegated,
dcrivitaEle power, it ceases to be sovereign
power.
WHY is the State Of Virginia not a sovereign
State? Why, sir, the State is the organism
through which its sovereignty speaks, and by
which it is mads manifest, just as the body Of
the man is the organism through which we
recognizes the existence Of the man, and
through which he speaks. Virginia, organized
~. G State, is sovereign body, and the sove-
reignty of the people speaks through thai Or
sanism; and, therefore, she may be called a
sovereign State; but when the State Of W.
gina delegates power to the Federal Govern,
merlt she cannot transfer to hat General
Government a power which, in the EandS Of
that Government will be primitive original pow
or. At the moment she deposits 1t IN the
hands Of the Federal Government it becomes
der;vatiye power and ceases to be sovereign
power. H..
Sir, I regard the Federal Government IN the
nature Of a political corporation formed BY
The consent and action Of all the States, and
,h.-o.d nv Them with certain duties and pow