Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-20
rnents to the Constitution, that then Virginia

will resume her pGHers.
Sir, dn not feel nysclf committed to thst
llth resolution, for | voted against it; nor do |
believe that it is the proper course for gentle.
men to pursue who voted for it, 10 support the
amendment Of the gentleman from Fauquier,
hoping thereby To relieve themselves from the
embarrassment which they now seem 70 feel is
resting upon them, in consequence of the adop
tion, by the Committee, OF the llth section
1t has only been adopted by this Committee
it has yet 70 undergo the ordeal Of the Con.
vention; and if you have Il doubt as to the
propriety CT your vote in Committee, you can
avail yourselves Of the opportunity that will be
afforded you in Convention, to strike from
the report the lllh section
II gentlemen are governed By ihe reason
that the J tn section has been adopted in
Committee Of the Whole, aid, because Of this
!th section, feel constrained to vote for the
pending proposition, would it not be saler and
better TO vote with me against the amendment
of the gentleman FROM Fauquier, aud defeat it
| here il we carr and then, when we get into
| Convention let ns labor 10 defeat the lth sec.
ton; and if we hpt exhibit half the will Of the
gentleman frouI Fauqnie-, We will defect the
lith section; ard then there will hr III con.
Straint upon gentlemen 20 vote for Frankfort
conferences and unconstitutional Congresses,
| 10 organize another Government, for tie pur.
pose Of ovrrthroTing aud destroying the GOV
crnrnent formed for us by heroes and sages
patriots and statesmen.
Sir, | regard this whole report, 50 far as
adopted by this Committee, a> committing the
people Of Virginia 10 nothing. !. is an extra
act IN your part and which you have not the
authority to rnske, unless you first submit il
to the people Of Virginia, and they shall rasy it.
Alithesc propositions, upon which we have been
engaged for two mouths are nothing more than
the declarations of one hundred and tiity.two
very respectable gelltlvHen. ard uavc no bind
ing force upon the people ut Virginia or any
other people now upon The carln and will not
be respected by those who may hereafter be
upon the earth.
Bat. sir. it has been stated b. The gentle
man from Augusta. (Mr. BALpwIS) this morn
irS, that the largest portion Of lie State, both
in point Of territory ard population, IS SO con
nected with the border uon-SlaTeholding States,
that il is absolutely essential 10 the preserva
tion Of the interests Of the majority Of our
people, aye, sir, to their very existence, Tint
they should not he separated from the border
non slaycholding States
| See in what a dilemma we would DC placed
# Ohio Indiana, Illinois, and the other States
| on yonr border, would nun.c0ncur in the action
Of your Conference. But, sir, There is an error,
| which, II seems TO me- has pcrvaden all our
| conduct since we assembled here. The idea
seems TO rest upon the minds OF gentlemen that
something Iaust DC done. Sir, the Union sen-
tllncnt OF this country does not require this ac-
| ton on your part to satisfy it, | came 10 this
Convention surprising that ii there was ina
| jority connected with the body in favor If St.
ccssion, an ordinance OF secession would be
adopted at once and sui;Eit;rd to the people.
| and on the Other hand if tiIc:e was majority
Of Cnicn rnrn That We would adjourn and g.
home. have proposed sir, hccHnse there
| has been ia limit Of time fixed either
| by the repurt or the amendment before us
for the rc.ss>enhiir5 Of Ibis body, the amend
| mcnt tp the amendment Of the gentleman
| from Fauguier. G:nlle,nrn in discussion seem
- have fxel tie first day Of October next us
the day to which this Convention should al.
iourn. propose the 4th day Of March, 1865,
| by which time re~ President will have been
| elected and inau.ura,cd and new ndnnistra.
ton installed; and should that President aid
| ,h8t administration cunc from ;hr great
| Cnion.lovng. Cnion-savrg. National, -\ncri.
can, Democratic, r publirar, State right.
Soulhern-righis, Secession, Disuui9n party OF
| tnis country, our Cotton CoueierateR friends,
know, will prefer ruling thirty four States and
ak or seven Territories, with thirty millions 81
| people, ~ seven States without Territories and
with but three millions OF people, and would
consider STch response far more satisfactory
than any constitutional amendmen:S We cali
| suggest or.tbe largest patriotism Adopt
| HariHg cXhauStcd the ten minutes under the
rule and knowing that my amendment will moi
DC adopted, shall, with the consent Of the
Committee, Withdraw IT, expressing ut the
| sane u:le Iuy fears lhnt the middle men, Is
| the gentleman from Orange and Greene hes
designated them, will swallow up the Union
men Of this body, and that at this middle town
Of Frankfort midway between Washington
and Montgomery, the Cnio; heretofore rcgar-
ded by us as the choicest Of blessings, Will be
swallowed up and destroyed.
Mr. GaoDE, cC Bcdford.-I object.
The question was then put on granting
ieave TO withdraw the amendment, and was
decided in the affirmative
Mr. SUMMERS, OF kanawha MIR. Chairman,
desire 10 move an amendment 10 the prnpos
ZION submitted by the gentleman from Eau
nuier, Cir Scogrj ! move to strike out in
the fist line Inc wGrd Favorable" and insert
in lieu thereof the word Satisfactory"
snbfat this amendment for the dnn:lr i'Hr
prse Of making the language in that line by
The subs uiOn Of the wGid satisfactory,
Conform To other SECTIONS Gpon which this
Gotntuittcc has actcd--:he lltlI section for
eXanple-and for the purpose Of sHurd'ng the
IN opportunity Of stating, a. lar as may be
abe to do 81 within the brief space OF len min
utes, allowed under the rule, the reasons for
the vote that shall give upon tho auen,incnt
r:irrtd hy the gentleman IRON Fhnquier, (Alr.
ScoTr)
am no, very particular, eonlrsS, IA to the
~ord proposed, though thiHk it ia better tn
conform il 10 the language 'lscd in the other
sections.
Mr.. Chairman, reed not state that look
forward under uny circumstances to m over.
throw fthe government and tho dissolution q!
this Union, with feelings 6i pain ard grlc! il
Is not nccnssGry fer me 10 say that Should
not s,lstain this amendment offered ly The
geuicuau from Fau9Eier, [Mr. SCOTT as a
matter nf choice ware left to independent ac
ton but acting, a: We are nj! compelled TO act
in reference 10 the circumstances by which ~t
are surrounded, and in rctertnce To the ac.ioE
Of this body already had. have brought my
mind to The conclusion 10 vote ;or this pro
position as an addition " the report Of iht
Committee.
Il will be borne in mind that we have AREA
dy, b. the adoption Of The eleventh section O
thc report, declared thai in the event we >tiaI
fail tn obtain satisfactory RESPONSES from TN
. non siavchold!ng States, upon our proposed
amendments to 'hc Constitution, that EDginI'
will feel compelled to resume the powers dele
) gated by her, under the Constitution, and t;
, throw herself upon her reserved rights. Tina
, resolution has been adopted did not vrt'
. for it. It has been carried, however, by ,h'
, votes of majority OF this roIunittce. 81
, far then, ws stand pledged, to the extent .
, the vote upon this resolution, that in certalt
contingency, Virginia is to Resume her oris'na
!. r;,hts You have gone no further. You haze