Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-15
bleeding country from the dust and set he,
llcre the committee rose.
FRIDAY, March q, 1861.

| :
Chairman, as far as could, during the tim
issues presented by tho question before th!
bod V. think have discovered ten
dency--[ will not say dsposition-ol
the part OF members participating in th
discussion: to Introduce into it matters tha
have nothing to do with the merits Of tht
subject about which we are engaged, ant
] to avoid what seemed TO Inc to be qucs
tions Of real, vital and pressing interest be-
! fore us. In the effort that | was making
yesterday to call back the Committee
TO what regard as the true issues. un'
| dertook TO asscrt-and ! understood tho
assertion TO be distinctly admitted TO bt
corrcct--that the State Of Virginia, in re-
gard to all the great questions Of admins
tration which have occupied the attention
Of this country from the foundation Of tho
! Government down to the election Of Ahra-
ham Lincoln, had no cause Of complaint tc
urge against the General Government, un.
less il might he in regard to the questio!
OF slavery. undertook 10 recall to the
| mind Of the Committee, that, with but
short intervals, the high Offices Of the Gov
crmment Of the United States have been il
the hands mainly Of the sons Of Virginia
that the great principles upon which the
Government has been administered, and
which were, until recently, thought TO be
the established principles Of our country
were impressed upon the administration
by the minds Of Eirginia's sons, and that,
in all the departments of the General Gov
crnment, Virginia influences have been
predominant, and hence that she was bound
to say that, substantially, in regard to all
the great matters Of concern TO our peo-
plc--now thirty millions in number-thc
Government had been in the main admin
iStcred satisfactorily, wisely and we'll
This proposition understood to he dis.
tinc;ly admitted.
Mr.. MoRroy.-Nav inquire Of the gen
tlpman By whom that admission was
made?
Mr.. EAl.pwIx.-l understood it to be
made distinctly by the gentleman from Al
bcmarle, Mr.. UoLcoMyE,l who preceded
III" immediately in the discussion.
Mr.. UoLcoNRE.-In answer to the re-
marks OF the gentlemen, yesterday,
intended to do nothing more than to ac-
knowledge, so far a, was concerned, my
individual opinion. that no action had ever
been taken by the General Government up
to this time, upon any subject unconnccttd
with slavery, that would, for moment,
have justified the people Of Virginia in
raising an issue Of Union or d!sunion. But
intended by 10 means, 10 make the ad-
.niSsion that the policy of the General
Government had been always such rs the
people Of Virginia would approve Oh the
contrary that there were instanccs-that
there were many instances-in the policy
OF that Government, that they could not
approve. But l said that was ready to
admit, that, with the exception Of the
slavery question, Virginia had no griev
anccs upon which TO make an issue Of DIS
union.
Mr. BAIpwry.-I did not understand the
gentleman as intending to speak for any
one but himself, but understood him to as
sent distinctly TO the general proposition
that in the ma;n,in the administration Of the
General Government, substantially, the
Virginia policy had governed. do no'
cypect 10 lind that gentleman or any other
gentleman here, undertaking to endorse
item bv ilcm all the matters Of admins
,ra,ivc detail that have occupied the attcn-
ton Of our Government from its founda-
ton. did not expect. nor 90 desire,
that the admission of any mcn5er Oh this
door would be tortured so as TO extend TO
anv such sweeping acknowledgment as
that but the direct proposition remains,
that, whatever might have been her opin-
ion now or then. as to this or that par
ticular measure OF administrative policy,
that in the main, upon the whole taken TO-
gether il the series Of years, the admins
tration Of the Government OF the United
States has been satisfactory TO Virginia.
This, sir. has the effect. then. Of narrow
ing down the subject Of inquiry to the is
sues growing directly out Of the slavery
question, and upon that question | under
take TO assert and TO challenge acontradic-
ton from any quarter, that SO far as the
administrative action Of the government ol
the United States has been concerned, it
has never, from its foundation down to tho
election of Abraham Lincoln, done any
thing in regard to the subject Of slavery or
taken any measure in regard to the lnstitu-
tons of the South, that was not either ap-
prored at the time, or concurred IN by flr-
Einis, or ut some time subsequently rcccl"-
cd approved and distinctly acqniesccd i'll
hy this Commonwealth.
Sir. might rest here if could rely upon
the recollection of body like this-1 might
rest here, upon the challenge which / have
given, until some one of the distinguished
gentlemen who represent the grievances oi
Virginia shalt come forward and put his
finger upon the answer to that challenge.
But will not rest content with that.
nropose, now, in confirmation OF what
have stated, to glance briefly at some Of the
most prominent measures which at differ
rnt time; have been made the subject ol
complainant the measures OF reStrctioH
in regard to the institution OF slavery
! Why, sir, it astonishcd nc, and am SURF
il must astonish sny man who Will make
| the investigation, to find how thoroughly J
VIRGINIA has been committed all the while
| TO every one Of the restrictive measures III
| regard 10 slavery, that have at any TINT
been undertaken or carried out by th'
General Government.
The first great slavery restriction II
! this country was the ordinance OF l.o', D.!
| which Virginia gave this great North-wes
territory for the common good, and at tho
same time ii Hc,i to the grant, the cond;-
| ton that in all that territory, out Of whlct
were formed five great States Of the Union
involuntary servitude, Xcept for crime
should thereafter bc forever prohibited
| presume it will no5 Le denied here OF
anywhere else that that measure received
the distinct sanction and appreciation o
Virginia, Of her government and her peo'
pIe. I know it is fashionable now to refer
20 that as one Of the errors Of g dark age
but, sir, it is but moment i'll the history
OF nation: aud when we arc seeking cause:
Of complaint, we are bound il common
honesty, as it seems TO me, to withhold oui
ccnsure from those measures in regard t
which our approval was sought and gained
al the time.
The next step Of slavery restriction un
lcrtaken b7 the government Of the United
States, Of which have any recollection
VA, in the &C. Of Congress dividing TIT
territory Of Orleans, after its acquisition
b7 the government Of the United States
and imposing restriction upon the ilnpor