Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-03-20

the following resoiutlon
Resolced, That the committee on Federal Rela-
tons be instructed to report ordinance resuming
the powers delegated by Virginia to the Federal
Government and to make provision for submitting
the to the qualified voters of the commonwealth
for their adoption or rejection.
Respectfully submitted
LEWIS e. HARv1E,
RoBr. L. MONTAGUE,
SAM'L. G. WILLIAMS.
MINORITY REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE
ON FEDERAL RELATIONS.
Mr.. BALDWIN, of Augusta.-Mr. President: de-
sire to present minority report from the commit
tee on federal relations, expressing my views upon
the subjects referred to that committee.
ask that the report be laid upon the table and
printed.
The Convention so ordered.
The following is the report:
"The representatives of the people of Virginia in
Convention assembled are profoundly sensible fthe
difficulty, delcacy and Importance ofthe duty which,
in obedience to the popular WILL they have assumed
to perform:
ately distracts and divides our country has brought
shout condition of public affairs for which history
has parallel and the experience of government no
precedent
"They recognize the fact that the great questions
which press for consideration o. entire novelty
and of great intrinsic difficulty and that their pro.
per solution will require on the part of our Govern
ment, State and Federal, and of our people, the
ercise of the utmost prudence discretion calmness
and torbearance.
"They CONCUR, most earnestly, in the opinion de.
clared by the General Assembly of Virginia, that
permanent dissolution of the Union is inevitable,
unless unhappy controversies can be ADJUSTED in
the spirit in which the Constitution was originally
formed and they feel that to perfect any such ad-
iustmcnt it is Of indispensable necessity that dur
ing its progress the peace of tho country shall he
maintained and that all parties SHALL in good faith
avoid giving just occasion for irritation collision and
bloodshed.
Therefore, be it resolved. by the people of vrgi-
mia, in Convention assembled:
l. The conference of States, which, upon the in.
vitation Of Virginia, recently held in the city of
Washington, having recommended certain amend
ments to the Constitution of the United States as in
the opinion Of the conference contain fair and sat
isactory adjustment Of existing difficulties far
they can be reached by changes in the original law
this Convention is Of opinion that the said amend
ments if concurred in by the States hereinafter in
vitcd to conference, and cngrafted upon the Const
tuition of the United States, will be satisfactory to
the people of Virginia.
Q The peculiar relations of the States of Delaware
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina Tennessee, Ken
lucky Missouri and Arkansas to each other, and to
the other States, make proper in the judgment of
this Convention, that the former States should con-
suit together for the maintenance Of their rights in
the Union. or, failing in that to concert such mea-
sres for their final action the honor the interests
and the safety Of their people may demand and for
that purpose the proper authorities OF those States
are requested to appoint Commissioners, to meet
Commissioners appointed by this Convention, on be-
half of the people of this State at Frankfort in the
State of Kentucky. on the last Monday in May next
3. The people of Virginia will not anticipate any
disposition, on the part Of the General Government
to engage in the hopeless effort to subject the Gov
eminent and people Of seven States, against their
WILL to federal authority. Any such attempt would
inevitably result in civil war-soon to become
tona against the institutions and people of fif
teen States of this Union. The people of Virginia
cannot be inatentive Indifferent any indications
of such policy, but they trust that the Govern
ment will take the wiser course, and WILL in accord
ance with the spirit of our institutions withdraw all
irritating display of force and seek to dsarm free
men by removing the causes Of their just complaints.
f. The grievances for which several of the States
| have undertaken to withdraw from the Union, as
such as have affected Virginia to greater extent
than any of them. For these grievances she re-
qures and expects to obtain full redress, and she
will be slow to believe that those States will find it
consistent with their incnationS or their interests
to abandon permanently Union in which they are
offered terms of adjustment which, in respect to
common interest and common grievances satisfy the
Judgment and the honor of Virginia. In any event,
as Virginia is cndeavorng to secure to them the op-
portunity to determine their destiny in peace, she
can look with no favor or sympathy upon any con-
duct on their part tending to precpitate upon her
| people the horrors Of civil war.
s. 1t is the belief of this Convention that the
tona controversies which divide the people of the
United States if not originated, have been greatly
aggravated by the management Of politicians for the
',lsancement Of personal and party schemes. They
.e confident that if the people, North and South
come to understand each other, they will find
! ,eans to compel fair and amicable settlement of
IL the matters in dispute. 1t is therefore, recon-
ended that the conference at Frankfort shall take
ito consideration the propriety of direct appeal to
re people Of the North in favor of justice union
nd peace.
G. The federal authorities under the Constitution
rs it is having dsclaimed tho power to recognize
the withdrawal of any State from the Union, or to
deal with the grave questions arising upon such
withdrawal, the people of Virginia without express
ing any opinion upon the question of power, but in
Difference to the opinion of the federal authorities
hereby declare their willingness to unite IN confer
ring upon the Government of the United States the
power, it shall become necessary to recognize the
separate independence of the seeding States, ia
make such treaties with them and to pass such laws
as the separation may render proper.
In order to await the action of the Frankfort con.
ference, this Convention will adjourn to meet again
on the - day of -, 1861.
ANOTHER MINORITY REPORT FROM THE
! COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL RELATIONS.
Mr.. W1ckHAM-I will avail myself of this coca
sion Qhe presentation Of the report on the publica
ton of the debates to lay before the Convention
substitute for the report Of the Committee on FEEDER
al Relations.
Substitute proposed by Nj. Wickham, for the re
port of the Committee on Federal Relations:
The representatives Of the people Of Virginia il
Convention assembled, are profoundly sensible o
the difficulty, delicacy and importance Of the dut.
) which, in obedience to the popular will they hav
f assumed to perform. 80
They feel that the controversy which unfortunate
" distracts and divides our country has brough