Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-03-19

compact to take lawful action touching them
10. Without expressing an opinion as to the
question of power, but in Difference to the opin-
ion of the Federal authorities, the people of Vrr
ginia hereby declare their desire to confer upon
the Government of the United States, the pow
ers necessary to enable its authorities to deal
peaceably with these questions and, it shall be-
come necessary, to recognize the separate inde-
pendence Of the secedng States, and to make
such treaties with them, and to pass such laws
as the separation may make proper.
q II. This Convention, composed of delegates
elected by the people in districts for the purpose
of considering the existing difficulties in our
Federal relations represents the desire and ear
nest request of the people of Virginia, to meet
as directly as possible the people Of her sister
States, and to them appeal for satisfactory ad-
justment. Virginia, therefore, requests the peo-
pie of the several States, either by popular vote,
or in Conventions similar to her own, to respond,
at their earliest convenience, to the positions
sumed in the foregoing resolutions and the pro-
posed amendments to the Constitution of the
United States hereunto appended. And in the
event that this Commonwealth fails to obtain
satisfactory responses to her requests, from the
non-slaveholding States, she will feel compelled
to resume the powers granted by her under the
Constitution of the United States, and to throw
herself upon her reserved rights.
-. The people of Virginia will await any
reasonable time to obtain answers from the
other States, to these propositions, aware of the
embarrassments that may produce delay, but
they expect, as an indispensable condition, that
pacific policy shall be adopted towards the se-
ceded States, and that no attempt be made to
subject them to the Federal authority, nor to
reinforce the Forts now in possession of the
military forces of the United Statee, or recapture
the forts, arsenals or other property of the
United States within their limits, nor to exact
the payment of imposts upon their commerce
nor any measure resorted to, justly calculated
to provoke hostile collision 7ia
13. In the opinion of this Convention, the
people Of Virginia would regard any action of
the Federal Government, tending to produce q
collision of forces, pending negotiations for the
adjustment of existing difficulties, as aggressive
and injurious to the interests and offensive to
the honor of this Common wealth; and they
would regard any such action on the part OF the
seeded or confederated States as hurtful and
unfriendly, and as leaving them free to deter
mine their future policy.
IA. The peculiar relations of the States of
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas, to
the other States, make it proper, in the judg-
ment OF this Convention, that the former States
should consult together and concert such meas
ures for their final action as the honor, the in
terests and the safety of the people thereof may
demand, and for that purpose the proper author
ties OF those States are requested to appoint
commissioners to meet commissioners to be ap-
pointed by this Convention on behalf OF the peo-
pie of this State, at Frankfort, in the State of
Kentucky, on the last Monday in May next.