Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-01-26
SPECIAL MESSAGE OF THE Gov
ERNOE OF VIRGINIA.
1he special message OF the Governor Oh
Virginia on the New York resolutions, tender
ing men and money to maintain the authority
Of Tho FsHsraI Gnrernmant is as fnlInws.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
nrcHMnNn I.nusH L 1850.

Virginia on the New York resolutions, tender
ing men and money to maintain the Authority
Of the Federal Government, is as follows:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
RICHMOND, January Il, 1860.
Gentlemen fthe Senate and HOese Of Delegates:
have received a communication from bis
excellency, Edwin d. Morgan, governor Of
New York, inclosing a preamble and resolu-
lions adopted by tbs legislature of that state.
TIE first resolution declares "that the legis-
lature OF New York; tender to the President
or the United States, "Ehatever aid, in men
and money, he may require to enable him to
enforce The laws and uphold the authority OF
the Federal Government"
This ! understand to be a declaration Of
heir readiness and willingness to sacrifice the
men and money Of that State, in the effort to
coerce the ~slaveholding State to submission to
federal authority. The governor and legisla-
ture Of New York ought to know that the
sword has never reconciled differences Of epin-
len. Military coercion can never DeTpetuate
the existence Of this Union. When the afec-
lions OF the people are Withdrawn from the
Government, an attempt at coercion can have
no other effect than to exasperate the people
threatened to be coerced. Blood, shed in civil
strife, can only enrich the soil that must
speedily produce ga harvest OF woe"
| cannot suppose, from what has occurred,
that the President Of the United States would
be inclined to adopt a policy which be must
see and know could not fail TO result in hood
shed. am pstisfed that prudence and patri-
otism void iciace him to reject all c~ounsels
and measures, which would be calculated te
bring about so great a calamity. ! have De
idea, therefore, that be will accept The tender
which has been so inoppor'unely and so osten-
t~atiously paraded before the country.
Nothing that has occurred in the progress Of
this controversy has been worse timed and less
eXcussble. If the governor and legislature OF
New York desire to preserve the Union, a ten
dsr Of men and money under the promptings Of
passion, prejudice and excitement, will not
produce the result. At a time when the hori-
zon is overcast with clouds, when darkness
and gloom are gathering close around US, and
when we behold nothing but danger on all
sides, som. little wisdom, discretion and Pru-
denee is expected from the representatives Of
the people. They ought at least to refrain
from adding fuel to the fame that burns with
utmost intensity nov. It would have been far
better that these resolutions had never been
adopted.
Ia IT'S and I77g the action Of Virginia wss
marked by calmness. dignity and earnest de-
sire to preserve the Union, without prejudice
to the rights Of he States No feeling OF re-
sen-men toward the other States was mani-
Tested by those great men in that day Of peril
and trial. No effort was made to produce es-
arrangement between the different sections OF
the country, or to in1ams popular prsjudices.
Their example is worthy Of imitation when
events are hurrying US on 80 rapidly into the
dangers Of civil strife.
Nothing bat a sense Of duty has induced me
to transmit the preamble and resolutions to the
two houses Of the general assembly. The
threat which is conveyed can inspire no terror
in freemen. JOHN LETcHER.