Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-16


garding the militia the Adjutant General OIL the
State be, and he is hereby requested to COM
municatc to this body, as speedily as IS COM
patible with thorough report on this suo)ece
how many and what kind Of arms are IN the
possession Of the State, undistrbuted, and the
number and kind Of additional companies
which can and will, probably, shortly be arm
ell. Also, at what points in his judgment,
having due reference to the localities OF the
different companies, and to economy i'll time
and money, the whole volunteer force OF the
State can he assembled in bodies sufficiently
large to he instructed in battalion evoutlons,
in The erolutions Of the line, in siege, garrison
aud camp duties, incident to the respective
arms Of the service, and any other information
in his reach calculated TO throw light OH the
means necessary to put the Commonwealth in
q complete state Of preparation against at
tack"
Mr.. BRowS, of Preston-Upon last evening,
cir, expressed in few words, al unwilingneSs
to take that resolution from the table. de-
sire this morning more fully to assign the
reasons why think the Convention ought not
to take up or act upon that resolution. AT
first view, it may seem that there should be no
objection to its consideration but when you
reflect upon the condition of the mercantile in
terests of Virginia, that every agitation in this
body prejudices them in the exchanges be.
tween this and the North, you will better ap-
preciate the disadvantage to which this course
Of policy leads. We are now under contrlbu-
tons to Northern citizens through the de-
ranged condition of the exchanges, and il! you
take up this resolution, you will add 10 the
agitation and cause further diminu!ion in the
value of our Stale stocks, and keep up The in.
equality of the exchanges.
Sir | referred last evening 10 the action Of
the Legislature upon this subject. That body
on Yesterday, looking, no doubt, to the contin-
gency OF TIrginia's needing sinews OF war,
passed a bill appropria,ins one million oi dol,
lars, and providing that tia. should be raised
through the sale Of treasury notes-treaSury
notes, sir, Of the denomination Of len dollars,
which, if they were the notes Of individuals,
would have TO be collected by Constable's re.
ceipt What effect will that lave upon ex-
changes and the price of Virginia securities in
the Northern States, where our State bonds
are carried for the purpose Of going into mar
ket?
Sir, the very passage Of that till will show its
effect before tomorrow morning upon the price
Of Virginia securities in the market
Now, this whole subject is one that properly
belongs to the Legislature 1t is one that alli
willing to leave with them, while think that
they are not very wisely managing it. nm
opposed 10 increasing the present agitation by
making demonstration in the Convention
such us would be involved in taking action
upon this resolution. II war comes, let il
come. When we see that war is inevitable let
us move, and not talk all the time. An Eng
liSh statesman, in three words. vii, indicate the
policy Of Great Britain. Napoleon, in three
lines in n newspaper, will indicate the policy Of
that mighty empire. And here we are talking
about war and bloodshed while we have deter
mined on nothing.
think, sir, We should make no demonstra-
lions bat what we intend to carry out; and,
sir, whenever Virginia moves-whenever the
emergency arises which will render it neces-
sary FOR her to take her stand-l will not vote
10 take up and net upon Il resolution CT this
character, but vote willingly to provide the
sncws of war.
am opposed to the motion to take up this
resolution now.
The question Vas then taken, and decided in
the negative.
Mr. RlcliARDsoS-l ask for division ]
asked previously for the ayes and noes.
The pnEsIDESr--The Chair certainly did not
hear the gentleman call for the ayes and noes.
Ii he had, he would asSuredly have acted upon
| IT,
The question on the motion 10 take up was
then taken, and a division being had, there
| wcrr-ayes 35, noes 4G. So the motion TO
take up vas lost.
MEETING IN NECHLESBURG COUNTY.
Mr.. GooDg, (of Mecklcnburg. III ain re-
qucsted sir, to lay before this body the pro-
ceedings Of public meeting recently held in
the town OF GAINESVILLE, in the county Of Neck
lcnburg.
In presenting thein | desire but to say that
the resolves are those Of gallant men, who, in
common with thousands Of NirgininS sons,
have entered upon high and holy struggle,
for The emancipation Of Virginia from the thral
dom OF L hostile and dcspotc power; men who
arc determined, if it be within human power,
to sever the chords that bind her 10 those who
arc warning upon her peace and happiness,
and to link her destiny forever with those 10
whom she is bound By every tic Of interest
and Of feeling. And, sir, in this struggle their
arus will never he unnerved. They will never
turn back until satisfied that the Virginia heart
is cold and dead to Virginia interest and Viz
sinia homer and then, sir, in humiliation and
sorrow they will turn from their native land,
to seek cline where 4 freeman may tread
with his brow erect, and his stem more firm.
Sir the eyes and the hearts Of the people OF
Virginia are now turned TO the banner which
proudly and dchantly floats from the Capitol
Of Montgomery. for one sir, trust in God,
that the day is not far distant when, as that
banner floats to the breeze, it will envelope this
mother of States and statesmen within lis ample
and protecting folds.
ask that the resolutions be referred 10 the
Committee on Federal Relations.
They were accordingly referred. They rea,i
as follows
MECELESBuRG RESoLuTIoSS--prBLIc MEETING IN
GAINESVILLE.
At n public meeting, held in ClaI ksville, on
Friday, the 9Th inst on motion Of DR.. S. II.
Harris, Robt Y. overly was called to the
Chair, and John G. Boyd appointed Secretary.
After brief explanation Of the object Of the
meeting on motion Of E. X. Harris, commit.
tee Of five was appointed to prepare suitable
resolutions for the adoption Of the meeting.
The committee appointed by the Chair re-
tired, and, after brief absence, reported the
following preamble and resolutions, which were
unanimously adopted:
Whereas, the results Of the efforts to alay
the agitation of the country, made by Virginia
in inaugurating the Peace Congress- and in
sending commissioners to President Buchanan
ard to the seeded States, establish incontro
gcrtibly that the sectional dominant party does
not intend to give the just rights which were
demanded, and on the other hand show conclu
sivcly that the seeded States have no idea OF
coming back into what Was once the Unitcd
States Of America,
Whereas the Franklin compromise not only
fails utterly to give that equality and security
which we demand and will have, but also leaves
the questions at issue unsettled and in worse
condition for the South than before; and
Whereas the recent inaugural of President
Lincoln is in fact declaration Of war against
the South therefore