Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-28
will never leave the Northern Conlederacy

bccn sloughsd OFF, and we are left hopeles
minority in a Northern C0nlederacy. While il
the old Union, with united South, We coul
to some extent, restrain the minority, and bca
back our aggrcsscrs; bnt You arc now in
Uuon where you are dwarfed, not Only upo
the slave question, but upon other questions
in my humble judgment of ten times tnor
potency with Somc gentleman here than slavery
and we are in Confederacy where they dc
light to be, in my opinion. AS for me, if yol
will not, or il you cannot restore the old Union
| will not-l never will consent that my Stat
shall rcla1in Il permanent. part and parcel 0
this new Northern Oonfedcracy. But do no
propose 10 pursue the subject further at lhi
time. d. not intend now to make speech
| only intended to do the gentleman from Har
rison the justice TO say that he belongs Il
this Peace Conference proposition, and lha
this proposition belongs to him, and any gentle
man who wants to take action against slavery
and the South, may follow him. shall not.
Mr. LEAHE-Mr Chairman, the Lsgisl latur,
Of Virginia, ucting for the people Of Virginia
determined to make another effort 10 scttl,
this great controversy with the North. II was
understood every where to be Il final effort
The interest and the honor Of Virginia, it was
thought, required that another effort should be
ulade; aud that interest and that honor DC
manded equally that that effort should be q
! tnsl one. Sir it was so understood in Nir-
guia The representatives from this Stat tc met
those frolu other States in u Peace Conference.
| Fourteen non .slavehuJ!ng States, and seven
slaveholdiny States; and, sir, the propositions,
submitted to US by the representatives from
| this State, constitute the result Of tho delibe
rations Of that body. And as it was to be cx
pcctcd. they are Just such propositions as We're
| likely ~ enIanate from IL body in which There
was SO overwhelming Iuajority of rcprcsen.
tatives upposrd TO tho rights aud interests ol
Virginia, as fourteen non.s!arsholdiuy States
TO seven sla7uholdng Su,es-such result Us
could be expected from body in which
there wus an overwhelming anti slavery
sentiment, und that anti slavery sentiment
not ons j opposed to your property, but opposed
To the Sentiments upon which that property
rests Tor lis Observation-Disclosures who are NOT
willing to acknowledge your shlS Of property
III the conlnan territory, but who denounce the
sentluiemls Of your heart by which your title
| TO your property is Justified. You have, sir,
three notable propositions as the result Of this
Conference on the part Of the people Of Eir.
ginia. They had recommend to them proposi.
tons which GAME FROM a body, the majority OF
which was opposed to the lights Of Tie South,
and opposed to the rights Ct Virginia An',
sir, these propositions were brought b1ck 10 u>
Us the best basis that could he obtained, ard not
only as the best that could b. obtained, but Us
the very propositions which the right. and in-
,erest oi Virginia demanded should have ncen
brought back.
t.lI
make any test for them upon these Peace Con.
ference propositions; that no vote given upon
tue pending propositions can be considered us
in any way indicating what are their opinions
upon the Peace Conference propositions We'll,
sir, re aIe making no test for them, they have
made the test for themselves. The PROPOSE.
,ions OF tho Peace Conference are before this
Committee, and take it that 10 gentleman
will bu 80 lorgclIul Of the duty which he owes
TO himself rs TO vote against these propositions
If he thinks ihem the best that can he obtained
from The Northern State!, and the Lrst Tor The
interests Of Eirsinia; the best the honor and
'''GEHtc t,frrE f 'FSadHHin gnliiG' psrsodenand-
discussions, have denounced the Representa-
tives Of Virginia in the Seuule Of the United
States, because they did rot concur in the
proposal to submit those propositions 10 TIC
rs,plu for their ratification; and there now
iic, upon the table oi this Convention a Iceo-
luton denouncing the Senators from Virginia
In Congress, because they did not vote tv sub
nit those propositions to the people for their
avurobation. | understand ttla, that resUlu.
tua only siumbers there IN order that gentle.
men may have 1 full opportunity 10 come up
and vote for il. Suppose your Senators had vo'
ted for that propusitlon--ls 1t not very evident
| from the sentiments you have proclaimed here
to-day That they would have mIsfeprcsent,d tir'
yinja upon n matter Involving her interests and
| ner riyttsY Sir, would yon have had your Sena.
PROPOSITIONS were liable TO the charge OF an.
tors. representing the sovereignty oil FrsIniA
cast their votes for proposition that gentlemen
here are unwilling to give their votes IN favor
Of Suppose your Senators had voted for
these propositions, why, gentlemen you would
haze found, US you have found III this Com
nii,ee to day, that mljority are not Wiling
to sanction these Peace Conference proposl
tons. Yet gentlemen came here recommend
my them. Before tho discussion took place
they we're satisfied that they were the bes
nrurositions that could be offered. Aud nc
wonder they had just come from n confer
CAGE with Bllck Republican politicians. Nc
wonder; when they had just come trou
Washington from attending Peace Confer
encc, where lne-r was 50 large majority op
posed to slartry-opposed To the Interests I"
Virginia and opposed 10 the Southern de
rrallds upon this great question. But since
thi. discussion has taken place, since crill
c:S,n las been brought to beur upon them
since they began to bv uudcrstood, gentlemen
s.y they must be modified. Those gentlemen
who lave stood up here 10 Say to irgIni'
that she ought to take these propositions, noH
come to tbs convention und ray that sht
opeit not to take them, while the resolu
ton is still lying upon your table Il
ca,,sure your Senator's in Congress for no
voting that yigina should take them il
other words, that they have not been faith'u
10 your rights and your honor, because they
have not voted away your honor, becaus'
t!:cy lave not been willing TO be guidet
by the chart laid down by CHASE ant
ott!lcr Black Republicans Of that schoo! o
poiilics. Gentlemen have, at TN early stag
Of this discussion told US thut these propo
sliuns demanded al that tie rights an
Interests Of Virginia required, bu! no~ they tel
YOU that there ure other propositions which ar
better, ard that these propositions will col,
uand their votes when placed III competition
with .ie Peace Conference propositions. Ihe
by that vote you say That Your representative
in Congress were right in refusing to vote 10
these propositions. SIR, trust tic scntlema
who introduced that resolution Of censure, vii
either have it taken up and voted upon or hav
the ,aacnanimity to Withdraw it from the hle
UPON lie clerk s table, and instead, pass resc
u,ion complmeniing them for being faithful
the interests and honor Of Virginia; becaus
thew were So lar.sishted and 60 watchfu; bt
cause they were more careful Of your rig his an
your honr than you ct first supposed them I
be.
But, Mr.. Chairman, should suppose III
friends of these Peace Conference proposition
would not hesitate for ruonsnt in voting lc
them if they did not believe that there Wer
other propositions which were better IN then
selves But | hear gentlemen say that Ii
changes made in the Peace Conference proPos
inns bv the report Of the Committee Of I've!