Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-03-15

| states should
suit together and concei such measures for their
final action, as the honor, the interests and the
safety of the people tt ereof may demand, and for
that purpose the proper authorities of those States
are requested to appoint commissioners to meet
commissioners to be appointed by this Convention
on behalf OF the people of this State at Frank fort
in the State of Kentucky, on the last Monday in
May next.
Mr.. Wise arose 10 make minority report from
the Committee on Federal Relations expressing
his individual dissent from the partial report OF
that committee, and proposing substitute, which,
after recountng the wrongsh ared upon the Sou tn
by the North, demands guarantees from the North
for the full and complete security of tie public
peace, to be responded to during the present year.
and by the LIST OF October, If possible, and in case
an Intellectual! result Is produced, no response to
these demands is made, Virginia will place herself
! in immediate connection with the border slave
States, for united course of action. The report
closed with series of resolutions resistino all war
like preparations on the part Of the General Gov
eminent, and pledging resistance all against any
attempt Of coercion towards the seeded States
an ordinance to be passed Incorporating these views
and submitted for approval or rejection by the peo-
pie. Laid on the table and printed. The points
OF guarantees demanded were as follows:
l. KS to a tuil recognition of the right Of proper
| ty in A trcan slaves.
2. AS to slavery in the District Of Columbia.
s. AS TO the powers OF the Federal GoVernme
over African slavery, and the employment of sav We
labor in the forts, alsenals, dock wards and all
places ceded by the States to the General Govern
ment.
a. AS to protection against the pretension to Law
and collect excessive taxes on slaves.
5. Asst to the rendition of fugitive slaves
6. AS to the protection of the right and comfy
of transit with slaves through the States bv land
or water and of the right of transportation of
slaves the high seas
Z. The protection OF the right of citizens of the
United States, owning slaves, to soiourn tempo
rarity, with their slaves in waiting, in the limits
| Of non slav eholdlng ! tates.
s. The protection OF equality of settlement by
owners OF slaves, with their slaves, in the common
| territories OF the United States.
8. AS to the rights Of negroes or free persons of
the African race to all the privileges and immuni-
ties of citizens of the several States.
10. AS to the equality Of the African with
| the white race in the States where it may reside,
and the protection of that equality by state laws,
and by the laws Of the United States.
Ill. AS to the better security of the Independence
of the judicial Department Of the Government Of
the United States, by changing the mode Of APP
| pointing The Fedrai judges.
II. As to the protection of heslaveiolding States
against the abduction of their slaves, by repeating
| such State or Federal laws us may eountcnance
the wrong, or BY passing such laws by the States
aud by the Federal Government may be neces
| sary aud proper to suppress it,
/ IL. AS to the protection Of the domestic tranquil
ity Of the people of the United States by suppress
ing The incendiafy assembages, associations and
publications which engendered the sectional wrongs
and hatred which have rent the Union sunder and
now threatens civil
pressing societies and undivided efforts for the col
lection OF money and other to invade tae
States or territories of the United States.
Is. And by suppressing ali organizations seeking
and introducing foreign aid and influence to ncite
domestic violence in any OF the States or Terrific
res OF the United States,
Mr.. Har1ie, of Amelia, presented the following
minority report from the same c,mmittee:
The undersigned a minority of the Committee
en- Federal Relations report that having had IN
der consideration the resolutions referred to the
said Committee, and dissenting from the report OF
the majority, recommend to the Convention the a.
doption of the following resolution
Resolced, That the Committee on Federal Keia
tions be instructed to report an ordinance resn-
ming the powers delegated by Virginia to the
Federal Government, and to make provisions for
submitting the to the qualified voters OF the
Commonwealth for their adoption rejection.
Respectfully submitted,
LEWIS Z. HARyIE,
| ROBERT L. MONTAGUE,
| SAMUEL G. WILLIAMS.
| Mr. Barbour, Of Cu!peper, presented the follow
ing minority report from the same
Resolved, That this Convention has witnessed
with deep concern the failure on the part of the
| Federal Government and majority of the non
slaveholding State Governments, to operate eff
tcientlY with the authorities of this Common
wealth. III earnest effort to restore the federal
Union terms consistent with the security of the
people Of The siaveholding States.
! Reaoued, That the recommendation of the Com
m0nwealth having been met with sufficient re-
spon On the part of the authorities Of the nom
slaveholding States and the Federal Government,
| considerations of public duty induce US to retra n
| from further recommendations If the authorities
| Of the Federal Government and of the slave
| holding State Governments desire and expect to
! restore the Federal Union. they must, without
| further delay, adopt such measures as viii afford
the people OF the sayeholding States ful constitu
tional assurance OF their safety in continuing any
fur ther association with them under common
govern .nGnt.
Resolced. That this Convention will, on the day
Of the adoption of these resolutions, appoint three
commissioners to proceed to Montgomery aud con
fer with the authorities OF the ConEederated States
in reference to the grave emergency in our public
| affairs.
Mr.. Baldwin, of Augusta. Mr. President:
desire to present minority report from the Com
mlttee on Fed raj 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, profoundly sensible of
the difficulty, delicacy and Importance of the duty
which, III obedience to the popular will, they have
Assumed to perform.
They feel that the controversy which, unfor-
tunately, districts and divides country, has
brought about condition Of public affairs for
which history has no parallel, and the experienc
OF government no precedent
''They recognize the fact that the great questions
which press for consideration of entire novelty
aud of great intrinsic difficulty, and that their
proper solution will require, the part OF
.iovetnn1ent. State and Federal, and of peo-
pie, the exercise Of the utmost prudence, discre-
ton, calmn ss and forbearance.
They concur, most earnestly. in the opinion
declared by the General Assembly Of Virginia,
that permanent dissolution OF the Union is inev-
liable, unless our unhappy controversies can be
adjusted i'll the spirit in which the Constitution
originally formed, and they feel that to perfect
any such adjustment, it is eff indispensable necessi
ty that, during its progress, the peace Of the
country sh all DE maintained, and that all parties
SHALL in good faith, avoid giving just occasion for
irritation, collision and bloodsh I'd.
Therefore. be it resolved, By the people Of Viz
GINA, in Convento
l. The conference Of States, which, upon the
invitation OF Virginia, was recently held in TIE
city Of Washington, having recommended certain
amendments to the Constitution OF the United
States, in the opinion of the Conference, con-
tain fair and satisfactory adjustment of existing
difficulties, far they be reached by changes
in the original law-this Convention is of opinion
that the said amendments, if conculred in by the
States hereinafter invited to Conference, and en-
grated upon the Constitution of the Emitted States,
| will be satisfactory to the people of Virginia.
2. The peculiar relations Of the States OF Della
ware, Mary land, Virginia, North Carolina, Ten
nessee, Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas, to each
other, and to the other States, make it proper in
| the Judgment Of this Convention, that the former
States should consult together for the maintenance
OF their rights in the Union or, falling in that, to
concert sush measures for their final action as the
honor the interests and the safety Of their people
may delnardj and for that purpose, tile proper
authorities Of these States arc request to ap-
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