Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-01-25
VirgfnIa EegisEafure.

countless and to provide means therefor
1t was read a first and second time. ordered
to be engrossed, and read third time.
The President laid before the Senate a
communication from the Executive, as fol
lows:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
RIcnMoND, Jan. II, 1861.
Gentlemen Of the Senate.
and House Of Delegates.
I have received a communication from
His Excellency, Edwin D. Morgan, Gov
ernor Of New York, enclosing 4 preamble
and resolutions adopted by the Legislature
Of that State.
The first reso|atic3 declares .'that the Lee
g~islature Of New York tender to the Pres
ident Of the United States swhatever aid.
in men and aicney. may require to ena
! bic him to enforce tho.iaws And uphold the
authority Of the Federal Government"
This | understand to be a declaration Of
their readiness and willingness to sacrifice
the men and money Of that State, in the
effort to coerce the slavelloIding States to
submission to Federal authority. The Gov
ern6r and Legislature Of New Yerk ought
to know that the sword has never reconciled
differences of opinion. Military coercion
can never perpetuate the existence Of this
Union. When the affections Of the people
are withdrawn from the Government. an at
tempt at coercion can have no other effect
than to exasperate the people threatened to
be coclced. Blood. shed in civil strife,ca
only enrich the soil that must speedily pro-
duce ga barvost Of woe
| cannot suppose, from what has occurred,
that the President Of the United States
would be inclined to adopt a policy which
he must see aud know could not fail to re-
suit in biondshed. | am satisfied that pru-
dence and patriotism would induce him to
reject all c%ounseIs and measures, whio.i
would be calculated to bring about so great
q calamity. | have 10 idea, therefore, that
he will accept the tender which has been so
mopportunely and SO ostentatiously para
ded before the country.
Nothing that has occurred in the progress
! Of this controversy has been worse timed
and less excusable. If the Governor and
the Legislature Of New York desire to pre-
serve the Uuion,a tender Of men and mons
cy under the promptings Of passion, preju-
dice and excitement, will not produce the
result. At a time when the horizon is over
cast with clouds, when darkness and gloom
are gathering close around us, and when we
behold nothing but danger Oh all sides, some
little wisdom, discretion and prudence is
expected from the representatives Of the
people. They ought ct least to refrain from
adding fuel to the flame that burns with the
utmost intensity now It would have been
far better that these resolutions had never
been adopted.
In 177S and 1779 the action Of Virsinia
was marked by calmness, dignity and an
earnest desire to preserve tie Union, with
out ~prejndice to the rights Of the States =
No feeling Of resentment towards tho 9th
er States was manifested By those great
men in that day Of peril and trial. No eff
fort was made to produce estrangement be-
tween the different s~ecticna Of the country,
ar to inhame popular prejudice. Iheirex-
omple is worthy Of imitation when events
are hurrying US on 50 rapidly into the dan
gers Of civil strife.
Nothing but 4 sense Of duty has induced
me to transmit tic preamble aud resolutions
to the two Houses of the General Assembly.
The threat which is conveyed can inspire no
terror in freemen.
JOHN LETCIIER.
The resolutions were laid on the table and
printed.
In the IIousc,on Thursday, the 18th.
Mr.. Barbour, from the Joint Committee
on Federal Relations, made the following
report, which, on his motion, was laid on
the table and ordered to be printed:
Resolved. That in the opinion of the
General Assembly of Virginia, the n:"posi-
tons embraced in the resolutions present.
Ell to the Senate of the United States, by
the Hon. j.. j. Crittendcn5 constitute the
basis Of such an adjustment Of the unhappy
controversy which now divides the States Of
this Confederacy, as would be accepted by
the people Of this Commonwealth.
Resolved, That one commissioner to the
Government Of the United States, and one
commissioner to the State of South CarolI-
ma, and the other States that nave seeded
or shall sccede. be appointed by ajoint vote
Of the General Assembly, with Instructions
respectfully to request tie President Of the
United States, and the authorities Of such
States, to agree to abstain, pending the pro
.ceedings contemplated by the action Of this
General Assembly, from any and all acts
calculated to produce a collision of arms be-
tween the States aud the Government of the
United States.
The following are the resolutions of Mr..
Crittenden, referred to above:
JOINT RESOLUTIONS.
Ellefeas serious and alarming dissensions
have arisen between the Northern and
South ern States, CONCERNING the rights and
security of the rights Of the slaveholding
and especially their rights in the
territory of the United States; and
whereas, it is eininentlJ desirable and prop-
er that those dissensions, which now threat
en- the very existence of this Union, should
be permanently quieted and settled by con-
stitutional provisions, which shall do equal
Justice to all sections, and thereby restore
to the people that peace and good will which
to prevail between all the citizens Of
the United States; Therefore,
Resolved by the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States of A.
merica in Congress assembled ,two-thirds o
b0th HOucpS cOnpurrin, Tho+ flo fo)io~:.