Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-03-16
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THE VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION
rRsNrKHRST DAY.


M- Gavo,n when the hour of IL o'clock arrived,
took the Chair and said Gentlemen of the Conven-
ton at the request of the President call 'ne 0~
ventien to order. p.,,h,.o-;.n
church. 81 ....
THE QUESTION BEFORE THE CONVENTION.
Mr. Gocp;n (who occupied the Chair before
the Chair recognizes any gentleman, ne WIN sS'e
the question. The sub Jet under consideration
the amendment offered by that gentleman from
Amelia, (Mr Harvfe,) to the amendment onereu oy
the gentleman from Goochland, (Mr Leake,) to the
original resolution submitted by the gentleman from
Chesterfield, (Mr. Cox.)
REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE on FEDERAL RELATIONS.
Mr.. R. Y Conrad.--The Committee on Federal
Relations to whom has been referred large number
of resolutions, have had the same under consdera-
ton and have directed me to make partial report
will add, sir that certain proposed amendments
to the Constitution of the United States referred to
in this report, are now under consideration before
the committee, and as soon as the same can be
nroperiy considered and decided upon, will be re-
norted to the Convention. But the committee has
deemed it proper to submit first this report embody-
ing various results to which they have come after
mature consideration, and have instructed me to
move that it be laid upon the table and printed
The motion put and agreed to.
MAJORITY REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL
RELATIONS.
The following is the report submitted by Mr..
Conrad:
Partial Report from the Committee on Federal
Relations, presented March 9, 1861.
The representatives of the people of Virginia In
Convention assembled, are profoundly sensible of
the difficulty, delicacy and importance of the duty
which, in obedience to the popular will, they have
assumed to perform.
f,o1 fl,oft III ich
distracts and divides country has brought about
condition of public affairs for which history has
no parallel and the experience of Governments no
precedent
They recognize the fact thac the great questions
which press for consideration are of entire novelty
and of great intrinsic difficulty, and that their
proper solution will require on the part OF our
Governments, State and Federal, and of our people
the exercise of the utmost prudence, discretion,
calmness and forbearance-
Above all other things at this time they esteem it
of indispensable necessity to maintain the peace of
the country and to avoid everything calculated or
tending to produce collision and bloodshed
The grievances for which several of the States
have Withdrawn from the Union and overthrown
the Federal Government within their limits, such
as have effected the people of Virginia to greater
extent than any of the seeded States and is their
determined purpose to require such guarantees for
the protection of the rights of the people of the
will be sufficient for the accomplishment Of that
object.
Virginia having initiated measures to obtain such
guarantees, a proper selErespect mpels her to
demand OF all the parties that they shall refrain
during the tendency of her efforts for amicable ad-
justment from all action tending to produce a COL
lision of forces therefore,
/. Be it resolved and declared by the people of
the State of Virginia in Convention assembled That
the States which composed the United States of
America, when the Federal Constitution formed,
were independent soveregnties and in adopting that
instrument the people of each State agreed to
cate with the people of the other States, upon a
footing of exact equality. 1t is the duty therefore,
of the common Government to respect the rights of
the States and the equality of the people thereof
and within the just limits of the Constitution, to
protect with equal care, the great interests that
spring from the institutions of each.
2. African slavery is vital part of the social
system of the States wherein it exists and as that
form of servitude existed when the Union was
formed, and the jurisdiction of the several States
it within their respective limits recognized
by the Constitution, any interference to its prejudice
by the federal authority or by the authorities of the
other States or by the people thereof is in deroga-
ton from plain right, contrary to the Constitution,
offensive and dangerous.
8. The choice of functonarieS of a common govern
ment established for the common good for the reason
that they entertain opinions and avow purposes
hostile to the institutions of some Of the States
necessarily excludes the people of one section from
participation IN the administration of the Govern
ment subjects the weaker to the domination of the
stronger section leads to abuse, and is incompati-
BILE with the safety of those whose interests are i'm
perilled the formation, therefore, of geographical
sectional parties in respect to federal politics. is
contrary to the principles on which our system
rests, and tends to its overthrow
4 The Territories of the United States constitute
trust to be administered by the General Govern
ment for the common benefit of the people of the
United States, and any policy in respec: to such
Territories, calculated to confer greater benefits on
the people of part of the United States than on
the people Of another part is contrary to equality,
and prejudicial to the rights of some for whose
equal benefit the trust was created If the equal
admission of slave labor and free labor into any
Territory excites unfriendly conflict between the
systems fair partition of the Territories ought to
be made between then, and each system ought to
be protected within the limits assigned to it. by the
laws necessary for its proper DEVELOPMENT
8. The sites of the federal forts arsenals &c
within the limits OF the States of this Union. were
acquired by the Federal Government, and iurisd,c.
ton over them coded ny the States, as trusts for
the common purposes of the Union, during its con-
tnuance; and upon the separation of the States
such jurisdiction reverts of right to the States re-
spectivey, by which the jurisdiction was coded
Whilst State remains in the Union, the legitimate
use of such forts, &C., is to protect the country
against foreign force, and to aid in suppressing
domestic instruction. To use, or prepare them to
be used to intmidate State or constrain ITS free
action, is perversion of the purposes for which
they were obtained they were not intended to be
used against the States in whose limits they are
found. in the event of civil war. In time of pro-
found peace with nations such as now exists
and when no symptoms of domestic instruction
appear but whilst irritating questions, of the
deepest importance pending between the States:
to accumulate within the limits of State interested
in such question, an unusual amount of troops and
munitions Of war; not required for any legitimate
purpose, is unwise, impoitc and offensive.
6. Deeply deploring the present distracted condi.
ton of the country, and lanlentng the wrongs that
have mpeed some of the States to cast off obedience
to the Federal Government but sensible of the bles
sings Of Union, and impressed with its importance
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