The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-04-05
The Position OF virginia-WiH Sh,
SocodO9

All sections of the country are looking to
the action of the Virginia Convention, and Of
the people, to whom that action is to be re-
ferred, as involving the question of definite
separation between the slaveholding and non
slaveholding States, or reconstruction Of the
Union on terms that will be satisfactory to the
border slave States, and that may induce some
or all of the members of the Southern con
federacy to return to their first love- That
question will be, if not decided at least largely
Influenced by the Convention which has been
sitting in Richmond for the last seven weeks.
Let us see, then, what are the prospects, or,
rather, what are the inevitable results of the
deliberations of that body.
One Of its first acts was the reference of the
question Of federal relations to committee Of
twenty one, composed of the leading men of
the Convention, and, indeed, of the State.
After a session Of three weeks that committee
brought in it's report, agreed to by a majority
of fifteen, who represent the Union and con-
servative elements There were four minority
reports submitted: one by Ex-Governor Wise,
one by Messrs. Harvie, Montague and Will
liams, one by Mr.. Barbour, and one by Mr..
Baldwin. The majority report is the mildest
the least exacting and the one most likely if
any proposition could, to meet the appreciation
and concurrence Of the people Of the North.
It is also the one most likely to be adopted by
the Convention. It's chief points are:-First,
the assertion Of the Independent sovereignty
of the States; second, the protection of the
rights Of slave property in States and
Territories; third, that the general govern
mept shall not intimidate seeding States
by holding or reinforcing forts therein;
fourth, that the Northern States shall repeal
unfriendly legislation against slavery; fifth,
that the independence of the seeded States
shall be recognized; and sixth, that confer
ence of the border slaveholding States shall
meet at Frankfort, Kentucky, on the last Mon
day in May next. The report proposes amend
ments to the constitution Of the United States
to the following effect The prohibition of
domestic slavery in the Territories north of
SO deg. 80 min, and the recognition of it in the
Territories South of that line. No more terri
tory TO be acquired without the concurrence
Of majority of Senators from slaveholding
States and concurrence of majority of
those from free States. This, however. would
not apply to any future annexation of the
British provinces, which would not come in
under the name Of territories, but be at once
admitted as States. This may be an oversight
on the part of the Committee on Federal Rela-
tons. If they desire the rule to apply to Cana.
do, they had better be more explicit in the
terms they employ. Then Congress shall have
no power to interfere with slavery in any State
or Territory, or in the District of Columbia, or
in any of the forts or arsenals. Owners of
slaves shall have the right Of transit with their
slaves in free States and Territories, but not the
right to sojourn or sale. Congress shall pro-
vide for paying to the owner the full value of
his fugitive slave, where he was prevented by
intimidation from recapturing him. No person
of the African race shall exercise the elective
franchise, or the right to hold Office. None of
those amendments to be amended or abolished
without the consent of all the States One of
the resolutions reported by the committee de-
clares that, in the event Of Virginia not receiv-
ing satisfactory responses to these demands,
she will then resume the powers granted by her
to the general government, and throw herself
upon her reserved rights.
This is, we repeat the most moderate and
conciliatory proposition submitted to the Con-
vention. The question which is still delibe-
rated in that body is whether this proposition
shall be acceded to and formulated as the de.
mand of the Commonwealth, or whether some
of the minority reports, advocating imme-
date secession, or claiming still further qua.
rantees, shall be preferred to it. The prospects
are that the majority report will be adopted
for though the immediate secessionists are most
prominent, they are not most numerous Out
Of thirty speeches that have been delivered in
the Convention, thirteen were made by Brock.
inridge democrats and two by Bell and Everett
men in favor Of secession, seven by Bell and
Everett men and three by Douglas men in
favor of a border slave State conference, aud
two by Bell and Everett men and three by
Breckenridge men in favor Of submitting an ul-
timatum to the Northern States.
1t does not appear in the least probable
however, that any Of these reports, resolutions
or speeches of this Convention will def
nitely settle the question of secession
on the part of the border slave States
or the reconstruction of the Union, If
the present do-nothing policy of the Lincoln
administration be persisted in. 1t is in vain
for the Union sentiment of Virginia to appeal
in behalf Of compromise as long as the govern
ment at Washington remains indisposed to take
any measures towards that end. 1t is far more
likely that the alleged determination to rein
force the Southern forts, as indicated by the
active preparations now going on in the naval
and military departments, will ultimately crush
out the friendly feeling existing in the Virginia
Convention and compel that State and the
other border States to ally themselves to the
Southern confederacy.