Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-22

| Constitution that has been adopted Ssnce we
we're elected, that has never been submitted 10
them-a Constitution which, so far from having
been Thoroughly discussed. has never been DIS
cpsscd at all, even IL this body. And upon "oat
ground is it claimed that we ought n0~ to ratity
p! This Constitution: Upon the ground OF necessity.
Sir. la not believe such an Immediate ne
ccssi,v exists. The public voice is mnw the
great sheet anchor to which we arc cllnglns,
The nublic voice of the South is the Palladium
Of our hopes, with which, if 1t is to DC done 1T
all We are 10 conquer our cnc,nieS aad, Tor
ono can never consent to deprive them OF
thai popular strength which they possess in the
h,Ilot box and the power Of defending their
avn institutions, or If coaceding TO this Con
reution the right of driving over, bag and bag
oare. to the General Government wllu'nt The
nnuhlic sentiment being heard
LET rs look at each other. What nave you
done? 1t was in obedience to your acso' 'esls,
lation that got. met aud passed m ORDINANCE" o.
Sncessjcn. You entered into n convention Win
,nn Southern States-a convention 0i llilance,
offensive and defensive. Did yen not, SIR ana
von passed another ordinance Transferring tae
nconie of Virginia over to the Provisional uo',
eminent Of the Confederate States. Ana u"
,,o, mot say that this transfer should hot os
made unless the Ordinance OF Secession was
ra,iiied ut the polls? Did you not say II: leu
are upon the record, every one Of you. T.,
That don't look light. sir. il Is al! h'Se"
nm and. for NY part, | never want 10 argue
This question OF secession again. wahtit un'
,lerstood now, that The ordinance just Tea1 IS
Observation-Disclosures iast paragraph OF 1t, ut least
lin the language Of the ordinance a!opi:Hs
=, 4, --.:,,,n, ~ th. tFn,!pl Mites. W .l,Cls
reads as follows
"We. the said delegates, in the name sno IN
behalf Of the people OF Virginia, do, by these
presents, assent 10 and ratiiy tho Constitution
recommended on the l7lh day o! September,
one thousand seven hundred ard ciShly-SeVen,
bv the Federal Convention fer the Government
Of the Uaitcd States hereby announcing TO
all those whom it may concern, that the sa'o
Constitution is binding upon the said people,
according 20 az authentic copy hereto en-
nexed."
Sir that ordinance on your table Dies not re
serve the right to secede, and this Is the more
strange. in view oI the fact OF its beng pre-
n1red under the auspices Of the very men who
relied most upon this right Of SECESSION, i"r
which thew found u Justification in the old or.
dinance. I repeat that, substantially, there ~
no difference between the ordinance oi
l7SS, and that which is now under
consideration. Compare this old ordinance
with that little larasraph-it il large enough
20 make Ii paragrgph~-it locks rather I'kea
love letter. tLaugh:cr.j would ask gentle
men how, III the future, can they claim that
this right TO Withdraw IRON TIE CoIleoerac!y
for proper reason ia reserved 10 Item, IN the
ordinance which is now proposed 10 De adopt
ed? | will tell YOU, sir, that il gives 90 suca
right; ard | want gentlemen 10 march right up
to that question and say frankly whether Or
not they mean tt reserve this riSht III scces-
sion. If so, why not sci il dowa ria'rIy in
this ordinance: Who can say that Under
that orIlnanc. Virginia will have a right,
twenty Years hence, to withdraw lrUIl tais
Conledcrucy, il she should hrem it 10 DC her
interest to 10 SO? | say under that ordinance
no other right ol scceSsior vii! exist than u
revolutionary right. If You intend TO carr?
ou. this principle, let il be explicitly sct down
so rs to place It beyond CARL in the future.
| call the attention Of the m:mhrr5 OF the
Convention to the peculiar circumstances
under which the Convention OF lISS met:
ave, the delegates uf the people of Virginia,
duly elected in pursuance Of q recommendation
from the General Assembly. and now met in
convention, having fully and freely Investigated
ard discussed the proceedings Of the Federal
Convention, and being prepared, MS we'll rs the
most mature elaboration hash enabled us, To
decide thereon. Do. in the rstuc and in hrtalf
Of the penplc Of Virginia, declare and make
known, that the powers glu'tcd under the
Constitution, being derived irotu the people
Of the United States, may he resumed by
them whatsoever the same Shall be perverted
to their injury OF oppression, and that every
power not granted thereby remains with them
and at their will; that therefore 10 right, Of any
denomination can be cancelled, abridged, re.
strained OF modified, by the Congress, by The
Senate or House Of Representatives acting in
any capacity, b. the President Or any depart
,ueut, or officer Of the United States, except
in those instances in which power is given by
the Constitution fur those purposes and that
among other essential rights, the liberty Of con.
science and of the press cannot ho cancelled,
abridged, restrained or modified, ~ any al.
thority OF the United States.
with these Impressions, with a solemn
appeal 10 the Srarcher Of Hearts for the purity
OF our intentions, and under the conviction that
whatsoever impcrfectiors may exist in the
Constitution ought rather to be examined in
the mode prescribed therein, than 10 bring tho
Union into dInger by delay, with the hope ol
obtaining amendments, previous 10 the ra;!i.
cation:
ave the said Delegates, in the narne End in
behalf Of the people Of Virginia, do by these
presents asset to and ra:iiy tine Constitution
recommended on the 18th day Of September, !
ono thousand seven hundred and eighty.sevc;r,
by the Federal Con ~cltion, for the government
Of the United States; hereby announcing. TO
all whom it may Concern, that the said cpnsti-
tuition is binding upon the said people, accord.
ing to all authentic copy hereto annexed"
Can you say that after muture elaboration,
You can take that Constitution up and assert
that these powers are derived from the peo-
pie? Pat il. then, that these powers are MS.
suned wi,!..et consulting the people. You
cannot say that we the delegates having
thoroughly discussed thu principles Of that
Constitution, submitted il then for ratification
to the people. On, no; bu. you can say that
this Constitution was adopted unanimously by
the Congress Of the Confederate States oil
America, March Iltl, 1881, and That you
adopted it i'll Convention without submitting
it to the people. That is what you can say,
and no more.
II We have . right to make this Constitution
binding upon the people. without submitting
it to them, what is 10 hinder us from placing a
monarchical government over them? Blu.
with n knowledge Of the fact that this Conven.
ton exists, and that wc have the power to act
finally on this %lnatter, We disregard all con.
s!lcrHtinns Of popular rights as it would no.
pear, and adopt u Constitution without giving
those who are now in the field fighting their
country's battles an opportunity TO pronounce
upon II. First await the result Of this conflict,
and see your flag flourish in triumph before
You adopt this Constitution. | WIS asked tn"
question over and over again in my county,
az my county court, whether, ii ] vsnld vote
for Inc Ordinance Of Secession, it woalG
necessarily carry with it this Conslilntion
| told them not all; that it was An open
Question, hereafter TO Dr. decided. I nave no
more doubt than have Of now Standing here