The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-03
vIsGINIA STATE CONVENTION
FORTY.FIRST DAY.

4
TUESDAY, April :, 1851.
rh. convention was called 10 order at 10
II PRAYER nv the Rev, Mr.. PErIeRCs,
.F,ba Disciples Church.
tQrALITr OF TAXATION.
Y,o Coaventiou proceeded to the considera
49,, If unfinished business ss-nameiy. the reso-
,"' a., Taxation and Represen tation, of
- hv MI WtiLES, OF Monongalia.
~ y,rlxy being entitled 10 the floor, @d =
,.se.3 -ha Goa ventlOE. lie protested against
4 a., Iteration of the subject as sectiona |
,.St,on. asserting that not only the West and
-" %n-,hwes;. hut all other sections of the
~t,fe were equally interested I'm it. He pro-
g,,.i facts from the Auditors report to show
- larre number of non -sla,eholding tax
.,.ra~s East of the Blue Ridge whose in ;erest
= ivss 70 have the organic law changed IN this
-s.,cct He particularly cpntended for justice
-, ihn Western people, who wouid be called
o,,an 10 fight she battles, II the State Were 10
hscome Involved IN civil war The present
,,'t.y he argued. tfRded to divert capital
t--,, 'Nlysinia 10 the North, while her own
,stgraI resources remained updeyelored. lie
S-,,43 The question would be taken, and that
~ vssolutIOEs would pass.
NJ STCAkT, Of Doddridge, desired TO say 4
fox words upon the subject. ten tlemen had
rt,; vet bseu talked 10 az plainly as he pro
,,,.ed % talk. He would avail himself OF the
lrncvturity tomorrow morning.
The subject gas then passed by.
COMMITTEES OF TRg WHOLE.
The Convention went into Committee OF
tie Whole. Mr. SorrHALI III the chair, for the
rV-pa>a of considering the report OF the Com
,nttiee ca Federal Rcis ;iCns-Mr. Montague
Of Nlddlesex, being entitled 10 the floor.
Nj FisRss, of Northampton, asked the
Gentleman from MiGdlesex 10 give way for q
moment TO enable him - correct the report
Of A.s speech in he official organ OF the Con
Y rraricn the Richmond Eaquiger. This hay
lLG been Cont
TAe CHAIRMAN requested the Secretary to
] !ssd the ~ rule, prohibiting persons from
waking about while member was speak
N. MONTAGCE resumed his remarks, and
rrccreded To argue in favor OF the right of Sc
.-ssl1n The doctrine had been Sneered nj by
gentlemen on this floor ridiculous and alb
suri and those who advocated it had been
G-nouutcd as traitors. In his own remarks he
Intended 10 be courteous and respectful TO all
He believed the day was not far dis taut when
i every one here, and the whole people of Nir-
4 ca!a would rally to the defence of the rights
n Of the Safe, and show 10 tie world that man
.Julc and would be free.
/ He maintained that Virginia was the first
= exercise the night of secession. On the 18th Of
u NAV l-16, before the Declarario ion of Indapen-
y daule virginia met, without consulting with
n tn Border States, or asking anybody what
II .1- should do, and IN the plenltude of her
Ter,Jgp1v aud in the depth of her patriot
81 Ism. severed her connection with Great Bri-
~
y Thus II was Virginia doctrine II was re-
q ERRED 10 by John Quincy Adams, ald applied
s. s. ~ argument in favor Of the rig ht of soyer-
"A -EaJy. Bat II second time she exercised her
Il sovereign right, by inaugurating the move
4 IarGt 6y which. III l1S5, the Federal Constitu-
{ :.YL Was amended, and the Articles of Con-
4 liberation revised so as 10 render them ade-
a ,aate 10 The eNgencies of the States and 10
Il lhe Government of the Union. And yet we
81 f-Ar gentlemen aenoRaHcing the CUnyen tion
& -EsNIDEFY Il So
q Mr. CARLILE asked If he understood the gen
Il t.rtuAn - con pteuding that the Constitution of
d the Southern Confederated States had been
referred 10 the people, in the case OF the
y Federal Constitution?
i Nh MoSIAsUE.-It was substantially the
4 same thing.
= NJ. CAKlILE said his information on the
!. bject was that the Montgomery Convention
refused 10 refer their Constitution TO the peQ-
q PIE Of The several States.
b Mr.. M3STAsCE replied that this was because
4 tie States had Conventions III session at the
\ same tine, representing taem upon the sub
'eltS 3: issue, and hence Il would have been
f nonsense 10 have referred Il - the people. II
amounted 10 The same thing.
IaH speaker then proceeded TO show that
Stat n her sovereign capacity as one of the
constituents Of the Federal Government has
right 70 Juig- tor herself as 10 the mod;s and
measure OF redress, and never merged her in
E8GTidutltty and sovereignty into the Govern
i-r-l AZ NdsLiug ton. lie quoted from Madi-
son writings 20 GeIa aonstrate that a breach of
Il ne comQaet on The one side absoiyes the other
and mat iAe compact might be then broken
Hp Il WAS the principle of the individuality
: iI- states that broke up the old articles OF
9Hi"t~-Atlon. II was the doctrine of Mr.
madison ih4t +" hen We, as the people of Nir-
t.a!a, iai-d III all other efforts for redress of
Il tu- Efle evaAces, we had the right 10 denounca
Le Federal Government aad resume our
tPOweIs u sovereignty. lie also read the
II rA.oLs OF Randolph, Prndleton, Nicholas,
4-- g'Ler founders of Republican liberty in
.1Elll1, 10 sus tain the position which he laid
"a "A II he vas 70 be denounced a traitor
NJ }, D. for pToclalmlng and uphoiding the
l E4lr!pies laid down by these fathers, whose
5."je-s ae had read. [Applause in the east
t. gallery.
IL The CH4iR&AS. The eS;ergeaut-at-A Arms will
/ e.7 tAe gallery.
Tie orirr was obeyed, the soVereigns there
assembled reserying the right 20 make another
rHpnstEation It's they retired.
Il NJ. WisE desired 10 know how long this or
= would last?
Il ILe CHAIRMAN was not aware OF any limit
4 dr. WIsg had asked the question because
II wanted 10 ascertain the effect OF il. There
II "Te many respectable citizens in the gallery
4 No. H. was sure, took 40 part III the disor-
n 7, while he believed that some on this floor
r Participate in u. He thought ii hard that
II Innocent should be Inade To suffer with the
Is llty
III
scLi-y. He was not aware that the ap-
n iJA+ proceeded from any other place than
/ - gallery, and 1t was impossible to dis tin
II -sA ladiNiiuals who were engaged in it, He
Il IF9S~d the gallery could be again thrown
i-a atler = reasonable time.
| af HisR asked if they could return imme-
1 'li~y H. would like TO know how long a
I -,ooable time was,
| IAe tolIoquy here terminated, and the gal.
r door Was re- opened in about a Quarter of
y \ b.i lTEg 81 n he Lori
7 disturbed.
/ nj IoSTAGrg proceeded, arguing to show
~ not only had Virginia reserved the right
I resume her powers, but that other States,
/ ic4iHg New York, and little Rhode Island,
p "hish so much had been said, had de-
ara mat the powers OF government might
/ "suned whenever the happiness and safe
u ne people of the States required it
1 t 9mmittee of Twenty One had said that
/ a'es, when they went into this COnfed-
Il 1t'h, were independent sovereignties
-sf must have gone in voluntarily, Tor no
4 'fsi"d 10 carry them in and this being
"a he would defy any gentleman 10
mat there was anything in the Consti-
4'H 10 keep them in. Dir. NJ. went on TO
- ,Aat the 10th amendment TO the Consti-
! RI" ezpTessiy made secession "A great con-
| 2nai right, and that the Conven tion had
| fEer 10 declare Virginia Out of the Union
4 n. The decision TO lee referred, as stipula-
/ iIe people. II this Were TO be deemed
1 ~ he was perfectly willing 10 rest un-
! =" charge, with such men AZ he had quo
4 10 sustain his position. Proceeding TO
1 a''er the report of the Committee, he said
] 'H' s1ed the night OF States 10 withdraw,
z Tue other day they were denying that the
a F1 we're sovereign ut the present time
z admitted it ar Revolutionary right"
: ne wanted 10 know what that term
/ nj.
N No1EAD, of Frederick, Chairman of the
-a'hlttee or / iedaTaL Relations J said that be
"ts pressly objected 10 the use Of the word
t,oharyi' because IL implied u revolt
"st the Government. He fully agreed
- ihe gentleman in his able arg umept In
( - o4 inc right of peaceable secession and
| "ol conceive that any citizen maintaining
/ hsht should be regarded rs a traitor. In
4 orhse IL was leyolu tlonary, because 1T was
1 @dd constitutional right and he sa w no