Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-01-08
1grf,tF For the Spectator.
Meeting of the People of Highland.

o.Ans VI the FeOpie Oh H4Shldhus
Pursuant to public notice, meeting of the
people OF Highland county, without distinction
OF pai ty, was held at the Courthouse of said
county, on the 1st day of January, 1861, to take
into consideration the present condition of pub
lie affairs. ns ssse go D2EE
On motion, Wm W. Fleming was called to
the Chair, and j. P Stricken appointed Sec
retary.
On motion, it was resolved that a Committee
OF eleven be appointed to report resolutions for
the action of the meeting: whereupon the chair
appointed the following as said Committee
James M. Seig, Adam Stephenson, Jacob P.
Stricken, Samuel Beathe, Henry Mccoy, D. v.
Ruckman, James F. Patterson, Cyrus Colaw,
Henry Waggoner. Daniel McNulty, and Cain
Hoover.
A. Stephenson and D. V. Ruckman declined
acting on the Committee.
The Committee then retired and after some
time reported the following preamble and res
olutions
WHEREAS, We the people of Highland, in pub
lie meeting assembled, viewing with deep con-
Germ the present distracted state of the public
mind and the imminent peril that threatens the
downfall of this, the noblest government that
has ever been devised by human wisdom, DO
hereby adopt the following resolutions
Resoloed 1st,-That the imminent danger
averted, will, we confidently believe, tend to the
destruction of this government, and sound the
death-knell to republican liberty on this CONT
nent. ~
2nd-That the great and primary cause OF
the present malady with which our country is
afflicted, is the unwarranted interference with,
and tanatical agitation of the subject of the
domestic institutions of fifteen States of this
Union by the non-slaveholdlng States.
ri hot jFrnrroo fioto for
the evils which now pressing upon us, but
in prompt return of the people of the non
slaveholding States to the duties required ofthem
by our national Constitution. g
4th-That this can only be accomplished
by repeal of all laws passed by those States
which tend to hinder and obstruct the execution
of the Constitution and the laws of the United
States passed in pursuance thereof, for the re-
covery of fugitives held to service in any of the
States of this Union by the laws thereof
5tk.-That, as citizens of the United States,
we acknowledge our allegiance to the Govern
ment and laws thereof; but, as citizens of the
sovereign State of Virginia, we stand, at all
times ready to defend her Institutions and rights
under the Constitution and an the Union.
6th-That we do not believe that secession is
the proper remedy for Southern wrongs and
Southern grievances and, in accordance with
this belief, we ready at all times to endorse
the action of the properly constituted authorities
of the State in any measures which they may
adept for the adjustment of the difficulties which
surround as.
7th-That we deem it inexpedent, on ac-
count of the excited state OF the public mind,
for the Legislature of Virginia to call Conven-
tion of the State at this time, or at any future
time, without first submitting the question to q
vote of the people of the State.
Sth.-That we fully endorse the following Ian
guage uttered by George Washington, the Father
of his Country, in his farewell address: "Tha
the basis of our political system is the right O
the people to make and alter their Constitution
of Government; but the Constitution which al
any time exists, till changed by an explicit and
authentic act of the whole people, is sacredly
obligatory upon all. The very idea of the power
and the right of the people to establish govern
ment, pre-supposes the duty of every individual
to obey the established government"
On motion of John Bird the vote was taken
on each resolution separately and all except the
7th were unanimously adopted.
John Bird moved to amend the 7th resolution
so as to declare it expedient for the Legislature
to call State Convention, which amendment
was lost, and the resolution as reported wa
adopted by large majority.
On motion of j. M. Seig, it was resolved tina
the proceedings of this meeting be published il
the Staunton papers, and that other papers o
the State be requested to copy.
On motion, the meeting adjourned.
VIM. W. FLEMING, President.
J. P. STRIoKLER, Secretary.