Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-15
The Virginia State Convention
DAY.
TEEsnAY. APRIL 9. 1881.
Deferred ProoeedinQs.l

Deferred Prooeedings.ll =
The eleventh resolution reported by the
Committee on Federal Relations, being under
considcration-
Mr.. GooDE, Of Bedford propose to amend
the amendment Of the gentleman from Henrico,
by adding to it these words, land in the event
that this Commonwealth fails to obtain affirm
alive responses to her requests from the non.
slarehoiding States, she will feel compelled to
resume the powers granted by her under the
Constitution Of the United States, and throw
herself upon her reserved rights" i.
MIR. Chairman, | will only say a word or
two in support Of this amendment. 1t will
he observed that I have taken a clause from
the section itself, changing, simply, the word
''satisfactory" 10 affirmative" As under.
stand it, there is a very marked distinction be.
tween these two words in this connection, An
affirmative response upon the part of tho non
slaveholding States to the amendment proposed
By this Convention to he adopted as part oflhe
Constitution, would necessarily imply the &C.
ceptance Of these amendments, but q satisfac
tory response would not necessarily imply
their acceptance on the part Of the non slav,.
holding States. Now, sir, suppose that some
OF the non-slaveholding States should respond,
and othess should refuse to respond, would tina.
be satisfactory to gentlemenr Suppose that
the non-slaveholdlng States adopt some Of
the amendments proposed, and reject others,
would that be satisfactorily Suppose the non.
slayeholding States, a majority, or all Of them,
if you please, should respond to the amend
mcnts proposed by this Convention, that they
seem to be fair and just, but without giving a
definite response at this time we proPoseto con-
slider them through the medium OF n National
Convention - would that be satisfactory to
this Convention! ! understand, sir, that it is
proposed here to submit nm ultimatum to the
non.slaveholding States. We have had a great
deal of discussion in this body about an ulti.
uatum. II that is the purpose OF the body,
| wish 10 place it beyond doubt or miscon'
struction for the future. wish an ultImatun,
that is an ultimatum in truth and in Tact. ]
" ish it understood by the non slaveho!ding
States and by the country, that these amend
ments of ours are indeed the ul,imatum Of the
State CT Virginia.
Mr.. Chairman, according TO my apprehension
the amendment, as offered, will not pre-! en-: such
an ultinatun. And in order to test the sense
Of the Convention, rs to whether we are to
have such An ultinatum, | have proposed this
amendment. | may say, that if anything upon
earth has been fixed and agreed upon by the
whole people of Virginia, il is that this Conven.
ton must either take some definite or deci-
sive action now, or adopt some line of policy
which must lead to a definite aud decided &C.
ton in the future; and | ask gentlemen if they
intend to propose an ultimatrm to the North.
ern States TO say so in clear, decided, unequiv-
ocal terms so there can be no mistake in the
future. Why, sir, suppose we adjourn over. rs
:. 81 n,-a. kIn raorNnsau RI mir
propositions, and suppose when We re assem-.
Die enc response shall be given by the people
Of one State, and another BY another will
gentlemen, when we come back in the fall, ask
that we shall still wait? Sir, as this Conyen-
ton has decided that the time has not yet come
for a separation. l ask, then, to indicate the
point, the alternative which in their judgment
will lead to 4 separation. And if we are to
have an ultimatum which is to be understood
by the State of Virginia and by the country,
as such, l hope it will be so framed tina. there
will he no doubt or misconstruction in the fu.
ture.
Mr.. CARL1Lg.-T cannot undertake to speak
for the people of Virginia, hu! | can speak for
myself and for the pc pile ! have the honor to
represent upon this aoor; and | say that they
did not contemplate tnat this Convention
should lay down any ulti7natVn. Sir, | em
opposed TO all uitimatG, and l shall so vote.
| shall not here, by my vote, countenance any
proposition having for its purpose secession or
d~suaion. ] would vote for the amendment of
the gentleman from Henrico, tAr. WIcEnAM,)
provided he would agree TO strike from it the
latter clause, which is the ulIimatnm OF his
amendment. But, sir, | cannot better express
the reasons which influence me and the con.
~stituents | represent, to oppose any ultimatum
on the part OF this Convention, than by reQd-
ing an extract from he last great speech Inade
by Henry Clay in the Senate OF the United
States, upon the compromise measures Of 1850,
and made, sir, Mt the cost Of the remaining
DAVIS Of his life. On that occasion be said:
Such is the Union, and such are Its glori-
GUS fruits. We are told now, and it Is rung
throughout this entire country, that the Union
is threatened with subverSiUn and destruction.
Well, the FIRST question which naturally arises
il, supposing the Union 10 be dlssolved-ha7-
ing all the causes of grievances which nre com
planned uf-how far will a dissolution furnish
u remedy for those grisvancess II The Union
is to be dissolved for any existing causes, 1t
will he dissolved because slavery is interdlcted
or not allowed to be introduced into the coded
Territories; because slavery is threatened to
be abolished in the District Of Columbia, and
because fugitive slaves are not returned, rs in
my opinion they ought to be, restored to their
master. These, l believe, will be the causes,
Il there be any causes, which can lead TO the
d:rsful event to which | have referred.
well, now, let US suppose that the Union
has been dissolved. What remedy does it fur
tish for the grievances complained of in its
united condition? Will you be nble 10 push
slavery into the ceded Territories! How are
YOU 10 do it, surprising the North all the
States north Of the Potomac, and which are
opposed to tin possession Of the navy and
arm Of the United Statesf Can you expect,
il there is n dissolution Of the Union, that you
can carry slavery into California and New hleH-
icof You cannot dream Of such u purpose.
If it were abolished in the District OF Coluin-
lila, and the UGion was dissolved, would the
dissolution Of the Union restore slavery III tho
District Of Columbia Are you safer in the
recovery Of your fugitive slaves in a state OF
dissolution or Of severance OF the Union, than
YOU are in the Union itself? Why, what is
the state Of the fact in the Union You lose
some slaves. You recover some others. Let
NE advert to q fact which ] ought TO have in
troduced before, because it is highly creditable
to the courts and iuries Of the Free States. In
ev,ry case, 80 far as my information extends,
where an appeal has betn made to the courts
Of Justice for the recovery Of fugltlTes, or for
the recovery Of penalties inflicted upon per-
sons who have assisted in decoying slaves from
their masters, and aiding them in escaping from
their masters-as far as | au informed, the
courts haze asserted the rights Of the owner,
and the juriss have promptly returned ade-
ouate vcrdicts in favor Of the owner. Well,
this is some remedy. What would you hare
if the Union vas discovered Why, sir, then
the several parts would be independent of each
c,her-foreign countries Slaves taken from
the enc into the othe: would lie there like
slaves now escaping from the United States
into Canada. There would he no right Of ex'
tradition-no right to demand your Slaves
ne right to appeal to the courts Of justice TO
drmand your slaves which ESCAPE, CT the
n~n,sll;rs for decuy;nr thetn. Whore one