Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-20

the proposition of the sentlen;n f-oM Prncssa
Anae-lo let Virginia stand alone aad a.: la
her own responsibility. prefer It 10 The
course indicated by other gentlemen on the
loor to take Virgins immcdisis : in;o tho
arms Of the Confederate States, into govern.
merit which we lave not aided in f,,ni;ng
to which We have not been partners, ann 10
which we would merely 80 by accession
prefer, Mr.. Chairman. the more noble 20.
sition Of letting Virginia head this phai,nx
Of border slave States, and to use the s!
States rs the nucleus nf re CONSTRUCTION.
am for going neither North nor Sputl.-
am for Virginia speaking now, Us she has
spoken in times past, in u voice which shall be
potential | a,n not for her jumping into an
apartment Of house which she did not help
to build
Mr. MAcfAgLASD-Will the gentleman tell
Inc when, in the ancient history Of TINS Com.
monwcalih. we have waited to ascertain the
opinions Of Others instead Of acting on Our
own?
Mr. SrMNEas-We have always acted in con-
cert. You went 10 Annapolis with General
" ASH ngton At the head OF your commission
ers, for consultation ana conference ard tina.
consultation led tn the Convention which sat
in Philadcl phja and which formed your Cor.
stitu,ion. You haze always acted in conccr.
with other S:ates, snd you ere SO situated that
You cannot, with vicw to the interests Of
large nsjority Of your people, net except in
concert
That is the position which would have Vir.
ginia maintain. Let her. compined with
her sister States with whom she has cnrnmcu
interest, make her own terms and present them
to both sides, and reconstruct O Government
for both sides. care very little whether the
more distant points come in or not; but it IS
absolutely necessary e.: the safety Of tho
people and The promotion Of their srra: s:at--
rial interests. that il Tc are to leave the pre-.
sent Union, S.. should a.; in harmony with
the States Immediately surrounding Us. aud
carry them With GS, so as not 10 loose or d:a.
rupt our present commercial and business re.
latiOns
The gentleman from RichmoEd, (Mr. Mac
fAKL,Su.) tells the Committee ;Eat the market
nf suppl. always controls the market Of con.
sumption. How is that, when you are Just q,
the exact point Of competition in the market
Of consumption, and that market Of co1sump.
lion is in 4 foreign country which Itself sup
plies the same articles Of trade. Take our
own position i'll regard to our heaviest and
most important products. Ohio and Virginia
produce exactly the same articles, and meet US
ii the same markets Of consumption. Sepa.
rate us from those States, make them fcre:cn
nations, ard let them put the slis shtest tariff q;
duty on any Of those articles, and they woai
etf:ctually prohibit them.
Mr.. MAcFARLAsD-- 1T is when the market ia
in the balance, that the market OF consumption
is most under the coa,rol Of tho market Q,
supply.
Mr.. SrNNeRs-Tha, :yios will net do in the
state Of things which | haze cited. ard with
which the gentleman from RichInond is hut
very little familiar. ] made these remarks.
however, III answer TO the argument addressed
10 the Committee by the gentleman from Hall.
fax, who was stating the interest Of Eastern
Virginia in the sale Of tobacco, and in tic i'm.
mense sale Of negro property. ] wanted 10
show that there was AL entire omission OF
great and commanding interest Of an immense
majority Of the people of the Commonwealth.
| might apply the Same argument TO other poc.
tons Of the State. The South western portion
OF Virginia furnish an immense quantity OF
salt To Tennessee, ard Tennessee furnishes
cattle and corn to Virginia. venture to saT
that he fields Of the Fauquer and Loudon
iarmcrs are, at this hour, Oiled with csl!e rom
Tennessee. And where are thcy rcndoi? In
Baltimore. Philadelphia and New York Yuu
are so nseparab,y connected in every form =!
trade and commerce, that You cannot cut lie
lgaHents which bind US, withcu. destruction.
For this reason have been for Co operation
throughout. and shall be fer co operation. For
this reason am in favor Of indicating this ms
a mode Of ultimate action, in the even. i: shall
ever become necessary TO resort to it.
nm Ont Er hrinvin0 phont tt,tp ,sSi e
| voted against the l1th section. But n TIC
event Of that contingency coming upon ns.
then have no objection to indicate this as the
ultimate mode OF action 10 be recommended by
this Convention.
Tha; is the position llahe. We ought to
have harmony, conjunction and concert Of &C
ction with our sister border sla7e States, and
be willing to consult with them, and form in
conjunction with them, government that
should be acceptable to the Southern Confede-
racy, and acceptable also at least. to a number
Of the non-slaveholding States. We must havs
some voice in selecting the position 10 which
your necessities and not ours drive us.
Is there anything unfair in thai: You say that
men must be governed by their interests. foa
must make it the rule Of your own action. |
must look to the interests Of my constituents
me. You appeal to my patriotism. | trust
have patriotism co.exlensivc with the limits
Of Virginia, and not restricted 10 Virgins,
either, but co extensive with all Aucrca. Bu!
where docs patriotism heginy would give
but little for the patriotism Of him who does
not look first 10 the interests Of his own home
Ito the interests Of his own country. You
90 it-cvery man Of you. And are we to be
blamed, ne who reside m the Western waters
that carry us into the great Mississippi Valley.
for trying TO shape our course in such dlrcc~
ton as ultimately to secure those interests
with which! We are inseparably connected md
upon which our prosperity wholly dcpcrds?-
Is there any want of patriotism in th9t?
trust not Can you turn the ccnrse Of tia,
beautiful stream on which live and bid It pass
through the gorges Of the Allegheny anG min.
gle With the James River, so as to bring Cur
produce TO your Richmond dock, and to Nor
folk harbor? No. Providence sends TIE ~
another direction. place my foot on steam
cr ut my own door, and she carries me 10 C'n.
cinna;i, t" louisville. and down the Ohio and
the Mississippi. Every article Of commerce oi
that whole people necessarily floats outward by
that channel. Should re not, therefore, look
10 our interests while you arc locking 10 vourG
" e are wiling TO be Win T0u, II you VIII ou.
look to our interests in common with your OWE
Here the hammer fell
Mr. SLArGnTgR-T nm very much obliged
TO the gentleman from kaaawhe, (Mr.
SrMMERs,) for his argument as it is
entirely consisten. with the proposition
that presented What is the suhjec. do
signed 10 be acted on by the Commissioners IN
the Conference, proposed 10 be held a: Frank.
fort Ny conclusion was, and am still mare
convinced Of the correctness Of that conclusion
on hearing the views Of the gentleman frog,
Kanawha, that Virginia ought not to determine
beforehand what her ultimate policy would b.,
but leave to the Commissioners tina. meet ct
| Frankfort, to determine what is best 10 ue
done in regard to Ie construction. When you
come to examine the amendment Of the gentle
man FROM Fauquier. CIR. ScoTT) you will lind
that il expressly provides th2t il the non slave