Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-11

Resolved, That the committee on Military
Affairs enquire into the cSpcd!encv OF provld-
ing, By law, for the availability OF the aPpro'
~printion made at the last session, Tor the arrli-
ing Of the State, and Of an appropriation there.
TO of a sum not exceeding ten millions "l
dollars. g.
Mr.. GIBSON, Of j c~tTcrson, moved ,hatthat por'
ton of the Governors Message recommending
an amendment 10 section llth Of chapter 2l2,
Of the code, be referred to the committee OF
Courts Of Justice.
Mr.. ROBERTSON, from the special committee
on that portion of the Governors Message OIL
"coercion," reported the following resolutions:
Resolved, by the General Assembly OF llr-
ginia, That the Union, being formed by the
assent of the sovereign States respectively.
and being consistent only with freedom and
! the republican institutions guaranteed TO each,
cannot and ought not 10 BIZ maintained by
force; that the Government Of the Union has
M hover to declare IT make war against any
Of the Suites. which have been is constituent
numbers.
Resolved. Tina. when any Gle 0" more oi
the States have determined or shall determine,
under existing circumstances, to Withdraw
from the Union. we are IIIa!.crabi.E opposed
10 any attempt "n the part Of the Federal Gov
ernmcnt To cocrcr The samc into reunion or
submission; and that wc vii! resist the same
by ali the means in ON" power.
Mr.. WATTS moved that trc r"So!t;onS lc laid
on the table and printed.
Mr.. KENPrr opposed tie resolution Of Alr.
| Warts because Of its delay, and thought that
Virginia should speak ont and let the North
know that gallant South Carolina shall not be-
coerced, and that Virginia will resist any such
! a;trnipt, come from what quarter ii may. APP
plausc.l The motion ~ print vas lost.
The motion recurring upo? the adoption "i
| the resolutions, Mr.. I:,.rHMAT said he dill 10;
consider that Sufficient Time had been gwen
for consideration, al The resolution, ana, under
the Instructions ni his rnunty. <nOniG T0t.
| against them, unless more ,iinc was gwen 10
reflect upon them.
Mr.. Currsr1Ay sad. AZ such n time as This
words are deeds, and i: is important TO nnder.
! stand the meaning Of the words oil the reSGlu-
! tons. He asked, then, Of the chairman o! tic
| committee whether the resolutions meant to
assert the absolute right of secession aid vi
coercion; or whether they Simply mean TO de-
! clare the i~inrolicy and impr"rrlciy under exist
iuy circumstances, cl Coercion; il the latter,
| the resolutions will, he trusted, hoped AMI cX-
pcctrd, lie adopted unanimously. Otherwise,
they NAV fail 10 secure what Is sal dcS'rabie-
unaniml'v.
Mr.. Rnrrl:rSo$ after ha"iag the committees
rcporl again reed /" tie House, said, in answer
to the call Of Mr.. CHRISTIAN, that he d'l moi
| feel authorized "a speak for the cO!Tm't'tr, uh'
instructed a., lac was of The particular views OF
its members, but would not refuse IL respond
So far aS to state that winch he himself took
to be the purrnrt AMI character I'll the principal
resolution OIL III. subject 10 which the gentle
man had referred. Ne WAS no, the author OF
il, but he thnn.ht It's import plainly enough
conveyed hY is words. lie did not cohcei'c
it to touch the question Of the light d Il State
10 scccic or any question Of constitutional
rirht whatsoever. 1t was tirsi .ucI, as he con.
! ccivcd it, to aYoid. OF the contrary, inootcd
questions Of constitutional law about which
there wclc known differences of opinion amongst
those who might yet coacur III 4 cDmrhon line
| Of action. II WAS intended! as he understood It,
merely to Sar, that If any STATE should actual
IS withdraw from the Union in the existing
state OF thing, that j.; in reference 10 srIc9'
anccs and grounds Of complaint coInrnOn 10 MS
aS 10 hrr;.Eircinia wouiI Tot CONSENT 10 her
being ~cocrcc,l lntu submission, or reunion, by
| the Government IT li!c United States. IL did
no: rr;s,. The QUESTION III her right 10 Secedc,
hut a,r:ilt,, accurGi"g To his understanding,
that, having sccr,.rd, Virginia WAS nnaitcra'
bly, opposed, under the circumstances That silr'
round Us, 10 any attempt TO sGtjagalr he;
hy the General Government. ur TO iOrclbIy ca
cree her back into the Union. That he though,
was the distinct substantive proposition stated,
and Intended 10 he stated, i'll the resolution nc
had been instructed, 10 report, ard irr"l"td NJ
expression Of opinion "n tnc question: I" which
his friend had a~!vc?tcc.
Tin. resolutions were l|.cu ~ai0p:ci-aycS.
| ll2; massachusetts. EurrmaI, Mo.:iS, Porter,
Richardson and Watts.
Iir. \. f.. CAETrr, Of Lancaster aid N"rtli
cumberland, asked lvHye TO have his v"'r re-
corded against the motion to reconsider Tie
vote inS,ructiug 4 Committee 10 bring ii Il hrI'
providing Tor the holding ia State Convention,
said motion beng submitted ny sir. tn"IS'
7AS, Of Augusta, during Mr. CA"T!lts abseucr,
hv direction Of TINS House, on the Committee
Of Fifteen, charged with the DIZZY Of CONSIDER
ing that portion Of the Governors Messy: re-
lating to coercion.
Mr.. Seldom, Mr. GARRETT, Ar. DrCHwA!i,
and other members, mace similar requests.
This House then adjourned.