Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-03-20

of the governed and they concede the right OF the
people Of the several States of this Union, Tor just
causes to withdraw from their association under the
Federal Government with the people of the other
States, and to erect new governments iot tnel
security and they will never consent that the federal
power which is in part their power, shall be exerted
for the purpose of subjugating the people OF sucn
States to the federal authority. a
9. The exercise of this right by the States OF
South Carolina Georgia Florida Mississippi, Ala
bama, Louisiana and Texas, without the assent OF
the other States, has given rise to new conditions
and presented questions touching those conditions
intimately affecting the rights and safety OF the oth-
er States Among these are the navigation ct the
Mississippi river, the maintenance of the forts I'M
tended to protect the commerce of the Gulf of Mex
leo, and the power to restrain smuggling along the
interior borders of the seeded States but the ted
eral authorities under the Constitution as it is dis
claim power to recognize the withdrawal OF any
State from the Union and consequently to deal with
these questions holding that it is reserved only to
the States parties to the government compact to
take lawful action touching them.
10. Without expressing an opinion as to the ques-
ton of power but in Difference to the opinion of the
federal authorities, the people of Virginia hereby
declare their desire to confer upon the Government
of the United States the powers necessary to enable
its proper authorities to deals peaceaby with these
questions and if it shall become necessary, to re-
cognize the separate independence of the seeding
States and to make such treaties with thcm and to
pass such laws as the separation may make proper
H. This Convention, composed of delegates elect
ed by the people in districts for the purpose of con-
sidering the existing difficulties in federal rela
tions represents the desire and earnest request Of
the people of Virginia to meet as directly as posi-
BILE the people of her sister States and to them ap
peal for satisfactory adjustment Virginia, there
FORE requests the people of the several States either
by popular vote, or in Convention similar to her
own, to respond, at their earliest convenience, to
the positions assumed in the foregoing resolutions,
and the proposed amendments to the Constitution
of the United States hereunto appended. And in
the event that this Commonwealth fails to obtain
satisfactory responses to her requests from the Eon
slaveholding States, she will feel compelled to re-
sumo the powers granted by her under the Consti-
tuition of the United States and to throw herself up
on her reserved rights
-. The people of Virginia will await any reason
able time to obtain answers from the other States,
to these propositions aware of the embarrassments
that may produce delay, but they will expect as an
indispensable condition, that pacific policy shall
be adopted towards the seeded States, and that
attempt be made to subject them to the federal au-
thority, to reinforce the forts now in possession
of the military forces of the United States or recap
ture forts arsenals other property of the United
States within their limits, to exact the payment
of imposts upon their commerce; nor any measure
resorted to- justly calculated to provoke hostile COL
lision.
Is. In the opinion of this Convention, the people
of Virginia would regard any action of the Federal
Government tending to produce collision of forces
pending negotiations for the adjustment Of exist
ing difficulties, aggressive and offensive to the
honor of this Commonwealth; and they would
regard any such action on the part of the Sc
coded or confederaed States hurtful and unfrend
ly, and leaving them free to determine their fu
ture policy.
IA. The peculiar relations of the States of Della.
ware, Maryland, Virginia North Carolina, Tennes-
see Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas to the other
States make it proper in the judgment of this Con.
venton, that the former States should consult to-
gether and concert such measures for their final &C.
ton the honor the interests and safety of the peo
pie thereof may demand and for that purpose the
proper authorities of those States requested to
appoint commissioners to meet commissioners to be
appointed by this Convention on behalf of the peo
pie Of this State at Frankfort in the State of Ken
lucky, on the last Monday in May next
REPORT BY GOV. WISE.
Mr.. Wise-With the assent of the gentleman from
Louisa, (Mr. Ambler,) rise to privileged ques-
ton, that of making report from the Committee
on Federal Relations, or rather minority report
l ask leave to present my dissenting report, and
The undersigned begs leave to assign the reasons
for his dissent from the Report of the Committee
Federal Relations, and presents the following a
| substitute for the plan of measures recommended
thereby to be adopted by the Convention:
Substitute altered By Mr.. Wise to the Preamble and
| Resolutions Of Mr.. Srott, as amended, in the
| Committee on Federal Relations, Friday, March
| 8, 1861:
This Convention, called by the people of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, to deliberate upon the
present exgcncies of their federal relations and up-
on the redress of their wrongs and grievances in the
Confederacy Of the United States deems it nccessa-
ry and proper with view to preserve peace to de-
fend the Federal Constitution, and to restore and
perpetuate the Federal Union of all the States on
basis of just and equal rights, to declare:
That for long series of years the property Of the
citizens of the saveholdng States and particularly
that of her own citizens, has been aSSaed and en-
dangered; that the Constitution of the United States
has been broken that the rights and comtics Of
States and their equality in the Union have been
denied to the people of the saveholdng States; that
the federal laws have been nullied in respect to the
protection of their property in slaves that the sepa.
rate and independent right Of sel'government BY the
border saveholdng States has been seriously impair
ed, and, in part. practically annulled; that their
domestic tranquility and social safety have been en-.
dangcred and ruthlessly disturbed by actual invasion
that associated and systematic efforts have been con-
stantly and persisentiy made to enforce upon their
people rules of conscience and of morals by power
without their borders to control the family govern.
ments Of their homes and their relations as masters
to their domestic slaves; that their character as a
people has been maigned and misrepresented to the
world, in order to bring an influence to bear upon
their rights and relations and their Wills rendering
them Odious and no less offensive and injurious te
sense Of sefrespect and to their interests thar
the force of arms that the sanctity of the fedora
Judiciary has been threatened and set at naught il
order to destroy the only peaceful guard and guar
antee of their rights Of property and federal equal
ty and that sectional hate which engendered thes
evils Is continually magnifying them by every form
and effort ofincendarism, until they are no lonce
endurable; until the people actuated by it have oh
tanned the reins Of federal authority and control
all the departments Of government and until severa
OF the soveregnties parties to the federal compact
have been compelled to resume the powers grante'
| nd no EoI =