Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-01-12

tons opposition to the bilI-he would
support it, if he could-but he had, met
been able to bring his mind to \ conelOsion
on the constitutional question involved.
though he strongly inclined to the opinion
that the ordinary Legislature has no pow
er to order, Internationally, a Convention
ot the people, The call Of a Convention
was nm net of sovereign power, to be per-
formed by the people, only, aud the act of
Assembly, prescribing the mere forms
of holding the Coixention, should
submit to tle'dteQt vote of the people the
question of %ConyentionOr Orno convention"
In other words, the people should them
selves decide, as u preliminary thing,
whether there shall be Convention or no.
They, not the Legislature, should de-
eide that, poipt, At7ull events, he wished
time TO examine the grave question in
yolved, and II could satisfy himself in re-
gard to it, he would cheerfully support the
bill; or, If the bill itself should be so
amended us to require the vote to be put
TO the people of "Conyentiop OF no Com
vention," the amtadment would remove
the Constitutional objection, and allow
him to give his vote for the bill. For,
Heavens sake, said Mr. S. give us little
more timc-one short days time at least
to ponder upon the great questiOns-thc
AAA0SS pEG5eI4leu tue re"
Election of American Freemeu-Question
that involve the very life of our glorious
institutions. Give us, beg, one brief
days pause for thinking on these thrilling
matters. he lamented, as a man, as a
Yirgiuinn, MS an American, that the policy
of precipitation, which had begun else
where, and which threatened to shiver in-
to fragments oNr5glorious institutions, and
to spread ruin and desolation into our
once happy land, had come within the
limits of this staid and sober Common
wealth, and lad inUaded even the halls of
her Legislature But he trusted we would
act with caution and dellberAtion, and by
that caution and deliberation give to the
action of the Old Dominion all that moral
weight that had always attended IEcr cOun-
sells, when calmly and ispassionately Civ
Gu. At all levents he hoped for one days
delay, for the reason he stated.
DR.. Riycs said the only amendment me-
cessarylto the bill; in his opinion, was to
shorten the time within which,it was pro-
posed to hold tue Convention. lie said
the country was disrupted, and that the
signs of the times impressed on them tue
necessity of speedy action. Delays are
dangerous. ga
Mr.. Mallory, of Brunswick, said he had
been unanimously instructed by his con-
stituents toAvote for II Convention. The
time fixed on the bill for its assembling WAS
February 7th, Any shorter time lessened
the period within which the people would
have to canvass the merits of candidates.
Mr. Dickinson was waiting for iustrnc-
tions from his constituents. He wished the
action of the House to be deliberated, not
hastily. He wanted time. I'D
Mr.. SegAr withdrew his motion to lay on
the table, with the leave of the House.
Mr.. Anderson debated the motion Of the
gentleman from Madison, snstnining his
motion for second reading of the bill
{ Mr. HNymond ~ see no 6bIectlod 70 tho
bill laying m the tu6le agd coming up in
the usunf-nfder:
h Mr.. Wilson, of Isle. of Wight, said ;
The vote on this bill is. sought TO be de-
t1ayed, and ws are, graveIy told We are not
in revolution. We are to-day standing in
the midst of a Revolution, as yet blood.
less; but it is not in the power or the wis.
dom of man to determine what are the
fearful issues which are to spring out of
it. We are standing to-day, Aniid Fthe
falling columns and broken arches of the
mightiest and prondcst temple ever reared
to the genius of Li6efty. The vandalism
of fanaticism has polluted its altars, tho
spirit of Liberty hns taken its flight, and
ANuNuOA WElILGlt Ou ILS uuVE-pOSISs
The Union nf these States Is already dis
solved, and each integral portion, each
unit Is withdrawing from and re-uuitipg
themselves with the powers with which
they have invested this multiple, the
United Stntes, Great evils are on the
wing. and Virgthia is called upon TO say
what part OF, lot she will take i'll this mat
ter, Will she act; or, will she waituntil
others have acted? Is she resolved upon
doing what others have resolved 10, do
Will she be longer bound to broken COW
enauts and violated compacts, With those
lOf PuniC-wOrsef than Punic-PuritAn
faith; or will she, rs the Judge of both
the mode and measure of ller redress
take her cause in her own hands, relying
upon God and her arms s
This is no time for inaction. This is nc
time for delay. Delays are dangerous,
and it becomes Virginia, with a due tegard
for hergoWn safety. as we'll aa, her honor
that she should act at once. Notp Is the
acceptable time; now is the day of Vir-
giDia's 3 salvation! ns.
AS Constitutions are above all laws, SO
the people are above all Constitutions
whether State or Federal, and it is, the
right as well as the duty of every people
ito, nlters nmendDor annnlI their Constitu-
tions and Governments whenever they be-
come burthensome or oppressive This is
principle US ancient as self-goyetnment
itself.
| The nature of the compact to which7tbe
several States Geeeded, implies the right to
secede when the conditions and obliga.
tions upon which it was made have been
violated by the other parties to it. But ]
have no disposition to discuss this question
here now. am for acti0n-aetion2
mediate and decisive.
IcaunDt, Mr.. Speaker, sing paeans to ar
Union, that is dead. While it did indeed
exist, it was an Union Of wrong, Of injns.
tice, ofiusult and oppression. 1t was born
with the seeds of disease. Ithas sustained
itself a body OF political corruption and
purifying sores, having the form of Union
while the essence was dead. Il stiuks In
the nostrtls of men. and it is hf4h tims