Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-12-01
GOVERNOR WATTS MESSAGE.
tHu nro,ssraucriou ouEsrIoS.

L fhA ANt9hbThONAiSh 0uheiloh.
Gov. Watts, of Alabama, III his recent message to
The Legislature Of that Safe, takes decided ground
against the proposed Convention OF s.aes. he says:
What guaranty have We that from such scheme, We
should have any pEc' save that which would re-
suit from reconstruction, or tutpgaton OF the Con-
| fedefate s Ateep
rtoors rue ion 9th the s:stCs from which We d.
HberselJ separated in the beginning Of this contest
| Who amongst US would advSoate or propose Ill VINO
in AlAbaml, hoseVsr much he may have been opposed
to AabRnas secession, would now, after three years
Development Of Yankee character aud Ylnkes barbsIiy
| and eespotism, entertain .luch proposition VITO
would desires political union With tko,e vho have
urisTed sobs outraged our Wome' and with de-
monao malice Wantonly destroyed our pre- perry, and
now seek to make slAyes of Us The voices from the
graves of two hundred thousand fallen heroee, would
blagoh the cheeks of the Who HoaR propose
it. The hoarss sbcus Of four hu ldred tho6sshd living
hPIoes now with sIms in their hsnes, 6Rhdag for lib
srly and indeI 0s wou iorDdhl II attempted
those al home, away from the dsTg srd osrDsgs
Oi battle the oou eq fence would be fearful. civil
war In fact would be intu3uSsd and the red stream
OF internal strife. sHeiDg he the molten lava rlm
some volcanic "rstT, Ihr ugh every avenue Of these
ass would H)w, snnihllaung, d,uging with burn
in avalanche sV cry SmsIk OF cVilz oD. The hoI-
rors OF this public Wsr between two oontendTg
tioua Tor ours is civil wal would be but twilight
hour vomps red to mmsIlan darkness. The midnight
pail OF spotism would forever envsIep in its nurky
the picture Is too dark for c)ntsDplstiou.
Bit lis said by me that Q nec ssstJ for such con-
Vsnlion exists, because In making sny treaty, boun-
dairy lines be established, and that the Uonfede.
rare and United states 3Verrment tRnpot dispose OF
Any portion OF the territory Of cir gle State without
re consent Ad nit this TO be true, boz will ,onVen-
ton OF all the atss mend tbs matefp The consent
ef each State, Whose territory may be ceded, would be
equally necessary to any treaty framed BY conVen
,on Of all the States 50 that the convention In this
MI m tina H..
tu.iooal authorities OF the UaIed Saes and Conitds
rate States Governments.
Il 10 said by high authority that the convention or
capyoeatcn OF ates would be such body as that Of
the Oous ituoDsl Convention OF 1857 Thfrs 10, In
nv Judgment, no analogy In the cases. That Was q
convention OF ates OF the fame government il vas
eonvsnto on called under the old articles o. contedt-
rai3r ard there nothing In these articles oil
federation iorbidd the stGs to assemble 10 such
convention to make 9 OoJsd utioD, specially when
d ne with the consent of the Corg eSS. The PROPOSE
ton here Is that the Arss composing tEo separate
governments, shall assemble In conveLton to make g
Hesty Ct peace
Oar Constitution provides mode by which peace
eau be mi de. Are se prepared to admit that our
Constitution in this spect is a failurei The same
provisions found IN the Constitution OF he United
States. This Constitution was made In 1857 Was
failure and ~ this late day hAyJ W. lsI discovered
the fai urt 0ireonsututed authorities have eViT esd
no opposition 10 peace, but, on thu contrary, have
made proposisnR more than orc'. Their propositions
have been sOotniully rejected. We have the highest
AssuraI that the powers OF diplomacy And goaton
have not been, aud Whl not 10 the iu bs overlook
ed ~ those whose constitutional duty IL s TO make
peacs. To attempt TO interfere withou. knowledge
on our part of all she cts and oToum tanceS which
should control enlightened Judgment, would but re-
tsrd and defeat for 'ars, the accomplishment Of
permanent peace. L,t US have faith and confidence
that our President ard Senate will make every effort
tor peace lofty patriotism can demand. Ltu nerve
ourselves With the courage which 6red the hearts o.
the heroes of l776; and let bear uth pat aud
fortiud lhs trials and the pers which await u.s. tru It
ing IN the usios OF orr cluss in the srorg arms and
stout hears Il Gu, IOlders and relying on God Who
rule the affairs Of men and naiions