The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-23
offence incurred in resisting the Govern

offence incurred in resisting the eoVern
ment. rs ,d
Mr.. MARYE cited Vattel. Kent, anu ae
Wheaton in support of this view. ne o sn1n
commented on the strange dilemma oc.u-
pied by the member from Accomac tn 90
sorting that there was no valid ota.e ~
yernment in Virginia. That memoeI naa
himself not only recognized State go
yernment as existing in Virginia since tne
war. fully clad in de j,re panopiy, ou1
bad acted as e high official, deriving ms
;udiciai functions from the authorization Q,
such State government! The member nao
twitted the Conservatives here Tor draw
inc their paw from this body which they
pronounced an unconstitutional one-hoT :,
did he explain his drawing his oGelai
salary in the winter of 1s65-'66 from State
government which had no rightful exist
enceY .popa-
Mr. MAaYE then exhibited that the re,
publican Congress had backed ana nie 81.
on this very issue. During the war Iney
had recognized de jure State government.
as continuing in Virginia SO long as II
suited partisan purposes. They hao Oh o.;
lowed its Legislature to divide the oio
Commonwealth and to send senators 70
Congress. They had recognized ana aloeo
the same State government, AFTER .al' ~
moving to Richmond and inauguratlng on
IT'S departments over all that renamed 30 oI
the mutilated territory of Virginia iney
had applied to Virginia as State TO aoops
m amendment to the Federal Constltu-
ton! But when, after all these solemn
recognitions, it simply suited the interests .s
of a party to deny the validity OF inc
state government, this same hepuo-
lican Congress undertake, with the strohe
of q pen, to sweep it from existence.
Mr.. M. then asked, why, if this power
of Congress was admissible, were the he
publican Congress seeking in guilty haste
to hamstring the only constitutional aroi-
ter. the Supreme Court, from fairly adJu-
dicatine the question? Mr.. NJ. then ad-
yerted to the fact, that all the glib asser-
tions now made in stigmatizing the south
ern people as traitors was not merely con-
demned by the enlightened Judgment OF
the civilized world, expressed by the high
authorities cited by him, but they were
unworthy of any party processing to DO anil
mated by q desire to restore harmony,
peace. and union to distracted and suffer-
ing country. 1t smacked only of partisan
passion and vindictive cruelty. Were not
all the terrible wounds inflicted in the war
itself sufficient to appease the vengeance
of the most rssentful? The wailings Of 8
crushed people for their dead, the impo-
verishment of an entire race so dire as to
make the procurement of bread struggle.
Mr.. M. concluded by urging the ma]o-
rity of the Convention to remember that it
was vain to have daily prayers uttered in
the hall for peace, harmony, and blessed
charity, when the dominant party here
were preparing personal pains and penal
ties, disfranchisemen and disabilities, for
one-fourth of the men of Virginia who
possessed in an eminent degree the intel
ligence, the patriotism, and the public viz
tue of the State. No Constitution breath
ing such spirit could claim the respect
and esteem of either the people of Vir-
cinia or the civilized world. The
little band of Conservatives here
were not dismayed nor even impa-
tient. They knew that the principles
for which they strive were the only ones
on which free constitutional government
can be based. They not only felt sure of
the approving verdict of posterity when
the passions of this dark era pass away,
but they were sure of speedy and tri-
umphant approval by the American people
north of the Potomac, who are now earn
estly aroused to the necessity of rallying
to the defence of these principles, not
merely to save the South, but to save Re-
publican liberty and good government to
themselves at the North.
Pending Mr.. MARYR's remarks, DR..
BAYNE warned him that unless he ex-
planned the meaning of his Latin quotations
the amendment would be lost.
Mr.. MAYRH was followed by Mr.. GLEN
ENTs.
At the conclusion of Mr.. CLEMENTs's re-
marks, Mr.. PLATTE moved that the Con-
vention remain in session until the ques-
ton under debate was disposed of.
Mr. THOMAS obtained the floor. He gave
away to Mr.. CAMPBELL, who moved to ad-
iourp, with the understanding that Mr..
THOMAS be allowed to have the floor to-
morrow. Lost.
The previous question was called and
seconded. The question-should the pre-
vious question be sustained was decided
in the affirmative. The question as to the
proposed amendment was then put, and
decided as follows: Ayes, 80; noes, 81.
The Convention then adjourned.