Year: 1861

get that line established, those OF
them who are disposed to give US trouble
will ''leave their country for their coun-
try's good" But so long as they are here,
encouraged and assured by the preseuce
of the confederate army within our limits,
so long will they prove a thorn in our side,
and so long will they resist successfully
the operation OF our Wheeling government.
There is an advantage which it seems to
me we would derive! from this separation,
that nothing can give US. With defined
line beyond which secession forces dare not
approach without violating the "sacred
soil" and sovereignty of q free and fnde-
pendent State, we could defend 1t with
fewer Federal troops and less of the Gov
ernment's money than it will take to sup
press an indlscriminate rebellion, and pro-
tect indiscrimiuately a population scat
tered all over this section of the State.
| There is another argument, sir; it will re-
| lieve the confederate forces from all obli-
cation they feel to protect their own soil.
Once let them see that this portion OF. Vir-
ginia is beyond their grasp; once let them
see that this is separate and Independent
| political community, a State to themselves,
recognized as such, they may in the Ian
guage of Wise, be willing to let the "dis-
graced northwest go, and take their ar
mics where they may be wanted more for
| home protection of secession than they are
in this region. There will be no longer
what may call an honorable obligation
resting upon the State to protect its soil,
because that soil will be no longer hers,
and we may in this way relieve our people
from these secession armies in their midst.
And we can confidently tell them "beyond
this lineyou cannot and dare not come"


These may be all insufficient reasons, but
they are some of the reasons that induced
me to advocate the proposition now under
consideration. shall, as 1 remarked,
however, bow to the decision of a majority
of this body, and will go as far as he who
goes furthest to suppress anything like a
revolutionary movement. We hope by fair
argument, we hope by holding up before
you the honest wishes of the people, we
hope by appealing to all that we think
should influence and govern men in rep
resentative capacity, to obtain the sanction
of this body to the proposition now under
consideration, which is not proposition
to divide the State, which repeat works
nothing, effects nothing, changes no rela-
ton on earth until it has the assent of the
Congress of the United States, who will
judge of the propriety of giving or with
holding their consent.


Now, sir. desire to notice n remark
made in relation to what said the other
day, that new State would deprive me


Mr.. STEWART (interrupting)-Mr. Presi-
dent, must insist on an adjournment; it
is now within few minutes of one o'clock,
which is dinner time for most of us, and
we have to be back here at half-past two.


Mr. CARLILE-I will forbear willingly,
and thank the Convention for having iu-
dulged me so long already.


| The Convention took recess, and on its
re-assemhling at half-past two, Mr.. Carlile
took the floor and concluded his remarks
as follows:


Mr.. President, the great argument, the
main argument, and the one that seems to
be relied:upon by all who have opposed this
measure publicly, is the embarrassment to
the Administration in consequence of our
government here not extending itself over
other portions of the State. Now with all
kindness and with all respect for our friends
who like myself are filling Offices under
this government, would say according to
my view, it would be little more modest
to say the least of it, in US allowing the
loyal citizens of Eastern Virginia whenev-
er the armies of the United States allow
them to do so, to select for themselves
their own governmental officers, and not
for us by virtue of our power to spread
over them our own. 1t is a fact well
known. sir, that only those who have been
represented in the Conventions here, and
in the Legislature had a voice in the selec-
ton of any of these officers. Therefore ]
repeat again cannot see how our action is
to embarrass the Federal Government in
restoring the former government to the
loyal people of Eastern Virginia unless it
is to be done without the consent of the
people who are to be governed and without
allowing them to determine who shall be
their officers under the government, or un-
less it is presumed that we will have the
military power to govern them by mere
force which presume no one desires or
would advocate.


Then, sir, without delaying the Conyen-
ton longer, think have successfully met
the main argument of the opposition 10 this
measure. meet it first by showing there
can be nothing in it, for nothing we can
do affects or changes our relations in the
slightest degree to the people of the Union
or the people of the State. All that we do
is initiatory, and is void, and can be of no
effect, unless consented to by Congress. If
consented to by Congress, it is the best ev-
idence in the world that the government
will not be embarrassed by our action
They have full and entire control over the
whole subject, and we all know that if Con-
gress should suppose for au instant that
the legalizing, acknowledging and recog-
nizing of our action would embarrass the
Administration, they would refuse to do SO.


Then | show, ! think, cOncIusively, and
beyond doubt, that there can be no govern
ment restored to the people of Eastern Vir-
ginia only by and through the action OF
the loyal people of that portion of the
State. They must act, aud then the gov
ernment that is restored to them is gov
ternment of the people, government de-
irving oil its vitality, its existence, its be-
ing, from, the action of the people. The
them without their expression ard their
action, would be as perfect a tyranny as
could be established over any people,
Therefore, take it, it is not contemplated
. h.. a ..E Iii. -