Year: 1872

DtOuiC UpUH I"LO' p"'H't tfS f"'" '"'


Constitution Of Ued Tugin1a the


Thirteenth amendment 10 the Federal


Constitution.


At the opening of the session of the
Constitutional Convention, on Friday
morning, Mr.. Faulkner submitted the
following as a section to be added to
the thirteenth article Of the ConStitu-
ton:


"Neither slavery nor involuntary ser
vitude, except as punishment for
crime, whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted, shall exist within
this State.


MIR. FAULKNER, OF BERKELEY.


Mr.. Faulkner said that it was then
Just forty years since he, at that time
one of the Youngest members Of the
Virginia Legislature through a COM
mittee Of that body, submitted plan
for the gradual and prospective extlnc-
ton Of slavery in that State, upon the
post naii principle. The remarks which
accompanied that proposition would
show the ground upon which he placed
his action. They were not based upon
any sentiments of philanthropy for the
supposed wrongs of the colored race,
although he did not mean to say that
was a view Of the subject to be excluded
from consideration but his remarks
upon the occasion referred to were eX-
clusiycly based upon the conviction en-
tertaincd by him at that early period OF
his life, that the institution Of slavery
was pernicous to the prosperity aud
happiness Of that race with which he
was himself identified by God and ma
ture. The proposition was then fairly
and kindly received by the Legislature
and people of Virginia, but the State
WAS not prepared for such a radical
change in her policy, and it failed.


The opinions which he (Mr. F) then
expressed in a speech which was pub
lished and largely circulated, however
unexceptionable in their utterances at
the time had, in consequence OF a sub
sequent revulsion in public opinion,
caused by northern interterence,eNPose
him to much criticism, obloquy and de-
nunciation. For near a quarter OF a
century, that is to say, from 1887 to
1860. his course upon that occaslonwas
brought up in judgment against him in
every canvass in which he stood before
the country. His political opponents
declared that those opinions should
prove to him a shir; of NcSsus, and, IA
yored 10y the Incorporate spirit Of the
times, most faithfully had they kept
their promise. Yet in all the scenes
and positions in which he had been
placed since that day be had never aban-
doned his early convictions Of the social
and political evils of slavery. nor had lie
ever recanted Or retracted any OF the
opinions expressed in that speech. Yet,
while entertaining those opinions, he,
both as member Of the State and Of
the national Legislature, had felt it his
duty, during the continuance Of the in
stitution. to maintain all the legal and
constitutional rights Of the Shareholders
of the South and to demand the enforce
ment. in good faith, OF that guarantee Of
the Federal Constitution for the surren-
der of fugitive slaves. without whieh
guarantee it was an admitted historical
fact. that the Constitution Of the United
States would never have beeu adopted.


He Mr. F. had lived to witness the
extinction Of this powerful and wide
spread institution, not only within the
limits of Virginia, but within the limits
of the United States. He could not APP
prove the manner in which that result
had been consummated. 1t was too
sudden, too revolutionary. 1t was made
with too little regard to the real welfare
of the colored race, and with too little
Difference to the industrial interests Of
the country. Still it was a result Of
which no Southern man can justly COM
plain. Slavery was prize deliberately
staked upon the issue OF arms, and it
was fairly and irrevocably lost in that
terrible and bloody encounter.


He cherished the hope that he was
now in the performance Of the last pub
lie duty which his fellow citizens would
ever require of him. Ashe commenced
his public career forty years ago in all