732 



VIRGINIA. 



cede and declare herself free from future alli- 

 ance with the United States, &c., &c. To this 

 an amendment was offered, instructing the 

 committee to report in effect that, 



Whereas it is plain that it is Mr. Lincoln's purpose 

 to plunge the country into a civil war by a coercive 

 policy which Virginia will resist; therefore 



Besolved, That the Legislature make the needful ap- 

 propriation of means, and provide the necessary forces 

 to resist and repel every attempt of the Federal author- 

 ities to "hold, occupy, "and possess" the property and 

 places claimed by the United States in any of the se- 

 ceded States, or those that may withdraw, or collect 

 duties o imports in the same. 



On the other hand, resolutions were offered 

 opposing coercive measures for the collection 

 of the revenue, &c., declaring that Virginia 

 would repel such attempts, &c. ; and though, 

 while Virginia remained a member of the 

 Union, she would assume no hostile attitude to 

 the General Government, she would prepare to 

 repel any assaults made upon her. All the 

 members of the Convention appeared to be op- 

 posed to coercion. The committee appointed 

 to examine into the subject reported that, in 

 their opinion, there had been no movement of 

 armed men towards the Virginia forts by the 

 General Government, indicating any attempt at 

 attack or coercion. 



On the 7th of March, Mr. Carlisle made a 

 speech against the resolution instructing the 

 Committee oil Federal Relations to make a re- 

 port pledging the State to resist Mr. Lincoln's 

 policy of coercion, and requesting the Legisla- 

 ture to make the needful preparations for that 

 purpose. He denounced it as a treasonable 

 measure ; upheld the right of the Government 

 to collect the revenues in the seceded States ; 

 was agreeably disappointed in the pacific tone 

 of Mr. Lincoln's inaugural ; and opposed any 

 action by which Virginia should place herself 

 in a hostile attitude to the General Govern- 

 ment. He believed in the power of the peo- 

 ple yet to restore the Union. 



On the next day Mr. Wysor offered an ordi- 

 nance dissolving the political connection be- 

 tween Virginia and the other States of the 

 Union, and for establishing a separate indepen- 

 dence. The former part was referred. Mr. 

 Brent, in a Union speech, opposed the policy 

 of secession, but at the same time opposed co- 

 ercion. He thought Mr. Lincoln's inaugural 

 unsusceptible of a warlike construction, but dis- 

 agreed with many of its doctrines. 



The Committee on Federal Relations, to 

 whom the principal business of the Convention 

 had been referred, and whose action would de- 

 cide, in a measure, the character of all their 

 proceedings, submitted several reports on the 

 10th. The report of the majority consisted of 

 a series of resolutions, which were summarily 

 as follows : 



The first reaffirmed the doctrine of State rights. 



The second declared any interference of sla- 

 very by the Federal or other authorities, or 

 by "the people, contrary to the Constitution, 

 offensive, and dangerous. 



The third condemned the formation of geo- 

 graphical or sectional parties. 



The fourth demanded a fair partition of the 

 Territories, and equal protection therein. 



The fifth declared that in a time of profound 

 peace with foreign nations, as now existed, and 

 when no symptoms of domestic insurrection 

 appeared, it was impolitic and offensive to ac- 

 cumulate within the limits of a State interested 

 in irritating pending questions of the deepest 

 importance an unusual amount of troops, mu- 

 nitions of war, &c. 



The sixth indulged in the hope of a restora- 

 tion of union and fraternal feelings. 



The seventh recommended a repeal of un- 

 friendly and unconstitutional legislation, and 

 proper amendments to the Constitution. 



The eighth conceded the right of States to 

 withdraw from the Union for just causes. 



The ninth alluded to the position of the Fed- 

 eral Government as disclaiming the power, tin- 

 der the Constitution, to recognize a withdrawal. 



The tenth, without expressing an opinion on 

 the question of power, desired to confer upon 

 the General Government the powers necessary 

 to deal peaceably with the questions involved, 

 and, if necessary, to recognize separate and 

 combined seceding States, to make treaties, and 

 to pass any laws such separation may make ne- 

 cessary. 



The eleventh recommended the people of the 

 sister States to respond, at their earliest con- 

 venience, to the foregoing positions, and to the 

 proposed amendments to the Constitution, and 

 to a consultation intended to be held afterwards ; 

 and in the event that Virginia failed to obtain 

 satisfactory responses from the non-slaveholding 

 States, she would feel compelled to resume her 

 sovereign powers and throw herself upon her 

 reserved rights. 



The twelfth made it an indispensable condi- 

 tion that a pacific policy be adopted towards 

 the seceded States, and that no attempt be 

 made to reenforce or recapture the forts, or 

 exact payment of imposts upon commerce, or 

 any measure calculated to provoke hostilities. 



The thirteenth affirmed that Virginia would 

 regard any hostile action on either side as hurt- 

 ful and unfriendly, and as leaving Virginia free 

 to determine as to her future policy. 



The fourteenth recommended a conference 

 of the Border States at Frankfort, Kentucky, 

 on the last Monday of May. 



The foregoing report did not fully meet the 

 approval of the Union members, because it ap- 

 parently recognized the right of secession. 



Mr. Wise submitted the minority report, 

 giving a list of demands, and requesting the 

 States to give their answers by October, and in 

 the mean time that every step should be taken 

 to preserve the peace ; that neither the General 

 Government nor the seceded States should 

 commence hostilities ; and that the Government 

 should retain only a sufficient number of men 

 in the forts, &c., to preserve and guard the 

 public property therein. 



