Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 15, August, 1851Various
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 15, August, 1851
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
In _Virginia_ the Convention is laboriously engaged in framing the new
Constitution. In our last Record, by a clerical error, we reversed the
terms of the compromise on the suffrage question. In the House the West
are to have 82 members and the East 68. In the Senate 30 members are to
be chosen from the East and 20 from the West, giving the West a majority
of four on joint ballot. This settlement has been adopted by the
Convention, who have stricken out the clause reported by the committee
prohibiting the Legislature from passing laws for the emancipation of
slaves, and inserted a provision that an emancipated slave remaining in
the State more than twelve months shall be sold. A public dinner was
given to Mr. WEBSTER on the 28th of June, at Capon Springs, in Western
Virginia, at which he made a speech, which was most enthusiastically
received. In the course of it he said: "I make no argument against
resolutions, conventions, secession speeches, or proclamations. Let
these things go on. The whole matter, it is to be hoped, will blow over,
and men will return to a sounder mode of thinking. But one thing,
gentlemen, be assured of--the first step taken in the programme of
secession, which shall be an actual infringement of the Constitution or
the laws, will be promptly met. And I would not remain an hour in any
administration that should not immediately meet any such violation of
the Constitution and the law effectually and at once; and I can assure
you, gentlemen, that all with whom I am at present associated in the
government, entertain the same decided purpose." He concluded with the
following sentiment: "The Union of the States--May those ancient
friends, Virginia and Massachusetts, continue to uphold it as long as
the waves of the Atlantic shall beat on the shores of the one, or the
Alleghanies remain firm on their basis in the territories of the other."
The British Embassador, Sir HENRY LYTTON BULWER, made an eloquent
speech, which was received with warm cheers, and elicited the following
toast: "England and the United States--One language--one creed--one
mission."
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