Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[450] existing relations between the Government of the United States, the people and governments of the different States, and the government and people of the State of Missouri, and to adopt such measures for vindicating the sovereignty of the State and the protection of its institutions as shall appear to them to be demanded. The measures to be adopted are to be such as the Convention shall judge to be demanded in order to vindicate the sovereignty of the State and protect its institutions; those measures are left to the judgment of the Convention, and may reach any officer or any class of persons. Let us take the case, then, of an armed invasion of the State by troops from Arkansas, neither invited nor headed by the Governor of Missouri. The vindication of the sovereignty of the State may demand that such invasion be repelled by force, and every person can see that, while the forces of Missouri may be employed in repelling the invasion, it is perfectly obvious that the vindication of our sovereignty requires that the Governor, who is, by the Constitution, Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the State, must be removed from that office when he is actually engaged in leading or inciting the invasion. To consider the relations existing between the people and Government of Arkansas and the people and Government of Missouri, and to adopt measures to vindicate our sovereignty, imperatively demands in the case supposed, and which actually exists, that the commander in the State of Missouri be removed from his office. This case is stated merely as an illustration of the principles upon which the Convention has felt itself bound to act. Other cases equally strong and equally demanding like interposition of the Convention, might be stated as actually existing, but that now stated is sufficient to put you in possession of the principles upon which the action of the Convention rests. It is clearly an action demanded by the duty of vindicating the sovereignty of the State, and it applies to the other persons removed from office by the Convention upon the ground that they are all involved in the same scheme for assailing the sovereignty of the State.

In relation to the members of the General Assembly, the Convention are aware that all the members did not participate in the action which is regarded as an attempt to destroy the institutions of the State by destroying her connection with the Union, and thus overturning the institutions which she has as one of the United States. But no distinction could be made among the members on account of their individual opinions. The body was necessarily located collectively.

And now, having stated the necessity for the action of the Convention, and the principles which have governed the action, your delegates submit the whole for your consideration and calm judgment. They have felt their own position and that of the State to be peculiar. They have looked over Missouri and beheld the dangers that threaten her. They desire to avert them. They desire to restore peace to all her citizens. They have adopted the measures which, in their judgment, gave the highest promise of peace and security to all her citizens. If the measures adopted should have the desired effect, your delegates will feel that gratification which always attends the success of well-intended effort. If the measures should fail to restore peace, your delegates will find consolation in the fact that they have done what they could.

The report of the Committee was agreed to.