--Fellow-Citizens: You will shortly be called on to elect delegates to a Convention, which the condition of the
South makes necessary.
Urged to be a candidate for this county, I stated my willingness to be such only in case the people should think my services of value to them.
While the responsibilities of the position are so solemn and important as not to be courted, the crisis demands that no man should withhold his services, when desired by those who have a right to request them.
Seeking no nomination, I declared my sentiments to those who asked them, and did no more.
On the 22d inst., a numerous body of citizens, of all opinions and sections of the county, convened on duty published notice, at the
Court-House, to select a candidate.
At the request of this meeting.
I, and several gentlemen who had been spoken of for the position, stated our opinions on the subjects which will occupy the
Convention.
A part of the assembly, with one of these gentlemen, then seceded, but the bulk remained and voted.
A large majority being for me, the friends of the others acquiesced, and made my nomination unanimous.
I proceed to place my views before you:
- First. I think that the differences between the two sections of the country should be speedily settled in a manner to insure the interest, honor and safety of the slave States, they making common cause and acting in concert.
I believe in the right of a sovereign State to resist wrongs clearly unconstitutional, in or out of the Confederacy, and a fortiori, in her right for such cause to secede from the Union, and that the aggressions of the North upon the South are unconstitutional.
- Second. That there is no rightful power to coerce a State resisting such wrongs, and that a war upon her for that purpose is unjust, aggressive and illegal, and that so far from the Federal Government having a right to make war upon her for resisting an unconstitutional wrong, she is in such case morally entitled to the army and navy to defend her.
- Third. That if the rights, safety, honor and peace of the South are secured by constitutional guaranties, the Union should be preserved, but that the settlement should not be so postponed as to strengthen our enemies and injure us.
The Legislature, desiring to make another effort to save the
Union, has appointed Commissioners to meet those of the other States, on the 4th of February next, in
Washington, with a view of agreeing on some plan of peace and safety.--Should these Commissioners agree on an adjustment satisfactory to the
South, and Congress shall accept the same, then time should be given to carry out such plan in the manner provided by the
Constitution.
Fourth. That such preparations can and should be made as will insure peace, if anything will, if not, then at least the safety of the
South.
I learn that my views, on the means necessary to insure the safety of the
State, have already been misunderstood and misrepresented.
It is argued that I wish to impose unnecessary burthens on the
Commonwealth, for her protection.
On the contrary, what I want to do, is to save money, property, and especially blood.
It is eminently a measure of economy, peace and safety.
The State is already pledged to resist coercion.--The enemies of the
South will never be prevented from shedding our blood, and desolating our homes by resolutions, ordinances, or any other mere paper bulwarks.
If it costs too much now to raise and instruct enough troops to defend
Virginia, what will it cost to do so, after a battle has been fought, and lost by uninstructed troops?
When thousands of her best men and soldiers are in bloody graves, and millions of property has been destroyed.
The school boy who cannot figure out economy and safety in preparation has made but little progress either in arithmetic or common sense.
The proposed preparation is not intended to be aggressive, but defensive.
If the
State designs to submit, without security for the rights of the
South, be it so, but if these rights are to be insisted on, her safety should not be trifled with, and nothing can insure it but the means of resisting attack.
These, fellow-citizens, are my views, briefly and frankly stated.
G. W. Richardson.
January 24, 1861. ja 26--1t
