January 18, 1861, Richmond Enquirer
The Legislatures of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, have tendered men and money to the General Government, to coerce and subjugate Virginia, should the Convention of her sovereign people determine that secession is the only safety of the State. The action of these States, intended to be offensive and degrading, was deliberately and determinedly made at the very moment of intensest excitement, to show the authorities of Virginia that they condemn and despise the slave States, and are determined to degrade them into conquered provinces.
The unnecessary and wicked action of these States should open the eyes of the people of Virginia, to the purpose and disposition of the three largest Northern States. This tender of men and money to coerce and subjugate sovereign States, has increased the difficulties of adjustment, and should cause the manhood of Virginia to shrink from the debasement of offering any compromise, or even intimating the willingness to compromise with States that gratuitously offer Southern States another result. The Legislature of Virginia having called the people of the State together in Convention, are, as to all matters of compromise and ultimatum, functus officio – the people in Convention assembled, are the only power authorized to submit any ultimatum. The Legislature has no power, and will be treated with contempt by the Republicans – which will only aggravate and intensify the feeling in Virginia. We have no idea that the Convention of Virginia will ever agree to any compromise that has not been previously adopted by the Northern States in an authoritative and binding manner. Virginia will never tie herself to a Northern Confederacy, which may be rejected by her Southern sisters. The North must first adopt such amendments as they are willing to abide by, and these being submitted to all the Southern States must be agreed to by all of them. Virginia will patch up no compromise and agree to no amendments as long as the Northern States, by such action as that taken by New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, deny the fundamental principle of consent of the governed to the government upon which this Union was formed. The sovereignty of the States, the rights of the States and the remedies of the States, have been assailed and denied, and all must be admitted and provide for in any amendments the Virginia can agree to.
She will compromise into the Constitution no precedent which may, at some future day, arise in judgment against her people, or some other State. The tender of men and money to coerce and subjugate sovereign States, is consolidation and federalism more odious than alien and sedition laws, because directed not only against individual liberty, but is subversive of the sovereignty of the States.
Virginia cannot, and will not, agree to any such compromise as the Crittenden amendment, because it is not one that, of itself and by its own self action, protects and guaranties the Southern States in the enjoyment of their constitutional rights.