Showdown in Virginia

by Freehling, William W.; Simpson, Craig M.

• ISBN13: 9780813929484
• ISBN10: 0813929482
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-04-30
• Publisher: Univ of Virginia Pr

Summary

In the spring of 1861, Virginians confronted destiny -- their own and their nation's. Pivotal decisions awaited about secession, the consequences of which would unfold for a hundred years and more. But few Virginians wanted to decide at all. Instead, they talked, almost interminably. The remarkable record of the Virginia State Convention, edited in a fine modern version in 1965, runs to almost 3,000 pages, some 1.3 million words. Through the diligent efforts of William W. Freehling and Craig M. Simpson, this daunting record has now been made accessible to teachers, students, and general readers. With important contextual contributions -- an introduction and commentary, chronology, headnotes, and suggestions for further reading -- the essential core of the speeches, and what they signified, is now within reach. This is a collection of speeches by men for whom everything was at risk. Some saw independence and even war as glory; others predicted ruin and devastation. They all offered commentary of lasting interest to anyone concerned about the fate of democracy in crisis.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. ix
Editorial Procedures	p. xxi
Chronology	p. xxiv
Map of Virginia in 1861	p. xxvii
Secession Debated	p. 1
Jeremiah Morton's Secessionist Speech, February 28	p. 3
Waitman Willey's Unionist Speech, March 4	p. 11
John Carlile's Unionist Speech, March 7	p. 22
George Brent's Unionist Speech, March 8	p. 31
George Summers's Unionist Speech, March 12	p. 43
George Wythe Randolph's Secessionist Speech, March 16	p. 49
James Holcombe's Secessionist Speech, March 20	p. 62
John Baldwin's Unionist Speech, March 21-23	p. 75
Hugh Nelson's Unionist Speech, March 26	p. 89
Thomas Flournoy's Unionist Speech, March 30	p. 94
James Barbour's Secessionist Speech, March 30-April 1	p. 101
Robert Montague's Secessionist Speech, April 1-2	p. 113
George Richardson's Secessionist Speech, April 3-4	p. 122
Chapman Stuart's Unionist Speech, April 5	p. 130
Taxation Debated	p. 133
William G. Brown Initiates the Taxation Debate, March 7	p. 135
Waitman Willey Introduces His Motion, March 16	p. 136
The Confrontation That Willey's Motion Provoked, March 18-19	p. 138
William G. Brown	p. 138
Miers Fisher	p. 139
Benjamin Wilson	p. 140
Thomas Branch	p. 140
Allen Taylor Caperton	p. 141
Marmaduke Johnson	p. 142
Samuel Woods	p. 143
Willey's Climactic Taxation Speech, March 28 and April 2	p. 145
The Final Presecession Confrontation on Taxation, April 10-11	p. 148
Henry Wise	p. 148
Cyrus Hall	p. 149
Williams C. Wickham	p. 150
Willey's Motion Adopted, April 11	p. 152
Decisions	p. 153
The Quest for Lincoln's Intentions, April 6	p. 155
William Ballard Preston's Initiative	p. 155
Virginia's Division Foreshadowed	p. 156
The Beginning of the End, April 13	p. 160
Jubal Early's Ironic Appeal	p. 161
The Early-Goode Near Duel	p. 162
Decision Barely Averted, April 15	p. 165
Robert Scott's New Unionist Strategy	p. 165
Henry Wise's Pro Salute Populi	p. 167
John Baldwin's Desperation for Delay	p. 168
Eve of Decision, April 16	p. 169
George Wythe Randolph's Militarism	p. 169
Alexander H. H. Stuart's Open-Ended Unionism	p. 172
Even the Trans-Allegheny Divided: John Jackson Again Answers William Ballard Preston's	p. 177
Robert Scott versus George Wythe Randolph	p. 179
Waitman Willey's and Jubal Early's Alarm	p. 184
Samuel Staples versus John Baldwin	p. 185
The Convention's Secession Ordinance Adopted, April 17	p. 189
Alpheus Haymond's Plea	p. 189
John Hughes's Conversion	p. 190
Chapman Stuarts Warning	p. 191
Henry Wises Strike and John Baldwins Outrage	p. 193
The Climactic Wise-Baldwin Debate, April 17	p. 196
The Clarksburg Call, April 22	p. 202
The Conventions Ad Valorem Taxation Ordinance Adopted, April 26	p. 204
Popular Decisions in May	p. 207
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 209
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