The General Assembly of Virginia, with a view to make an
effort to preserve the Union and the Constitution in the spirit in
which they were established by the Fathers of the Republic, have, by
resolution, invited all the States who are willing to unite with her
in an earnest effort to adjust the present unhappy controversies, to
appoint Commissioners to meet on the 4th of February next, to
consider, and if practicable, agree upon some suitable adjustment--

_Resolved_, That we heartily accept the invitation of our Old Mother
Virginia, and that the following six Commissioners, viz.: Wm. O.
Butler, James B. Clay, Joshua F. Bell, C.S. Morehead, James Guthrie,
and Chas. A. Wickliffe, be appointed to represent the State of
Kentucky in the contemplated Convention, whose duty it shall be to
repair to the City of Washington, on the day designated, to meet such
Commissioners as may be appointed by any of the States in accordance
with the foregoing invitation.

_Resolved_, That if said Commissioners shall agree upon any plan of
adjustment requiring amendments to the Federal Constitution, they be
requested to communicate the proposed amendments to Congress, for the
purpose of having the same submitted by that body, according to the
forms of the Constitution, to the several States for ratification.

_Resolved_, That if said Commissioners cannot agree on an adjustment,
or if agreeing, Congress shall refuse to submit for ratification such
amendments as they may propose, the Commissioners of this State shall
immediately communicate the result to the Executive of this
Commonwealth, to be by him laid before this General Assembly.

_Resolved_, That in the opinion of the General Assembly of Kentucky,
the propositions embraced in the resolutions presented to the Senate
of the United States by the Hon. JOHN J. CRITTENDEN, so construed,
that the first article proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of
the United States shall apply to all the territory of the United
States now held or hereafter acquired south of latitude 36 deg. 30', and
provide that slavery of the African race shall be effectually
protected as property therein during the continuance of the
Territorial Government; and the fourth article shall secure to the
owners of slaves the right of transit with their slaves between and
through the non-slaveholding States and Territories, constitute the
basis of such an adjustment of the unhappy controversy which now
divides the S