Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-11-09
TIE MEMPHIS CONVENTION.
First Day Eycniag Se,itoA.

MkMpHls, OCt 3D. lS4S.
The convention assembled al ucl"ck p. Nj +,
when The Hon. Nicholas Davis, oil Alabama,
chairman of the committee OF organization, 10
whom was referred the nomination OF lie officers
ot the convention, made a report. Lieut. vi F
Mauy, U N. was unanimously nominated
President Hon u G Clay, OF Alabama, w L.
Mason, Of Mississippi, Col WiluushbY VIII
liams. of Tennessee, Col X w Alslon, of )
Carolina, DR. Jamison, 'oi Grorgia, Col Maun.
sci White, Of Louisiana, EY. Gov L S Dew, Of
Arkansas, Hon Ashbel Smith, OF Texas, Ashton
johnson, OF Missouri, William NJ Hall, ni Hi.
nois, Col B Z Gray, OF Kentucky Col John +
Tnz.vant, Of Virginia, Joseph H Thompson. OF
Penn ylvnnia, and |. S Robinson, Of New York,
were appointed Vice Presidents; and A II Ar
thur, Ct Missi sppi Richard Walker, Of Ala a.
ma, + Canoll, OF Tennessee, E N Price, o
South Carolina, Alex Walker, Of Louisiana, l.
as, A FINLEY, Of Missouri, and Fl ] l;asn, Of
Kentucky, as Secretaries.
Ii q Smith, Of Tennessee, moved The adop ion
OF The repnfi, which was carried unanimously.
Lieut. Maury appearing in the convention, was
conducted To The chair. This article oi furniture
is a remarkable relic. being the original chair in
which John Hancock sal and presided al The first
continental convention On ascending he plat.
form Lieut. Maury thus Addressed The delegates:
ADDRESS OF LIEUT.. MAURY.
Grn'lemsn-l am under obligations which |
cannot express, for the honor you have done me.
am sensible that am maTa Indebted 10 your
Kindness than any j ness on my own pant, Tor the
distinguished position 10 which you nave called
me. | inusl beg that you will lei your charity be
as broad as your kindness, and with i, cover up
all my shortcomings.
For what have we here assenibledl II is be.
cause This country in It's upYard aud onward
progress has arrived al that stage from which in
creased tacililirs Of communication between The
Atlantic and Pacific oceans are IeQiired for The
great purposes of Stale. WHY am /, an officer Of
Tho navy, here present TO take part in your deli
beraions1 II Is becaus, The people OF his great
valley, without Distinction Of parry, have as
semblsd b lie in the PERSONS OF their representa-
lives, 10 deliberate on measures g. national ce-
fence. IL is well known that !he atq iisi,ion Of
California was regarded with no ia vurahe eye
by that power, che sound oil whose morning
drum encircles h, earth, and upon whose dag The
sun never sels"-aLd that in case OF a war with
that power, should war unfortunately ever occur,
her first fIrI would he asains, California. And
the only means by which its possession can be r,E.
dered secure i'll sQcn an emergency, s by The
CONSTRUCTION OF railroad from some point in this
valley 10 those shores, over which troops and
materials CAT be Transported with facility.
In consequence of tho use Of railroads and OF
other Improvements and inventions Of The age,
the whole system Of national defence as hitherto
pursued BY this Government, has been brought
10 stand s i'll. The item in the annual navy
appropriation bill for the gradual increase ofthe
navy, and on which many millions OF dollars
have been expended. has ceased to Gnd place
10 tho navy ss.ipsts, bsoslss the inventions and
improvement. ,o which have ALLUDED, have sx.