Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-27

around me, will withdraw my amendment.
= MEMBER. You had better.
Mr. CAMDEN. move to lay the resolution on the
table.
Mr. FISHER. Is that motion in order
The PRESIDENT 1t is in order.
/ Mr. FISHER Did the Convention not Just vote TO
re ect the resotionf
The PRESIDENT The Chair will state 10 the y.p
teman from Mason that the question just taken by the
Convention was upon laying the resolution upon the
table not on its adoption.
! Mr.. FISHER. Then will move its indefinite post
poncmcnt- | believe this motion takes precedence Of
the motion to las the table.
/ The PRESIDENT. The order of questions prescribed
by the 3and rule is the following
When question is under debate. no motion shall be
received except motion to adjourn, Tor the previous
question lay upon the table, and to postpone inde6
nitev'
a motion to lay upon the table therefore, takes pre-
ccdcucc, 10 motion tn postpone indefinitely and the
motion Of the gentleman from harrison lSlr' oMDESj
is in order
Mr.. CAMDEN. Upon that motion ask the yeas and
nays
The yeas and nays ordered
The question was then taken There were, yeas So
nays 50, as follows:
YE,s-SIessrs Anderson, Armstrong Bird Of She.
nan.loah Blu Bolts, Bovdcn Camoen, Caperton,
Garlic Carter of RUSSELL Carter of Loudoun, Chap
:nau, Cook, Ferguson. Fisher Floyd fGikerson
Fnllz Galiv, Hays. Hogc, Hunter, Jacob johnson.
Kenney klgore, knote Leteher Li1noerger' LGIas
Moore Necson Newman, Pendcton. Price. Ran
dopl Saunders, Scott of Fauquier Seymour Shelley,
Sloan. Smith of Jackson, Smith OF Greehbrcr, snoi-
grass Stephcnson Stewart of Morgan Stuart OF Patrick
Summers. Tate Trgg Van Wrinkle, White, Wiley, Wise.
Wvsor-59
N,Ys-Nessrs John y. Mason PRESIDENT Arthur
Banks Barbour Bcale Bowles, Braxon, Burgess, Cham
bcrs, Claiborne Conway, Cox, Davis Edmunds. Edwards
Fiuncy Flood. Fuqua NJ. Garnet Goode, Hall, Hill,
n. IDSn Ia INlrh
Lyons McCandlsh, Martin of Henry. Meredith Morris,
Petty Rve< Scogsin Scott of Caroline, Shell Smith Of
Norfolk county Smith of King and Queen. Southa Stan
ard Straughan Taylor Tredway Tunis, Turnbul! Wal
lace. Watts OF Norfolk county, Nhlttlc. Williams oi
Fairfax Worslam-53.
So the motion to lay upon the table was rejected
TIE BASIS or REPRESENTATION.
The Convention then resumed the consideration in
committee of whole-AIr MILLER in the Cha!r-of tn"
report of the committee on the basis and apportloimen
of representation.
The CHAIR stated the question to be on the PROPOSE.
ton Of the gentleman from Wesmorcland, (Mr BEAEE
Mr.. SUMMERS addressed the Committee His re-
marks hereafter.
Mr. RIvES. Laborng as 1 am at this time nndcra
severe cold and hoarseuesS shall not be enabled,
fear TO exhibit the history OF the Legislature OF 1892
fully and clearly as wished and intended.
Mr. LErCllER. If the gentleman desires 1t. will
move that the committee rise.
Mr. RIVES. No; prefer togo now. twill moi
take ME more than forty-irc minutes.
Many VOICES. Go on; go on.
Mr.. RlVES. assure YOU, Mr. Chairman, and as
this committcc that ii is work of no pleasure for
me to make the attempt which am about to make. !
am peculiarly situated, as reference has been made 10
me By the gentleman from kanawha who has displayed
such eoquence and ability upon this occasion And,
the position do, having taken the ground did
in the commencement Of this discussion, is not by my
consent that refer again to the action of the Virginia
legislature of 1872 had not intended 10 refer to 1t
,l-I.. h,,, ht,tt fln
III gentlemen from the west coming up here and chal-
longing us TO show a single instance in which west
ern Virginia has attempted to interfere with the subject
of slavery here. Ny friend from Westmoreand Mr..
BEAE) had actually stated to the first gentleman from.
tho west the gentleman from Greenbrier, (Alr SMITH,
that If he wanted evidence Of the fact that the egsla
ture of Virginia had attempted to interfere with the
subject of slavery in 1881 they would find that up
on the journals of the house of delegates of 1892 In
stead of taking warning by that reference 10 the record
three four of western friends repeated the dccl
ration that could not be shown where the west had
attempted 10 interfere with the subject Of slavery,
until my friend from Mason Ar. FIsHER) sadhe leied
Us show single instance in which the western mem
5crs of The legislature of Virginia had attempted in
crcre with the bject of slavery In my reference
that subject distinctly disclamcd-I am sure the gen.
teman IRON kanawha heard ME, and will say dis
nctiy disclamcd-any imputation upon the western
people as being unsound upon this subject
Mr. SUMMERS. | fear the gentleman did not I'M
!crstand stated that had not heard the gentle
nan S remarks, but read his speech, and that had
nothing whatever to complain OF in his remarks They
courteous, and he had perfect right make the
examination he did. had no of objection to the
the gentleman made; all ! desired to DO
was to put Of the record before the committee to
show the whole bearing Of it-that is all.
Mr. RlFES disconnected then that there was no i'm
olaon cast upon the citizens of western Virginia ny tho
acts Of their legislature. That is the point to which
allied the attention of the committee II is conceded
hat the people west Of the Blue Ridge not
sound on this subject But the fact is admitted that
legislature of Virginia did attempt to pass an act which
would have freed every slave in Virginia. or in other
words out of 81 members representing that section of
he State lying west Of the Blue RIDGE SIS were present
when proposition introduced into the legislature
II lrSna declaring that it was eXpcdent pass
legislative enactment to abolish slavery in Virginia.
Where were the % members representing the constitu
ncy which they themselves say is sound upon this sub.
Get, and upon that proposition, how did they stand
~ Out oil the % misreprcsened this sound constituency
md that OF eastern Virginia and mperilIed the prop
rty OF the whole State and that, too, under cons
utlon IN winch there is provision inserted that pr
ate property shall not be taken for public purpose,
Without due compensation. Now, if this is done under
he government under which we live, and undo
he constitution which contains the declaration in re-
lard TO private property have Just referred to-if this
done IN violation Of the wishes Of the people what
ire We to do: That is the question, and Won cannot
>caPei IT, IS utterly impossible to conccde that your
'eope are right and that their delegates were al the
anne time rejecting their wishes because your own
people did not sustain your course on that occasion and
he record shows that you did reflect their wisc.
Vow in this case, what YOU going TO do; You ,eu.
al You will insert provision in the constitution 10
prevent it. But at that very time when this attempt
vas made, there was provision in the constitution 10
prevent the taking of private property for public pur
'oses, except with adequate compensation. But my
rend Spoke of the record, and implanted that it had
'een brought here Improperly
Mr.. SUMMERS, lin his seat.) No; no; no.
Nr. RlN Els. took upon myself the resno,s;hily
II answering the questions that had been .ssed.
now that my friend from kanawha (Mr. SrNMERsl
you'd never have asked the question. know that my
rend from Berkeley tAlr FArLKxER would have never
'kcd the question. But the question was asked |
nswered it. Ny friend from 3lccklcnburg Ar GoonE)
liudedto It also Western gentlemen challenged us to
One up to the conflict, 10 produce the evidence yti,
oW SAID, dld any western present petition
skiing that the constitution Of the United States should
&c SO amended as 10 remove slaves. Does the gentle
nan want that answered: And if il is answered vii!
DC SAID here afterwards that that ought not to be
onched at all You must not say word. Laughter.
VOW you do not want the question answered. do not
SIX H. II You make issue with u.s. aud put it 10 the
root, as nave done here by the record what credit do
get Tor it: Laughter. But that has all passed BY.
dana