Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-03-24
MIR. acOTTs RESOLUTIONS.


side.
| Had vote been taken on the resolutions either
OH Thursday evening when they were first intro
dnced, or on Friday evening, there Is little doubt
that they would have been adopted for it is well
understood that large majority of the Legisla-
ture would affirm the truths they declare if the
question could be brought tc direct vote. But
| the fact that the resolutions were offered by a
| Wing member was enough to make the Democra-
| tic party unwilling TO act upon them. Hence the
| postponement of Thursday evening, and hence the
movements Of Friday evening, which we are now
to describe. The majority had obtained time for
determining their game and they played it aceor-
dinghy with great unanimiiy.
Mr.. Flournoy, the selected spokesman, moved
| to refer the resolutions to select committee, and
he and Mr.. Crutchfeld argeed in general terms
| hat they were Objectionable, and ought TO havethe
consideration of committee. When we enter
ed the hall, Mr.. Scott of Fauquier, was earnestly
d Tending the resolutions. He said they had been
prepared with sedulous desire to meet the views
of all, and demanded that gentlemen should spe-
| city in what they considered them Objectionable
Mr.. Cruchfeld met this, by insisting on the right
of the majority 10 take the whole matter in their
hands, and concluded by asking the previous
question. Mr.. Scott, of Powhatan, and Mr.. Boil
ling warmly protested against the gag which the
| majority thus attempted 10 enforce The vote
| was taken and the call for the previous question
| failed, SO to 81.
This seemed to defeat Of those who were
bent upon smothering the resolutions. The ques.
| tous REQUIRED on the motion to refer to n select
committee.
| Mr.. Boiling addressed the House in an indg-
nant strain in condemnation of the defeated effort
to apply the previous question:
MIR. Scott, of Powhatan, resisted the proposition
for select committee and expressed his appre-
| hension that such committee, if constituted of
| members entertaining heviews of Mr.. Flournoy,
would make report which might have the
most injurious results. He denied the truth of
an imputaon which had been made that the reso-
lutions had their origin in party motives, and said
that, for his part, they were not strong enough
lie was for telling South Carolina that if she
those to secede, she must expect 10 come into
collision with the Federal Government
Several Democratic members now made
speeches. Mr.. Martz, Of Rockingham, an old
stager of the Tenth Legion, advocated the refer
ence, but he declared himself Union man, and
ready to fight in the last ditch to preserve the Un-
ion. lie said the third resolution was objection
| able.
Mr.. Campbell, of Nottoway, spoke in a some
| what undecided strain, in favour ofthe reference
He said he was unprepared to vote upon the re-
solutions, inasmuch as they might need slight
amendments. He thought, in the main, they came
| very nearly up to his views.
Mr.. Mortimer Johnson took the floor, but the
| only feature of his speech we now recoect was
his saying that the Democracy had already shown
| their intention not to avoid this question, by the
resolutions they had adopted at certain late eau
GUS in which Mr. Wise figured very prominently
He got the Clerk to read two of the notable re-
solutions then adopted, which excited general
| laugh on both sides of the House.
The principal deba,e however, was between Mr.
| Fournoy and Mr.; Scott of Fauquier.
| Mr.. Flournoy sustained his motion for committee
because he objected to the resolutions but nothing could
induce him to tell in what particulars They contain
ed he said Federal doctrines, but he did say where
Without directly assuming that they endorsed the Com
promise measures, he did so indirectly by declaring
most emphatically that no power earth would in
duce him to say that he approved of those measures
which he regarded as oppressive, unjust and tyanncal
sooner would ho suffer his head to be severed fiom
his body! lie asked, why should gentlemen object 10
a select committee 1t would be appointed by the
| Speaker who known to belong to "a particular
Union party lie cared not who should constitute it.
Mr.. f. disclamed any desire 10 act on the South
Carolina communication ard referred TO his assurance
some weeks ago, that he would be ready for action
He denied emphatically that he Disunonist and
asserted that he was for Union of equality.
| Mr. SCOTS reply was of the most effective we
ever heard lie repealed the mpuation from the 9TH
er side that the resolutions from Wig caucus
and contrved for party purposes. There was, he
admitted conference consultation among some
halt dozen Wing me- bers, who thought very mpor-
tant that the Legislature should take some action be-
fore the adjournment, and beloved that unless thew
moved in the matter the majority would give the
whole ject the go-by. There good reason for
this belief; beca use the esson nearly spent, tie
majority had some weeks ago indefinitely postponed
one set Of resolutions, and more recently had laid on
| the table another set, end the communication from
South Carolina lay buried upon the table The whole
design in framing the present resolutions YVES 10
make them such, that all could support them. He again
demanded to know in what respect they objection
able. In response to Mr. Fouinoys declaration, that he
would suffer his head to be severed from his body be-
fore he would consent to approve of the Compromise
which he believed to be unjust, oppressive,
and lyrannica and his further avowal that he was Tor
submitting 10 ihem Mr.. Scott said, with Tremendous
effect. of believed those to be unjust OPP
pressve and yranncal, would suffer my head to be
severed from nv body before ,pould submit 10 faep
Gentlemen the other side had denied that there were
any Dsunonsts in the body; "what, them" asked Mr.
S., "dd the gentleman from Prince Edward mean when
he remarked that the Speaker known 10 belong to
the Union party?" If there was Union party here,
there must lso be Dsunion party; and he wished to
know who composed it
Mr.. E!aumoy and Mr.. Crutehfe!d. in their seats