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


Mr.TREDWAY. did not say that ne had. salt
thai had conferred with the gentleman from hanawh;
TO ascertain the probable time that he would wish t.
speak. Nv object simply to save the time OF thu
BODY if could and at the same time to DO 1t Wthou
in the least degree with the right of the gen
tisnon ram Karawha to debate as long he though
proper the proposition which is before the committee
and It was for that reason that named one o'clock a
the hour for closing the debate If thought it cout
interfere with HIN in the least degree would no. pres
it. would not vote fos it, but do desire that when VT
shall have heard n gentleman from the west who Wi
have full opportunity to reply to all til may have
been said the vote shall be taken. do not wish t
have the matter left open that even an eastern man may
reply to him. desire above all things to see action II
this body and It's with that view and that view alone
that have offered this resolution.
Mr. LETCHER Does the gentleman desire to cut OF
all debate the proposition of the gentleman IRON
Westnioeland (r BEALE) which comes up now Tor thu
| first time!
Mr. TREDWAY Certainly.
| Mr.. LETCHER. Is nobody to be heard on that sub
! ject
Mr.. TREDWAY l will answer the gentleman
desire that the gentleman from Kanawha should speak
upon that proposition. That will he speech from the
west and speech upon which | am sure western gen
tlemen would be rs willing to depend as upon tie
speech of any gentleman. and willing take the
vote without speech upon the part of the east.
| Mr.. PRICE. | am ANXIOUS, am sure, as any mem
Ter Of this Convention To get through with our labors
but want do it with much satisfaction to all tho
members as possible Now the gentleman from Kama
villa is to address the house this morning How long
he will occupy nobody knows apprchend he does moi
know himself | have no idea that lie will speak till
o'clock, but say that other gentlemen ought, in fair
ness to have an opportunity to reply tn him. If they
csirc to do it. apprehend that there is disposition
10 prolract this debate but let every gentleman have
an opportunity Of being fairly heard. The debate
cannot extend much longer. and when amendment
,, ink to- an
opportunity of being heard briefly upon it, and not bc
cut Off b. the arrival of the hour of o'clock. do
not desire to protract this debate to it protracted
Very far from it, But lean necessity for claiming
down the debate to particular minute or hour Inc
must be taken and time will be saved BY the
adoption OF the resolution. move to lay 1t upon the
liable
Mr.. NJ. GARRETT called for the ayes and nays
which We're ordered.
The question being then taken there wereyeas 5i nays
81 Is follows:
YE,s-Messr5. Armstrong Bird of Shenandoah, Blue
Bots, Camden Capcrtol, Garlic Carter OF Russell
Carter of Loudnun Chapman Cook, Ferguson, Fisher.
Floyd, Fulkcr$on, FuItz Gally. Garland, Hays ll"Er
Jacnh johnson Kcncv, kgore, knote, Letchcr. Lion
berger, Lucas McCanllnt. McComas Martin Of Mar
shall Miller. Nccson Ncwlnan Pcndlcton, Price, Ran
laph. Scott of Fauquicr, Seymour, Shelley. Sloan
Smith Of jackson, Smith of Grcenbrcr, Snod.rass.
Stephenson Stewart of Morgan, Stuart Of Patrick,
Summers, Tate, Trigg Van Wrinkle, White Wiley and
Wise "a.
NAYs-M,ssrs. John Y Mason (PreSt.) Arthur, Banks
Barbour, Beac, Bowlcs Braxton, Burgess Chambers.
Claiborne, Conway. Cox, Davis Edmunds Edwards.
inncy Flood Fuqua. NJ. Garnctt, Goodc, Hall Hill.
Hopkins Jamey. Jasper, Jones Leake. Lyon. Lynch,
Lyons McCandlsh, Martin of Henry Meredith. Morris,
Petty Rives Scogsn Scott OF Caroline Shell. Smith OF
Norfolk county Smith fixing and Queen Southal, Stan
ard Straughau. Taylor 1rcdway, Tnnis, Turnbnll.
Wallace Watts of Norfolk county Williams Of Fairfax
Whitte. Winsicd aud Worshans-5l.
So the motion TO lay upon the table was decided IL
the negative.
Mr. BYRD, when his name was called, stated that
he had paired off with Mr.. SSowpES, of Alexandria,
who compelled by circumstances TO leave the Cit
his mJrliuy.
Ar. FISHER / have risen for the purpose of calling
the attention of this body tn act they are about t"
perpetratc hope gentlemen will excuse me for iew
moments while lay before thi, house cnnsldcra-
lions in relation to this matter 1t will be remembered
when We first came together, that Eastern gentlemen
emphatic in announcing that they were majority
in this body and should keep the machinery OF leglsa
tion in their hands To that did not object, or
even reply when it accompanied with the decara-
ton that western members should have the opportunity
of discussing this basis question 10 their hcarsconten1
But gradually from that day to this has that pledge
withdrawn The first ntimation of the withdraw
al Of That pledge was the application OF a rule III th'
committee of the whole which was carried b. eastern
votes As I understood the rule each, and every
member in committee of the whole had the right to
peak often he pleased, yet You have restrained the
freedom of debate in committee of the whole by adopt
in the rule which you have adopted III convention The
NEXT attempt smother bv limiting us to SIN
gle hour not upon this question but upon every other
which shall he presented And permit me to say. that
that was but the entering wedge to that which YOU are
about To pcrperac. Why limit any man 10 single
hour Why say that you will the capacity Of any
man to examine subject in this body: IS this an ord
nary body which meets annually or bennally or even
trenniav discuss ordinary subjects; II not rathcr
which has under it consideration sub ccts winch may
result Tor veal or for voe-woe 10 the commonwealth
am afraid the latter will venture TO say that II you
wish 10 create excitement il you wish 10 rouse the whole
wes all Won have to do is perpc,r,tc this wrong upon
their representatives Well do that and you will rouse
them ceclally than by any defamation on the
pirt of western members or than By any basis sou can
nllict upon them. Now have come TO the conside-
ra, n o. a resolution which is In stop debate in thl>
body upon question which asatcs the whole common
wealth. al one o'clock, and you have decide, that ques
ton by III equal vote.
Permit me here TO call to the attention of this body
one or two matters. which, ii they will take into con
Iteration, hope will influence their action when they
co ne to u vote upon this subject again 1t the uniform
siudnes- dccacy and torbcarancc with which MAJOR |
c. have alwa,s treated mnorites in other dclibcratir
DO ,.s-puit.cal maj,r!tics and political minorc,.
wlc: are the result, generally, of public opinion, Will
here the ma ry ani minority not the result of pub
nc opinion, b..t Of law put upon Us by majority OF
thu legislature. And in TACT, the majority on this floor
r.pre,rnt but minnrt, of the white people of III,
Commonwealth, willie the minority here actually repre-
sent large majority of the free white people OF this
Commonwealth.
Who in this House, does not remember with what
freedom the minority in the Senate Of the United STATE,
WIS permitted to speak during the administration ell
Gen JAG Kson. when slaves 10 Government and cola
men the constant themes of the minority and the
mildcst that applied to the then majority
Which Of the majority then complained and gr,lm
bled AMI growlcd rs we here Reasonable time AMI
fair allowances were made Tor their feelings and their
opposition Freedom of debate in that body, howe.
yer bitter the feeling never checked. No one al
tempted to te debate by attempting 10 close IT in this
way. Now, if this freedom of debate is allowed 20 the
minority by the majority in deberatlve bodies in every
other State in the Union shall it be said that in Virgi
nia aud in Virginia alone. when the minority upon this
floor representing the majority of the people, come
here debate question. that you will by Your ma ORR
Is, stihc all debate My friend here, upon my left. |
(Mr WArrs) forget from what county he comes. but
believe it is on one side Of that frospond which was
spoken Of some time ago. think on The wrong side
for believe lie is from the county of Norfolk laugh
ter told me recently that the Treasurer had vcrykind!v
informed him. that this Convention was likely TO the
State $i00,0l0
Mr.. WATTS (ln his scat.) The gentleman is mis- /
takcn-I made no such statement.
VOL heard II from Ona nd