Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-30


Es, Iayga vas ,Ases ;ai os he sosa, .at had bsen
conferred upgH him by ina gentleman irGnl kana~ha,
ttlr. noddridee) BOT as he did not wish to increase
the difficulty now attendant upon the nominations or
Attorney General, by adding to their NUMBER he would
therefore most respectfully decline the nomination and
ask the gentleman to withdraw his name.
Mr.. DoDDRDGE accordingly Withdrew Mr.. Irving g
name from the list OF candidates.
Mr.. RIvEs desired to make brief reply to the re-
marks of the gentleman from Augusta Mr.. Shelley y
He tMr r. more keeuly sensitive 10 charge Of
prescription when came from SO eminent person as
The gentleman from Augusta. Ii he recoleclcd the
ecedents OF that gentleman, he was one OF the most
rad cal members of tie Stale Conventions he even
unwilling TO permit the Judges to hold othce during
good Behavior, and opposed llte-tenHres.
The gentleman from Augusta had had large share
in the work OF constructing the new Constitution, and
he came before the Convention which framed that Con-
stitution, the recognized exponent and advocate of
short terms and he stood up here affirming that
carry out that very doctrine in relation Mr. Bax
ter, would be prescription. Great applause Thus
according to the present view OF the gentleman it was
prescription 10 nominate any one else but the incum-
bent tor an office, when the term oil that incumbent had
expired 1t that were rue they had not faithful and
experienced Judge IN Virginia, who when the ques-
ton came up under the constitution of re-noml-
mating him again, in whose behalf the cry would not
be raised OF prescription, If any other candidates were
pull in nomination. He begged leave to say 10 Mr..
xer's friends, that he had not the slightest feeling
OF nnkindness towards any OF them or towards Mr..
Baxter himself Far from it. He merely wished to
consult together and uneuninfluenced by the cry OF
most strength to the Wing ticket.
Mr. MEREDITH, Of Richmond, said, that he regretted
that this d bate had sprung up, and that there any
appearance OF difference OF opinion amongst the
members OF the body. The question before the Con-
veotlon as he understood it, was the nomination of
candidate to fill the post OF attorney general under the
new constitution The names OF four gentlemen had
been presented 10 the Convention, and three now
before the body, and motion pending after these
nominations had been made, to raise committee
lect from these nominees, the candidate or choice OF
the Convention As had been forcibly remarked, this
was most irregular proceeding, and he must be per-
mted to say that he did not think it was calculated
inspire confidence IN the nominee ofany such committee.
Bat one reason had been assigned why this committee
should be raised, and that for the purpose OF
ceaing the fac that there diversity of opinion in
this body. Would it attain that object? Would not
the nominations already made, sufficiently indicate that
this difference o opinion did exist The only question
Tor the Convention then, was, how could they select
fom these nominees to inspire most confidence in
the result Could it be done by committee? Who
was TO appoint the committee Was it to be appoint
ed by the chair! II so they would place it in the pow
er OF the chair to make the nomination He did not
mean to Intimate such charge against the chair Tor ne
mad in confidence IN the presiding officer but such
charge might be made, and they could not escape it
was the committee to be nominated by the Conven-
ton? Ii so the struggle would exist in selectino
the members OF the committee; they would be selected
with view to the particular nominee hat thew would
support ana thus the object sought in raising the com
mttee would not be attained. Besides that there was
always feeling of dislrust, a want of con6danoa in
the deliberations OF secret body selected for such
purpose as this For these reasons he earnestly Trusted
that The Convention would unite in raising anv snch
committee, but that the names of several candidates
having been presented and their claims advocated the
ConVenu9n would proceed at once to what it was nor
tectly competent to do, make selection for itsef
without the aid OF any secret committee (CheersS
One word now In regard TO the gentlemen whose
names had been brought before the bodv A new corr
stltution about to be adopted, which created Tho
office OF attorney general-an office already exs,no
under the Old constitution, the duties of which
were precisely similar under the old and the new con-
stlullons. That office under the old constitution was
already filled, and he must be permitted to savubat
had not already been aid-was ably filled. The sim
pie question then whether they should dspaee The
present incumbent and select another Gentleman had
SAID that to do 50 would be prescription He was not
prepared to say that the gentleman from Albemarle
(Mr Rlyes was not right when he said that twas not
prescription. 1t not technical proscrinion tn
be sure, but If it not prescription he could
tell gentlemen that it had awful squintino that
way The present incumbent had filled his Office will,
marked ability. 1t there any CHARGES tn be
brought against him here he Mr Meredith1 as one IF
his TRENDS was prepared to meet hem and meet them
on the threshold Ii there were any such cbaroes II
was right that they should be made here. Gentlemen
mad brought forward the names OF other gentleman
and advocated their claims, but no single gentleman
had brought any charge against the present incumbent
or assigned any reason why he should be ret aimed
10 De sure, gentlemen had said that the present in
cumbent was not available and that there were other
candidates who were available but in assionna
tins reason, gentlemen had given evidence OF the
cumbent was not as available candidate as anv that
this body could select. Had hey not the most nrea
mani proof that neither OF the two other Candidates We're
available, when the gentlemen who were onnosed ~
Mr. Bakers nomination could not agree who was tho
most available candidate? He thought that the dis
placement OF any officer wlo had filled hi. ofTics
with marked ability and against whose character not
whisper had been heard was calculated greatly to
dssasfy his friends, and he must be permitted to saw
that no man had more extensive acquaintance or
warmer friends throughout the broad limits Of tho
Commonwealth.
had Mr.. Baxter filled an office which had made him
conspicuous but from his practice in the high court OF
appeals different portions OF the State and his connec
on with the internal Improvement policy of the
bringing him In contact with the members of the le-
gslature--he had become thoroughly known through
out the Commonwealth. Mr.. NJ. then went on to re-.
Ter to the fact that charges had been brought in the Ia
gsalure against the present Attorney General by
leading and prominent member OF the Democratic mar
ty, aud that after those charges had been fully nyest
gated by committee, OF which the same Democrat
was the head, that committee had broupht in renort
endorsing IN most complimentary terms Sidney S
Baxter and repellng beyond all cav beyond ali ones
9oh, an me INNOVATIONS that had been cast upon him
lCfees TN this lact staring them in the face were
they prepared 90 the first occasion afforded them to
remove an officer whom their opponents had never
venlured to remove! lie maintained that justice and
the narm'nV OF the Wing party demanded, in the
most emphatic terms, that the Convention should
unite IN the almost unanimous nomination of Sidney
5. Baxter. Loud cheers.l
Mr. ARCHER, OF Dinwiddie, said that ne cana from
the south side OF James river, where there had been
but little OF the feeling exhibited that seemed 10 be ami
mating a.pofion OF the Convention. He believed he
expressed the views OF nearly all the delegation from
Inc SCUM side, when he SAID that they came here to
onsut and to unite upon the most available candidate
and the one who could bring the Wing party the great,
est number OF voIes the man they were ready to
support They had come here not TO sunport men
but principles, and the most popular supporter of these
principles they would sustain. He trusted that oil
would be thrown upon the troubled waters, and that
they would consult kindly together, and that the midi
Vdual who should receive the nomination would receive
the hearty and unanimous support of every member
otlhe Convention. He was opposed to the creation of
this committee. He believed it impossible for any
express the full sense OF all the delegates from every
section in the State. Suppose they selected commit
tee OF one from each congressional district was it
Der from their different districts, that they should
fully REPRESENT their feelings and MiShes2 Rnt unru