Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-03-04

The question was debated at some length o
Messrs. Irving, Chapman, Floyd, Harman, Meao'
Wexford and Aylett, and on motion OF MIR. "hHe' III
subject was indefinitely postponed. A..
The Convention then adjourned to meet at INC AIT
can Church Friday morning at ii O'CLOCK
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1856.
The Convention met at IL o'clock, A. NJ.
Mr.. WHITE Of Hanover, from the Committee o.
Organization, submitted tho following resolutions
which were voted upon sERIATIH, and adopted:
/. Resolved, That it BIO recommended to the dele
cations from the several electoral districts IN virginia
to nominate one elector and one or more asslstaI
electors for each district, and nm elector tor each couf
ty and corporation in the State.
2. Resolved, That q Central Committee of Cores
~pondence and Vigilance, to consist OF tWenty-nV
members, be appointed, any five to constitute a quo
rum, and that the following persons be members there
of, viz: The names will be announced hereafter.
And said committee, in addition to their other du
ties, shall supply all vacancies which may occur VI
the electoral ticket.
On motion of Mr.. Cox, of Petersburg It was or
dered that the blank in the resolution be hlled by IN
President.
3. Resolved, That the delegations from each count.
in the State be requested to furnish to the secretarle
of the Convention O list of persons to be appointed
committees of vigilance for their se'ersi counilet!
4. Resolved, That i; be TO cach elec
toral district to appoint two delegates and two alter
mates TO the National Convention, for the nomination
Of President and Vice President OF the Unite'
States. Ut,
S. Resolved, That VIM. +. Richie and Robert W
Hughes be appointed r. committee to superintend tht
publication of the proceedings OF the CONVENTION
with authority to make verbal correctlohs Vi LUZ
same.
6, Resolved, That the members of this Convention
be requested to contribute 81 each, to pay for tht
printing of the proceedings of the Convention, ad
for such other expenses as may be- incurred in carry
ing out the purposes OF this ConyentIon-the JONI
contributions TO be paid to WIN. r. hltchie.
EN-EnSERNnR SMITH,
Mr.. JOHNSON of Alexandria, asked il the Hon
VIM. Smith was entitled to a seat on this floor. nc
was the candidate of the know-Nothing party at inc
last election, a. also the proposed candidate OF the
United States House of Representatives for Speaker
ship, by two know-Sothing members: lie was no"
regarded as a man unworthy the confidence OF Tue De-
mocratic party, and this moment his name can DC
seen upon a Know-Nothing ticket, which, II necessa-
nv, can be produced. Out of four hundred and nine,
ty-seven Democratic votes cast in my county ana
town he got Ct. He wished the Convention 10 decide
whether such a man was entitled to a seat here. ne
thought it ought to be purged OF all inquiry ne
moved that he be not entitled to q seat.
Loud cries of Smith, Smith.
Mr.. SMITH came forward.
The question was asked: SIS Mr.. Smith a registered
member OF this Convention : tGreat coniuslon.j
A DELEGATE-I wish to preserve order mere. 1
wish to preserve order here. l move that me sup.
ject be referred to the delegation from hr. SMlrHs
district.
Cries of shear him" shear him"
Mr.. Cox of Petersburs-lf Mr. SMITH Is not a De-
mocrat, | am NOT.
The previous question was called, but wa, not sus-
tanned.
PREsIpEsr-It is not for me to know whether Mr..
SMITH is a member OF this Convention or not. If not,
we cannot hear him. / will put the question whether
he shall be heard or nor.
The question was put and decided in the afirma.
Mr.. SMITH having assembled the platform made q
long speech in defence Of his position. lie said he
pa,,ar ou,tfnl tho namnrrufjn nurty. 0ut retuSOQ 10
war upon KNOWN othings, seeing no good resan
could follow such O course. lie was always d
strict constructionist, and he thought 1t improper 10
war upon those who maintained such uotft!es'
denied having ever attacked the Democracy, or
having Joined Know Nothings, and believed mere
would be but one party in the Sout1, ana 'lat "a'
the Democratic party. His chief crime was a Teiu-
sal to support the nominees Oh tne S.aU"tuL "
veution against his predictions. Alter other re-
marks, u.-u,,
Mr.. ~SMIrH-Yes.
Mr.. CLUrrER-lt is well known that Ilany ~ Nv
call themselves Democrats. ask tne sen,
If he ia a Democrat in contradlstinction 10
he nominations made by the Philadelphia Conven-
tion. hrt tuo nart;es in
conntry-the Democratic and the Black Repuo,
The question ID answered. ~ 'ne o'''0 :
hold with regard to them: ~
tCr;es of no, no, no. Great confusion1
Mr.. SMIrH-Hesrm me, in the name OF God. nave
70 aav tina, Of course I could not think for one instant
of voting for the Phllaoelphis hoin'hee'' suppose
that is distinct enough. ~
Mr. TYLER, of Fauquier county. Should wise re-
ceive the nomination Of the CincianatlC convention,
the gentleman buckle on his armor and support
him If so, l will go for him.
Tremendous confusion. Cries OF "hear him' near
Mr.. sxlrH.-The gentleman's support is a great
Involvement for me to sacrifice my conscience.
Mr.. TYLER and MIR. DOUGLAS OF hlng "ililan'-
That dodge wont do. tConfusion.) ,
Nr. SMIrH.-Dodging! tsarcastically.l stand
here able to look God and the country i'll the tace. l
have got through hard trials, and you never saw me
lodging. Dodging! lsarcastioally.)
Mr.. DOUGLAS, standing IN front OF inc Piator'n'
from among the crowd.-I used the term dodge
Mr.. SalTH.-I don't "dodge.' Whenever a false
charge is made against me. / shall dispute it, be it
said by Jew or Gentle, God or Devil. am too well
known to create such an impression in my regard
When YOU get me into an organization, it Is hard to
get me out of it. l repeat that there is to be one
great fight in this country, and that between Demo-
cracy and Black Republicanism. There is but one
line of policy for Inc to pursue, and that IL PLAIN. /
cannot do any thing else than support the nominee OF
the Cincinnati Convention.
Mr.. DouGLAs.-I Withdraw my remarks, IN view
Of that declaration. -.
Mr.. TYLrR.-Since he has avowed himself ready
TO support the nominees Of the Cincinnati ConVen-
ton, I move he be unanimously admitted to a seat IN
this Convention.
MIR. FuysrES, of Alexandria, said He made war
upon MIR. SMITH, as elector for hia district, when ne NJ
IMr. ST. warred on The nominees of the Democratic
party. When he fought, fought and would nave
done so If it terminated in death on both sides.
Mr.. JOHNSON said Before the nomination of Flour.
nov, | have proof, strong as Holy Writ, that he tMr'
ST. was a candidate before the Winchester Conren'
ton, for nomination to the office OF Govern.
or. Before Flunruoy's nomlnation, he assailed
the Democratic nominees, but afterwards he
was silent. finding his chances were iost.-
In reply Ia Mr.. SMITHS remark, that l voted for q
Know Nothing, | would say | voted for Mr.. BAR.
BouR, knowing he could not have been elected, ant
because | looked upon him rs an honest, high-mlnd
| ed gentleman, aud open, manly politician. iregard NIT
SMITH ia a far different light. regard him as an insid!
aus enemy to the Democratic party and l agalns
him at the last election, aud would do 30 again. ZAP
plause.) Three Years ago lie was opposed to conVen
timps, knowing that he was not likely to get III
nomination. ! believe, moreover, tnat ne "As Eutit.
of corruption when Governor of the State of Virgi
MIA. =.
Sir. SMITH explained, that on tho occasion t
which the gentleman referred, he wrote a letter, say
ing that conventions were necessary some times: ou
only when necessary were they justlhable. 1t tn
people thought them necessary he was ready to boz
in submission to their will. -,
%exandria,
MIR. LEE Of Orange and Greene said:-Id do not wis
10 detain the Convention with any remarks upon I'M
subject. There is no member Of this Convention thu
regrets more sincerely that this matter has been II
troduced, than l do. 1t WINS my intention, in tn
course of Mr.. SMITHS remarks, to have made a brit
reply in justification Of the Democrats of his distrit
and Of mine; but, sir, after the open and unreserve
avowal that he Inns made, OF his Intention 10 sustain IN
nominations Of the Cincinnati Convention, furbea
to say anything in reference to him.
should not trouble the Convention with asing
remark, but for some explanations which The gentle
man has made, that might have been understood
imply some degree of ccusure upon the Democrat
of nv counties, and the whole district, in fact.
simply meant to say, that on one of three occ'
siops to which he has alluded, ! was placed in the pr
sition of an antagonist to the g~entleman-a poss'tiu
which assumed at the desire of u large number
voters who had assembled to hear his views. l WI