Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-04-26

No. nothing Of the sort. and let me tell
-. friend. thai whenever they are called upon
., mite. according to the plan to which he ~
,I.l.,,L whenever the smaller party oil the
Il,,ib * Ia be- absorbed by the larger Pnrty "l
,h. North. that the people of the South VIII re-
~, ,nL heed nh appeal addressed to them IN
1850 i'll support "i the i''iiio'r"'" P"'' ""'
,h,. candidate Of that day.
ux connection dciicS ne I" produce a vote
:. .n,.,h. or editorial. 10 show That have any
.,rI IN ,hr subject of internal improvements
w.JI will give you u record oh that question
which. | trust, will he broad enough ana com,
nr,hrn.iyc enough To cover the Improvement Oh
,,h, ~ hole State. North, South, East anu West
, record which made i'll the Virginia hciorih
convention. and. while solnc OF You may re-
.,ard il as being put in the wrong place. IL
Shows distinctly what my views were. IN 'i't
Convention Henry \. Wise offered tins rcso'
,utirn the reporter has not the quotation oH'
,, ,,r,,rs To n plan Tor carrying on all the pup
IL. works. | voted for the resolution, III rom
mon with some forty three others.
f. S~trotlirr offered 4 resolution that the LIE
.r;sl,turr Of Virginia should provide for the
Construction of II railroad iroln-tthe reporter
i without the uuotalinnS.J voted. for that
Mr. Bots offered u resolution that nothing
h,r,in" uhc reporter is without the quota
nom voted for that. also, in company with
I,,y five others. Now. fellow citizens, | take
il, that Is record enough "n that subject.
In our discussion heretofore, was charged
hy him with voting for Wendell for public
pr;n,rr. dill not believe, ut the time the
''harrc was made, that ! 'lil give the vote; but
| find. r, examining the record, that | did vote
t,r him two or three times in that election. ac-
knowledge my error. and will state. at the same
time. that. n far rs my competitor Is concern
cd. we are both in the same liX.
charged him with voting to tax tea and
coffee lie hclicvcS he has not voted to tax
either have the evidence here of the Jour
nal Of the House OF Representatives TO prove
that he did.
Mr.. Goysin. | do not think it will show it.
Mr.. Lctcl,cr. Well, | think il will. If you
will look Mt the Journal for 1871. you will lind
M rnsrosscd bill, No. IL, entitled San act in
relation Ia duties and drawbacks My friend
voted for its passage and for its engrossment.
| have the original bill in my hand.
\ Voice. That was part Of you business in
Washington.
Mr. Lctchcr. Well, it don't matter whether
i, wa. ar not. Here is the bill. Breads the
hill including tea and coffee, and the vote of
Mr.. Cosrin.i have no idea, and do not wish
to he understood rs charging that my CON-
pctitor stated il, believing 1t the same time
tina, it was not so; but | believe it was entire
forcctlulncSS of his course on the subject.
The next point of objection to me is, that
when the contest was going on for the Speak
crshi, Of the House of Representatives Of the
3ith Congress, | submitted . proposition to re-
fer the matter to McsSrS. Orr. Fuller and Banks,
10 decide and fix upon n choice Of some one OF
the three To fill tho office. Well, admitting
that | did. how was it in the House at the
time: We had tried every way for six weeks
and could not accomplish the desired result,
and seeing that the session was fast gliding
away and the work Of the Government lett
undonc. | made the proposition alluded to, as
4 possible mode of bringing matters to a de-
cision. Mr.. Orr, Of South Carolina, now Speak
cr Of the House, was one Of the men selected,
Fuller, Of New York, was the next, and he had
always been considered a conservative man,
while he was n candidate OF the South Ameri-
cans for the office Of Speaker.
Now. If he was trustworthy, here were GER
tainly two that would be safe and reliable; so
that il was impossible that Banks could have
come up as Speaker by their procurement or
appointment; and, if the proposition failed, we
would only have been where we were before.
As much to be condemned as my friend seems
to think il, the proposition was only beaten by
nine votes. Applause. He holds me respon-
siblc for the election of Banks. | did not even
vote for the plurality rule. | voted against it.
Now. here is what | said on the subject in the
discussion at the time, just before the election of
Banks was forced on the House by the small
minority Of nv opponents political friends:
Il have been opposed, from the first to the
last. TO the adoption of the plurality rule. |
regard it as a question involving principle; and
so regarding it., it can never receive my favor
or support IN this House. The southern por-
ton Of this country is in a minority here in the
House Of Representatives, and in a minority in
the other wing of the Capitol; and one Of the
greatest securities which we have for the South
Is the requisition on the part Of those Elements
which make I'd the North that they shall be
required to combine, either for the purpose Of
organization here, or for the purpose Of organi-
cation in the other wing of the Capitol. Re-
cardinr il i'm this view, and looking 1T the pre-
sent state of the elements which are found in
this House. | cannot recognize u principle
which, in my Judgment, is calculated to place
that section Of country from which come at a
greater disadvantage than it now occupies.
MY own view is, that the result of this cleo
ton is now fixed and certain. | consider the
presentation of this plurality rule, under all
the circumstances, an indication that it is to
meet with success; and do not see the slight
est necessity for postponing what now seems
inevitable, until Thursday. lfthc resolution is
to he adopted, it seems to me it had as well be
done now as at any other future time. If Mr..
Banks is to get a plurality, and, by virtuc of
that plurality is to be elevated to the Speakers
chair of this House. ! sec no reason for a post
poncmcnt for one day. Regarding it, sir, in
this light as fixed and certain, as a test ] move
that the resolution be laid on the table
Now. if | have done anything wrong in the
matter, it is for you, my fellow citizens, to say.
The next point urged against me is the great
point, that in 1861 | was for dlvorcing Bank
and State, and for collecting the revenues in
gold and silver. | did make that declaration in
the House Of Representatives. and have seen no
reason to withdraw it; but | have seen good
reason why this State and every other should
have its bank and State institutions en-
tircly separate. We have seen the power Of
the banks to control. When has there ever
been a suspension of specie payment by the
banks that has not heen, directly or indirectly,
l~egalizcd by Legislative action The Govern
ment is so connected with the banks, that it is
impossible 10 get along without hampcring it.
self, if it undertakes to make the banks redeem
their obligations.
But if it be thus with the banks. how is it
with the people? Whcnthey suspend payment,
the result is distress and failure. When the
common debtor cannot pay, he is wound up
executions are levied, and though the last horse
or bed be sold, the last farthing must be paid.
Can you see any reason why a suspension of
specie payment by the banks should be legal
lied, and why a suspension by the people
should not be legalized, at the same time?
But my friend says there is specie enough
in Virginia to pay the debts. 10 IS, $40 and
$50 bills represent specie: He says they pur-
-. -. IL - No1I e .bor rorro,op cpn,ia