Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-02-28

States. (Applausc.)
Mr., McMrLLES-I respectfully request my
distinguished friend to have his resolution reaG
and presented to the Convention.
The resolution was accordingly read rs !"l
lows:
Resolved, That in the opinion OF this Conven'
ton, Henry \. Wise is the choice OF the Demo
cratic party ofthis State for the Presidency,
The reading of this was followed with lhI
most enthusiastic applause.
Mr.. ". d. WALLACH-l ask, rs i matter Of
courtesy, to offer resolutions rs 4 substitute
for that offered by the gentleman from Monroe
The resolutions were read, but
The Chair decided that il WAS not in order
to olItr them at this stage, Mr. Chapman having
the floor.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN, proceeding-M President, il
NAV be, sir. that | might agree to adopt that
portion Of the gemtlcman'S amendment which
pledges our supper; 10 the NOMINEE OF the
Charleston Convention, for expect that nc
nomination can be made by that Convention
that | will not support. (.Applause.) But. sir,
ms object is to get that man who think is
the man for the times. as the nominee ni that
Convention. (.Applausc.) Why, sir. oigli,
we not express m opinion at this time III
favor Of our choice; am aware that since the
meeting Of this Convention there has been Il
great effort made to prevent gentlemen having
an opinion from exprcsSingit. ! am aware that
the tinid-thc men who have their opinions
hanginga little loose about thcm-havc been
accustcd and admoni>ied Of the improperly OF
uniting in an expression Of preference for any.
body. But think every man who has intelII-
gencc enough 10 entertain al opinion will have
nerve and manl!ne>S enough to express 1t. AMI
cmblazon it to the light OF day. (Applausc.J
think that the mar who is afraid To express an
opinion is hot Il lit follower OF Henry A.. Wise.
(:Applalsc.j Ny people. at least, have an
opinion. They have = preference, and
that preference they want tins State, and,
If possible. this nation to know. CAP
plauSc.) Why, sir, if you hire an opinion, do
yon fear 10 express it. II you havca preference,
why will you not state it here: can see
no reason why YOU should not. am satisfied
of the fact that if Virginia expects her son 10
nave an opportunity OF obtaining the nomina-
ton al Charleston, she must express here her
preference for him. know, sir, that in Vir-
ginia il is unnecessary, but out Of Virginia it
is all Important that this expression Of pre-
ference should be given, in order to influence
the action Of other States in behalf Of her
choice. have found. sir, in the sundry Ma
tinnal Conventions that have had the honor Of
attending that the voice of Virginia told upon
the Democracy of the nation four times more
than her actual numerical strength. Why, then,
should not Henry \. Wise, il he be the choice
nC virginia. be 50 announced to the natiOn!-
| am aware that the politicians are managing
and intriguing ~ defeat him, and thus defeat
and thrwart the vii! Of the people-defeat the
only man that the Democratic party could
elect. Nominate Henry \. Wise, and he starts
in the race with i per crntuln i'll his favor which
no other individual could command. Cloud ap.
plausc) Go back but for 4 few years, and we
see that when the tide which Was sweeping
away the rights Of all our adopted citizens
when the tide that was sweeping away the
principles which gave freedom Of conscience,
was marching up TO the borders Of Virginia,
then Henry a. Wise threw himself in the
breach, and with his eloquent voice in the
highlands and lowlnnds, met the enemy and
drove him back to the place whence he came.
(AppIausc.) Henry \. Wise starts in this con-
test with the whole Of the foreign vote, a per
cent which no other individual If the Demo.
cratic party in the nation can start with. But
this expression Of preference is proper in
another point Of view.
have stated that destiny points ont the man
for the times. But a few short months ago.
when this nation, contented and happy, rested
in quiet and perfect repose, our dear Did State
was, in the still hour Of the night, invaded, her
~peacc(ul citizens taken captive and imprisoned
yea, our State invaded b. an individual
who was only carrying out The principles of
H.. t:-,,,.etlin cnpTict'f ,,rn,iuipn,l h-
Seward. And what was the result? Why.
Henry \. Wise, with the lightning speed, met
them at the first bugle.sound, and, in Il few
short weeks, the invaders of your soil-wcre not
only arrested. but were tried, convicted and
cxecuted-Mpplause)-and his namc goes forth
to all the world rs the successful defender Of
the rights of the people Of his State, Of the
institutions Of the South, and the guarantees
of the Constitution Of the country; and if he
shall he the Charleston nominee, there will not
be- Il vote placed in the ballot.boX South Of Ma
sons aud Dix0n's line, in the next Presidential
election, that will not be considered, in the
fullest sense, an approval or %disapproval Of the
John Brown raid, and will prove a fair trial of
the strength ard pcrpctuity Of this glorious
Union. (Applausc.)
But an expression Of opinion from Virginia
is important in another point Of vicw-for how
otherwise can the voice Of the Democratic party
OF Virginia be heard Will gentlemen tell me
that that voice can he, heard in the District
Conventions that arc about to assemble to send
delegates to Charleston: Ii cannot be heard
there, for the Districts which arc claimed TO be
the Electoral Districts do not represent the
Democratic party or people Of Virginia. There
have been no electoral districts formed by law
since 1910, and the districts which have been
adopted are the old Congressional Districts,
founded on the census Of 1910. Nine Of those
districts are on the East side of the Blue Ridge
mountains, aud six on the West side thereof:
whilst a large majority of the citizens Of Eir-
GINA, as well as 4 large majority OF the Demo
cratic voters of Virginia, reside on the " est side
Of the said Blue Ridge, So that nine districts,
representing 4 min"ritNof the Democratic par
ty, will have IS Of 30 delegates at Charleston.
Lhe majority Of the Democratic voters will he
represented there by but twelve deIegateS-so
that Il small minority, II will be seen, may
control the delegates representing 4 large
majority Of the voters ut Charleston, and thus
miSreprcscnt and override the will Of the De.
mocracy of Virginia. Then the voice Of the
Democracy cannot be fairly aScertaincd by the
District Conventions. How important, then, is
it that IN expression Of opinion should be
given by this Convention: For no where else.
Under present arrangements, can it be obtained.
And coming up fresh from your constituents,
YOU can tell us what the preference OF |ir-
ginia is. (Applause.)
Mr.. President, | don't intend, to-day, to pass
any culogy on Henry A. Wise. he is too well
known in Virginia to make it necessary for me
to do so. But l will say this: Let the voice of
Virginia 70 out, saying that he is her prefe-
renee. (And every member Of this Convention
knows him to be her preference.) Let the
people Of this nation know that Henry 4. Wise
is her choice for the Presidency, and nc will
20 to Charleston with a prestige that no other
man can command. Applause. ion know, and
this nation knows. he is trustworthy. You
know and this nation knows. that the Consti'
tuition and the Union will he safe under
his administration, Go to Charleston then
and nominate him, and when that no.
m~ination shall be proclaimed to the
nation, orc loud, long, transporting shout,
- ..HI c,,rt o,