Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-06-22
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.

the Convention and the audience with quiet and reverend
air. Mr CUSHING proceeded 10 address the Convention
follows:
Gentlemen Of the Convention Permit Inc, In the first
place. 10 congratulate you upon your heing reaSSenbef
here for the discharge Of your Important duties In
erests Of the Democratic party Of the Cned States ant
beg leave in the second place. TO communicate 10 the
Convention the state OF the various branches OF Its bus
they now come for consideration before yo
Prior to the adjournment Of the Convention, Ixo pnc
pal subjects Of action before IT, One the adoption
the doctrnal resolutions constituting the platform Of h'
Convention the other voting the question or The no
mination OF q candidate for the Presidency.
In the course Of the discussion Of the question OF pat
FORM the Convention adopted vote, the effect OF wlhci
was to amend the report Of the majority OF te Connes
the Platform by substituting the report Of the minority
Of that Committees and after the adoption OF a.
division called for upon the several
utlne that PLATFORM being In number The ls o. 4 anu
th az those resolutions adopted by the Convention
and The 2nd was rejected Aer the vote the adoption
of The st 3d. and 9th OF those resolutions, MOTION
was uae In each TO reconsider the vote and TO lay
hnt motion OF reconsideration upon the table But neither
Of those motions reconsider to lay the table was
nut the putting OF these motions having been prevented by
The Intervention OF questions of privilege the ultimate
roe competent in such to wit D! the adoption Of The
report OF the majority amended by the report Of the mi
nory had not been acted upon by the Convcntion "a
that the time when the convention adjourned there re-
mained pending before it these motions to WIZ 10 recon
slider the resolutions constituting the platform ana ,he w
substitution Of the minority report Those questions and
those only the Chair understood the EulionS heiore
the Convention acted upon prior I" the ADJOURN
nlent. ,
After the disposition or the Intervening questions q" pr
Ylrgc motion made by Mr. McCooh, vi Ohlo 10 pro
ceed to vote for candidates for rrtsdeu and Vice Pre
dent Upon that motion the Convention strucied the
Chnr ut has been enormously supposed IN the recess
VI the Convention, the Chair determining "r The ConYen
tou but the Convention nslructng the Char) to make nc
declaration Of nomination except upon vote equivalent
twoirds in the Electoral College Of the United States
and upon that baloiing such vote being given, that r
er was upon the motion Of the gentlemen from Virginia
MR. R,ssr laid the table for the purpose Ui enabling
linn TO prorose motion which he suGsrQ Que,ly did, that
u1i from ilip
city OF BALTIMORE and with provision concerning The
filling of vacancies embraced in the resolution. whcl
resolution the Secretary will please 10 read.
The SECRETARY read the resolution, rs follows:
"Resolved, That when this Convention ahsurms to-day
II adjourn 10 reasseme al Baltimore. Nd, on Monday, h.
18th day of June that he respectfully recommended t
the Democratic party OF the several States TO make roy
siun for supplying all vacancies In their respective ecga
to This Convention when ii shall TeaSsrmble"
The PREsl slDENThe Convention will thus perceive tha
The order adopted 10y IL provided, among other things tina
il IL respectfully recommended to The Democratic party
the several States make provision for supplying a va
cancIes IN tvr respective delegations 10 this Convention
when II shall re.asScbe What is the construction OF thai
resolutiou?wha is the scope of its appcaon:-s ques
on not for the Chair 10 determine to suggest 10 tile Con
venton, but for the Convention itself to determine.
However nt may be. In the preparatory arrangement
for the present assembling OF this Convention there wcr,
purp0rtins be elected affirmed and confirmed by ht
original Conventions and accredited to this Convention
In three OF those perhaps four the credentials
were authentic snd complete, presenting no question o r'
trovertlng delegates In four others wihe States o
Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Delaware, There were
contesng applications Upon those applications the Chh
called to determine whether II Possessed any power tc
determine 1ind Tucie membership Of this Convention
That question presented in its most absolute and com
plete form in the case Of Mississippi where there
contest either through rreeuary Of form or Of competing
delegations and also m the OF Florda Texas an'
Arkansas In those four States, there being an apparent
authenticity Of commission the Chair was called upon
determine the naked abstract question whether he hat
power, pereptorlly and prelnnariy 10 determine ht
pina fcie membership OF alleged members Of this Con
ventio The Chair would gladly have satisfied himself thai
he had this power examining the source o!his pow
cr to w-the rules ofth ousc OF Representatives, h
was unable discern TINT he had any authority ever
prima face, to scruniEe and canvass credentials, al
though they such as upon their face were free rou
controversy either OF form Of substance ant
therefore he deemed it his duty 10 the deermn
ion Of that question be submitted to the Convention
And 10 due time the Chair will present that question as ont
| OF privilege 10 this body.
And now gentlemen having thus presented 10 you th
exac, state OF the questions pending involved In the &C
ton Of the Convention when IL adjourned, the Chair beg
leave only add single observation Of more genera
nature. We assemble here now at time when the enemies
OF the Democratic par,y-when let me say the enemies
the Constitution Of the United states In the field lap
piausr with their selected leaders with r banners dis
played advancing TO the combat with the constitutions
interests and party Of the United States and upon you gen
teen upon your action, upon your spirit OF harmony
upon your devotion the Constitution, upon your soici
ude to maintain the interests the honor and the Integrity
the Democratic party, the guardians Of the Constu
on-upon you gentlemen 1t depend whether the Issue
that combat be victory defeat for the Constitution
Of the United States [Rsnewed appause.l
al or political demands OF TINT question. II may he per
miste however exhort you in the spirit OF our commr
ny OF party interests In the faith OF common respec
for the Constitution in the Of devotion
the Interests and honor Of country say 10 exhor
you TO feel that here this day not tn determine
technical questions OF form, EUt merely TO gRI
personal party riumphs but here In the
else Of solemn duty In crisis OF the condition OF the af
fairs Of country such has yet hefaen the mi
ted States. Shall not all enter upon this duty in ht
solemn and profound conviction Of the responsibilities thu
derored upon U.s. OF our high duty TO our country TO our
selves and the States Of this Union? tAppause Gen
encn the Convention Is now in order for The TRANSACTION
| OF business.
The address Ct the Presden, was delivered in clear
loud voice, with much emphasis and was listened TO with
''''' ADMISSION OF DELEGATES
Mr. HOWARD Of Tennessee offered the following reso
Resolved, That the President Of this Convention drec
the Sergean,-aArms TO issue tickets OF admission to tn
delegates OF the Convention originally constituted ant
organized at Charleston.
| Mr. KAvANAGH, of Minnesota move to lny the re
solution upon the table, and upon that call FOR vote l.!
S,a;es.
Mr RUSSELL, OF yrgiuIa-I rse to ask few questions
OF the Chair for information suppose they relate 10
privileged question: that Am entitled to ask them. not
wthstandIng the motion which has been made would asl
the Chair II he has not undertaken to decide that the gen
tlemen who have seats here as delegates from the state
decide that question: ask him to state to this Convention
upon what ground he has decided that We are entitled bt
here? him state II 1t was upon the ground that VT
had appeared and been recognized as proper TO
this convention when was formerly In session! he hat
acted upon that ground With regard 10 le deeSa'es ou
Virginia. and other delegates here ask him to stnte FOL
our information why he has not the same ground is
sued tickets all those formerly seated In this convenoi
with uncontcstcd seats with seats which, U they were
contested were decided to be properly occupied by os,
ask the Chair 10 state whether lie has under
taken in consequence OF any action which those delegates
themselves have TAKEN or In consequence OF any rnorcd
or reported action elsewhere In the country 10 decide tha
they have deprived themselves of the right 70 return rs We
have returned with the permission Of the Chair desire
The Chair to whether the grounds 60 not apply
In his opnion all those delegations with uneontested
seRts here, as to virginia!
The PRESIDENT-With the permission Of The Convrn
,on the Chair will respond TO the questions o tie gentle
man from Virginia r. Russe II IL be understood by the
Convention that it is competent for the Chair TO do
end;ng the motion of the gentleman Minnesota (Mr
Kavanagh) lay the table the resoutir "f the gentle
man from Tennessee (Mr. lIowarl.)
Mr. STUART, OF Michigan hope there Will be ahan
nous cunsen given the Chair but Nth the understands
Ing that neither the Chair the gentleman from Virginia
mir Rpssel had the right 10 make any statement IN th
present conditions Of the business tCrc' OF leave.
.icave"j
The piEsIDrST-The Chair will then state, in RESPONSE
10 the inquiry Of the gentleman from virginia r Russell
that The Chair did undertake to judge nythns neither
10 decide that there were not vacancies All The
Chair 10 say ys T ~ iSe ;r g" H.
adjournment Charleston, were entitled TO rerosmh"h :"
nembcr,hlp precisely to-day as they would hHd Inc Con
ren,ion adjourned yesterday Applause To have gone
beyond this point would have heen to enter into the can
yass of conflicting credentials upon new elections VI hein
bers. The Cha was Thoroughly c1hSincea ha' NJ aa no
power 10 enter into that inquiry Of conflicting crcdebIi'
of persons alleging to hay. been elected TO s
iy State Conventions held since the adjournment OF s
Convention mt Charleston. The Chair will suggest to ir
gentleman from Virginia that the question did not rcsen!
Itself In the form Of simplicity and unty In which his in
nury would suppofe nasnuc rs several States 10 which
he refers did that The resolution In The adjournment
created vacancies TO be filled by new action VI te reec
tive States; aud II the Chair had entered into any inquiry
OF the new credentials for instance 10 discriminate upon
the question whehes these credentials came from new
State called anew and that Convention vacA-
ting anterior commissions; whether they cmanhS from
a Convention called and simply confirm hs interior
either If the Chair had gone ino tile
question would have been necessary for him to hold hear
inps and investigations Of credentials and OF facts in
gard to eight States Of the Cnion ns to which he had no
more power under The rules Of the House OF Representa-
,ivpS than Rny other member Of the Convention.
whilst :,e Chair Is disposed TO exert The whole r"Wsr in
any contingency of the Speaker Of the House OF Repre-
Misunderstanding entered upon the discharge Of this most
unwelcalnc and responsible duty win determination to
tnovs that IL is impossible thqt he shall maintain order In
this Convention at The deliberations of this Convention
takes care 10 walk carefully and vigorously in the simple
line Of routine and Of technical authority; ApPanse -
Within the line OF technical authority, and upon the rules
of the House Of Representatives constituting The guide