Weekly national intelligencer., 1860-05-12
CONSTITUTIONAL UNION CONVENTION
Detailed Report of the First Day.
PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS.

PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS
The National Committee, and the National Executive
Committee of the Constitutional Union Party and the Ma
onal Committees of the Whig and American parties
at Temperance Temple, In Baltimore, Wednesday
ing at 10 O'clock a34t
Senator CRITTENDEN called the Committees to order
saying Gentlemen of the Committee, you assembled
here by the direction of the Chairman of the Central Elk
ecuve Committee for the purpose of performing the las
of your duties an official body do not know of any
specific objects which should command attention.
may not be inappropriate for to make few remarks
relative to the which created this committee.
formed for the purpose of rayng the conservative
elements throughout the country into party whose OBJ
ects should be the preservation of the institutions of the
county to turn back the of faction and section and
still the threaenngs, which, if not arrested win bring
lamity upon the country We, committee, met as
nucleus around which the party could gather and have
performed our duty Nothing remains for do the
representatives of the people, who will in few hours meet
in Convention and will have the direction and control of a
fairs They have been delegated for certain purposes and
hereafter all authority must issue from that body Until
it meets however you still capable of exercising
functions and ready to receive any propositions
which may be made.
The Hon ERAsTUs BROOKS, of New York city, moved
that when the hour for the assembling of the National Con-
vention arrived the Chairman of this body Mr Crtten
den) should call the Convention to order by nominating
Mr. CRTTENDEN said that he had doubts as to whether
it within his province to exercise such power In
conversation with several of his friends they had insisted
be exceeding his authority assuming to the tempo
rary chairman The Convention was constituted to
be able to organize itself 1t directly from the
pie, with full authority to exercise all the functions belong
ing to deiberative body Any member of that Conyen
ton could object to the procedure and with proprey de-
mand by what authority he acted IT, however, the COM
mtee should delegate him to take such step he would
do for he could not shrink from any task which parook
of the character of duty.
Mr. Brooks said that he made the motion for several
reasons first because was customary for the Chairman
of he of all n
tona Convention to order and secondly he believed ne
but echoed the desire of the entire Convention express
ing the wish that the Senator from Kentucky should carry
out the wish embodied in the resolution. (Cheers
Mr. BRIGGS said that, while for himself he would be
highly grated if the Senator from Kentucky should COM
ply with the request yet he conceded with the opinions
expressed by that honorable gentleman himself when be
feared that portion of the Convention might consider il
presumption He thought the resolution should not pre-
vail and hoped the gentleman who offered it would with
draw it and, if not, that it would be voted down.
Mr. BROOKS could see improperly in the proposed
action.
Mr. WALKER the Secretary, put the motion, and il
was unanimously adopted
Mr. LATHAM of Virginia, offered resolution authoriz
ing the State delegations to fill up any vacancies which
may exist in their delegations.
Ex-Governor CoMEGYs, of Delaware, said that he
thought the resolution entirely out OF order The
committee had power to pass such resolution, and
passed it would not be binding the State delegations
Those bodies had doubt already decided
of action relative to the filling of vacancies, and
quently this action not called for He hoped the gen
tleman who offered the resolution would withdraw it.
motion made to lay the resolution on the table
Carried
Ex-Governor CoMRGYs said that, as the objects fol
which the committee had been instituted at end
he moved that it adourns sine die.
One of the committee said think the gentleman to
say the least very unknd Where the necessity Of
calling the members of the committee to this city if it
only to disband it He did not think it right, and could
the gentleman whose acquaintance he had not the
pleasure of havng) that that not the way they did
matters where he from.
Mr. PARTRIDGE of Mississippi, said he opposed to
the motion to adjourn die He believed that it was
the duty of the committee to meet at such times the
President should call them to order.
motion made to adjourn to meet at eight o'clock
Thursday night.
Mr. BoTELER, of Virginia, said that the State dele
cations desired to consult after night and many mem
bers of the committee also delegates to the Conve
ton, it would interfere seriously with their arrange
ments and therefore other hour should be selected
He moved that the committee meet in Temperance Temple
each morning. hour previous to the meeting of the
Convention.
( Adopted; and the committee then adjourned.
u