Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-09

oeSire 10 MAKE bat lew remarks in expla.
nation OF this amendment
cannot express any hope for any adjust
ment that will restore peace and unite this
country again, unless the authorities at Wash.
lngton shall maintain peaceful relations with
the seeded States. | cannot express that
hope, because am ready myself, at any time
when they shall undertake, under any pretext
whatever, ito enforce the laws OF reinforce the
forts" or commit any other act within the Sc
ceded States Of coeTciye character-I Suy, in
any Of these events, au ready to vote to dis.
solve our connection with this government; :;
ard not only shat but to pledge myself to re.
sist that suthority in the execution, as they
may consider il, Of the laws iii the seeded
States, which consider nothing more or less
than sear
II is due 70 myself, it is due to the constitu.
ency which have the honor in part to repre-.
sent, that should make this statement; for
the position which have assumed is the same
that occupied when candidate before them.
now say, that unless this or similar amend!
ulent is adopted, shall be under the necessity
Of voting against the whole resolution, because
have no hope of the reconstruction Of the
Government as 1t was, except on peaceful rcla-
tions. have no idea of recording my vote
expressing any hope to preserve it upon any
other terms. It's, therefore, sir, that | ottr
the amendment.
Mr.. SPEEp-Will it be in order to move to
add to the amendment proposed BY the gentle
inanY
The CHAlRaAN-The Chair sees at once.
that if the order of the House is to be strictly
and technically construed, that 4 most serious
tny1ra IA flt
the amendments to this report:
"All debate i'll Committee Of the Whole shall
cease at 10 o'clock on Thursday, and the Com
III ttee shall at once proceed to vote upon the
propositions before it, giving tel, minutes 10 the
member offering any amendment and the same
time TO one member opposing it, for explana'
tiou, and ten minutes for replication.
1t seems, therefore, if the Chair is to look to
the phraseology Of this order of the Committee
and to consider it according to its language, tGat
TO amendment TO the amendment would be
sustainabie or allowed The Chair did hope,
after what passed yesterday, that members
dissatisfied with this rule. this morning in the
Convention would have HAD it changed aud
modified.
Mr. W1sE-I was dissatisfied with tie cen
structiou put upon that rule yesterday, but
was not here this morning, being necessarily
absent. understand the Chair now to say
that that rule, which concerns the limitation d!
time to be consumed in debate and refers to
persons debating any question, precludes an
amendment that would otherwise be in order
The CHA1RHAN-The Chair feels the diff
Guilty, as ne has just said, in deciding that qucs.
ton that tho rule seems 10 be confined entirely
to Al amendment, opposition to it, and then a
replication.
Mr.. WIsE-It confines and designates the
persons who are to debate the amendment, but
it does not exclude any amendment that would
otherwise be in order.
The CuAlRMAS-The Chair would be very
happy if it could be brought to that interpreta-
ton of the order The Chair will make its de-
csiop, and it will be in order for any gentle.
man who differs from the Chair to take an ap-
peal
Mr. r. Y. CoNRAD-Will the Chair permit
me 70 say one word upon this question OF or.
der. which mas been raised by the Chair.
The CnAIRNAS-lt is out of order, but the
Chair certainly will indulge the gentleman.
Mr.. r. Z. CoNRAD-I feel myself responsi-
BILE for that erter, aud teg leave to say, that,
little versed as am III parliamentary law,
cannot think that the construction which the
Chair seems disposed to put upos that order Is
the correct one. submit that an amendment
to an amendment is not the less an amendment
Now, the rule reads that when any amendment
is offered, ten minutes shall be allowed to the
member proposing the amendment 10 discuss
it, ten minutes for reply, and ten minutes
for a replication. Why should not that rule
apply as we'll to an amendment TO an amend.
ment if such motion be in order, as to the ORR
ginal amendment 1t must apply, unless the
decision of the Chair involves this proposition,
that an amendment to an amendment is not an
amendment at all | ask the Chair, without de-
Gliding the question: do net understand that
the Chair has decided it posltirely-to re.
consider his opinion that | may not be driven
to the necessity of appeal.
The CH4iKMAS- Chair will decide that
it will receive the amendment, because the au-
thor of the resolution gives it different inter.
pretation, and the Chair is satisfied that its in
depreciation would work more inconvenience
and perhaps injustice, and, therefore, the Chair
will decide to receive the amendment, and the
Chair hopes that any member who is dlssatlS-
fed with the decision of the Chair, will take
an appeal, SO that the sense o. the COMMITTEE
cen be ascertained
Mr.. E1sE-I want simply to inquire what
the decision Of the Chair s-whether 1t con-
forms to the views of the gentleman from Fred
erick, (Mr. CoSRAp)?
The CaAIRMAN-DiStlnctiy.
Mr. CLExEss.-I desire to know, under the
construction which the gentleman from Fred.
erick has given to this resolution, whether tue
lini, as TO the time is to be applied to the
amendment to the amendment, as il no amend
ment were offered at all.
The CHAIRMAN applies to any amend
ment.
Mr.. CLEMEss-i desire to say, that under
the strict phraseology Of that rule, the CHAIR,
in my opinion. was right ;,
Mr. SPEED-I propose to add to the sixth
resolution of the report OF The Committee, the
words:
"And not seek to accumulate, within the
limits OF any Southern State, an amount OF
t,oops or munitions Of war not required Tor the
purpose Of external defence" /.
Mr.. DoKNAS-I beg TO call the attention oI
the gentleman from Pit:syivan!s (Mr SrThES-
LINZ ard the gentleman FROM Lynchonrs
;SIr. SPEED both, to the 9th and 18th resolu.
tons. I shall DC compelled 20 vote against
10th of the amendments offered by these gem
t,enen because the amendment OF the gentle
man from Pi,tsylyana (Mr. S1THEHLIN) IS pro-
yided for expressly and fully in the l2th reso-
luton. which declares '';hey will expect, as an
Indispensable condition, that pacific policy
shall be adopted towards the seeded States.
That, of course. necessarily implies the idea,
unless that pachc policy be adopted, that We
cannot hope for the continuance ot peace ard
progress.
the gentleman from Lvnchburg, (Alr. SPEED
it seems to me to be but repetition OF the
amendment offered by him to the 9th resolu-
ton when he moved to aid after the words
..nnwise, iupolitic and offensive" the words
mot to be tolerated by free people" :, ;,
7 understand that question to he decided
already by this Committee.
"a. .ndor.tand that the